Kharkiv, a frontline city of one million people in northeastern Ukraine, has been under attack by ballistic missiles, anti-aircraft gunships, attack drones, and information and psychological operations (IPO) every day since the start of the full-scale invasion.
In their propaganda channels, the Russians mention Kharkiv almost daily, justifying the shelling of the city and spreading fakes. However, in contrast to propaganda, Ukrainian documentary photographers - local photographers and those who film the life of the city in the midst of war - are working to establish justice.
When we talk about Kharkiv, we primarily mean its residents, because the greatest value of every Ukrainian city is its people. It was thanks to people, civilians and military, that Kharkiv stood up to the invasion, and thanks to people it continues to stand.
Russia has been waging an information war against Ukraine for centuries. Information pressure intensified especially after the 2014 Maidan. The basis of the disinformation campaign against Kharkiv residents was the propaganda of discord, which was supposed to sow separatist sentiment in the city and prepare it for the invasion of 2022.
“Why Russian Kharkiv did not meet Russia with flowers”.
Photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Heorhiy Ivanchenko, speaking about his first experience of filming the war, said in an interview with UAPP:
“The desire to tell about the events brings us to Kharkiv. Obviously, this is the first major city to be attacked on such a massive scale, and Russian troops are moving so actively. We knew that Kharkiv could be lost even before the full-scale invasion began. The attack on Kyiv was a surprise to us, the attack on Kharkiv was not a surprise to anyone.”
Hate speech includes narratives about “territorial and mental proximity to Russia,” “Kyiv's dislike of Kharkiv and Kharkiv's dislike of ‘Westerners,’ narratives about the ‘first capital’ and hints of independence, intimidation by ‘nationalist orders’ and the ‘cult of Banderites’ allegedly being implemented in Kharkiv.
The enemy failed to capture Kharkiv, but managed to occupy part of the Kharkiv region, including major cities, Kupiansk, Balakliia, and Izium. Most of the occupied cities and towns were regained as a result of the Armed Forces counteroffensive in September 2022.
The Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Center (HAC), which collects and refutes Russian fakes, reported that since the beginning of the war, propagandists have been trying to intimidate Kharkiv residents with a food crisis, hunger, humanitarian situation, and mobilization. However, the basis of fear propaganda is based on such topics as “nationalist battalions” and preparations for the city's surrender.
Already during the Great War, Russians manipulated the topic of business relocation and invented fakes about the Ukrainian leadership's removal of industrial facilities to the West of Ukraine.
“There is a sense of evacuation in Kharkiv - entire factories are being taken out of the city, and the Kyiv regime is urging local residents to leave in the face of the threat of a Russian 'invasion'. At the same time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are preparing the defense of Kharkiv and are concentrating additional efforts, equipment, and weapons there. At the same time, experts believe that Ukraine is ready to give up the city, but will make some attempt to actively resist.“ (”Argumenty i Fakty").
“In Kharkiv, even during the war, there are probably more events than in cities that do not know what war is. There are concerts and theaters,” says Yakiv Lyashenko, who also notes that new cafes are opening in the city. “People are starting from scratch. They worked hard under fire in extremely difficult conditions to open. These Kharkiv residents did what they could to keep their city alive. I respect them for that,” said Yakiv Lyashenko in an interview with UAPP.
Propagandists are trying to destabilize the situation in the TOT of Kharkiv region through propaganda printed newspapers, shutting down Ukrainian television in the absence of the Internet and communication. They spread fake news about events at the front, the “capture of Kharkiv,” and the “indifference of the leadership to its own citizens.”
In March 2024, Putin announced the alleged need to create a “sanitary zone” along the border with Russia to protect the border areas from shelling. This statement launched a new wave of disinformation campaigns.
Propagandists are trying to destabilize the situation in the TOT of Kharkiv region through propaganda printed newspapers, shutting down Ukrainian television in the absence of the Internet and communication. They spread fake news about events at the front, the “capture of Kharkiv,” and the “indifference of the leadership to its own citizens.”
In March 2024, Putin announced the alleged need to create a “sanitary zone” along the border with Russia to protect the border areas from shelling. This statement launched a new wave of disinformation campaign.
In April 2024, hostile telegram channels disseminated a disinformation video showing traffic jams on the outskirts of Kharkiv.
Kharkiv residents received so-called evacuation memos in their personal messages, allegedly from the State Emergency Service.
The creation of the Sever group of the Russian Armed Forces on the border with Kharkiv region, the assault in the north of Kharkiv region, and the extremely difficult situation in the energy system due to Russian shelling of energy facilities contributed to fear propaganda.
A campaign to discredit the local authorities was actively conducted. Nationalist battalions created by the city's leadership were allegedly conducting punitive operations against Kharkiv residents loyal to Russia, hiding behind local residents and holding citizens hostage.
The Kremlin continues to try to destabilize the situation in the city and the region by influencing the opinions of Kharkiv residents and using rocket and bomb terror.
“It must be said that even today the Kyiv regime is being inventive. Under the guise of a special operation, they skillfully carry out provocations under the guise of constant bombing and shelling of their territories in order to turn the population against Russia“ (”Yuzhnaya Novosti").
In this way, enemy propaganda justifies the shelling of civilian infrastructure and turns the local population against the Ukrainian Armed Forces, saying that Ukrainians are shelling themselves.
Missile attack on the Factor Printing House, May 23, 2024
“Ukraina.ru admits that “the Russian army destroyed a civilian facility in Kharkiv,” but they claim to have an excuse.
“Another high-precision strike by the Russian army was carried out against the Kharkiv printing house “Factor-Druk”, which published extremist literature that propagates and glorifies hatred of Russia.”
On May 23, Russian troops attacked the Factor-Druk printing house with S-300 missiles. Seven people were killed and sixteen injured. All the victims were employees of the printing house. About 50 people were working there at the time of the attack.
“Once again, unfortunately, we have to use a DNA laboratory to identify the bodies. Seven people were killed at their workplace. They were printing children's books.
Five women and two men - each of them was just doing their job. This printing house produced books for children, magazines, school diaries, newspapers and much more. Now there is no such enterprise in Kharkiv,” wrote Serhiy Bolvinov, head of the Investigation Department of the Kharkiv Oblast Police, on his account on the social networking site X.
Photojournalist Oleksandr Magula quickly arrived at the site of the missile strike, as the arrival occurred not far from his home.
“A completely destroyed printing house, burning books,” says the photographer. ”The women who died there were people who just went to work in the morning, it was supposed to be a normal day for them. They were printing books. “The moment when rescuers pull out bodies from the rubble, or rather what's left of them, is always very impressive and will probably never cease to impress,” UAPP quotes Oleksandr Magula as saying. ‘I met several firefighters there with whom I have worked more than once at the sites of ’arrivals'. We were lucky that the enemy did not hit the same place for the second time, as they have done many times before.”
This is not the first attack on printing houses in Kharkiv.
Air strike on Aerokosmichnyi Avenue, June 22, 2024
“The Ukrainian Armed Forces were so eager to strike at the Russian border that they blew up a residential high-rise in Kharkiv, killing 3 people and injuring 25.”
“And here is the destruction from the shelling of Kharkiv. Ukrainian social media are trying to prove to us that it was our arrival. Attention, a question: why is there a hole in the southern wall of the house?”
UPD: Most likely, from the western side. But Russian troops and aircraft are not operating to the west of Kharkiv.”
KHAC publishes a refutation of this fake from Oleksandr Kovalenko, a military and political observer of the Information Resistance group, citing TSN:
“He explained that the occupiers published a video of the destroyed house, covering the lower part with a map showing the place of the hit and the alleged location of the Ukrainian military responsible for the strike.
“But why did they do it in such a way that the lower part of the video is almost completely hidden? The answer is simple - because there, a dozen meters away, is a crater from the bomb that arrived. And it did not come from west to east, into the wall of the house, but from east to west, onto the road,” the expert explained.
On June 22, two people were killed and 52 others were injured, including 3 children, as a result of air strikes on the Osnovyansky district of Kharkiv.
“The explosions partially destroyed a five-story building, damaged a private house, five non-residential buildings, 16 trade pavilions, 25 vehicles, one trolleybus, two pharmacies and a car dealership,” Nakipilo reported.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and other agencies urged Ukrainians not to film or publish footage of Russian missile strikes in order not to help the enemy adjust its strikes.
However, in the third year of the war, Russian propaganda continues to use photos and videos from the sites of shelling in its propaganda against Ukraine. That is why every shot of Ukrainian documentary photographers is important.
Heorhiy Ivanchenko, who recorded the crime of the Russian army at the place of arrival, commented on his photo: “Russian controlled shelling of the residential center of the city. People standing at a traffic light and a public transport stop were injured.”
Air strike on a high-rise building in Saltivka, September 24, 2024
Northern Saltivka is a residential area of Kharkiv on the border with Russia. It was from there that the assault on the city began in 2022. This is the most destroyed area, where, despite propaganda claims, there is not a single military unit.
“Kharkiv. Not amateur performances for Zelensky's visit to the US”.
“Journalists filming the process of dismantling the rubble illuminated the place where the anti-aircraft missile that tried to shoot down the air force base arrived.”
This is how Russia attempts to falsify the results of its shelling. However, there are usually many photographers, journalists, and documentary filmmakers working at the site of the hits, recording the arrival from different angles.
“The Russian army struck at Kharkiv. Once again, planes launched eight KABs from the territory of the Belgorod region, six of which hit residential areas of Kharkiv. One hit a residential building that had already been repaired after the shelling in 2022. The Russian army continues to bomb Kharkiv and its suburbs every day,” Ivan Samoilov wrote on his Instagram, documenting the place of arrival.
“Consequences of several attacks by FAB-250 in Kharkiv yesterday. Several floors of a multi-storey building collapsed as a result of one of the attacks. The attack killed 3 people and wounded more than 30,” Yevhen Gertner commented on his own photo.
The Russian army constantly uses Kharkiv to test its old modernized munitions. These are cruise missiles that glide during flight.
“Kharkiv residents have about 4-6 minutes, depending on where the launch was made and where the bomb is going to hit,” Nakypilo quoted Dmytro Chubenko, a spokesman for the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, as saying. A ballistic missile launched from Belgorod travels even faster.
The timely provision of the necessary air defense equipment, F-16s and electronic warfare systems by our partners could help to resolve the issue of protecting Kharkiv, which continues to live despite the constant terror.
“The full moon illuminates the houses where it is hard to see at least a couple of light windows. In the morning, people will appear on these streets again to live and create in Kharkiv under the Ukrainian flag,” Ukrainian documentary photographer Ivan Samoilov.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers wrote about how Russian propagandists justified the attack on the Kharkiv Epicenter by launching fakes in TikTok.
Kharkiv, a frontline city of one million people in northeastern Ukraine, has been under attack by ballistic missiles, anti-aircraft gunships, attack drones, and information and psychological operations (IPO) every day since the start of the full-scale invasion.
In their propaganda channels, the Russians mention Kharkiv almost daily, justifying the shelling of the city and spreading fakes. However, in contrast to propaganda, Ukrainian documentary photographers - local photographers and those who film the life of the city in the midst of war - are working to establish justice.
When we talk about Kharkiv, we primarily mean its residents, because the greatest value of every Ukrainian city is its people. It was thanks to people, civilians and military, that Kharkiv stood up to the invasion, and thanks to people it continues to stand.
Russia has been waging an information war against Ukraine for centuries. Information pressure intensified especially after the 2014 Maidan. The basis of the disinformation campaign against Kharkiv residents was the propaganda of discord, which was supposed to sow separatist sentiment in the city and prepare it for the invasion of 2022.
“Why Russian Kharkiv did not meet Russia with flowers”.
Photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Heorhiy Ivanchenko, speaking about his first experience of filming the war, said in an interview with UAPP:
“The desire to tell about the events brings us to Kharkiv. Obviously, this is the first major city to be attacked on such a massive scale, and Russian troops are moving so actively. We knew that Kharkiv could be lost even before the full-scale invasion began. The attack on Kyiv was a surprise to us, the attack on Kharkiv was not a surprise to anyone.”
Hate speech includes narratives about “territorial and mental proximity to Russia,” “Kyiv's dislike of Kharkiv and Kharkiv's dislike of ‘Westerners,’ narratives about the ‘first capital’ and hints of independence, intimidation by ‘nationalist orders’ and the ‘cult of Banderites’ allegedly being implemented in Kharkiv.
The enemy failed to capture Kharkiv, but managed to occupy part of the Kharkiv region, including major cities, Kupiansk, Balakliia, and Izium. Most of the occupied cities and towns were regained as a result of the Armed Forces counteroffensive in September 2022.
The Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Center (HAC), which collects and refutes Russian fakes, reported that since the beginning of the war, propagandists have been trying to intimidate Kharkiv residents with a food crisis, hunger, humanitarian situation, and mobilization. However, the basis of fear propaganda is based on such topics as “nationalist battalions” and preparations for the city's surrender.
Already during the Great War, Russians manipulated the topic of business relocation and invented fakes about the Ukrainian leadership's removal of industrial facilities to the West of Ukraine.
“There is a sense of evacuation in Kharkiv - entire factories are being taken out of the city, and the Kyiv regime is urging local residents to leave in the face of the threat of a Russian 'invasion'. At the same time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are preparing the defense of Kharkiv and are concentrating additional efforts, equipment, and weapons there. At the same time, experts believe that Ukraine is ready to give up the city, but will make some attempt to actively resist.“ (”Argumenty i Fakty").
“In Kharkiv, even during the war, there are probably more events than in cities that do not know what war is. There are concerts and theaters,” says Yakiv Lyashenko, who also notes that new cafes are opening in the city. “People are starting from scratch. They worked hard under fire in extremely difficult conditions to open. These Kharkiv residents did what they could to keep their city alive. I respect them for that,” said Yakiv Lyashenko in an interview with UAPP.
Propagandists are trying to destabilize the situation in the TOT of Kharkiv region through propaganda printed newspapers, shutting down Ukrainian television in the absence of the Internet and communication. They spread fake news about events at the front, the “capture of Kharkiv,” and the “indifference of the leadership to its own citizens.”
In March 2024, Putin announced the alleged need to create a “sanitary zone” along the border with Russia to protect the border areas from shelling. This statement launched a new wave of disinformation campaigns.
Propagandists are trying to destabilize the situation in the TOT of Kharkiv region through propaganda printed newspapers, shutting down Ukrainian television in the absence of the Internet and communication. They spread fake news about events at the front, the “capture of Kharkiv,” and the “indifference of the leadership to its own citizens.”
In March 2024, Putin announced the alleged need to create a “sanitary zone” along the border with Russia to protect the border areas from shelling. This statement launched a new wave of disinformation campaign.
In April 2024, hostile telegram channels disseminated a disinformation video showing traffic jams on the outskirts of Kharkiv.
Kharkiv residents received so-called evacuation memos in their personal messages, allegedly from the State Emergency Service.
The creation of the Sever group of the Russian Armed Forces on the border with Kharkiv region, the assault in the north of Kharkiv region, and the extremely difficult situation in the energy system due to Russian shelling of energy facilities contributed to fear propaganda.
A campaign to discredit the local authorities was actively conducted. Nationalist battalions created by the city's leadership were allegedly conducting punitive operations against Kharkiv residents loyal to Russia, hiding behind local residents and holding citizens hostage.
The Kremlin continues to try to destabilize the situation in the city and the region by influencing the opinions of Kharkiv residents and using rocket and bomb terror.
“It must be said that even today the Kyiv regime is being inventive. Under the guise of a special operation, they skillfully carry out provocations under the guise of constant bombing and shelling of their territories in order to turn the population against Russia“ (”Yuzhnaya Novosti").
In this way, enemy propaganda justifies the shelling of civilian infrastructure and turns the local population against the Ukrainian Armed Forces, saying that Ukrainians are shelling themselves.
Missile attack on the Factor Printing House, May 23, 2024
“Ukraina.ru admits that “the Russian army destroyed a civilian facility in Kharkiv,” but they claim to have an excuse.
“Another high-precision strike by the Russian army was carried out against the Kharkiv printing house “Factor-Druk”, which published extremist literature that propagates and glorifies hatred of Russia.”
On May 23, Russian troops attacked the Factor-Druk printing house with S-300 missiles. Seven people were killed and sixteen injured. All the victims were employees of the printing house. About 50 people were working there at the time of the attack.
“Once again, unfortunately, we have to use a DNA laboratory to identify the bodies. Seven people were killed at their workplace. They were printing children's books.
Five women and two men - each of them was just doing their job. This printing house produced books for children, magazines, school diaries, newspapers and much more. Now there is no such enterprise in Kharkiv,” wrote Serhiy Bolvinov, head of the Investigation Department of the Kharkiv Oblast Police, on his account on the social networking site X.
Photojournalist Oleksandr Magula quickly arrived at the site of the missile strike, as the arrival occurred not far from his home.
“A completely destroyed printing house, burning books,” says the photographer. ”The women who died there were people who just went to work in the morning, it was supposed to be a normal day for them. They were printing books. “The moment when rescuers pull out bodies from the rubble, or rather what's left of them, is always very impressive and will probably never cease to impress,” UAPP quotes Oleksandr Magula as saying. ‘I met several firefighters there with whom I have worked more than once at the sites of ’arrivals'. We were lucky that the enemy did not hit the same place for the second time, as they have done many times before.”
This is not the first attack on printing houses in Kharkiv.
Air strike on Aerokosmichnyi Avenue, June 22, 2024
“The Ukrainian Armed Forces were so eager to strike at the Russian border that they blew up a residential high-rise in Kharkiv, killing 3 people and injuring 25.”
“And here is the destruction from the shelling of Kharkiv. Ukrainian social media are trying to prove to us that it was our arrival. Attention, a question: why is there a hole in the southern wall of the house?”
UPD: Most likely, from the western side. But Russian troops and aircraft are not operating to the west of Kharkiv.”
KHAC publishes a refutation of this fake from Oleksandr Kovalenko, a military and political observer of the Information Resistance group, citing TSN:
“He explained that the occupiers published a video of the destroyed house, covering the lower part with a map showing the place of the hit and the alleged location of the Ukrainian military responsible for the strike.
“But why did they do it in such a way that the lower part of the video is almost completely hidden? The answer is simple - because there, a dozen meters away, is a crater from the bomb that arrived. And it did not come from west to east, into the wall of the house, but from east to west, onto the road,” the expert explained.
On June 22, two people were killed and 52 others were injured, including 3 children, as a result of air strikes on the Osnovyansky district of Kharkiv.
“The explosions partially destroyed a five-story building, damaged a private house, five non-residential buildings, 16 trade pavilions, 25 vehicles, one trolleybus, two pharmacies and a car dealership,” Nakipilo reported.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and other agencies urged Ukrainians not to film or publish footage of Russian missile strikes in order not to help the enemy adjust its strikes.
However, in the third year of the war, Russian propaganda continues to use photos and videos from the sites of shelling in its propaganda against Ukraine. That is why every shot of Ukrainian documentary photographers is important.
Heorhiy Ivanchenko, who recorded the crime of the Russian army at the place of arrival, commented on his photo: “Russian controlled shelling of the residential center of the city. People standing at a traffic light and a public transport stop were injured.”
Air strike on a high-rise building in Saltivka, September 24, 2024
Northern Saltivka is a residential area of Kharkiv on the border with Russia. It was from there that the assault on the city began in 2022. This is the most destroyed area, where, despite propaganda claims, there is not a single military unit.
“Kharkiv. Not amateur performances for Zelensky's visit to the US”.
“Journalists filming the process of dismantling the rubble illuminated the place where the anti-aircraft missile that tried to shoot down the air force base arrived.”
This is how Russia attempts to falsify the results of its shelling. However, there are usually many photographers, journalists, and documentary filmmakers working at the site of the hits, recording the arrival from different angles.
“The Russian army struck at Kharkiv. Once again, planes launched eight KABs from the territory of the Belgorod region, six of which hit residential areas of Kharkiv. One hit a residential building that had already been repaired after the shelling in 2022. The Russian army continues to bomb Kharkiv and its suburbs every day,” Ivan Samoilov wrote on his Instagram, documenting the place of arrival.
“Consequences of several attacks by FAB-250 in Kharkiv yesterday. Several floors of a multi-storey building collapsed as a result of one of the attacks. The attack killed 3 people and wounded more than 30,” Yevhen Gertner commented on his own photo.
The Russian army constantly uses Kharkiv to test its old modernized munitions. These are cruise missiles that glide during flight.
“Kharkiv residents have about 4-6 minutes, depending on where the launch was made and where the bomb is going to hit,” Nakypilo quoted Dmytro Chubenko, a spokesman for the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, as saying. A ballistic missile launched from Belgorod travels even faster.
The timely provision of the necessary air defense equipment, F-16s and electronic warfare systems by our partners could help to resolve the issue of protecting Kharkiv, which continues to live despite the constant terror.
“The full moon illuminates the houses where it is hard to see at least a couple of light windows. In the morning, people will appear on these streets again to live and create in Kharkiv under the Ukrainian flag,” Ukrainian documentary photographer Ivan Samoilov.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers wrote about how Russian propagandists justified the attack on the Kharkiv Epicenter by launching fakes in TikTok.
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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