The war in Ukraine has become synonymous with terrible suffering and destruction, but also with unprecedented bravery and solidarity.
These are 10 iconic AFP photos that tell the story of the first 12 months of the conflict.
February 24, 2022: Country in shock
Despite weeks of speculation about whether or not that would happen, on February 24, 2022, Russia surprised Ukraine and the world at large with the decision to invade its neighbor and the former Soviet republic.
The shock on the bandaged face of Olena Kurilo, a 52yearold teacher who was injured in a bomb attack in the eastern Ukrainian city of Chuhuiv, mirrored the shock of an entire country. your stamina too.
“Under no circumstances will I submit to Putin. It’s better to die,” said Kurilo, whose photo became one of the symbolic images of the war.
March 7, 2022: mass exodus
Right at the beginning of the war, the Ukrainians left the country by car, bus, train or on foot, mainly via the borders with Poland, Hungary and Romania.
Men of fighting age are being ordered to stay, leading to scenes of heartbreaking farewells, like this picture March 7 at Odessa’s main train station, where a father watches his daughter leave.
April 2, 2022: Horror in Bucha
A month into the war, the Russian army announces its withdrawal from northern Ukraine after a failed attempt to take Kiev. Thus arises the horror of what happened in the towns and communities he occupied.
On April 2, AFP is one of the first international media to invade the newly liberated Bucha in the Kiev suburbs, where reporters discover the bodies of at least 20 civilians, some with their hands tied behind their backs, strewn across a street.
The pictures by AFP photographer Ronaldo Scheimidt provoked worldwide protests and accused Russia of war crimes, which Moscow denies.
April 12, 2022: Mariupol in ruins
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One city in particular symbolizes the suffering of the first part of the war: the southern port city of Mariupol, destroyed during a brutal threemonth siege.
This photo, taken during a visit organized by Russian forces on April 12, shows the ruins of a theater destroyed by a Russian attack when hundreds of people took refuge inside.
June 15, 2022: Battle for Donbass
After withdrawing from the north, Russian forces were concentrated in Donbass, an eastern region partly in the hands of proRussian separatists since 2014.
Ukrainians, who are at a disadvantage in terms of firepower, are demanding more powerful weapons from the West to repel the attack.
France deploys several Caesar systems, truckmounted 155mm guns like this one captured in action by AFP photographer Aris Messinis near the town of Kurakhove in the Donetsk region.
October 8, 2022: Bridge bombed in Crimea
Russia’s reputation takes a serious blow on October 8 when the 19kilometer bridge linking mainland Russia to the annexed Crimea peninsula across the Kerch Strait, pride of President Vladimir Putin, is partially destroyed.
Ukrainian social media is awash with images of the bridge a despised symbol of Russia’s annexation ablaze and thick black smoke.
The Ukrainian government denies being behind the attack.
This photo was taken in the city of Kerch, Crimea by an amateur photographer who did not want to reveal his identity.
October 17, 2022: Demolition Drones appear
Retaliation for the attack on the Kerch Bridge comes in the form of deadly attacks on Kiev and other cities whose main goal is to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
On October 17, residents of Kiev wake up to the hum of Iranian demolition drones heading towards their targets.
AFP photographer Yasuyoshi Chiba snaps a picture of one of them as the device flies overhead before exploding 100 meters away.
November 13, 2022: Kherson released
Russia suffers a major setback on November 9 when its troops abandon the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine, occupied since the beginning of the war and the subject of a powerful counteroffensive.
Days later, residents of Kherson celebrate the arrival of Ukrainian forces, though the euphoria is tempered by fears that Russia will continue to attack the city, which it keeps doing.
December 21, 2022: Zelenskyy in Washington
The war offers actorturnedpresident of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky the biggest role of his life, as a tireless supreme commander trying to rally support in his country’s epic battle against the mighty Russian army.
Without leaving Kiev, he embarks on a virtual tour of the parliaments of his western allies to ask for more weapons and help.
His diplomatic offensive culminated in December with his first trip outside his country, to the United States, where he addressed Congress. “Ukraine will never surrender,” he says to a standing ovation from everyone present.
February 1, 2023: trench warfare
Over the months, the clashes reflect the style of WWI trench warfare, with soldiers on both sides facing harsh conditions in the dead of winter.
This photo, also taken by Yasuyoshi Chiba, shows Ukrainian soldiers digging a trench near the eastern city of Bakhmut, the subject of one of the bloodiest battles of the war so far.
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