The Other Battlefields

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the The Other Battlefields photography project © Vancon Laetitia - Image from the The Other Battlefields photography project © Vancon Laetitia - Image from the The Other Battlefields photography project View all images ↓
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"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 more than 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.

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 daily fights for regaining freedom, dignity, and recognition of their identity, as well as the search for new-found normality and a belief in a better future.

It is crucial to preserve their stories, raise awareness, and support them on their complex journeys by highlighting their resilience, the challenges they face, and the strength they display in overcoming adversity, while also advocating for the resources and opportunities they need to rebuild their lives and shape a brighter future.

© Vancon Laetitia - Image from the The Other Battlefields photography project
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In Odesa, June 2022, despite restrictions on gatherings due to war, young Ukrainianeren’t allowed to celebrate for security reasons graduates who w created an art performance in front of sandbags at the opera theater to share on social media and showcase their losses and resilience to the world.

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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 handmade bullet-proof plates, knowing that their work will save lives on the front line.

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Inspired by heroic tales of Ukrainian fighters and fostering a deep patriotism that led him to enlist in the military as Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the life of Oleksandr Budko took an unforeseen turn in an instant as a shell landed near him, severing his lower legs. Despite the physical challenges, he embarked on a transformative journey of adapting to his new reality.

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A state funeral was held in Kyiv in March 2023, for the 27-year-old Second Lieutenant Kotsyubaylo, known throughout Ukraine by his callsign "Da Vinci," a young national hero, who fell in Bakhmut.

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For over a year, Kateryna Plechystova's life has been marked by the painful absence of her husband, a soldier in the Azov Battalion who was taken prisoner. Alongside friends facing the same ordeal, they offer each other emotional support, but even that can't ease the trauma of not knowing whether their loved ones are alive or what has happened to them.

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On her way to her apartment in Kyiv, where she has taken refuge after leaving Mariupol, Kateryna spent her time tirelessly advocating the release of prisoners of war. She faces months of uncertainty, which weigh on her mental well-being, manifesting as anxiety and depression.

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Kateryna's husband, Oleg, was finally released after spending more than a year in captivity in Russia. However, their reunion was far from the romantic moment she had hoped. Both struggle to reconnect, each still trapped in their own mental prisons shaped by trauma. In the rehabilitation center in Truskavets, Kateryna shared, "We both have to fall in love with the people we’ve become."

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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.

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At the wedding of Sofia and Evgeni, two professional dancers from the Virsky Ensemble, a traditional Ukrainian candle ceremony took place. Both fathers were set to return to the front lines the very next day. A wedding during wartime stands as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the enduring hope, and the belief that even in the darkest times, life and love will prevail.

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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.

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Photographs of Maryna Bodnar, 23, her late husband, Vitalik, 27, and their eldest. A young family torn apart by war. Maryna, who grew up in Mariupol, was once a thrill-seeker, constantly chasing adventure before the conflict. It was there she met Vitalik, and experienced her first love. They had two children together before the war claimed his life and forced her to relocate to Chernihiv.

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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.”

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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 alone, opting for love despite the difficulties and insecurity of living in Kyiv. However, war is inevitable, impacting their daily lives and forcing them to take on adult responsibilities more quickly than they imagined.

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Emilia now juggles work and study to ensure her independence. “A part of my youth and my easiness have been stolen, and I didn’t have time to process all of it,” she said.

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Mykhailo Panchyshyn, 25 (right), and Ioann Zenkov, 29 (left), in Kyiv. Both got injured (heavy concussions) during combat in Bakhmut and now share the anxiety and guilt of leaving their comrades behind. Mykailo, a former X Factor winner and a famous pop star until the full-scale invasion started, shares: "I understood that there was no way I could look at myself again if I didn't do a thing."

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Mykhailo and Ioann are singing patriotic songs on a TV Karaoke channel with their friends. The war became a source of inspiration and reshaped their understanding and outlook on the future. The conflict accelerated Mykhailo's 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.

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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.

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On March 31, 2023, Bucha commemorated one year since its liberation. Concluding the "Candle of Memory and Peace" ceremony at Taras Shevchenko Square honoring fallen soldiers. Although the burden is collective, the new generation will mainly endure the void left by those who sacrificed their lives.