Europe

Ukraine war in pictures: The images that tell the story of a year of fighting and suffering

The Ukraine war has been captured by photo journalists and on social media like no other conflict. Here are some of those pictures and videos captured during 12 months of fighting across Ukraine

Ukrainian emergency employees and volunteers carry an injured pregnant woman from the damaged by shelling maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. A Russian attack has severely damaged a maternity hospital in the besieged port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian officials say. Photograph: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
Ukrainian emergency employees and volunteers carry an injured pregnant woman from the damaged by shelling maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. A Russian attack has severely damaged a maternity hospital in the besieged port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian officials say. Photograph: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
Fri Feb 24 2023 - 05:00
In self-shot videos recorded in central Kyiv and posted to social media, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he remained in the city the day after the Russian invasion of his country and vowed to defend Kyiv against attack.
Construction workers climb onto the roof of a destroyed church in the village of Bohorodychne, Donetsk region on January 4th, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Bohorodychne is a village in Donetsk region that came under heavy attack by Russian forces in June 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On August 17th, 2022 the Russian forces captured the village. The Armed Forces of Ukraine announced on September 12th, 2022 that they took back the control over the village. A few resident came back to restore their destroyed houses and live in the village. Photograph: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty
Construction workers climb onto the roof of a destroyed church in the village of Bohorodychne, Donetsk region on January 4th, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Bohorodychne is a village in Donetsk region that came under heavy attack by Russian forces in June 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On August 17th, 2022 the Russian forces captured the village. The Armed Forces of Ukraine announced on September 12th, 2022 that they took back the control over the village. A few resident came back to restore their destroyed houses and live in the village. Photograph: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty
A Ukrainian couple Oleksandr Murenets (68) and Luidmila Murenets (66) use LED lights in a basement where they shelter and live with their son for more protection, in Seversk, Donetsk region on January 8th, 2023. Photograph by Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty
A Ukrainian couple Oleksandr Murenets (68) and Luidmila Murenets (66) use LED lights in a basement where they shelter and live with their son for more protection, in Seversk, Donetsk region on January 8th, 2023. Photograph by Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty
Oleg kisses his wife Yana goodbye through a train platform fence as she waits to board an evacuation train with their eleven-month-old son Maksim after fleeing heavy overnight fighting in Bucha and Irpin on March 4th, 2022 in Irpin, Ukraine. Photograph: Chris McGrath/Getty Images
Oleg kisses his wife Yana goodbye through a train platform fence as she waits to board an evacuation train with their eleven-month-old son Maksim after fleeing heavy overnight fighting in Bucha and Irpin on March 4th, 2022 in Irpin, Ukraine. Photograph: Chris McGrath/Getty Images
A graffiti signed by TVBOY on a wall of a building in the city of Bucha, near Kyiv, Ukraine, January 28th, 2023 amid the Russian invasion. TVBOY is the pseudonym of Salvatore Benintende, the 42-year-old Italian urban artist based in Barcelona. He was invited to Ukraine by the Cesvi foundation, one of the biggest humanitarian organisations in Italy, and visited the cities of Bucha and Irpin. Photograph: Andrii Nesterenko/EPA
A graffiti signed by TVBOY on a wall of a building in the city of Bucha, near Kyiv, Ukraine, January 28th, 2023 amid the Russian invasion. TVBOY is the pseudonym of Salvatore Benintende, the 42-year-old Italian urban artist based in Barcelona. He was invited to Ukraine by the Cesvi foundation, one of the biggest humanitarian organisations in Italy, and visited the cities of Bucha and Irpin. Photograph: Andrii Nesterenko/EPA
Damage in the streets of Bucha, Ukraine after Russian soldiers retreated, on April 3rd, 2022. Hours before Russian troops began withdrawing from the suburban town, a Russian soldier left a trail of blood and devastated lives in a last paroxysm of violence. Photograph: Ivor Prickett/The New York Times
Damage in the streets of Bucha, Ukraine after Russian soldiers retreated, on April 3rd, 2022. Photograph: Ivor Prickett/The New York Times
Women donate blood at a hospital in Bucha, Ukraine on Tuesday, December 27th, 2022. Photograph: Laura Boushnak/The New York Times
Women donate blood at a hospital in Bucha, Ukraine on Tuesday, December 27th, 2022. Photograph: Laura Boushnak/The New York Times
A man views destroyed Russian tanks outside Bucha on December 5th, 2022 in Bucha, Ukraine. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
A man views destroyed Russian tanks outside Bucha on December 5th, 2022 in Bucha, Ukraine. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Volunteers load some 65 corpses to be taken for forensic study in Bucha, Ukraine on April 12th, 2022. Many of the circumstances of their last days remained unclear, but for their families and Ukrainian officials, there is no doubt that they were victims of Russia’s occupation. Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times
Volunteers load some 65 corpses to be taken for forensic study in Bucha, Ukraine on April 12th, 2022. Many of the circumstances of their last days remained unclear, but for their families and Ukrainian officials, there is no doubt that they were victims of Russia’s occupation. Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times
Balloons with Ukraine's national colors fly as first-grade pupils sit in a classroom on the first day of the new school year, known as 'Day of Knowledge', in Bucha, Ukraine, September 1st, 2022. In-person classes resumed only in schools that were either equipped with - or located near - a bomb shelter, while others implemented online classes, amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Photograph: Roman Pilipey/EPA
Balloons with Ukraine's national colors fly as first-grade pupils sit in a classroom on the first day of the new school year, known as 'Day of Knowledge', in Bucha, Ukraine, September 1st, 2022. In-person classes resumed only in schools that were either equipped with - or located near - a bomb shelter, while others implemented online classes, amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Photograph: Roman Pilipey/EPA
Ivan and Maria Matvichuk, who arrived from Nikolaev, Ukraine in tears as the Ukrainian flag is raised at Fingal County Hall, Swords, Co Dublin in March 2022. Photograph: Tom Honan
Ivan and Maria Matvichuk, who arrived from Nikolaev, Ukraine in tears as the Ukrainian flag is raised at Fingal County Hall, Swords, Co Dublin in March 2022. Photograph: Tom Honan
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a patriotic concert dedicated to the upcoming Defender of the Fatherland Day at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on February 22nd, 2023. Photograph: Mikhail Metzel / Sputnik/AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a patriotic concert dedicated to the upcoming Defender of the Fatherland Day at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on February 22nd, 2023. Photograph: Mikhail Metzel / Sputnik/AFP
Ukranian soldiers enjoy some rest and recreation a few kilometers away from the frontline in the Donbass region on August 11th, 2022. Photograph: Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty
Ukranian soldiers enjoy some rest and recreation a few kilometers away from the frontline in the Donbass region on August 11th, 2022. Photograph: Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty
Protestors , including John Farrelly and Julian Vignoles (centre) against the Russian invasion of Ukraine outside the Russian Embassy on Orwell Road in August 2022. Photograph: Alan Betson
Protestors , including John Farrelly and Julian Vignoles (centre) against the Russian invasion of Ukraine outside the Russian Embassy on Orwell Road in August 2022. Photograph: Alan Betson
TDs, Senators and foreign diplomats stand to applause Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the Dáil chamber in April 2022. Photograph: Oireachtas TV
TDs, Senators and foreign diplomats stand to applause Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the Dáil chamber in April 2022. Photograph: Oireachtas TV
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy delivered a speech to members of the Dáil and Seanad via video link in April 2022 as the war continued. Video: Oireachtas TV
Locals walk past a debris of a damaged tank in the reclaimed city of Izyum in Kharkiv area, Ukraine, September 15th, 2022. Photograph: Sergey Kozlov/EPA
Locals walk past a debris of a damaged tank in the reclaimed city of Izyum in Kharkiv area, Ukraine, September 15th, 2022. Photograph: Sergey Kozlov/EPA
Russian prisoners of war eat lunch at a prison camp in western Ukraine, February 6th, 2023. Poorly trained Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine describe being used as cannon fodder by commanders throwing waves of bodies into an assault. Photograph: Nicole Tung/The New York Times
Russian prisoners of war eat lunch at a prison camp in western Ukraine, February 6th, 2023. Poorly trained Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine describe being used as cannon fodder by commanders throwing waves of bodies into an assault. Photograph: Nicole Tung/The New York Times
A Ukrainian soldier with the call sign Badger prepares to head to a frontline position from a base in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, February 1st, 2023. Photograph: Lynsey Addario/The New York Times
A Ukrainian soldier with the call sign Badger prepares to head to a frontline position from a base in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, February 1st, 2023. Photograph: Lynsey Addario/The New York Times
A team of doctors from a frontline stabilisation point in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine bandage the hand of a civilian named Serhii, who was hit by shrapnel while collecting wood on Friday, September 3rd, 2022. Photograph: Lynsey Addario/The New York Times
A team of doctors from a frontline stabilisation point in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine bandage the hand of a civilian named Serhii, who was hit by shrapnel while collecting wood on Friday, September 3rd, 2022. Photograph: Lynsey Addario/The New York Times
A man walks on the debris of destroyed building in downtown Mariupol, Ukraine, on December 12th, 2022. Photograph: Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA
A man walks on the debris of destroyed building in downtown Mariupol, Ukraine, on December 12th, 2022. Photograph: Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA
Exterior view of the destroyed Drama Theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine, December 8th, 2022. The Mariupol Drama Theatre was destroyed on March 16th, 2022 during Russian airstrikes and the siege of the city. Photograph: Sergei Ilnitsky EPA
Exterior view of the destroyed Drama Theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine, December 8th, 2022. The Mariupol Drama Theatre was destroyed on March 16th, 2022 during Russian airstrikes and the siege of the city. Photograph: Sergei Ilnitsky EPA
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