Three weeks with Donbas battalion. PHOTO report from the front

A freelance photojournalist has spent three summer weeks with the Donbas volunteer battalion of the special forces of the National Guard of Ukraine near Shyrokyne village in the M sector.

Censor.NET reports citing Radio Svoboda.

The photographer who has witnessed a lot of hot spots shared his impressions on the work in the ATO area.

"This is exactly the case when the friendly attitude to the journalist, the general comfort in the work, a large number of interesting situations and full access confront the absolute necessity to stop oneself. If you don't stop you might be dead. As long as I was on the positions, throughout the whole rotation cycle, I witnessed continuous clashes, shelling and trench duels. The things happening in the Mariupol sector are very serious. There is no truce. Why should we be hypocritical? Classic trench warfare is going on, and people are dying. I have no illusions - the bloodshed in the Donbas will not end soon. The wounds have not healed... The arrogance has not subsided..."


Donbas battalion soldiers are getting ready for a night raid at the frontline

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All personnel is getting ready for rotation near Shyrokyne village



Donbas battalion snipers during a shooting drill near their positions


Colonel Tykhyi, one of the senior officers of the Donbas battalion, on positions near Shyrokyne village


One more attack of the separatists


A sniper observes the line of contact

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During a mortar shelling near Shyrokyne


A Donbas soldier heats the stove which is used both for heating and cooking at the forefront



A soldier fires from Kalashnikov assault rifle at the positions of the separatists


Houses on fire in Shyrokyne after the night shelling

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Serhii, the company commander of the Donbas battalion, next to a dilapidated sanatorium, the last checkpoint of the Ukrainian soldiers.



Donbas soldiers clean their weapons in an abandoned building





Donbas soldier nicknamed Günther puts scrim to mask the battalion's positions.



Kirill Nekrasov, Russian by birth, serves as commander of the unit of the Donbas battalion





Many servicemen get tattoos with patriotic or military symbols in between the fights



The fighters often have to sleep on positions



A Crimean Tatar Donbas soldier prepares his rifle for battle







Colonel Gal, the commander of the Donbas battalion, during a morning roll call