On September 10, 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the city of Izyum in Kharkiv region from Russian occupiers. The Russian army left behind destroyed houses, shattered schools and kindergartens, as well as the remains of numerous cassette shells, stretchers and explosives. During the five months of occupation, a new cemetery grew in the city and at least 1,000 local residents were killed.
Today, the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Daniel Pavlov, taken after the release of Izyum. He has been a member of the association since 2022.
The city of Izyum in Kharkiv region has been under Russian occupation since April 2022. The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the city on September 10, 2022. According to the National Security Agency, since the full-scale Russian invasion, Izyum has suffered the largest number of air strikes by Russian troops - 476. About 80% of the city's infrastructure was destroyed, and at least 1,000 civilians were killed.
During the occupation, the inhabitants of Izyum hid in basements, waited for shelling, lived in difficult conditions without light and heating, could not get medical care and medicine in time. People were taken for interrogation and tortured. Immediately after the release, volunteers with humanitarian aid began to regularly come to Izyum.
Mass burials were found in the city of Izyum with those killed in the fighting, killed and covered by people during the Russian occupation. 447 bodies were raised from the mass graves, including children. The bodies were exhumed and sent for forensic examination. The crimes of Russian troops in Izyum are being investigated today by Ukrainian and international experts.
Photographer Danil Pavlov was in Izyum even before the start of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. I remembered Izyum as a picturesque city, divided in half by the river Siversky Donets.
“What struck me most was the exhumation of the bodies, its scale. On the approach to the cemetery, hundreds of meters away, a characteristic smell was felt. In the city of the cemetery, everything is permeated with it, even sand. So many dead people buried in the forest...”, — recalls Danil Pavlov.
The city slowly recovered from what it had experienced. For a long time, the inhabitants of Izyum lived without communication, light and water. People stood in lines waiting for humanitarian assistance. A car arrived, volunteers handed out bread, food, warm things. No one knew for sure when the next car with help would arrive.
“It seems to me that humanism is a bit dulled in situations when it comes to survival. People pushed each other on the way to the car with the humanitarian. One woman almost broke her husband's finger in a fight for things,” says Danylo Pavlov.
All Ukraine handed over clothes and products to Izyum, volunteers brought large trucks with help. The locals were afraid that there would be no more humanitarian women, so they disassembled everything en masse and put it together in their homes.
People approached Daniel Pavlov, asked about the situation in Ukraine. The inhabitants of Izyum were completely misinformed, not knowing when light and connection would appear in them.
“I was struck by one incident. Volunteers gave the teenage boy a packed box, no one knew its contents. It turned out that there were chocolates inside. There was a shortage of sweets in the city and everyone immediately overtook the guy,” recalls Danylo Pavlov. “The boy distributed one candy to everyone. Some adult uncle pounced on him and wanted more. The teenager said he wanted to bring candy to his sister. The man began to quarrel, swear. Imagine an adult trying to take away candy from a child.”
Daniel recalls a girl who watched with a devastated look at the distribution of humanitarian aid. She came with her mother, who was actively sorting things out.
“Suddenly, a girl among a pile of garbage found a dress for herself and her eyes just began to shine. It moves me to tears,” the photographer shares.
Danylo Pavlov — Ukrainian documentary photographer. Member of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers. He has been published in numerous Ukrainian media and various foreign publications, including Washington Post, The Times, Forbes. Photo Editor Reporters.media, photographer of The Ukrainians.
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
The project is implemented thanks to support CHANGES.
On September 10, 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the city of Izyum in Kharkiv region from Russian occupiers. The Russian army left behind destroyed houses, shattered schools and kindergartens, as well as the remains of numerous cassette shells, stretchers and explosives. During the five months of occupation, a new cemetery grew in the city and at least 1,000 local residents were killed.
Today, the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Daniel Pavlov, taken after the release of Izyum. He has been a member of the association since 2022.
The city of Izyum in Kharkiv region has been under Russian occupation since April 2022. The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the city on September 10, 2022. According to the National Security Agency, since the full-scale Russian invasion, Izyum has suffered the largest number of air strikes by Russian troops - 476. About 80% of the city's infrastructure was destroyed, and at least 1,000 civilians were killed.
During the occupation, the inhabitants of Izyum hid in basements, waited for shelling, lived in difficult conditions without light and heating, could not get medical care and medicine in time. People were taken for interrogation and tortured. Immediately after the release, volunteers with humanitarian aid began to regularly come to Izyum.
Mass burials were found in the city of Izyum with those killed in the fighting, killed and covered by people during the Russian occupation. 447 bodies were raised from the mass graves, including children. The bodies were exhumed and sent for forensic examination. The crimes of Russian troops in Izyum are being investigated today by Ukrainian and international experts.
Photographer Danil Pavlov was in Izyum even before the start of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. I remembered Izyum as a picturesque city, divided in half by the river Siversky Donets.
“What struck me most was the exhumation of the bodies, its scale. On the approach to the cemetery, hundreds of meters away, a characteristic smell was felt. In the city of the cemetery, everything is permeated with it, even sand. So many dead people buried in the forest...”, — recalls Danil Pavlov.
The city slowly recovered from what it had experienced. For a long time, the inhabitants of Izyum lived without communication, light and water. People stood in lines waiting for humanitarian assistance. A car arrived, volunteers handed out bread, food, warm things. No one knew for sure when the next car with help would arrive.
“It seems to me that humanism is a bit dulled in situations when it comes to survival. People pushed each other on the way to the car with the humanitarian. One woman almost broke her husband's finger in a fight for things,” says Danylo Pavlov.
All Ukraine handed over clothes and products to Izyum, volunteers brought large trucks with help. The locals were afraid that there would be no more humanitarian women, so they disassembled everything en masse and put it together in their homes.
People approached Daniel Pavlov, asked about the situation in Ukraine. The inhabitants of Izyum were completely misinformed, not knowing when light and connection would appear in them.
“I was struck by one incident. Volunteers gave the teenage boy a packed box, no one knew its contents. It turned out that there were chocolates inside. There was a shortage of sweets in the city and everyone immediately overtook the guy,” recalls Danylo Pavlov. “The boy distributed one candy to everyone. Some adult uncle pounced on him and wanted more. The teenager said he wanted to bring candy to his sister. The man began to quarrel, swear. Imagine an adult trying to take away candy from a child.”
Daniel recalls a girl who watched with a devastated look at the distribution of humanitarian aid. She came with her mother, who was actively sorting things out.
“Suddenly, a girl among a pile of garbage found a dress for herself and her eyes just began to shine. It moves me to tears,” the photographer shares.
Danylo Pavlov — Ukrainian documentary photographer. Member of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers. He has been published in numerous Ukrainian media and various foreign publications, including Washington Post, The Times, Forbes. Photo Editor Reporters.media, photographer of The Ukrainians.
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
The project is implemented thanks to support CHANGES.
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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