Borova – A Town on the Edge

2023-2024

Central theatre of Borova, Ukraine - Kharkiv Oblast

The town of Borova, in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, has endured relentless shelling and occupation by Russian forces since 2022. Nevertheless, during our visit, Borova emerged as a powerful symbol of resilience amid the brutal realities of war.

The journey to Borova itself reflects the daily hardships faced by its residents. Driving from Izyum, one must cross the Oskil River via a bridge only partially rebuilt after its destruction in 2022, and navigate roads disrupted by military barricades. The town stands as a stark testimony to both devastation and determination. Borova – A Town on the Edge aims to capture the lives of those who have chosen to stay and rebuild, despite the ever-present threat of violence.

Borova, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, 2023 – One of the destroyed bridges at the entrance to the town.
Borova, Kharkiv Oblast, Izium region - This town twenty kilometers from the frontline is cunder constant shelling daily. A caffe bar in front of an artillery hole in the street from a few days ago remains open.

Sergiy, a soldier recently returned from the front, sits quietly at the station. Visibly exhausted and shaken by the loss of three comrades, he scrolls through photos of the trenches and fellow soldiers, sharing them with a companion. In a moment of vulnerability, he reflects on his grief, only to steady himself with the old saying, “A Cossack doesn’t cry over misfortune.” His words lay bare the emotional toll of war and the inner strength required to carry on.

Borova, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, 2023 – Civilians and military personnel spill out from arriving buses and minibuses, grabbing their backpacks and trunks from the luggage compartments. They disappear silently and attentively onto military vehicles or on foot.
Borova, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, 2023 – In the midst of the market stalls filled with cheap military gear near the bus station, two men embrace—a pair clearly military, though one in civilian attire, having recovered from an injury. The one in pixels, Sergiy, aged forty, a platoon commander, has spent four consecutive days in the trenches at the front line. As he holds his comrade, his shoulders begin to tremble.

Borova’s story echoes the broader sociopolitical and economic consequences of the war. Both civilians and soldiers shoulder the weight of a conflict that continues to shape the nation. As the world watches, Borova’s survival becomes emblematic of Ukraine’s broader struggle—for sovereignty, dignity, and stability—with profound implications for international security, human rights, and geopolitical balance.

Borova, Ukraine despite the shelling Raisa continues to work
Borova, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, 2024 – Tatyana Vynnyk (right) works with her mother in a store, where she also makes coffee.

This project is a tribute to the enduring spirit of a community caught in the chaos of war. It speaks to the human capacity to resist, to rebuild, and to hope. By documenting these deeply personal moments, this project seeks to amplify the voices of those living on the frontlines—voices that are too often unheard—and to inspire global solidarity in the face of ongoing conflict.

Borova, Ukraine - An electrical fire erupts in a home the day after a missile strike near a restaurant bar in a street
Borova, Ukraine - A 23 year soldier arrives from the Kupiansk battlefield area to the first Medical Hospital for emergency treatment. He was hit by an FPV drone while on mission. The shrapnel wounds need to be extracted immediately or the loss of the forearm will be innevitable. Doctors are not sure they will manage to avoid amputation but the the operation is successful after almost two hours.
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