"The Other Battlefields"

"The Other Battlefields" captures the enduring fight for freedom, dignity, normalcy, and hope among Ukrainian youth. These stories collectively reveal the lasting impact of war, leaving visible or hidden scars that will shape their lives.

"The Other Battlefields" shows the lasting impact of the war on Ukrainian youth, providing a glimpse into their realities almost two years into the conflict. While coming of age is usually synonymous with broadening horizons, friendships, and adventures, it is a different story for many. The war with Russia shattered these expectations, replacing them with danger, death, depression, and uprooting.

In this essay, shattered lives and fading dreams unfold, along with hopes that resist the surrounding darkness. Each image is a fragment in a larger mosaic, reflecting the realities and scars of this wounded nation.

It was in June 2022, in Odesa, that I became aware of the profound impact of the war on the new generation when I saw this symbolic scene of young graduates organizing an artistic performance in response to the Russian brutality taking place in Bucha and their loss of freedoms imposed by the war. What impact will this war have on their lives and, more broadly, on Ukrainian society in the making?

Among these stories, the visible scars serve as obvious reminders, but beneath the surface, hidden struggles, both physical and mental, are also revealed. Although they do not occur on traditional battlefields, these battles embody the ongoing fight for freedom, dignity, recognition of their identity, the search for a new-found normality, and a belief in a better future.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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Odesa, June 2022, despite restrictions on gatherings due to war, young Ukrainian graduates created an art performance in front of sandbags at the opera theater, to share it on social media and showcase their losses and resilience to the world.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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Between the echoes of conflict and the call to duty, a group of young men have gathered on the premises of a once chic designer clothing shop in Odesa, to prepare bullet-proof plates, knowing that their work will save lives on the front line.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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Inspired by patriotism, Oleksandr Budko joined the army at the onset of the Russian invasion. A shell in Kharkiv cost him his lower legs. Today, he is a determined and passionate advocate of positivity and reform in the care of wounded soldiers.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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Since the Russian invasion, the port of Odesa has been inactive. Aspiring sailors from the Maritime Academy are adrift, their dreams of sailing the world halted by Russian warships, mined waters, and strict ship restrictions.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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Maryna Bodnar grew up in Mariupol. A daredevil, she spent her adolescence seeking thrills and adventure. In Mariupol, she met Vitalik and fell in love for the first time. Two children followed before the war took him away and forced her to leave.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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Already a soldier during Russia's annexation of Crimea, Vitalik was deployed to Mariupol when Russia invaded the city in February 2022. His death, one month into the fight, shattered the couple's dreams, leaving Maryna to raise their children alone.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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Living now in Chernihiv, Maryna Bodnar's emotions swing between grief and faith that one day might offer a brighter future. “I don’t feel strong,” she said. “But I am looking for strength to continue.”

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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Under the moon and the embrace of the empty sea, a navy soldier in Odesa spends time with his girlfriend before returning on a mission. Two worlds are now living side by side: military life and everyday life, with a semblance of normality in between.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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In the face of the Russian invasion, the Virsky Company is launching a charity tour that proudly preserves and celebrates Ukrainian culture and identity through traditional dance and music, and promotes financial support to the military.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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For over a year, Kateryna Plechystova's life has been punctuated by the absence of her husband, who fought in the Azov Battalion and was taken prisoner. Together with her friend in the same situation, they provide each other with mental support.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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When Kateryna Plechystova, originally from Mariupol, moved to Kyiv, she faced months of uncertainty and loneliness, and the effects on her psyche became evident in the form of anxiety and depression.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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When Kateryna's husband was finally released, far from the romantic reunion she had imagined, the two find it hard to reconnect, each now mentally imprisoned in their own traumas.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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In August 2023, Anastasia Ivashchenko, a refugee in Poland since the war started, was finally able to travel to Kyiv to pay tribute to her brother, who died near Bakhmut in January. Each flag is a homage to the victims of the Russian war in Ukraine.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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Three years ago, Emilia and Denys began their first serious relationship. When war broke out and millions fled, she did, too, with her family. Four months later, she returned, opting for love despite the difficulties and insecurity of living in Kyiv.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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However, war is inevitable, impacting their daily lives and forcing them to take on adult responsibilities more quickly than they imagined. Emilia now juggles work and study to ensure her independence.

© Vancon Laetitia - “A part of my youth and my easiness have been stolen, and I didn’t have time to process all of it,” Emilia said.
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“A part of my youth and my easiness have been stolen, and I didn’t have time to process all of it,” Emilia said.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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For former X Factor winner Mykhailo (left) and his producer Ioann, it was in the trenches of Bakmut that their long-lost enthusiasm for music resurfaced. The war became a source of inspiration and reshaped their understanding and outlook on the future.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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For Mykhailo, now military discharged, the conflict accelerated his journey toward maturity, giving his life meaning, clarity, and values. He turned back to music, using now his fame to help soldiers by performing for fundraising.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the "The Other Battlefields" photography project
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Bucha marks the first anniversary of liberation, concluding with a candle-lighting ceremony honoring fallen soldiers. Although the burden is collective, the new generation will mainly endure the void left by those who sacrificed their lives.

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