Four-year-old Taras closes his eyes with handles. He often has a nightmare of Russian tanks attacking his house, opening fire, and burying his mother alive in the ruins. The war penetrated even dreams. The boy was photographed for The New York Times by photographer Emile Duke earlier this year in Kyiv.
Every year, The New York Times presents its selection of the best photos. “The photos collected here are a tribute to the brave photographers who took the dangerous path to document the events. The photos remind us that there were a lot of tears in 2023,” writes Mark Lacey, editor of the publication, in his column titled “Tired World”. He notes that many children, unfortunately, will no longer see 2024. Their lives were cut short, and their homes and schools turned into battlefields and tragedy zones. Perhaps that's why there are so many different photos in this year's selection with children - smiling, wounded, or wrapped in a pit savannah.
Like last year, there are a lot of photos dedicated to Ukraine in the list. The list includes photos of the Old New Year celebrations, the destroyed Bakhmut, children sheltering during the spring shelling of Kiev, flooded Kherson after the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant and the Ukrainian military during the counteroffensive.
UAPP publishes the best 16 photos related to Ukraine, according to the version NYT.
KYIV, UKRAINE, 13 JANUARY
Carols from the band “Neighboring Slobidka “celebrated the New Year according to the Julian calendar. Ukrainians sought to widely adopt ancient holiday traditions when war raged around them.
Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times
DNIPRO, UKRAINE, 14 JANUARY
A Russian strike hit this nine-story apartment building, killing at least 46 people. Dozens more were trapped. After that, a fire broke out, and most of the apartment building turned into ruins.
Nicole Tang for The New York Times
“The rocket hit Saturday afternoon. Children played in the park in the yard, people went shopping and returned home. Over the next few days, volunteers broke up the camp to help emergency services. The same yard and playground are now filled with the help and found belongings of the families who survived,” recalls photojournalist Nicole Tang.
DNIPRO, UKRAINE, 18 JANUARY
Olga Afanasieva, 49, is recovering in hospital after being seriously injured during Russia's attack on her home. She and her husband were sitting at the kitchen table when the rocket hit.
By Lynsey Addario for The New York Times
I looked at her from the right side trying to photograph her eyes and injuries, but it didn't add up. Suddenly she turned around, and the other side of her face was scratched. It just spoke to me, symbolizing all these lives and faces, and all that has been torn apart in this country, —Lincy Addario.
LVIVSKA OBLAST, UKRAINE, 6 FEBRUARY
Russian prisoners of war in a camp for enemy soldiers. Some of them will be returned to Russia during the exchange.
Nicole Tang for The New York Times
WARSZAWA, 21 FEBRUARY
President Biden speaks on the eve of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. “Our support for Ukraine will not waver, NATO will not be divided and we will not tire, “he said.
Doug Mills for The New York Times
When I saw him give a speech behind bulletproof glass, my adrenaline dropped because taking pictures through glass is hard. I finally found this place on the side. Then I realized that I could go up an inch and get a double reflection. Do we always say that Washington is a game of inches for photographers? —Doug Mills.
UKRAINE'S DAY, FEBRUARY 25
Helicopter of the 18th Brigade named after Sikorsky during a combat mission after a rocket attack. Ukrainian helicopter brigades, in spite of everything, were still active a year after the war.
Daniel Beregulak for The New York Times
I stood in a snowy field while the brigade prepared for battle. The air was full of anticipation. This photograph, taken by a remote camera on board, captures the acute moment at the center of the conflict, embodying the unwavering courage and determination of these soldiers. Despite a year of relentless war, these helicopters, although technologically obsolete, remain an unshakable force, — noted Daniel Beregulak.
KIEV, UKRAINE, 7 MARCH
4-year-old Taras Gaidukevich told of the horror in which Russian tanks drove up to his house and opened fire, covering his mother with debris. For many in Ukraine, even dreams were not a shelter as the war dragged on.
By Emile Duck for The New York Times
Taras and his mother were in the basement of their house, where they hid from an airdrop that morning. I was sad to watch how, after a year of war, it was always present, both in the form of air alarms during the day and in their dreams at night,” comments Emile Duck.
BAKHMUT, UKRAINE, MARCH 17
Medics provide assistance to Ukrainian serviceman with shrapnel wounds on the front line. The struggle for the city, which was later captured by Russia, was one of the bloodiest clashes of the war.
Tyler Hicks for The New York Times
BAKHMUT, UKRAINE, 19 MAY
The smoldering remains of Bakhmut days before Russia declared victory there. It took the Kremlin almost a year to capture the city. It cost thousands of lives of soldiers.
Tyler Hicks for The New York Times
Even though I saw military photos of the devastated Bakhmut, however, when I drove the drone and flew to the edge of the city, seeing everything live — it really stuck in my memory. How much the city was destroyed and how many lives were lost in the process. Personally, it was very shocking for me,” Tyler Hicks shared.
SINYAK, UKRAINE, 15 MAY
Funeral of Ukrainian soldier Dmitry Konobas, who died in fighting in Luhansk region.
Nicole Tang for The New York Times
GRACODATNE, UKRAINE, JUNE 15
Ukrainian soldiers rest inside a destroyed building on the outskirts of this recently liberated but devastated village. One of the seven that Ukraine won during the first week and a half of the counteroffensive against Russia.
David Guttenfelder for The New York Times
It was a moment of calm for these soldiers surrounded by ruins who had gone through hell. What you don't see is how noisy it was outside — the hum of low-flying aircraft and gunfire. It was interesting — a contrast to that comforting moment when you liberated a neighboring town, survived and sat in what was left of that beachhead. — David Guttenfelder
KIEV, UKRAINE, 1 JUNE
Small patients of the children's hospital “Okhmatdyt” with painted faces gathered in a shelter. According to the United Nations, at least 535 children have been killed and 1,000 more injured at this stage of the war.
Nicole Tang for The New York Times
The girls had their faces painted as part of the action for the International Day of Protection of Children, which was organized by hospital staff. Kiev has survived days of Russian attacks on the city. The staff hoped to bring smiles to the faces of their current and former patients by organizing games with music and talismans to entertain the children, —Nicole Tang.
KHERSON, UKRAINE, JUNE 7
The flooded area after Russian troops destroyed the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power plant. The disaster forced thousands of people to flee one of the world's largest reservoirs, which was vital for irrigating farmland considered Europe's breadbasket.
Mauricio Lima for The New York Times
OUTSKIRTS OF MAKARIVKA, UKRAINE, 26 JULY
The body of a Russian serviceman in the Zaporizhzhya region, where Ukraine conducted counteroffensive actions. In two months, Ukrainian forces have advanced less than 10 miles of the region's 100-mile front.
Tyler Hicks for The New York Times
I saw what I initially thought was just a uniform thrown away on the road, but looking closer I realized it was a body. No effort was made to move the body. He was trampled so many times that the body became part of the road, —Tyler Hicks
ZAPOROZHYE REGION, UKRAINE, SEPTEMBER 14
The Ukrainian military was preparing to launch a drone for reconnaissance over the occupied territory of the Russian Federation in search of heavy weapons and air defense equipment. In the counteroffensive, which often relied on small advantages of Ukrainians, including a fleet of inexpensive drones.
By Lynsey Addario for The New York Times
When we approached the team of fighters, they were hiding in the bushes. We heard Russian drones flying overhead, and it was terrible. Most of the war is now being fought by drones. There's nothing you can do, just hope you've hid well enough. The soldier released the drone and we fled back into the bush, —Lincy Addario.
KIEV, UKRAINE, 10 DECEMBER
Children participate in light therapy during the celebration of Hanukkah at the Jewish Community Center “Halom”.
Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times
Read also:
100 iconic photos from TIME. Among them are only a few from Ukraine
Contributors:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Vera Labych
Bildeditor: Vyacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary Editor: Julia Foutei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
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