Frontliner Reporter Andriy Dubchak and his colleague Inna Varenytsia have traveled to the Donetsk region to document life in frontline towns and villages. They will visit Ukrainian military positions, speak with locals, and share photos and reports from their journey. Follow their diary on the Frontliner website.
He’s been through constant beating with fists and sticks, made-up war crimes that he was forced to hang on other prisoners, and grueling 16-hour standing in a cell, this is the story of Yurii Sviderskyi, the 23-year-old Azov fighter from Khmelnytskyi. After putting down arms in Mariupol, he was imprisoned for over two years. Yurii watched the whole city burn to the ground, witnessed the Olenivka attack with other Ukrainian soldiers being killed, and saw numerous inhuman interrogations. It’s been six months since Yurii got back to Ukraine. He is still undergoing rehabilitation, as he still struggles with his teeth due to the injuries he received before his release. Frontliner spoke to Yurii in Khmelnytskyi when he came to see his girlfriend Taisiia between rehabilitation sessions. The following text is Yurii’s raw speech.
After enduring months of brutal torture, men freed from Russian captivity are forced to continue battling for their survival. Many have returned to a life stripped of homes, money, and the care they should receive from the state. To support themselves and others like them, these former prisoners have come together to form a network called The Alumni. United by the shared trauma of torture and humiliation at the hands of the occupiers, they find solace and understanding in each other’s company. Humor, too, has become a lifeline—hence the ironic name Alumni. Former captives spoke to Frontliner about how they were taken prisoner, survived the horrors of Russian torture chambers, and, after gaining their freedom, now fight for their right to a dignified life.
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.
It is noisy in the clearing. “Man down! Medic!” “How you doing, buddy? Can you hear me?” “Cover!” “Contact on the left!” The grenades that explode are drill grenades. The moans of the ‘man down’ are somewhat theatrical and mixed with witty remarks like, “Be quiet—you’re unconscious! Or maybe not, you’d better be conscious!” But […]
Here you can see the Russian-Ukrainian war in the photos of our frontliner reporters Follow us: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Telegram
Here you can see the Russian-Ukrainian war in the photos of our frontliner reporters
Minus a million dollars and minus someone’s life – this is the price of every russian missile that hits Ukraine. Cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, multiple rocket launchers, and artillery shells – these are all the things the russian army has been using to “hit” Kharkiv since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The consequences of […]
“This is Izyumka, a cat brought from Izyum by Danish journalists after they pulled her out from under the rubble. Her tail had to be amputated because it was torn off, and her pelvis and leg were broken,” says Oleksandra Mezinova, founder of Sirius, an animal shelter in the village of Fedorivka just outside Kyiv, […]
Destroyed houses, lack of electricity, water, communication, dozens of emaciated pets and people who are very afraid of the return of hostilities. This is what Lyman in Donetsk region looks like immediately after its liberation. The Russian army captured Lyman at the end of May – it was during this period that the greatest destruction […]
After withdrawing forces from the northern front, leaving dozens of towns around Kyiv in ruins, Russia has turned its sights toward Donbas. As the Russian troops advance, many towns on the front have turned cold and hungry, echoing to exploding shells and bursts of gunfire. Although fighting is widespread across Ukraine, according to the UN, […]
For some reason, I haven’t taken any pictures of him. I have no idea why. There was just something in his eyes. It wasn’t like I could tell he didn’t want me to photograph him. It was something else. Could I tell he was sad? Or was he just very insightful? Maybe he was just too […]
They call themselves “badgers” because of the call sign of their commander. Vadym Suharevsky – ”Badger” – commander of the 503rd battalion of marines, known as the one who first shot in response to the attack of the Russian Forces in 2014 near the city of Sloviansk. He is highly respected by the soldiers that’s […]
Жінки, будматеріали, «тєпляк», кондиціонер, підтримка – такими є найактуальніші потреби в окопах. ЧОГО БРАКУЄ НА ФРОНТІ? Здебільшого на питання, чого найбільше бракує, відповідають, що все є. Але трапляються нюанси)) «Рідного дому бракує, – признається боєць із позивним «Рос». – А так – я навіть не задумуюся про це!» «Жінок», – з посмішкою відповідає один […]
– And why such a tattoo? Yes, there was a story….We entered only the position of the Luhansk region, and we had one “worker” (man was an opportunist).Before signing the contract he was promised a bunch of things – 1K salary, combat veteran status, benefits and discountes. Well, they promised a quiet life in the […]
