2024 has marked another bloody year of the war in Ukraine, with the swiftest advances made by Russian forces encroaching on more territory in the country's east since the start of the invasion more than two years ago. Near the key thermal power plant in the town of Kurakhove, to the eastern region's bastion of Pokrovsk, the losses have mounted - in the village after village, a series of broken homes and another place marked off the map, in the eyes of soldiers who are battling to save each square meter of their land without the sufficient weapons needed to beat Russian forces back. Ukraine's incursion in to Russian Kursk territory over the summer is arguably what led to a series of defeats for Ukraine in the following months. In 2024, Russian forces have taken nearly 4,000km2 of Ukrainian territory, more than seven times what they achieved the year before. Families have had to flee quickly, soldiers have had to change their positions every few days as they retreat, and there are only short goodbyes to the places that were once theirs.
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
A wounded Ukrainian soldier winced in pain as doctors and medics of the 33rd Mechanized Brigade provided medical attention to attempt to save his leg at stabilization point in the Pokrovsk district Ukraine on Saturday September 21 2024 The stabilization point covers a 90km stretch of the frontline where intense battles have been raging between Ukrainian and Russian forces in recent weeks br br Russian forces have rapidly advanced towards the key eastern city of Pokrovsk and town of Kurakhove in recent weeks and are now less than 8km from both Thousands of civilians from nearby villages and Pokrovsk have evacuated in the last few weeks
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
Over a dozen prisoners of war who were captured in the Kursk region of Russia are seen after being brought into northeastern Ukraine on Friday August 23 2024 They were asked to identify themselves and the unit and battalion they were fighting with in Russia The POWs had been captured that morning after surrendering to Ukrainian forces who had surrounded the area where they were fighting to claim more territory in Kursk region following Ukraine s incursion into the territory more than two weeks ago The POWs were brought to Ukraine and given water basic medical attention and were held overnight before being transported to another location within Ukraine br br Hundreds of prisoners of war have been taken by Ukrainian forces as they have swept through the Kursk region of Russia Ukraine has said that it intends to hold the prisoners of war as part of the exchange fund to have Ukrainian POWs returned
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
Civilians waved a police van down as they requested help for an injured man in Kurakhivka Ukraine on Thursday September 26 2024 Mr Khryshtopa was assisted by residents after he was badly injured by a Russian FPV drone that struck his car as he was driving through the village Policemen with the White Angels evacuation team a special unit of Ukraine s National Police provided first aid as he was transported to a stabilization point
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
Andriy Khryshtopa an injured civilian was assisted by policemen of the White Angels evacuation team after a Russian FPV drone struck his car while he was driving in the village of Kurakhivka Ukraine on Thursday September 26 2024 The policemen provided first aid as he was transported to a stabilization point
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
Ukrainian soldiers of the 148th Separate Artillery Brigade are seen at their firing position in the Donetsk region Ukraine on Wednesday March 27 2024 The artillery crew were firing an M777 howitzer using American-made cluster munitions towards Russian forces in an effort to support Ukrainian ground troops fighting to retain control over a town in the Donetsk region
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
Evacuees from Kurakhove area were seen waving goodbye to relatives after boarding an evacuation bus in Kurakhove Ukraine on Friday August 30 2024 The areas around Pokrovsk and Kurakhove have come under intense pressure in recent weeks as Russian forces advanced in both directions prompting worries of a collapse on the frontlines Kurakhove a town built around a now defunct power plant lies about 33km south of Pokrovsk is now approximately 9km from the advancing frontline
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
Soldiers of the 33rd Mechanized Brigade were seen during exercises in which a Leopard 2 tank donated by Canada forged a river in the Pokrovsk region Ukraine on Saturday August 31 2024 The tank encountered heavy mud and became stuck before being hauled out by an armored evacuation vehicle br br Russian forces have rapidly advanced towards the key eastern city of Pokrovsk in recent weeks Nearly 10 000 residents have fled according to the local military administration Pokrovsk and its surrounding areas previously had a population of 81 029 people in February 2022 The logistics hub and industrial city is now under threat of being overrun by Russian forces as they are now approximately 10km east of Pokrovsk
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
Ukrainian service members marched in formation during an initiation ceremony to welcome new members of the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade at a training ground in Donetsk Region Ukraine on Sunday March 23 2025
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
Valentyna Kavydova center 74 cried as she evacuated her home with the assistance of policemen with the White Angels evacuation team a special unit of Ukraine s National Police assisted in Myrnohrad Ukraine on Tuesday September 3 2024 Myrnohrad a coal mining town which is part of the Pokrovsk region is approximately 6 5km from the frontline The White Angels which is made up of local police familiar with the area and have updated information on troop movements often go into red zones along the frontline to deliver aid and to evacuate civilians as well as the dead or injured They have evacuated thousands from frontline areas in Donetsk region including in Avdiivka before it fell to Russian forces earlier this year
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
Soldiers of an artillery crew of the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade took cover as the unit fired a Soviet-era 2S1 Gvozdika 122mm self-propelled howitzer towards Russian targets from the unit s position in Donetsk Region Ukraine on Saturday March 22 2025
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
A girl displaced by the recent fighting in the Pokrovsk region played with her cats before boarding an evacuation train in Pokrovsk Ukraine on Wednesday August 28 2024 Bombardments of settlements in the Pokrovsk area have intensified over the past few weeks as Russian forces close in on the city br br Russian forces have rapidly advanced towards the key eastern city of Pokrovsk in recent weeks Between August 22 and 27 7 142 residents fled Pokrovsk according to the local military administration Pokrovsk and its surrounding areas previously had a population of 81 029 people in February 2022 and now has 50 099 people among whom there are 2 992 children The logistics hub and industrial city is now under threat of being overrun by Russian forces as they are now approximately 10km east of Pokrovsk
Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye
A soldier of the 15th Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard fired a 150mm artillery gun on Russian positions south of Pokrovsk Ukraine on Wednesday August 28 2024 br br Russian forces have rapidly advanced towards the key eastern city of Pokrovsk in recent weeks Between August 22 and 27 7 142 residents fled Pokrovsk according to the local military administration Pokrovsk and its surrounding areas previously had a population of 81 029 people in February 2022 and now has 50 099 people among whom there are 2 992 children The logistics hub and industrial city is now under threat of being overrun by Russian forces as they are now approximately 10km east of Pokrovsk