From the end of May 2022, heavy fighting began for the city of Severodonetsk. Russian troops massively shelled the city in an attempt to completely capture it. The percentage of the territory of Severodonetsk controlled by the Russian army changed daily. On June 24, the Armed Forces of Ukraine organized and planned to leave part of the Severodonetsk industrial zone. On May 26, 2022, the Russian army entered the city, street fighting began. The Russians captured Severodonetsk.
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Oleksandr Ratushnyak, who accompanied the Ukrainian military during the battle with the Russian army in Severodonetsk.
“For four months, all our positions have been shelled from everything — and I want to emphasize this — with all the weapons that the Russian army has,” Sergei Gaidai, the head of the Luhansk regional military administration, wrote on a social network.
Russian forces have been shelling Severodonetsk for weeks, trying to take control of the entire city.
“It's just hell,” added Sergei Gaidai.
In June 2022, about half a thousand Ukrainian servicemen died every day in Donbas, and even more were wounded.
Photographer Oleksandr Ratushnyak accompanied the Ukrainian military during the fighting for the city of Severodonetsk. Recalls that for him, June 2022 was full of meeting and socializing with many wonderful people.
“He spent several days in the company of the famous Hero of Ukraine Dmitry Kotsyubail “Da Vinci” and his brave guys, - says Oleksandr Ratushnyak. - Mostly it was air reconnaissance. We were driving to the front village, the guys were flying drones and adjusting the artillery. If there was shelling in our direction, then there was a basement nearby.”
One day, the military even took Alexander for real reconnaissance - it was an exit into the gray zone in the afternoon.
“In such a situation, there is a great risk of falling under friendly fire. That time everything passed and we only came under fire from the enemy. Hail wings for a few hundred meters, maybe less. Some great photos could not be taken, but the impression after that release is for life,” the photographer shares.
Alexander Ratushnyak with the unit drove to Lisichansk, where from a high-rise building it was possible to look at Severodonetsk. At the end of May 2022, the city was in everyone's ears, but there was a lack of visual information from there. The width of the corridor to the entrance to Lisichansk was constantly decreasing, and trips in this direction became more and more dangerous.
The photographer learned that the area of responsibility of the battalion “Svoboda”, which includes his friend Igor Palamarchuk, is precisely the Severodonetsk direction. In a few days, namely on June 6, Alexander was already with the Svobody boys at their location in Lisichansk.
“It was constantly flying around the city. Every day, if not hours, something smoked, burned, civilians died. However, despite this, Lysychansk was still a relatively rear city,” says Ratushnyak.
“On June 8, from the very morning, we go to the “Cossack” in Severodonetsk. We pass the Sinetsky Bridge, which the Russians constantly attacked to cut the routes of communication. That morning we were lucky. It was relatively quiet. But not everyone managed to overcome that bridge...”, says Alexander.
Together with the Ukrainian military, the photographer arrived at the “Pit Bull” position, where he spent the next 24 hours.
“I spent a day here, but it seemed like a week had passed,” Ratushnyak explains.
In the “peaceful” city of Lysychansk, the guys returned with the same “Cossack”. Alexander helped the guys with the household, several times even cooked soup.
“The guys said it was delicious,” the photographer smiles.
He walked around the city and filmed how it turned into a ruin. He did not leave far from the base, because the people in Lisichansk are quite different.
“In a few days, they again give the go-ahead for me to go to Severodonetsk. We load ammunition, provisions and go! This time already on the Jubilee Bridge. The only bridge that currently connects the two banks, says Oleksandr Ratushnyak. “The cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk were connected by three bridges: Pavlogradsky, which was destroyed on May 21, 2022, already destroyed at that time Sinetsky and Jubilee Bridge, which could be tried half an hour ago slip through. However, it is no longer possible. Arrives nearby. Right in front of the bridge, we turn around and go to the base. It didn't hurt.”
Meanwhile, communication between cities is switching to river transport. Crossings are organized in several places. The photographer asked for several days to be taken on a boat. The answer remained negative.
“A bicycle appears on the base, so my excursions in Lisichansk are becoming more distant. Of course, I do not forget about DRG. Although in a bulletproof vest on a bicycle from the DRG, you probably will not escape far,” says Ratushnyak.
In a few days, he did receive the “good” for the next 24 hours.
“The condition is to help carry things from the vehicle (vehicles) to the shore. No one needs a passive passenger. Of course I will. Not only to take pictures,” Alexander says with a smile.
This time they came to the position of “Pharaoh”, since the “Pitbull” was already well broken by the Russian military and there was a great risk that this “machine” would completely collapse.
Alexander spent almost the entire day in one place. With a group of soldiers from “Pharaoh” he went to another deployment. On the way, shots were heard from small arms. In a few seconds, they realized that it seemed to be on them.
“Everything went well. He returned to “Pharaoh”, to the basement life,” says Oleksandr Ratushnyak.
He asked to extend his stay for another 24 hours and received a “good”. The guys promised to take him to one of the nearest positions in the morning.
“Underground corridor between the workshops of the former enterprise. “Crossroads”. Here I spent about 10 hours. Long lasting 10 hours of life. To the enemy somewhere 100 m in a straight line, but we are separated by walls,” Oleksandr says. “To the road is our territory, behind the road - the territory under the control of the enemy. Here, for the first time in my life, I felt what it is like when you are shot at from a tank. I do not recommend such feelings to anyone.”
The military was very surprised that a photographer came to such a position. They called him fearless.
“When I found out that the Ukrainian military had been in this position for about two weeks (with periodic rest), I replied that fearlessness was about them, not about me,” Ratushnyak recalls.
Alexander says that the really fearless are Vasily Ivashko “Shargorod” and his dachshund Pula.
“Recently I learned from Vasily that Pula, unfortunately, will no longer be able to have puppies. Although the queue for puppies from such a fearless female was long. At the moment, Pula is far from the front. Unlike Shargorod, which continues to crumble enemies,” says Alexander.
Shargorod several times worked on the enemy with a grenade launcher.
“Then, shooting on the phone in full height in this strange vest, and, of course, without a helmet, he tried to correct the operation of the tank. I even jokingly scolded him. They say, people will not believe that in the photo there is a real war and about 80 meters to the Muscovites,” says Oleksandr Ratushnyak.
On the way to the “Pharaoh” the photographer with the military ran to the “Pit Bull”, where ours were still. Compared to last time, the positions already did not look so hospitable. The basement still held.
“On June 21, 2022, I saw Severodonetsk for the last time,” says Oleksandr Ratushnyak. “On June 24, Ukrainian units organized and planned to leave the industrial zone of Severodonetsk.”
In the morning on the “Zhigulka” Ratushnyak left in the direction of Lysychansk to the river Siversky Donets. In the back seat was the photographer and Semen Oblomei “Sam”, who ruled as the navigator. Sam dies the same day.
Oleksandr Ratushniak — Ukrainian photojournalist. He has worked with various media and information agencies, including Reuters, and is now a freelance photographer. He photographed the events that took place during the Revolution of Dignity. Actively documents the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Photographer's social networks: Facebook,Instagram
The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Katya Moskalyuk
Bild-editor: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
The project is implemented thanks to support of IWM Documenting Ukraine.
From the end of May 2022, heavy fighting began for the city of Severodonetsk. Russian troops massively shelled the city in an attempt to completely capture it. The percentage of the territory of Severodonetsk controlled by the Russian army changed daily. On June 24, the Armed Forces of Ukraine organized and planned to leave part of the Severodonetsk industrial zone. On May 26, 2022, the Russian army entered the city, street fighting began. The Russians captured Severodonetsk.
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Oleksandr Ratushnyak, who accompanied the Ukrainian military during the battle with the Russian army in Severodonetsk.
“For four months, all our positions have been shelled from everything — and I want to emphasize this — with all the weapons that the Russian army has,” Sergei Gaidai, the head of the Luhansk regional military administration, wrote on a social network.
Russian forces have been shelling Severodonetsk for weeks, trying to take control of the entire city.
“It's just hell,” added Sergei Gaidai.
In June 2022, about half a thousand Ukrainian servicemen died every day in Donbas, and even more were wounded.
Photographer Oleksandr Ratushnyak accompanied the Ukrainian military during the fighting for the city of Severodonetsk. Recalls that for him, June 2022 was full of meeting and socializing with many wonderful people.
“He spent several days in the company of the famous Hero of Ukraine Dmitry Kotsyubail “Da Vinci” and his brave guys, - says Oleksandr Ratushnyak. - Mostly it was air reconnaissance. We were driving to the front village, the guys were flying drones and adjusting the artillery. If there was shelling in our direction, then there was a basement nearby.”
One day, the military even took Alexander for real reconnaissance - it was an exit into the gray zone in the afternoon.
“In such a situation, there is a great risk of falling under friendly fire. That time everything passed and we only came under fire from the enemy. Hail wings for a few hundred meters, maybe less. Some great photos could not be taken, but the impression after that release is for life,” the photographer shares.
Alexander Ratushnyak with the unit drove to Lisichansk, where from a high-rise building it was possible to look at Severodonetsk. At the end of May 2022, the city was in everyone's ears, but there was a lack of visual information from there. The width of the corridor to the entrance to Lisichansk was constantly decreasing, and trips in this direction became more and more dangerous.
The photographer learned that the area of responsibility of the battalion “Svoboda”, which includes his friend Igor Palamarchuk, is precisely the Severodonetsk direction. In a few days, namely on June 6, Alexander was already with the Svobody boys at their location in Lisichansk.
“It was constantly flying around the city. Every day, if not hours, something smoked, burned, civilians died. However, despite this, Lysychansk was still a relatively rear city,” says Ratushnyak.
“On June 8, from the very morning, we go to the “Cossack” in Severodonetsk. We pass the Sinetsky Bridge, which the Russians constantly attacked to cut the routes of communication. That morning we were lucky. It was relatively quiet. But not everyone managed to overcome that bridge...”, says Alexander.
Together with the Ukrainian military, the photographer arrived at the “Pit Bull” position, where he spent the next 24 hours.
“I spent a day here, but it seemed like a week had passed,” Ratushnyak explains.
In the “peaceful” city of Lysychansk, the guys returned with the same “Cossack”. Alexander helped the guys with the household, several times even cooked soup.
“The guys said it was delicious,” the photographer smiles.
He walked around the city and filmed how it turned into a ruin. He did not leave far from the base, because the people in Lisichansk are quite different.
“In a few days, they again give the go-ahead for me to go to Severodonetsk. We load ammunition, provisions and go! This time already on the Jubilee Bridge. The only bridge that currently connects the two banks, says Oleksandr Ratushnyak. “The cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk were connected by three bridges: Pavlogradsky, which was destroyed on May 21, 2022, already destroyed at that time Sinetsky and Jubilee Bridge, which could be tried half an hour ago slip through. However, it is no longer possible. Arrives nearby. Right in front of the bridge, we turn around and go to the base. It didn't hurt.”
Meanwhile, communication between cities is switching to river transport. Crossings are organized in several places. The photographer asked for several days to be taken on a boat. The answer remained negative.
“A bicycle appears on the base, so my excursions in Lisichansk are becoming more distant. Of course, I do not forget about DRG. Although in a bulletproof vest on a bicycle from the DRG, you probably will not escape far,” says Ratushnyak.
In a few days, he did receive the “good” for the next 24 hours.
“The condition is to help carry things from the vehicle (vehicles) to the shore. No one needs a passive passenger. Of course I will. Not only to take pictures,” Alexander says with a smile.
This time they came to the position of “Pharaoh”, since the “Pitbull” was already well broken by the Russian military and there was a great risk that this “machine” would completely collapse.
Alexander spent almost the entire day in one place. With a group of soldiers from “Pharaoh” he went to another deployment. On the way, shots were heard from small arms. In a few seconds, they realized that it seemed to be on them.
“Everything went well. He returned to “Pharaoh”, to the basement life,” says Oleksandr Ratushnyak.
He asked to extend his stay for another 24 hours and received a “good”. The guys promised to take him to one of the nearest positions in the morning.
“Underground corridor between the workshops of the former enterprise. “Crossroads”. Here I spent about 10 hours. Long lasting 10 hours of life. To the enemy somewhere 100 m in a straight line, but we are separated by walls,” Oleksandr says. “To the road is our territory, behind the road - the territory under the control of the enemy. Here, for the first time in my life, I felt what it is like when you are shot at from a tank. I do not recommend such feelings to anyone.”
The military was very surprised that a photographer came to such a position. They called him fearless.
“When I found out that the Ukrainian military had been in this position for about two weeks (with periodic rest), I replied that fearlessness was about them, not about me,” Ratushnyak recalls.
Alexander says that the really fearless are Vasily Ivashko “Shargorod” and his dachshund Pula.
“Recently I learned from Vasily that Pula, unfortunately, will no longer be able to have puppies. Although the queue for puppies from such a fearless female was long. At the moment, Pula is far from the front. Unlike Shargorod, which continues to crumble enemies,” says Alexander.
Shargorod several times worked on the enemy with a grenade launcher.
“Then, shooting on the phone in full height in this strange vest, and, of course, without a helmet, he tried to correct the operation of the tank. I even jokingly scolded him. They say, people will not believe that in the photo there is a real war and about 80 meters to the Muscovites,” says Oleksandr Ratushnyak.
On the way to the “Pharaoh” the photographer with the military ran to the “Pit Bull”, where ours were still. Compared to last time, the positions already did not look so hospitable. The basement still held.
“On June 21, 2022, I saw Severodonetsk for the last time,” says Oleksandr Ratushnyak. “On June 24, Ukrainian units organized and planned to leave the industrial zone of Severodonetsk.”
In the morning on the “Zhigulka” Ratushnyak left in the direction of Lysychansk to the river Siversky Donets. In the back seat was the photographer and Semen Oblomei “Sam”, who ruled as the navigator. Sam dies the same day.
Oleksandr Ratushniak — Ukrainian photojournalist. He has worked with various media and information agencies, including Reuters, and is now a freelance photographer. He photographed the events that took place during the Revolution of Dignity. Actively documents the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Photographer's social networks: Facebook,Instagram
The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Katya Moskalyuk
Bild-editor: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
The project is implemented thanks to support of 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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