Пожежники ліквідують масштабну пожежу — Firefighters extinguish a large-scale fire caused by a Russian Shahed-type drone attack, Kharkiv, Ukraine, February 10, 2024. Georgiy Ivanchenko / Frontliner

27 Dec, 2024 - Hryhorii Ivanchenko - Andriy Dubchak - Nadia Karpova - Yakiv Liashenko - Olena Maksymenko - Diana Delyurman - Danylo Dubchak - Artem Derkachov

Ukraine is defending: 2024 in photos from Frontliner reporters

Ukraine has been in a full-scale war with Russia for the third year. 2024 was especially difficult and exhausting for the army, society, and economy. Every day, 100-200 combat clashes along the thousand-kilometer front line. Hundreds of drones and missiles are launched at cities and villages in the depths of the country. The advantage of the Russian army in terms of human and weapon resources is reflected in the loss of territories and the exhaustion of people in the Ukrainian military. The situation is becoming critical. But society seems to have gotten used to life in war. Moral and economic fatigue and the uncertainty of the future seem to blind and hide from us the primary and unchanging goal of the Russian Federation - the destruction of Ukraine forever. 2025 may become decisive in this war…

To witness, record for history, and show you the events of the Russian-Ukrainian war of 2024, the Frontliner team went on business trips to the front lines and throughout Ukraine 51 times. And this is 167 days in the fields. This is 50,000 kilometers by car and 4.2 thousand liters of fuel. In addition, shelling and drones, risks and fear, in the end, death and life. This is all about the reality, as Frontliner reporters saw it in 2024. Our reports told and showed, and some helped and possibly saved.

For your attention, just some of the photos Frontliner reporters took in 2024 captured the moments of war. In 2025, we will continue our work and show you the reality. This is becoming more difficult due to the risks of war, reduced funding for the media, emotional burnout of team members, reduced attention from the audience, and fatigue from the topic of war.

In our work, we need the support of readers with advice, reactions, comments, and sharing.
We also need your financial support so that we can travel to the frontline, witness, and show the reality of 2025.

Ukraine is defending: 2024 in photos from Frontliner reporters — Firefighters extinguish a large-scale fire caused by a Russian attack with Shahed drones in Kharkiv, Ukraine, February 10, 2024. Georgiy Ivanchenko / Frontliner

Колишні ув’язнені «Суслик» та «Кот» перед візитом до ЗАГСу — Former prisoners 'Suslik' and 'Kot' who signed a contract with the Ukrainian Armed Forces (1st Da Vinci Brigade) before visiting the registry office, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, October 29, 2024. Andriy Dubchak / Frontliner

Мить перепочинку під час копання бліндажа — A moment of respite while digging a dugout, a soldier of the 1st Da Vinci Brigade, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, August 19, 2024. Nadiia Karpova / Frontliner

The Ukrainian military battalion "Da Vinci Wolves", which was wounded near Krasnohorivka and alone for more than a day to get to the positions from which it was possible to evacuate, is transferred from a pickup truck to a stretcher at the location of the stabilization point of the medical service of the "ULF" battalion, Donetsk region, August 25, 2024. Andriy Dubchak / Frontliner

Юна артистка відпочиває перед виступом ансамблю в укритті — A young dancer of the “Happy Childhood” dance ensemble rests before the ensemble's performance in a shelter, Kharkiv, Ukraine, January 28, 2024. Yakov Lyashenko / Frontliner

На позиціях десантників 148 ОАБР після пострілу гаубиці М777 — The 148th Airborne Brigade paratroopers' positions after an M777 howitzer shot. Donetsk region, Ukraine, July 28, 2024. Olena Maksymenko / Frontliner

Військовослужбовець морської піхоти ремонтує пошкоджений БМП — A serviceman of the 37th Marine Brigade repairs a damaged infantry fighting vehicle, Kherson region, Ukraine, August 14, 2024. Nadiia Karpova / Frontliner

Троє російських військових захоплені в полон під час спроби штурму українських позицій — Three Russian soldiers captured during an attempted assault on Ukrainian positions by fighters of the Da Vinci Wolves battalion are waiting in a basement for further transfer. Donetsk region, Ukraine, August 25, 2024. Andriy Dubchak / Frontliner

Львів’яни ховаються у підвалі від загрози повторного удару — After surviving the morning's Russian attack, Lviv residents take shelter in the basement from the threat of another attack, Lviv, Ukraine, September 4, 2024. Diana Delyurman / Frontliner

Онука плаче у вагоні евакуаційного потяга під час розставання з дідусем — A granddaughter cries in the carriage of an evacuation train as she parted ways with her grandfather, who decided to stay and take care of his home and property in the suburbs of Pokrovsk, which is rapidly approaching the front line. Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, August 22, 2024. Andriy Dubchak / Frontliner

Дитяча лікарня Охматдит після російського ракетного удару — As a result of a Russian missile attack on Kyiv, one of the missiles hit the Okhmatdyt children's hospital. Emergency services and local residents are clearing the rubble. Kyiv, Ukraine, July 8, 2024. Dubchak Danylo / Frontliner

Снайпер в навчальному снайперському центрі — A sniper at a sniper training center, Donetsk region, Ukraine, March 18, 2024. Dubchak Danylo / Frontliner

Жінки-добровольці стоять у боковій планці під час занять з тактичної підготовки — Women volunteers of the Bucha Witches Air Defense Unit (Bucha Community Air Defense Unit) stand in a side bar during tactical training. Kyiv region, Ukraine, July 6, 2024. Andriy Dubchak / Frontliner

Звільнений з російського полону, військовослужбовець цілує сина після довгої розлуки — A soldier released from Russian captivity as a result of a prisoner of war exchange kisses his son after a long separation, Ukraine, August 24, 2024. Artem Derkachоv / Frontliner

Урок «Я пізнаю світ» під час повітряної тривоги у підвалі-бомбосховищі для учнів однієї зі шкіл м. Кременчук. — The lesson “I Learn the World” during an air raid in a bomb shelter basement for students of a school in Kremenchuk. Kremenchuk. Every child at school must have an alarm briefcase and a badge around his or her neck with the name, surname, and contact information of their parents. Kremenchuk, Poltava region, Ukraine, March 18, 2024. Andriy Dubchak / Frontliner

Text: Andriy Dubchak
Photo: Georgiy Ivanchenko, Andriy Dubchak, Nadiya Karpova, Yakiv Lyashenko, Olena Maksymenko, Diana Delyurman, Danylo Dubchak, Artem Derkachev.

We are reporters on and near the front line.