Kyiv-based photojournalist and cinematographer Sergi Mykhalchuk, has been on the ground and capturing images of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine since February 24. Milwaukee Independent previously published his evacuation images from Irpin, Milwaukee’s sister city, in early March.
Thirty days since it was invaded by Russian forces on February 24, Ukraine still stands and remains an independent nation. Russia has claimed no major military victories. It has so far only seized the city of Kherson in south Ukraine, located near the illegally annexed region of Crimea.
Russian leadership expected its blitzkrieg of Ukraine to succeed within a few days. They underestimated the defiance of Ukrainian people, and their resolve to protect democracy. Sadly, average citizens continue to pay that price with their lives.
This collection features images that Mykhalchuk took around the capital city of Kyiv, including the Brovary district. The photos were taken between March 4 and March 17. Many of the events shown made international headlines, while others offer an on-the-ground view of the war as seen in the daily experiences of average people.
As Putin’s invasion enters its fourth week and fighting intensifies against the vulnerable populations of strategic cities, observers believe there are five scenarios for the direction of the Russia-Ukraine War: a Russian military quagmire, a peace deal, Putin is deposed, a Russian military success, or the conflict spreads.
Meanwhile, the migration agency of the United Nations estimates 3.2 million refugees have already fled Ukraine. Another 6.5 million citizens have been displaced inside the country, as Russian strikes continue to target sheltering families. The tactics represent how Putin’s stalled invasion has switched to a campaign of terror.
Mykhalchuk’s website hosts selections of his war photography. Viewers should be aware that some of his images are too graphic for mainstream media organizations to publish, specifically the Kyiv TV tower casualties that were hit in the opening days of Putin’s surprise attack.
- Photos from the frontlines: Sergi Mykhalchuk gathers haunting visual evidence in aftermath of occupation
- Scenes from the frontlines: Sergi Mykhalchuk details the wreckage of Irpin in the wake of its liberation
- Images from the frontlines: Sergi Mykhalchuk photographs the people of Kyiv living daily with war
- Photos from the frontlines: Sergi Mykhalchuk documents images of war as civilians evacuate Irpin
