The fighting in Debaltseve became one of the key events in the confrontation in Donbas. The most intense phase of the battle lasted from January 25 to February 18, 2015, including massive artillery attacks, small arms fire, and street and tank battles. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces, about 5 thousand soldiers defended Debaltseve, they were opposed by four times larger forces of the occupiers. The fighting for the city and the operation to withdraw Ukrainian troops became one of the most tragic and large-scale events in the entire period of the ATO/PLO.
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of photojournalist Oleksandr Klymenko, who documented the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Debaltsev after heavy fighting.
On July 29, 2014, the Defense Forces liberated Debaltseve from the illegal armed groups that had controlled the city since April. However, seven months later, the Ukrainian military was forced to leave the city. Russian mercenaries shell residential neighborhoods with “Grad” and tanks. Militants with the support of regular Russian troops managed to surround the city on three sides.
At this time, negotiations of the “Normandy Four” continued in Minsk. The Russians promised a complete ceasefire, but only on paper. Debaltseve continued to suffer from intense shelling. Militants with the support of units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, sought at any cost to encircle and defeat our troops. After the establishment of a conditional truce, pro-Russian mercenaries transferred to Debaltseve forces from other directions. As a result, shelling of Ukrainian positions increased even more.
There were almost no additional reserves to support ATO forces in Debaltseve. Therefore, on the night of February 17-18, 2015, Ukrainian troops began withdrawing troops from Debaltseve. For more than a day, they went out in small columns along different routes, with equipment battered and wounded, under shelling. Some went on foot. Because of the frosts, it was planned to go out not only on highways, but also on field roads.
For versionThe General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, holding Debaltsevsky bridgehead until February 18, Ukrainian troops thwarted the militants' plans for a large-scale offensive on Artemivsk (Bakhmut), Kramatorsk and further movement in the direction of Kharkov. Ukrainian troops had never made such a massive withdrawal until now. In the battles on the Debaltsevsky bridgehead, the whole world saw the professionalism and readiness of Ukrainian soldiers. Ukrainian forces took positions near Artemivsk, present-day Bakhmut. Debaltseve is still under Russian occupation.
Oleksandr Klymenko is a photojournalist who, even before the beginning of independence, began filming the main events in Ukraine. In addition, he has repeatedly covered armed conflicts in different countries of the world. However, in 2014, he had to put on an armored vest and go with his camera to the war in his country. He managed to record the movement of columns of Ukrainian equipment during the exit from Debaltsev.
“They go, they go, they go, they go. Tanks of all kinds there, SAU, just loading machines. BMP, BTR. They are all filled with our soldiers. The military is so tired. Those who came out of hell,” says the photographer.
In Alexander's photographs, not only the tired eyes of the soldiers were preserved, but also the wounded and dead as a result of the fighting for Debaltseve.
“I met the New Year 2015 together with the Right Sector in Pisky. I clearly remember my feeling that in 2015 the war will definitely end. It seemed that victory was about to be won. But you see... Then there was the exit from Debaltsev on February 18, 2015. I was in Bakhmut at that moment and in the morning I saw tanks and other military equipment driving through the city, on which tired men were sitting. I filmed it. Then he went to the hospital. The wounded were brought there. I asked one national guard, and where were the dead? “How where? In the morgue.” And I went there. On the street lay wooden graves made of unhewn boards. They had soldiers. Their arms and legs peered through the slits. In addition to the graves, there were still black plastic bags with bodies. It was a terrible picture and very bitter emotions,” recalls Oleksandr Klymenko.
February 18 is called the Day of Remembrance of the Battles for Debaltseve, on this day they honor those killed during the Debaltseve operation. According to the Ministry of Defense, during the fighting in the area of Debaltseve from January 15 to February 18, 110 servicemen were killed, 270 were wounded, 7 were captured, 18 were missing. During the entire defense of the Debaltsevsk salient, 136 Ukrainian servicemen were killed and 331 were wounded.
Recall that the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers has started a series of materials dedicated to key events of the Russian war against Ukraine, where he publishes memoirs and photographs of Ukrainian documentary photographers.
Life as a Deadline: 10 Years of War in the Photos of Olexandr Klymenko
Oleksandr Klymenko was born in Chernihiv region. Graduate of the Faculty of Journalism of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. From 1991 to 2024 — photocorrespondent of the newspaper “Voice of Ukraine”. In 1992, he documented events in Transnistria, then in the former Yugoslavia, as well as Lebanon, Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During the Revolution of Dignity, being in the very epicenter of events, Alexander was wounded. Since the beginning of the Russian military aggression in 2014 in the East, he has been filming events at the front. Oleksandr is the author of several photo albums, including: “Ukraine. 10 years of progress” (2001), “Peacekeeping activities of the Ukrainian army. The First Decade” (2004), “Through Fire and Tears” (2009), “Front Album” (2016). “The latest history of Ukrainian journalism. From Maidan to Maidan” co-authored with Yuriy Nesteryak, Julia Nesteryak (2022). Had personal photo exhibitions at UN Headquarters in New York (2012), NATO Headquarters in Brussels (2012, 2013, 2014), Lithuania (2015), Poland (2015, 2016, 2023), Luxembourg (2015), Norway (2023), Latvia (2022), participated in collective exhibitions on the war in Ukraine in the parliaments of Great Britain (2015) and Denmark (2014).
The fighting in Debaltseve became one of the key events in the confrontation in Donbas. The most intense phase of the battle lasted from January 25 to February 18, 2015, including massive artillery attacks, small arms fire, and street and tank battles. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces, about 5 thousand soldiers defended Debaltseve, they were opposed by four times larger forces of the occupiers. The fighting for the city and the operation to withdraw Ukrainian troops became one of the most tragic and large-scale events in the entire period of the ATO/PLO.
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of photojournalist Oleksandr Klymenko, who documented the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Debaltsev after heavy fighting.
On July 29, 2014, the Defense Forces liberated Debaltseve from the illegal armed groups that had controlled the city since April. However, seven months later, the Ukrainian military was forced to leave the city. Russian mercenaries shell residential neighborhoods with “Grad” and tanks. Militants with the support of regular Russian troops managed to surround the city on three sides.
At this time, negotiations of the “Normandy Four” continued in Minsk. The Russians promised a complete ceasefire, but only on paper. Debaltseve continued to suffer from intense shelling. Militants with the support of units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, sought at any cost to encircle and defeat our troops. After the establishment of a conditional truce, pro-Russian mercenaries transferred to Debaltseve forces from other directions. As a result, shelling of Ukrainian positions increased even more.
There were almost no additional reserves to support ATO forces in Debaltseve. Therefore, on the night of February 17-18, 2015, Ukrainian troops began withdrawing troops from Debaltseve. For more than a day, they went out in small columns along different routes, with equipment battered and wounded, under shelling. Some went on foot. Because of the frosts, it was planned to go out not only on highways, but also on field roads.
For versionThe General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, holding Debaltsevsky bridgehead until February 18, Ukrainian troops thwarted the militants' plans for a large-scale offensive on Artemivsk (Bakhmut), Kramatorsk and further movement in the direction of Kharkov. Ukrainian troops had never made such a massive withdrawal until now. In the battles on the Debaltsevsky bridgehead, the whole world saw the professionalism and readiness of Ukrainian soldiers. Ukrainian forces took positions near Artemivsk, present-day Bakhmut. Debaltseve is still under Russian occupation.
Oleksandr Klymenko is a photojournalist who, even before the beginning of independence, began filming the main events in Ukraine. In addition, he has repeatedly covered armed conflicts in different countries of the world. However, in 2014, he had to put on an armored vest and go with his camera to the war in his country. He managed to record the movement of columns of Ukrainian equipment during the exit from Debaltsev.
“They go, they go, they go, they go. Tanks of all kinds there, SAU, just loading machines. BMP, BTR. They are all filled with our soldiers. The military is so tired. Those who came out of hell,” says the photographer.
In Alexander's photographs, not only the tired eyes of the soldiers were preserved, but also the wounded and dead as a result of the fighting for Debaltseve.
“I met the New Year 2015 together with the Right Sector in Pisky. I clearly remember my feeling that in 2015 the war will definitely end. It seemed that victory was about to be won. But you see... Then there was the exit from Debaltsev on February 18, 2015. I was in Bakhmut at that moment and in the morning I saw tanks and other military equipment driving through the city, on which tired men were sitting. I filmed it. Then he went to the hospital. The wounded were brought there. I asked one national guard, and where were the dead? “How where? In the morgue.” And I went there. On the street lay wooden graves made of unhewn boards. They had soldiers. Their arms and legs peered through the slits. In addition to the graves, there were still black plastic bags with bodies. It was a terrible picture and very bitter emotions,” recalls Oleksandr Klymenko.
February 18 is called the Day of Remembrance of the Battles for Debaltseve, on this day they honor those killed during the Debaltseve operation. According to the Ministry of Defense, during the fighting in the area of Debaltseve from January 15 to February 18, 110 servicemen were killed, 270 were wounded, 7 were captured, 18 were missing. During the entire defense of the Debaltsevsk salient, 136 Ukrainian servicemen were killed and 331 were wounded.
Recall that the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers has started a series of materials dedicated to key events of the Russian war against Ukraine, where he publishes memoirs and photographs of Ukrainian documentary photographers.
Life as a Deadline: 10 Years of War in the Photos of Olexandr Klymenko
Oleksandr Klymenko was born in Chernihiv region. Graduate of the Faculty of Journalism of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. From 1991 to 2024 — photocorrespondent of the newspaper “Voice of Ukraine”. In 1992, he documented events in Transnistria, then in the former Yugoslavia, as well as Lebanon, Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During the Revolution of Dignity, being in the very epicenter of events, Alexander was wounded. Since the beginning of the Russian military aggression in 2014 in the East, he has been filming events at the front. Oleksandr is the author of several photo albums, including: “Ukraine. 10 years of progress” (2001), “Peacekeeping activities of the Ukrainian army. The First Decade” (2004), “Through Fire and Tears” (2009), “Front Album” (2016). “The latest history of Ukrainian journalism. From Maidan to Maidan” co-authored with Yuriy Nesteryak, Julia Nesteryak (2022). Had personal photo exhibitions at UN Headquarters in New York (2012), NATO Headquarters in Brussels (2012, 2013, 2014), Lithuania (2015), Poland (2015, 2016, 2023), Luxembourg (2015), Norway (2023), Latvia (2022), participated in collective exhibitions on the war in Ukraine in the parliaments of Great Britain (2015) and Denmark (2014).
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.
