Reflection of photographer Pavlo Dorogoy on the first day of a full-scale invasion
Photographer Pavlo Dorogoy was in Kharkiv on February 24, 2022.
“I woke up at five in the morning from a call from my mother, who said in tears that she heard explosions and saw a roar in the sky. The simpleton told her that it could be fireworks,” recalls Pavlo Dorohoy. Then he started reading the news, chatting with friends, and realized that it was not fireworks.
Paul lives outside the city, in the western part, so he did not hear any explosions. “It was a very strange feeling: outside the window birds are singing, there is snow, beauty, and in the news some child is carried,” says the photographer. On the same day, he went with the camera to work as a fixer for the foreign media. He did not even take a charge with him, as he hoped to return home in the evening.
“The first thoughts were of my ex-wife and son, who were not around me. They tried to decide together whether they should leave or not. I tried to get permission to shoot, because then I was still afraid to shoot without it. I decided that if I will be together with accredited journalists, I will be able to work safely,” says Pavlo. He was shooting soldiers from the 92nd Assault Brigade who arrived at Saltivka. I saw the first captured Russian BTR, several women servicemen in full view — it was very unusual. “Where we were, there were loud explosions. Later I realized that it was air defense, but foreign journalists decided to leave. I also filmed the metro station “Heroes of Labor”, which was completely overrun by frightened people, who, like me, did not understand what was happening at all,” says Dorogoy.
The next night and time until April, Pavel lived in the apartment of friends in the center of Kharkov. At first they were three, but in early March the friends left for Ternopol. Pavel Dorogoy brought his mother to him, who was left alone on the ninth floor. There were no more residents in the house of Pavel's mother in Saltovka. “He returned home, where he lived until February 24, in April and did not leave it again,” says Pavlo Dorogoy.
The project is implemented thanks to support of ZMIN.
Read also: 9 Ukrainian Photographers Tell and Show How the Great Invasion Began
Reflection of photographer Pavlo Dorogoy on the first day of a full-scale invasion
Photographer Pavlo Dorogoy was in Kharkiv on February 24, 2022.
“I woke up at five in the morning from a call from my mother, who said in tears that she heard explosions and saw a roar in the sky. The simpleton told her that it could be fireworks,” recalls Pavlo Dorohoy. Then he started reading the news, chatting with friends, and realized that it was not fireworks.
Paul lives outside the city, in the western part, so he did not hear any explosions. “It was a very strange feeling: outside the window birds are singing, there is snow, beauty, and in the news some child is carried,” says the photographer. On the same day, he went with the camera to work as a fixer for the foreign media. He did not even take a charge with him, as he hoped to return home in the evening.
“The first thoughts were of my ex-wife and son, who were not around me. They tried to decide together whether they should leave or not. I tried to get permission to shoot, because then I was still afraid to shoot without it. I decided that if I will be together with accredited journalists, I will be able to work safely,” says Pavlo. He was shooting soldiers from the 92nd Assault Brigade who arrived at Saltivka. I saw the first captured Russian BTR, several women servicemen in full view — it was very unusual. “Where we were, there were loud explosions. Later I realized that it was air defense, but foreign journalists decided to leave. I also filmed the metro station “Heroes of Labor”, which was completely overrun by frightened people, who, like me, did not understand what was happening at all,” says Dorogoy.
The next night and time until April, Pavel lived in the apartment of friends in the center of Kharkov. At first they were three, but in early March the friends left for Ternopol. Pavel Dorogoy brought his mother to him, who was left alone on the ninth floor. There were no more residents in the house of Pavel's mother in Saltovka. “He returned home, where he lived until February 24, in April and did not leave it again,” says Pavlo Dorogoy.
The project is implemented thanks to support of ZMIN.
Read also: 9 Ukrainian Photographers Tell and Show How the Great Invasion Began
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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