In the morning of August 19, 2023, the army of the Russian Federation launched a missile strike on the Chernihiv region. The rocket hit the historic center of the city, in particular the building of the drama theater.
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Oleg Petrasyuk, who documented the consequences of the Russian military attack on the center of Chernihiv.
On August 19, 2023, around 11:30 a.m., a Russian cruise missile “Iskander-K” struck the historic center of Chernihiv. She entered the Chernihiv Regional Music and Drama Theater. At this time, the theater hosted the event “Furious Birds” — a meeting of developers of strike drones. Drone manufacturers and military were invited to the event, and everyone could attend the event.
The missile strike killed seven people, including a six-year-old child. At least 150 people were injured. Located in the middle of the city, parked cars and public transport suffered various damages. The area was littered with fragments of glass and bricks.
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Photographer Oleg Petrasyuk and his colleagues arrived at the scene two hours after the missile strike.
“I read the news, waited for colleagues, got in the car and left. It was not our first and, unfortunately, not the last such trip. There were no special emotions or impressions,” says Oleg Petrasyuk.
“We arrived a few hours after the explosion: the ambulance doctors had already taken away all the dead and wounded, the forensics did their job, and the firefighters were still extinguishing the remnants of the fire,” Petrasyuk recalls.
The photographer talked with local residents of Chernihiv, who showed their destroyed accommodation and allowed to take pictures of the panorama of the square in front of the theater.
“People calmly, without aggression, talked to journalists. There was no such rejection of the press as at the beginning of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, - says Oleg Petrasyuk. “People invited us to their apartments, but they refused to take pictures.”
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The photographer notes that after the shooting in Bucha, Borodyanka and other places liberated by the Ukrainian military, impressions and feelings were mixed.
“Shooting the consequences of missile strikes is perceived as just a job that needs to be done as best as possible and without unnecessary sensations,” explains Oleg Petrasyuk. “I photographed the destruction in the central square of Chernihiv, where I was on business trips many times. Chernihiv is very close to Kiev, and there are places where he loved to eat, which he passed many times...”
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Oleg Petrasyuk photographed the aftermath of the missile attack on Chernihiv almost all day.
“I came to document an event that had already taken place. I was shooting the aftermath of the explosion, so it was time to wander around, take close-up shots and look at everything from the side. If I only came for 10 minutes, I would probably do 90 percent of the shots I needed. However, it is these 10 percent that distinguish a photographer who works to the fullest. I always try to push the shooting to the end, and the work in Chernihiv was no exception,” says Oleg Petrasyuk.
Oleg Petrasyuk— Ukrainian documentary photographer. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, it documents the events of the Russian-Ukrainian war. His works were published in many Ukrainian and foreign media, he collaborated with EPA Images agency.
Photographer's social networks: Instagram, Facebook
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: Ukraine under attack: consequences of Russian missile attack on Kiev in documentary photos
The project is implemented thanks to support IWM Documenting Ukraine.
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In the morning of August 19, 2023, the army of the Russian Federation launched a missile strike on the Chernihiv region. The rocket hit the historic center of the city, in particular the building of the drama theater.
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Oleg Petrasyuk, who documented the consequences of the Russian military attack on the center of Chernihiv.
On August 19, 2023, around 11:30 a.m., a Russian cruise missile “Iskander-K” struck the historic center of Chernihiv. She entered the Chernihiv Regional Music and Drama Theater. At this time, the theater hosted the event “Furious Birds” — a meeting of developers of strike drones. Drone manufacturers and military were invited to the event, and everyone could attend the event.
The missile strike killed seven people, including a six-year-old child. At least 150 people were injured. Located in the middle of the city, parked cars and public transport suffered various damages. The area was littered with fragments of glass and bricks.
Photographer Oleg Petrasyuk and his colleagues arrived at the scene two hours after the missile strike.
“I read the news, waited for colleagues, got in the car and left. It was not our first and, unfortunately, not the last such trip. There were no special emotions or impressions,” says Oleg Petrasyuk.
“We arrived a few hours after the explosion: the ambulance doctors had already taken away all the dead and wounded, the forensics did their job, and the firefighters were still extinguishing the remnants of the fire,” Petrasyuk recalls.
The photographer talked with local residents of Chernihiv, who showed their destroyed accommodation and allowed to take pictures of the panorama of the square in front of the theater.
“People calmly, without aggression, talked to journalists. There was no such rejection of the press as at the beginning of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, - says Oleg Petrasyuk. “People invited us to their apartments, but they refused to take pictures.”
The photographer notes that after the shooting in Bucha, Borodyanka and other places liberated by the Ukrainian military, impressions and feelings were mixed.
“Shooting the consequences of missile strikes is perceived as just a job that needs to be done as best as possible and without unnecessary sensations,” explains Oleg Petrasyuk. “I photographed the destruction in the central square of Chernihiv, where I was on business trips many times. Chernihiv is very close to Kiev, and there are places where he loved to eat, which he passed many times...”
Oleg Petrasyuk photographed the aftermath of the missile attack on Chernihiv almost all day.
“I came to document an event that had already taken place. I was shooting the aftermath of the explosion, so it was time to wander around, take close-up shots and look at everything from the side. If I only came for 10 minutes, I would probably do 90 percent of the shots I needed. However, it is these 10 percent that distinguish a photographer who works to the fullest. I always try to push the shooting to the end, and the work in Chernihiv was no exception,” says Oleg Petrasyuk.
Oleg Petrasyuk— Ukrainian documentary photographer. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, it documents the events of the Russian-Ukrainian war. His works were published in many Ukrainian and foreign media, he collaborated with EPA Images agency.
Photographer's social networks: Instagram, Facebook
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: Ukraine under attack: consequences of Russian missile attack on Kiev in documentary photos
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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