You're reading: Stories of wounded Ukrainian soldiers, EuroMaidan activists documented by American photographer

Joseph Sywenkyj, an American photographer of Ukrainian descent, has been collecting stories of injured Ukrainian servicemen and EuroMaidan protesters for the dramatic documentary photo series called “Wounds.”

He collects the stories and photographs of the wounded online at www.rany.com.ua. The project aims to “inform Ukrainians about the hard task of reintegrating soldiers and EuroMaidan activists into normal life,” the website reads.

Sywenkyj has spent a considerable time in Ukraine as a photo reporter, shooting for the Kyiv Post, The New York Times and other publications. He photographed the EuroMaidan Revolution of 2013-2014, and the Ukrainians fighting Russian-separatist forces in 2014. That’s when he got the idea that the people injured in the hostilities deserve more attention.

“I remember feeling shock, sorrow and anger seeing so many wounded activists and demonstrators during the EuroMaidan in January and February of 2014,” Sywenkyj told the Kyiv Post. “I knew at that point that I was going to work on a project about that subject. Then, rather quickly, Russia invaded Ukraine and I adapted the project to include wounded Ukrainian soldiers as well.”

The “Wounds” website includes 14 stories of the wounded activists and soldiers. The dramatic photos by Sywenkyj are accompanied by profiles and interviews written by journalism students Maria Dachkovska and Kateryna Yudina of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

One of the most dreadful photos shows seven-month pregnant Kateryna Panchenko, 22, crying over the coffin of her husband, who was killed in Donetsk Airport, another horrid stand-off of the war.

There is also Oleksiy Lytovchenko, 30, who lost his leg fighting separatists in Ukraine’s east. Ivan Kushnerov, 25, who has survived in the Battle of Illovaysk, one of the most tragic battles of the Russian war against Ukraine, but was lost most of his fingers later when a grenade came off in his hands.

“I just recall that if I threw the grenade, it would hit (our) people,” he said in an interview to the “Wounds.”

Following his purpose of accentuating the need to help the wounded and reintegrate them into society, Sywenkyj often photographs them in hospitals and during the rehabilitating procedures.

To photograph injured soldiers, Sywenkyj spends many days with them to make them grow used to the camera presence.

“It is very important that they are comfortable with me being there with a camera. Equally important is my need to feel comfortable with them,” the photographer said. “There are times when I photograph moments where a person is in extreme physical pain, quiet emotional pain, as well as moments of vulnerability. But I also photograph moments of joy, tenderness and love.”

To cover the costs of the project, Sywenkyj applied for a Fulbright Scholar Award. Although the application was sent for another purpose in 2013, before even the revolution of dignity was on anyone’s radar, after winning the grant he asked to adapt the project proposal, due to the arduous times Ukraine had undergone, and succeeded.

In the near future Sywenkyj is planning to expand some of the stories by adding new details about soldiers’ medical treatment and further situation.

“I’m hoping some of the stories I’m working on will have positive endings and serve as inspiration to other wounded veterans and their families,” he says. “It is also entirely possible that not all of the stories will end on a positive note, but this is also extremely important to photograph as well.”

Kyiv Post staff writer Denys Krasnikov can be reached at [email protected]