Frontline rolls: Photos, Letters & Artifacts from Ukrainian Soldiers

“Frontline Rolls” is a collaborative project where Ukrainian soldiers used disposable cameras to document their daily lives at the front. Photos, letters, artifacts form an intimate archive of war from inside, not by journalists but by those who live it.

At the beginning of 2025 I felt an even stronger need to convey the truth and realities of the war. However, time constraints didn’t allow me to make frequent trips to the front lines to be with our soldiers. So I reached out to the photography company FOTOVRAMCI and shared my idea for a new project to send disposable film cameras to Ukrainian soldiers stationed across different fronts, so they could capture their own lives, routines, and work. The company supported me and provided 25 cameras to bring the concept to life, for which I’m incredibly grateful. That’s how it all began in February 2025.

But the project didn’t stop at just photographs. Along with the cameras, I asked each participant to return them with a small artifact - something they personally chose and a handwritten letter. This way, I gathered not just a diary of the everyday lives of various servicemen and women. It became a full story of personal experiences, struggles, and memories. I collected artifacts that will remain part of our nation’s history after victory, reminding us of these challenging times. Together with the photos, they form a kind of anthology of our heroes who defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence.

I sincerely hope that when the war ends, every participant in this project will be alive. Because each of them has become much more to me than just a contributor - they’ve become true friends.

P.S.

This project consists of a big massive of works, so I would love to attach a link on the full version of it (presentation) - https://melnitchenko.com/photo-projects/29-frontline-rolls and a book - https://melnitchenko.com/bookstore/13-frontline-rolls