Military photographer Oleh Palchyk documented the life of the city
Military photographer Oleh Palchyk has documented the life of civilians in one of the hottest spots - frontline Avdiivka.
In recent days, most of the news has been about the Russian offensive on Avdiivka and Donbas in general. In early October, Oleh Palchyk and the TRO Media team traveled to Avdiivka, which is still being fiercely fought over.
"The situation was very difficult that day. The enemy used the entire palette of weapons available to them: we counted 19 hits from ballistic missiles alone. Shots from tanks, MLRS, mortars - no one was counting. When we were returning, the road was already pelted with bricks, and a large piece of a rocket was lying in the middle of the intersection. But we still left. Avdiivka is Ukraine. And it will always be Ukraine."
Oleh Palchyk, military photographer
Palchyk says he has been visiting the city for the fourth time in a year and adds that each time he visits, Avdiivka has more and more destroyed houses and no windows left standing. There has been no electricity, water, gas or heating for over a year. However, about 1,600 civilians still live in the city. Most of them are pensioners, but there are also a few children. Each resident is registered with the military administration of the city. Civilians, especially families with children, are persuaded to leave. Only a few agree to leave.
According to the photographer, people live in basements, heat their rooms with stoves, and cook on them. Six shops and a hospital still operate in the town. There is a "Center of Unbreakability" where you can charge your devices, watch Ukrainian news, do laundry and get a haircut, drink coffee and sandwiches, and get medical advice and medicines.
________________________________________________________________________________Oleh Palchyk (41) is a military photographer, in the army since spring 2022, junior sergeant of the public relations service of the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Before the war, he worked as a professional advertising photographer.
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