“1,000-for-1,000” prisoner swap: Who Ukraine brought home from Russian captivity
On May 25, another 303 Ukrainian service members were brought home as part of the large-scale "1000 for 1000" prisoner exchange.
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Andriy & Albina’s Frontline Diary
Frontliner reporters Andriy Dubchak and Albina Karman 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 daily photos and reports from their journey. Follow their diary on the Frontliner website.
How Ukrainian Recruits Train To Survive The Drone War
Recent battlefield statistics highlight the extraordinary impact unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are having on the war in Ukraine. According to Kyiv’s military leadership, in January this year two-thirds of Russian military hardware losses were caused by attack drones. On the Ukrainian side, losses to Russian drone strikes are estimated to be running at a similar ratio.
We owe men nothing. Women are learning the art of war.
Women undergo firearms, tactical, and medical training as part of a national resistance course. Each has her own reason for taking up arms.
The first photos from liberated Bucha: then and now
The streets are strewn with the bodies of killed civilians and littered with burnt iron, which Russian equipment has turned into. All around, battered houses have been destroyed. This is what Bucha looked like when the first journalists entered the city after its liberation from the occupiers on April 2, 2022. Among them was a Frontliner reporter who managed to get across the Romanivskyi Bridge.
Ukraine brings home 197 defenders from Russian captivity – photos
Ukraine has successfully returned 175 defenders from Russian captivity, along with 22 more heroes who are coming home through efforts beyond formal exchange processes. Among them are severely wounded soldiers and those imprisoned on fabricated charges. All will receive full medical and psychological care.
Ballistic missile strike on Dobropillia’s residential center: photos of the aftermath
On Friday, March 7, 2025, the Russian army carried out three missile strikes on the city of Dobropillia in the Donetsk region.
American weapons in Ukraine. Frontline feedback from Ukrainian soldiers
Despite the United States pausing military aid to Ukraine, American-made artillery shells, surface-to-air missiles, air defense systems, ammunition, military vehicles, and electronic warfare equipment remain in active use on the front lines. Reporters from Frontliner spoke with Ukrainian soldiers to gather firsthand accounts of their experience using U.S.-supplied weapons. Given the sensitive nature of the topic, troops shared their feedback anonymously, offering insights into the effectiveness, strengths, and challenges of the equipment they rely on in combat.
Peace talks and US policy: what do defenders and residents of frontline communities think?
At the request of our subscribers, Andriy and Vita asked local residents and the military holding the line what they thought about Donald Trump's statements about the need for concessions from Ukraine and the possibility of ending the war.
“They beat me with fists and sticks.” Azov fighter reveals disturbing details about his time in Russian captivity
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.
Battalion “Alcatraz” – How Former Prisoners Prepare for the Frontline
Батальйон «Алькатрас» у складі 93 механізованої бригади «Холодний Яр» (93 ОМБр) складається з колишніх ув’язнених, які підписали контракт з ЗСУ. Це чоловіки, кожен зі своєю історією та статтею Кримінального кодексу, за які відбували покарання. Дехто з них провів за ґратами лише декілька місяців, дехто – більшу частину життя. Тепер вони вчаться бути штурмовиками та вже зовсім скоро покажуть себе на полі бою.
Andriy & Vita’s Frontline Diary
Frontliner reporters Andriy Dubchak and Viktoria Kalimbet 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 daily photos and reports from their journey. Follow their diary on the Frontliner website.
“Alumni” of the torture chambers – after Russian captivity, men are left to heal themselves
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.
What has been restored in Kyiv after Russian shelling?
During the full-scale war, the Russian army has regularly launched missile and drone strikes, devastating critical infrastructure and residential areas in Kyiv.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.