Moving feels scarier than guided bombs: why residents of a frontline community choose to stay under fire?

Velykyi Burluk, a quiet village in the Kharkiv region, that lies just 20 kilometers from the Russian border. Since the Russian offensive of May 2024, this village has found itself trapped between two relentless fronts. To the northwest, battles rage in the charred ruins of Vovchansk, while to the southeast, Kupiansk is being systematically leveled to the ground. With the advent of Russian planing guided bombs in 2023, Velykyi Burluk lives under the shadow of constant strikes.Yet, in the face of unending danger, most of Burluk's residents remain rooted in their homes. They feel forsaken, resigned to their fate, and gripped by the belief that no life beyond their embattled village could possibly be better than the one they already endure.

Who Plagued the Hearts of Donetsk Miners With Fear?

My grandfather, Anatolii, passed away clinging to the myth of the "Russian world.” Despite surviving the brutal Russian occupation, he remained captivated by this idealized vision. My grandfather was a lifelong miner, dedicating his life to the Donetsk region. He never experienced poverty and he had a house and a big family. Yet, as the cruel Soviet economic system exploited the relatively stable Ukrainian welfare, many people felt hardships immediately. Yet even during times of struggle, his family managed to survive through community support. His relationship with my mother, Iryna, broke down when he discovered she was Ukrainian. This revelation shattered his worldview and fueled a deep-seated hatred for "Banderites," a term used to demonize Ukrainian nationalists. He died in Poltava still carrying this hatred and fear. My grandfather’s story is not one of a kind. On the contrary, it is typical for the majority of the older generation in this region. Their broken lives serve as the very foundation of the wall Russia has been relentlessly constructing between Donetsk and the rest of the country.

Kyiv Wall of Memory and spontaneous memorialization. How to honor the memory of all the fallen?

Kyiv's Memorial Wall on Mykhailivs'ka Square no longer has room for new photos of fallen soldiers. Before Russia's full-scale war, this memorial contained almost 5,000 portraits. Being doubled in size, it does not have the names of all the defenders who sacrificed their lives. Relatives and friends honor the fallen by adorning the Wall with flowers, lamps, candles, flags, and funeral wreaths. Faded photos, barely recognizable, remain as a poignant reminder of those who fell in battles. Who are the caretakers of this spontaneous memorial? Does it fit in the square’s ambiance? Is one wall capable of holding the memory of all those who died in the battles of the Russian-Ukrainian war?

The downed Russian Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B drone in Ukraine debunked its developers’ claims

Debris from a downed Russian drone, large enough to be mistaken for a fighter jet, fell on Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region, on October 5, 2024. Ukrainian forces reported that debris from the downed Russian Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B drone was shot down by a Russian Su-57 aircraft during combat zone tests.

CBD, cannabis, ketamine, and other methods war trauma treatment

Xenon gas therapy is a recognized medical method worldwide. Ketamine therapy remains under scientific research, but medical cannabis has only recently become legalized in Ukraine. Psilocybin, known as “magic mushrooms,” remains prohibited. All of these substances have demonstrated positive effects in therapy for PTSD treatment.

Ukraine is defending: 2024 in photos from Frontliner reporters

A lesson you don’t want to miss: drone piloting and tactical training for high school students (Photo gallery)

In a shift from traditional textbooks, young people are now attending monthly "Defense of Ukraine" classes, learning to fly drones, shoot, provide first aid, and more. To foster the spirit of national unity, various patriotic education centers are being established in Ukrainian cities. Have a look at the "Defense of Ukraine" classes in different regions in this photo report.

Ukrainian Military provides shelter to abandoned elderly Russians in Sudzha

The Ukrainian military has set up a shelter for the elderly in Sudzha. The elderly are being evacuated here from the entire territory of the Kursk region, controlled by Ukraine. During raids and other operations in occupied settlements, the military regularly finds abandoned elderly locals so exhausted that they can no longer take care of themselves.

The Aidar Battalion’s Guerilla Grad, a Makeshift Multiple Rocket Launcher. War and SummerOutside Bakhmut: A Photo Report

This makeshift modification of the Grad has certain advantages over the standard variant. The cost of converting a civilian SUV into a multiple rocket launcher is only 160 thousand UAH. The Guerilla Grad has a range of up to 25 kilometers (15.5 miles). It also has high target destruction accuracy, even compared to the standard […]

Kamianka: a bird’s eye view of a destroyed village near Izium

Kamianka is a village near Izium in the Kharkiv region that was literally wiped off the map by the russians. There is not a single house left standing. The formerly rich farming village has been caught in the crossfire since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, as it lies in a valley between two heights. […]

«Infamous». Why do former prisoners join Ukrainian forces?

The 1st “Da Vinci” Brigade plans to recruit former prisoners to create a whole company. After completing the basic military training, recruits will be assigned to other combat units according to their needs and skills. Once they join their units, they will receive additional essential training.  Somewhere in the woods of central Ukraine, a former […]

«I realize that my dad is gone». Children of fallen defenders undergo rehabilitation in the Carpathians.

After a heavy rainstorm, the clouds hugged the tall pines and seemed to descend into the valley. There, between three mountain ranges of the Carpathians, children of deceased soldiers have been undergoing psychological rehabilitation for two weeks. Sixty children from all over Ukraine have come to the I da Vinci camp, supported by the Children […]

The Aidar Battalion’s Guerilla Grad, a Makeshift Multiple Rocket Launcher. War and SummerOutside Bakhmut: A Photo Report

This makeshift modification of the Grad has certain advantages over the standard variant. The cost of converting a civilian SUV into a multiple rocket launcher is only 160 thousand UAH. The Guerilla Grad has a range of up to 25 kilometers (15.5 miles). It also has high target destruction accuracy, even compared to the standard […]

Kamianka: a bird’s eye view of a destroyed village near Izium

Kamianka is a village near Izium in the Kharkiv region that was literally wiped off the map by the russians. There is not a single house left standing. The formerly rich farming village has been caught in the crossfire since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, as it lies in a valley between two heights. […]