They Were Not Soldiers

This curated project shares photographs and personal perspectives from the Ukrainian front lines, focusing on the lived experiences of those often reduced to a single label. Through their own images, it explores how fathers, daughters, and ordinary people cope, survive, and hold onto humanity in extraordinary circumstances.

This is Kramatorsk

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Kramatorsk is the a large city near the front line. Local military go to Kramatorsk to buy everything they need – food, equipment, clothing, and so on.


It is under enemy shelling, constantly. Many people have left, but a lot of civilians still live there. Almost all shops are operating, roads are being repaired, flower beds are being planted, everything is being cleaned – in other words, municipal services are still working.


Very often the electricity is cut off, heating is shut down because of constant strikes with guided bombs, Lancet drones, and FPV drones.

-Commander Serhii Kashyrin, Gimli Division ⚔️🇺🇦