Youth of Kyiv

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Dates

2022 - Ongoing
Author

Fabian Ritter
Location Kyiv City, Ukraine

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How does it feel to grow up as a young person in wartime? After weeks of siege

in February and March 2022, more and more life is returning to the Ukrainian

capital Kyiv. The first theater rehearsals take place again, music clubs organize

flea markets instead of rave parties. The first reunion at the bathing lake, the first

concert to benefit the Ukrainian military. Many young people have returned after

fleeing Kyiv for safety reasons in the first days of the war. Now, often after weeks

or even months, they are back to support their homeland and try to live in their

new normality as best they can. While Kyiv has been considered comparatively

safe in Ukraine in recent weeks, the future here still remains uncertain. The work

„Youth of Kyiv“ gives a voice to young people in this particular phase of their lives

and documents their new daily events and routines.

Last evening of an art & culture center: The „PinkpunkArtspace“, a popular subcultu- ral place in Kyiv has to close for the time being, because the apartment with roof ter- race is needed for a refugee woman. Kyiv, Ukraine, 23.5.2022

Ksenia poses for a portrait at Schewtschenko-Park. She is part of an amateur perfomance group that performed for the birthday of the city of Kyiv. In a personal conversation she says that she is grateful to the soldiers every day that she lives here in freedom. Kyiv, 02.06.2022.

A scene in Bodoryanka: Numerous civilian residential buildings have been comple- tely destroyed here. Still sometimes kids use this playground at the backyard of the demolished residential block. Kyiv Oblast, 24.05.2022

Maks, works as a street musician in Kyiv, playing the traditional ukrainian Bandura instrument. He is pleased that so many people are returning to the capital, but at the same time he is having trouble finding a permanent job because of the economic situation. Kyiv, 29.05.2022.

Young skateboarders practicing nearby the Kyiv Opera house, which reopenend ab- out one week ago. A local monument in the background is still protected from possi- ble air attacks by sandbags and panels. Kyiv, 26.05.2022

Maryna (19) poses for a portrait on a raodblock in Podil district of Kyiv. She studies cinematography in her second year and currently works on project about a friend who suffered severe trauma in the army during the first days of war. Kyiv, 31.05.2022

A improvised checkpoint near Hostomel in Kyiv Oblast. Many checkpoints are no longer manned since the withdrawal of the Russian army from the Kyiv region, but people are ready to ramp up defenses again at any time. Kyiv Oblast, 27.05.2022.

Denis studies theather in Kyiv, while he does occasional jobs in creative and promoti- on agency. He understands himself as lucky these days, as no family member has died or needs to fight the the frontline at the moment. Kyiv, 31.05.2022

The famous Irpin Bridge is now a improvised memorial site for all the dead civilians, soldiers and press members. Kyiv Oblast, 27.05.2022.

Luda is a brand stategist at a creative agency. She has a divided identity: her father is Ukrainian, her mother is Russian. But after all the war, her Ukrainian sense of belonging is stronger than ever. Kyiv, 26.05.2022

Last jam session at an art & culture center: The „PinkpunkArtspace“, a popular subcultural place in Kyiv has to close for the time being, because the apartment with roof terrace is needed for a refugee woman. Kyiv, Ukraine, 23.05.2022

Grisha (left) and Borys (right), two best friends, pose for a portrait nearby Irpin. Grisha lives in Irpin, Borys is from Bucha. Grisha just got out of Irpin half an hour before the russians took the street where he lives with his family, this day marks the first day, they go for a swim at the lake. Kyiv Oblast, 06.06.2022

A destroyed civilian car nearby the town of Makariw. Kyiv Oblast, 24.05.2022.

June from Odesa is currently living as a refugee in Kyiv and has a lot of paperwork to do. She would like to change the gender in her passport to diverse, she is still listed as a man in her documents, which currently prevents her from leaving Ukraine. The bureaucracy will probably take weeks, even though she is optimistic that everything will be approved. Kyiv, Ukraine, 12. 06.2022

After an art auction to benefit the Ukrainian military, young creatives are still sitting together in a small downtown park. Kyiv, 01.06.2022.

The first rock concert of local bands after a long pause is taking place at „Grey Cat Studio“ in Kyiv. This evening marks one of the biggest subculture events taking place since the start of the war. Kyiv, Ukraine, 05.06.2022.

The youth of Irpin and Bucha reunite at their favorite swimming spot, a nearby lake, most of them for the first time since the start of the war against Ukraine. Kyiv Oblast, 06.06.2022.

After a 2-month break since the beginning of the war, the actors of the Kyiv Improvisational Theater are rehearsing again and preparing for their public performance in early June. Kyiv, 02.06.2022.

Children play on destroyed Russian war equipment in front of St. Michael‘s Monastery in Kyiv on June 12, 2022