After three years of Russia’s full-scale invasion, war-fatigu is widespread in Ukraine. Few, however, are willing to sign a peace agreement that risks the war flaring up again in the future. In Pokrovsk, a heavily targeted town in Donbas, sniper and company commander Slava is based. He fears that even his children and grandchildren will have to fight this war if they do not manage to win or establish a lasting peace. The portraits show just a few of the Ukrainian soldiers whose everyday lives are defined by war.
A soldier from the 35th Marine Brigade takes up a firing position during training in Donbas.
Stabilisation points are often the first stop for the wounded and are primarily tasked with stabilising patients for transport or treating minor injuries that do not require extended or advanced care. / Svenska Dagbladet
A severely wounded soldier with shrapnel injuries has just arrived at a secret stabilisation point near the frontline of Chasiv Yar. It is quickly determined that he requires more specialised care, and the medics begin preparing him for transfer. At the same time, an ambulance is made ready. Thanks to prompt and accurate care before he arrived at the stabilisation point, he will likely not loose his leg. / Svenska Dagbladet
Amphibious soldiers from the 35:e brigade in the Swedish Armoured personnel carrier 302 (PBW302). The armoured tracked carrier dates back to the 1960s, and although it has only been with the 35th Brigade for a month, it has already gained an unusually poor reputation. It is unreliable, underpowered, and lacks proper armour.
35:e brigade during trains in Donbas.
A soldier from the 35th Marine Brigade takes up a firing position during training in Donbas.
“Harmata” is called out, and shortly afterwards, they fire at the coordinates relayed to them via radio, which also informs them whether the target was hit or not. They have stopped care about what they hit – as long as they hit. / Svenska Dagbladet
A few months after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Vasyl enlisted. Previously, he was a frontline soldier attacking Russian positions. At first, he was terrified of the explosions, but over time, got used to them. After requesting a transfer, he is now part of an artillery unit. Much of his time is spent waiting in the bunker, a wait that is quickly interrupted when the radio crackles with new coordinates for their next target. / Svenska Dagbladet
Bohdan and Lysy demonstrate the ground drone, which is operated using a small handheld controller, in Donbas.
Lysy with the their units house cat.
Smoke rises on the horizon south of the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. The city, could be the next major urban area to fall under Russian control, with its roads and railway lines it’s an important city for supplying Ukrainian troops along the front. / Svenska Dagbladet
Soldiers of the 3rd Assault Brigade prepare for a combat mission near the Oskil River, Donbas.
Hospital staff meet the ambulance upon its arrival. The injured soldier is wheeled away on a stretcher and disappears into the building. Shortly after, the ambulance departs.
The ambulance is lit only by a faint red light and a few monitors as it speeds towards the hospital. An older paramedic keeps a constant watch on the shrapnel-injured soldier, who is wrapped in insulating thermal blankets. Keeping the patient warm is critical – if body temperature drops, blood struggles to clot, making critical bleeding harder to control. / Svenska Dagbladet
It is the first day as a part-time soldier in the Ukrainian unit “The Witches of Bucha” for 35-year-old Aliona, who normally runs a spa salon in Kyiv. When she told her husband that she wanted to join the military, he was against it, arguing that it would take too much time away from their two children. After a brief consideration, she decided to go to the recruitment office anyway – the children were old enough, and her husband could help out a bit, she reasoned. As recruiting men has become increasingly difficult, more women have been allowed to take on combat roles. Six years ago, just over half the population believed that men and women should have equal opportunities in the military. Today, that figure has risen to 80 per cent. The women serving are not only fighting against the Russian invasion but also against the patriarchal structures of Ukrainian society. / Svenska Dagbladet
The remnants of a Russian Grad rocket are embedded in the ground on a street in Dachne. The BM-21 Grad artillery system, with its 40 rockets, can cover an area the size of ten football pitches. / Svenska Dagbladet
Ronin is a platoon leader in the Ukrainian army – but only over one soldier. His battalion, which once had 300 fighters, has lost almost all of its strength. The shortage of troops on the Ukrainian side has led to small groups of soldiers sometimes being tasked with defending kilometer-long frontlines. Recently, Ronin spent ten consecutive days in his trench because the relieving unit lacked an officer to replace him. After being called up, he was placed in the Territorial Defence Forces, which are primarily meant to defend local areas and support regular forces. Despite this, he was quickly sent to some of the war’s most intense frontlines. After being injured in a drone attack, he is now receiving care at a military hospital in Kharkiv. / Svenska Dagbladet
A woman descends into the subway after last night’s attack on the Ukrainian frontline city of Kharkiv. The strikes hit a large toy shop, a park, and a residential building, and efforts are now underway to clean up the destruction. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is renowned for its cultural life but lies within range of Russian glide bombs and is regularly subjected to attacks. Many of the city’s former residents have left, but those who remain have been forced to adapt to the constant presence of war. / Svenska Dagbladet
A woman descends into the subway after last night’s attack on the Ukrainian frontline city of Kharkiv. The strikes hit a large toy shop, a park, and a residential building, and efforts are now underway to clean up the destruction. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is renowned for its cultural life but lies within range of Russian glide bombs and is regularly subjected to attacks. Many of the city’s former residents have left, but those who remain have been forced to adapt to the constant presence of war. / Svenska Dagbladet
A solider practise advancing through a mined landscape in Donbas.
A local restaurant in Donbas is adorned with Ukrainian flags and messages from soldiers who have stayed there to eat.
The Swedish Armoured Personnel Carrier 302 (PBV 302) fires its machine gun during a field exercise in Donbas.
Soldiers from the 35th Marine Brigade pose for portraits in Donbas.
