On the night of July 23, 2023, the Russian army launched another missile strike on Odessa. As a result of the impact, the Transfiguration Cathedral and a number of architectural monuments in the city center were partially destroyed. More than 20 people were injured and two were killed.
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Valentin Kuzan, who documented the consequences of the missile attack on the historic center of Odessa.
On the night of July 23, Russian troops fired 19 missiles at the Odessa region. The historical center of Odessa was damaged: more than 20 architectural monuments were destroyed or damaged, including the Transfiguration Cathedral and the House of Scientists. Many residential buildings in the city center have had windows knocked out and facades damaged. The port infrastructure of Odessa was also damaged. The rocket attack injured more than 20 people, including 4 children. Two people were killed.
The consequences of the missile attack on the historical center of Odessa were filmed by photographer Valentin Kuzan. As part of a project to document the impact of the war from the Institute of Mass Information and UNESCO, Valentin Kuzan planned to photograph one of the destroyed facilities in Donetsk region. However, when he found out about the explosions in Odessa, he immediately went there.
“I came to Odessa in the evening. Near the Transfiguration Cathedral, many people were bustling — something had already been repaired, and the windows where the shutters were knocked out were closed. A priest walked around the temple and looked at the consequences of the arrival,” recalls Valentin Kuzan. “Inside the cathedral, the walls cracked, the columns leaned and it seemed that something would fall on the head. However, everything had to be documented. I walked around carefully, shot a lot of footage, including details, to capture this crime thoroughly.”
Valentin Kuzan recalls that in 2008 he lived in Odessa and worked as a photographer in a local newspaper.
“At work, I had to attend all the events that are iconic for the city. Accordingly, he filmed the arrival of one of the Russian priests of the Moscow Patriarchate to the Transfiguration Cathedral. This father had such rhetoric as if Ukraine as a state does not exist. Russia has been preparing the ground for an invasion through the Russian church for a long time,” Kuzan says. “Accordingly, the Russian army struck the place where such events took place. It seemed very paradoxical to me — how much the conditions in which I was there a few years ago and now have changed.”
When Valentin Kuzan entered the interior of the Transfiguration Cathedral, there were already many builders there. They eliminated the consequences of the “arrival” — disassembled debris, collected pieces of glass and destroyed walls.
“I remember that in a separate corner the racks were demolished, on which candles are lit in the temple. They were bent, blackened, all in soot,” recalls the details of the filming of Valentin Kuzan.
The photographer emphasizes that Odessa simply adore their city.
“When I lived in Odessa, I realized how expensive it is for local residents. Every event in Odessa started with how they love their city. I remember how trees were planted in front of the cathedral. Just a stranger who stood there and hatched the seeds, immediately rushed to help plant the trees,” says Valentin Kuzan.
On the day of the missile attack on Odessa, it was also noticeable how much people are concerned about the fate of their architectural monument. Many Odessa residents came to the Transfiguration Cathedral and everyone tried to be useful somewhere.
“I met a bearded man who was in charge of part of the work in the cathedral. When he found out that I was a photographer, he wanted to drive me almost by the hand through the cathedral and show the destruction. I said, here's a look, oh here the Russians did. Unfortunately, only because of such tragic and sad events, most people now understand who the real enemy is,” concludes Valentin Kuzan.
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Valentin Kuzan— was born in 1986 in the village of Dovge in Transcarpathia, where he graduated from school and music school in guitar class. He was fond of photography, had his first commercial shooting when he was in the tenth grade of school. In 2003 he entered the Uzhgorod National University at the Faculty of Philology, Department of Journalism. For five years, he conducted live broadcasts on television and radio, practiced as a photocorrespondent under the OSCE program, participated in a photo seminar from Reuters, was a co-organizer of literary events, concerts and two art festivals, one of which lasted 13 years. As a poet, he was published in almanacs, the most interesting of which was “Train 76" edited by Andrukhovich and Boychenko.
Photographer's social networks: Facebook, Instagram
The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Kateryna Moskalyuk
Bild-editor: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
Read also: Dozens killed after rocket attack on Odessa. Tragedy in the photo of Alexander Gimanov
The project is implemented thanks to support IWM Documenting Ukraine.
On the night of July 23, 2023, the Russian army launched another missile strike on Odessa. As a result of the impact, the Transfiguration Cathedral and a number of architectural monuments in the city center were partially destroyed. More than 20 people were injured and two were killed.
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Valentin Kuzan, who documented the consequences of the missile attack on the historic center of Odessa.
On the night of July 23, Russian troops fired 19 missiles at the Odessa region. The historical center of Odessa was damaged: more than 20 architectural monuments were destroyed or damaged, including the Transfiguration Cathedral and the House of Scientists. Many residential buildings in the city center have had windows knocked out and facades damaged. The port infrastructure of Odessa was also damaged. The rocket attack injured more than 20 people, including 4 children. Two people were killed.
The consequences of the missile attack on the historical center of Odessa were filmed by photographer Valentin Kuzan. As part of a project to document the impact of the war from the Institute of Mass Information and UNESCO, Valentin Kuzan planned to photograph one of the destroyed facilities in Donetsk region. However, when he found out about the explosions in Odessa, he immediately went there.
“I came to Odessa in the evening. Near the Transfiguration Cathedral, many people were bustling — something had already been repaired, and the windows where the shutters were knocked out were closed. A priest walked around the temple and looked at the consequences of the arrival,” recalls Valentin Kuzan. “Inside the cathedral, the walls cracked, the columns leaned and it seemed that something would fall on the head. However, everything had to be documented. I walked around carefully, shot a lot of footage, including details, to capture this crime thoroughly.”
Valentin Kuzan recalls that in 2008 he lived in Odessa and worked as a photographer in a local newspaper.
“At work, I had to attend all the events that are iconic for the city. Accordingly, he filmed the arrival of one of the Russian priests of the Moscow Patriarchate to the Transfiguration Cathedral. This father had such rhetoric as if Ukraine as a state does not exist. Russia has been preparing the ground for an invasion through the Russian church for a long time,” Kuzan says. “Accordingly, the Russian army struck the place where such events took place. It seemed very paradoxical to me — how much the conditions in which I was there a few years ago and now have changed.”
When Valentin Kuzan entered the interior of the Transfiguration Cathedral, there were already many builders there. They eliminated the consequences of the “arrival” — disassembled debris, collected pieces of glass and destroyed walls.
“I remember that in a separate corner the racks were demolished, on which candles are lit in the temple. They were bent, blackened, all in soot,” recalls the details of the filming of Valentin Kuzan.
The photographer emphasizes that Odessa simply adore their city.
“When I lived in Odessa, I realized how expensive it is for local residents. Every event in Odessa started with how they love their city. I remember how trees were planted in front of the cathedral. Just a stranger who stood there and hatched the seeds, immediately rushed to help plant the trees,” says Valentin Kuzan.
On the day of the missile attack on Odessa, it was also noticeable how much people are concerned about the fate of their architectural monument. Many Odessa residents came to the Transfiguration Cathedral and everyone tried to be useful somewhere.
“I met a bearded man who was in charge of part of the work in the cathedral. When he found out that I was a photographer, he wanted to drive me almost by the hand through the cathedral and show the destruction. I said, here's a look, oh here the Russians did. Unfortunately, only because of such tragic and sad events, most people now understand who the real enemy is,” concludes Valentin Kuzan.
Valentin Kuzan— was born in 1986 in the village of Dovge in Transcarpathia, where he graduated from school and music school in guitar class. He was fond of photography, had his first commercial shooting when he was in the tenth grade of school. In 2003 he entered the Uzhgorod National University at the Faculty of Philology, Department of Journalism. For five years, he conducted live broadcasts on television and radio, practiced as a photocorrespondent under the OSCE program, participated in a photo seminar from Reuters, was a co-organizer of literary events, concerts and two art festivals, one of which lasted 13 years. As a poet, he was published in almanacs, the most interesting of which was “Train 76" edited by Andrukhovich and Boychenko.
Photographer's social networks: Facebook, Instagram
The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Kateryna Moskalyuk
Bild-editor: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
Read also: Dozens killed after rocket attack on Odessa. Tragedy in the photo of Alexander Gimanov
The project is implemented thanks to support IWM Documenting Ukraine.
UAPP is an independent association of professional Ukrainian photographers, designed to protect their interests, support, develop and promote Ukrainian photography as an important element of national culture.
UAPP's activities span educational, social, research and cultural initiatives, as well as book publishing.
UAPP represents Ukrainian professional photography in the international photographic community and is an official member of the Federation of European Photographers (FEP) — an international organization representing more than 50,000 professional photographers in Europe and other countries around the world.
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