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“We have come, we are here”. Kharkiv region liberated from Russian troops in the photos of Mstyslav Chernov

29.4.2024
2
min read

From the end of April to the middle of May 2022, the final stage of the defense of the city of Kharkiv lasted. The main task was to push the Russian military out of the nearest outskirts of Kharkov. The offensive of Ukrainian troops took place to the north and northeast of the city. In May 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine advanced north of Kharkov and advanced to the borders with the Russian Federation. This became the key to the further liberation of the territory of the Kharkiv region. The Slobozhansky counteroffensive began in September 2022.

The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Mstislav Chernov, who documented the Kharkiv counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in May 2022.

At the border

On May 5, 2022, the Ukrainian Defense Forces moved to counterattack on Kharkiv and Izyum directions. Russian military tried to advance in the area of Staryi Saltov, but without success. On May 7, the Armed Forces took control of Cirkuna in Kharkiv region. To slow down the Ukrainian counteroffensive, the Russian military blew up three bridges.

Photo by Mstislav Chernov

On May 10, 2022, the Ukrainian military regained control of four settlements: Cherkasy Tyshky, Ruski Tyshky, Rubezhne and Bayrak. In the temporarily occupied village of Veliky Burluk, leaflets appeared with warnings to the Russian military. Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said that buses and trolleybuses are planned to resume in the city. On May 12, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleg Syenegubov said that people who left Kharkiv are returning to the city. Armed forces of Ukraine are advancing on the Izyum direction.

Photo by Mstislav Chernov

On May 15, the Ukrainian Defense Forces, during a successful counteroffensive north of Kharkov, came to the border line with the Russian Federation. After the liberation of a number of settlements, the announcement of the exit to the state border line became a significant milestone in the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine posted on its official page a video message of the fighters of the 227th Battalion of the 127th Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who went to the state border, to the President and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Ukrainian military set up a border post and emotionally announced: “We have arrived, Mr. President, we are here! Here is the border guard with us... Mr. President, we have arrived!”

Photo by Mstislav Chernov

The de-occupation of a part of Kharkiv region in late April — mid-May 2022 allowed analysts of The Institute for the Study of War to conclude that the Russian army actually lost the battle for Kharkiv. And it was finally possible to liberate almost the entire territory of the Kharkiv region after four months - in September 2022. However, it was the May offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that created the conditions for a powerful Slobozhansky counteroffensive.

Photo by Mstislav Chernov

Photographer Mstislav Chernov documented the development of the events of the Kharkiv Counteroffensive in May 2022. He filmed the effects of the Russian occupation in the newly liberated villages, the Ukrainian military conducting a counteroffensive, and life in Kharkiv. In the newly liberated village of Vilkhivka, Mstislav documented the work of ambulance doctors who took away the bodies of dead Russian soldiers. Mstislav Chernov removed the personal belongings of one of the dead soldiers of the Russian Federation, which were found by the Ukrainian military to identify the person. Passport with red star and bank card with symbolic inscription “peace”

Photo by Mstislav Chernov

Mstislav Chernov ---- Ukrainian photographer, journalist of the Associated Press, director, war correspondent, President of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers, honorary member of PEN Ukraine and writer. Covered the Revolution of Dignity, the war in eastern Ukraine, the aftermath of the downing of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, the Syrian Civil War, the battle of Mosul in Iraq, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, including the blockade of Mariupol (for this work he received Deutsche Welle Freedom of Speech Award, George George Prize) Jongadze, Knight International Journalism Awards, Biagio Agnes Award, Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award, Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award, Free Media Awards, according to the results of 2022 was included in the ratings “People of the NV 2022 in the Year of War” and “14 songs, photos and art objects that became symbols of Ukrainian resistance” by Forbes Ukraine, and video materials from Mariupol became the basis of the film “20 Days in Mariupol”, which in 2024 was awarded the Oscar for the first time in the history of Ukrainian cinema.

Photographer's social networks:
Facebook

Instagram

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.

The project is implemented thanks to support The Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation.

The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Katya Moskalyuk
Bildeditor: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar

From the end of April to the middle of May 2022, the final stage of the defense of the city of Kharkiv lasted. The main task was to push the Russian military out of the nearest outskirts of Kharkov. The offensive of Ukrainian troops took place to the north and northeast of the city. In May 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine advanced north of Kharkov and advanced to the borders with the Russian Federation. This became the key to the further liberation of the territory of the Kharkiv region. The Slobozhansky counteroffensive began in September 2022.

The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes photos of Mstislav Chernov, who documented the Kharkiv counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in May 2022.

At the border

On May 5, 2022, the Ukrainian Defense Forces moved to counterattack on Kharkiv and Izyum directions. Russian military tried to advance in the area of Staryi Saltov, but without success. On May 7, the Armed Forces took control of Cirkuna in Kharkiv region. To slow down the Ukrainian counteroffensive, the Russian military blew up three bridges.

Photo by Mstislav Chernov

On May 10, 2022, the Ukrainian military regained control of four settlements: Cherkasy Tyshky, Ruski Tyshky, Rubezhne and Bayrak. In the temporarily occupied village of Veliky Burluk, leaflets appeared with warnings to the Russian military. Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said that buses and trolleybuses are planned to resume in the city. On May 12, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleg Syenegubov said that people who left Kharkiv are returning to the city. Armed forces of Ukraine are advancing on the Izyum direction.

Photo by Mstislav Chernov

On May 15, the Ukrainian Defense Forces, during a successful counteroffensive north of Kharkov, came to the border line with the Russian Federation. After the liberation of a number of settlements, the announcement of the exit to the state border line became a significant milestone in the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine posted on its official page a video message of the fighters of the 227th Battalion of the 127th Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who went to the state border, to the President and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Ukrainian military set up a border post and emotionally announced: “We have arrived, Mr. President, we are here! Here is the border guard with us... Mr. President, we have arrived!”

Photo by Mstislav Chernov

The de-occupation of a part of Kharkiv region in late April — mid-May 2022 allowed analysts of The Institute for the Study of War to conclude that the Russian army actually lost the battle for Kharkiv. And it was finally possible to liberate almost the entire territory of the Kharkiv region after four months - in September 2022. However, it was the May offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that created the conditions for a powerful Slobozhansky counteroffensive.

Photo by Mstislav Chernov

Photographer Mstislav Chernov documented the development of the events of the Kharkiv Counteroffensive in May 2022. He filmed the effects of the Russian occupation in the newly liberated villages, the Ukrainian military conducting a counteroffensive, and life in Kharkiv. In the newly liberated village of Vilkhivka, Mstislav documented the work of ambulance doctors who took away the bodies of dead Russian soldiers. Mstislav Chernov removed the personal belongings of one of the dead soldiers of the Russian Federation, which were found by the Ukrainian military to identify the person. Passport with red star and bank card with symbolic inscription “peace”

Photo by Mstislav Chernov

Mstislav Chernov ---- Ukrainian photographer, journalist of the Associated Press, director, war correspondent, President of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers, honorary member of PEN Ukraine and writer. Covered the Revolution of Dignity, the war in eastern Ukraine, the aftermath of the downing of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, the Syrian Civil War, the battle of Mosul in Iraq, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, including the blockade of Mariupol (for this work he received Deutsche Welle Freedom of Speech Award, George George Prize) Jongadze, Knight International Journalism Awards, Biagio Agnes Award, Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award, Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award, Free Media Awards, according to the results of 2022 was included in the ratings “People of the NV 2022 in the Year of War” and “14 songs, photos and art objects that became symbols of Ukrainian resistance” by Forbes Ukraine, and video materials from Mariupol became the basis of the film “20 Days in Mariupol”, which in 2024 was awarded the Oscar for the first time in the history of Ukrainian cinema.

Photographer's social networks:
Facebook

Instagram

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.

The project is implemented thanks to support The Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation.

The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Katya Moskalyuk
Bildeditor: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar

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