Tragedy in Vyshneve and ballistic strikes on the capital: what else will be remembered from the week of July 6–12, 2026 Throughout the week, Russian forces carried out relentless shelling of Ukraine, massively using air bombs, missiles, and attack drones. The capital and its region suffered the heaviest blow: three times during the week Kyiv was under ballistic strikes, while in the city of Vyshneve the most extensive destruction of the residential sector since the beginning of the full‑scale war was recorded. The enemy deliberately targeted gas stations, logistics centers, and residential neighborhoods, with the geography of strikes covering half the country — from Chernihiv region to Odesa region.

It was with the invasion of pro‑Russian militants into Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in the spring of 2014 that the war in Donetsk region began. Today, Russia still does not abandon attempts to re‑establish control over these strategically important hubs of Donetsk oblast.

We call on the jury of the competition and the international photography community to study more carefully the contextual connections of the photo projects participating in the contest.

The photobook “Stories of the Unbreakable People” by Oleh Palchyk combines textual essays and photographs that capture the realities of the Russian‑Ukrainian war. It is a book about the destinies of people who, with the start of the full‑scale Russian invasion, joined the resistance: from military service to volunteering. The author acts not only as a chronicler but also as a direct participant in the events. He seeks an answer to the question about the origins of Ukrainian resilience, integrating his personal experience into the narrative. Oleh Palchyk tells about the heroes of his book, about the specifics of combining text and visual language, and about the search for an answer to the question of why Ukrainians remain unbreakable.

Мистецька практика українського фотографа Андрія Касянчука розпочалася у 2021 році. Під час навчання в Академії концептуальної фотографії Ігоря Чекачкова він сформував експериментальний підхід до створення зображень, поєднуючи фотографію з абстрактними та містичними мотивами, натхненними літературою і філософією. У своїх роботах Андрій Касянчук досліджує теми самоідентичності, взаємин людини й природи, а також внутрішні емоційні стани, розглядаючи фотографію як простір для інтроспекції та рефлексії. Роботи Андрія зберігаються у приватних колекціях в Україні та Франції.

On July 5, 2014, the day marked the first major victory of the Ukrainian army in the modern war for independence — on this day the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. These are strategically important cities of Donetsk region, which Russia still attempts to capture again today.