At Man's Height
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Civilians in war
The front line continues to creep closer to Kramatorsk, meter by meter, relentlessly. In his church, Pavenka, a Protestant pastor, sees the war as both a humanitarian struggle and a spiritual trial.
Kramatorsk is a « frontline city, » meaning it is close to the front lines and endures daily Russian shelling. In this context, I spent nearly four weeks interviewing the city’s residents—civilians, volunteers, and military personnel—who agreed to share their stories.
Portraits as well as fragments of lives from Ukraine; raw, sometimes fragile, always sincere. These are stories collected in the tumult, sometimes noisy and explosive, often silent and insidious. Always at man’s hight, precisely where silences and gestures play out; modest stories worthy of being told.
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Volunteers in Ukraine
For some, war has overtaken every aspect of daily life; it has become a reason to exist. Regardless of age, even elderly people contribute to the war effort. In Kramatorsk, some dedicate their time to making camouflage nets for soldiers.
Civilians in war
Natalia is a sales assistant in a flower shop in Kramatorsk, where she was born in 1985 and has lived her entire life. As an active shopkeeper, she recounts the daily life of a besieged city — a life shared between soldiers and civilians, punctuated by explosions.
Civilians in war
As winter approaches, Russian forces strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. In Kramatorsk, despite the population’s resilience, these attacks remain a source of pain that residents endure with restraint.
Civilians in war
“There was a strike last night in my street,” my translator writes to me in the morning. A message, above all, of relief, though hardly surprising. “Come, I will show you now,” she decides when we meet later that morning.
Medecin at war
Sofiia* is a civilian anesthesiologist. Initially, nothing destined her to treat war casualties. Since 2022, she has had to adapt her practice to the realities of a front that draws ever closer.