crimea: the war before the war

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Irynka Hromotska photo

Irynka Hromotska

Photo Editor

Irynka Hromotska is the Photo Editor at The Kyiv Independent and Creative Director of its print magazine. She holds an MA in photojournalism from the Missouri School of Journalism, earned as a Fulbright student. She has curated photo exhibitions across the United States (Columbia, Missouri, and New York City), Ukraine (Lviv), and Germany (Leipzig), exploring themes of Ukrainian resilience, coming of age amid war, and frontline narratives through the eyes of the soldiers. Her editorial practice includes serving as photo editor and assistant photo editor roles on multiple photobooks with FotoEvidence Ukraine. She previously interned at the Magnum Foundation and contributed to educational programming with Magnum Photos. Her photography and editorial work have appeared in the Columbia Missourian, Radio Free Europe, Reuters and The Guardian. At The Kyiv Independent, Irynka actively fosters relationships with photojournalists covering Ukraine, with a particular focus on long-form visual storytelling.

i.hromotska@kyivindependent.com
For media & speaking inquiries:
press@kyivindependent.com

Articles

War

Ukraine in 2025: A year in photos

by Irynka Hromotska, Tim Zadorozhnyy
The year 2025 arrived with talk of peace. It ended to the rattle of air-defense systems across Ukraine. It was a year shaped by negotiations and expectations, driven by U.S. President Donald Trump's push for a settlement — even as Russia continued to strike Ukrainian cities. The war did not end. Russian strikes did not stop. Early in 2025, hopes ran high in Kyiv that Washington would finally pressure Moscow into ending its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Those hopes evaporated when Trump redi
Photos

Operation Spiderweb and Russia’s record drone assault – Ukraine in photos, June 2025

by Irynka Hromotska, Daria Shulzhenko
For Ukraine, June began with a celebration — not the one the whole country longs for, victory over Moscow — but a celebration of one of the most stunning drone attacks on Russia, known as Operation Spiderweb. On June 1, Ukrainian drones targeted four Russian air bases – two of them thousands of miles inside the country – hitting the heavy bombers stationed there. According to estimates from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the drone strike disabled 34% of Russia’s cruise missile bombers, causi
Relatives embrace a Ukrainian soldier released from Russian captivity during a prisoner exchange in Ukraine on May 6, 2025.
Photos

May 2025: Ukraine in photos

by Irynka Hromotska, Anna Fratsyvir
May was colder and gloomier than usual — both in weather and in mood. Grey skies and damp ground seemed to echo the uncertainty facing Ukraine as the war entered yet another month. It began with a diplomatic reset following a tense exchange between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February. Ukraine signed a long-awaited strategic minerals agreement with the U.S., marking a step forward in bilateral cooperation. On the battlefield, Ukraine launched a new
War

Amid growing Russian, US pressure, world rallies in support of Ukraine

by Irynka Hromotska
Three years into Russia’s all-out war, Ukraine is under increasing pressure from Russia on the battlefield and the U.S. in high cabinets. Russian troops have been gaining ground around Pokrovsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, while U.S. President Donald Trump has made increasingly hostile comments against President Volodymyr Zelensky in an attempt to force Ukraine to sign a deal that it doesn’t want. But in these fights, Ukraine doesn’t stand alone. On the days nearing the third anniversary, tho
Russia

Vladimir Putin's 25-year-long reign over Russia in photos

by Irynka Hromotska, Oleg Sukhov
Russian President Boris Yeltsin officially resigned on Dec. 31, 1999, anointing Vladimir Putin, then prime minister, as his successor. Partially due to his hardline stance against terrorism and the successful conduct of the Second Chechen War, Putin won the March 26, 2000 presidential elections. He has held on to power ever since. Putin's rise to power was marked by apartment bombings and a brutal war in Chechnya, while his first term as president saw him crushing the opposition, taking hold o
Photos

2024: Ukraine in photos

by Viacheslav Ratynskyi, Irynka Hromotska, The Kyiv Independent
The year 2024 was brutal for Ukraine. Last winter saw the fall of Avdiivka when, after several months of brutal fighting, the Russian army captured the city leveled to the ground. Ukraine struggled to hold the front line with limited resources as political infighting in the U.S. Congress had delayed the passing of a crucial aid bill for months. In spring, Russia renewed intense attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, damaging or destroying at least half of the country's energy capaci
Ukrainian service members look for and collect unexploded shells in Kyiv, Ukraine, on the morning of Feb. 26, 2022.
Photos

From Bucha to Kursk: 1,000 days of Russia’s full-scale war (Photos)

by Irynka Hromotska, Kateryna Hodunova
One thousand days ago, at 4 a.m. Kyiv time, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the deadliest military conflict in Europe since World War II. For 1,000 days, Ukraine has been defending against the Russian military, well-equipped and superior in numbers of weapons and people deployed. Each new stage of the war, which in total is ongoing for over 10 years, is filled with new challenges and key moments that decide the war's next turn. Ukraine has fended off the initial invasion in
Culture

Russia seeks to obliviate Ukrainian heritage by demolishing UNESCO-protected sites

by Irynka Hromotska, Kateryna Denisova, Kateryna Hodunova
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has destroyed over 1,000 cultural heritage sites in Ukraine, including those under the protection of UNESCO, according to the Culture Ministry. Moscow destroys cultural monuments not only with missile or drone strikes. Several historical monuments are under occupation, where Russian occupation authorties carry out so-called restorations, changing the authentic appearance of sites or destroying them completely, erasing all possible reference
Photos

Ivana Kupala: Ukrainians celebrate midsummer amidst war (Photos)

by Irynka Hromotska
In stark contrast to the grim reality of air raid sirens and blackouts amid Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainians gathered to celebrate one of the most magical and ancient rituals of their ancestors that dates back to pagan times. Ivana Kupala falls on June 24, during the summer solstice, on the shortest night of the year. During the celebration, people wear traditional Ukrainian clothing, make and wear wreaths, jump over bonfires, and bathe in rivers and lakes. The rituals honor fire, water
Photos

Generation of fighters: An intimate look at Ukraine's fearless youth (Photos)

by Irynka Hromotska
In the midst of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the resilience of the Ukrainian people shines in the photographer Brett Lloyd's photo essay, "Ukraine Today." Commissioned by Vogue Ukraine, this series captures the vibrancy of life persisting amid war, offering an intimate look into the lives of Ukrainians. “'Ukraine Today' is aimed to elevate and amplify our personal and collective stories, and, I hope, to promote our culture, as well as to foster a deeper understanding and appreciat
Kakhovka Dam

Looking back at the Kakhovka Dam explosion one year later (Photos)

by Irynka Hromotska, Dominic Culverwell
KHERSON OBLAST - When Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka Dam on June 6, 2023, they changed the landscape of southern Ukraine permanently. The breach unleashed nearly 20 cubic kilometers of water from the Kakhovka reservoir, a massive body of freshwater spanning three oblasts. Water levels in several cities in Kherson Oblast rose to 11 meters within hours of the breach, drowning 80 settlements across Ukraine’s south and killing hundreds. The dam’s destruction has resulted in a humanitarian cat
Photos

12 never-before-seen photos from Azovstal defense (Photos)

by Irynka Hromotska
The defense of the Azovstal steel plant, Ukraine's last stronghold during the Russian siege of Mariupol in the spring of 2022, remains one of the most heroic operations carried out by the Ukrainian soldiers to date. The plant was under constant Russian bombardment for nearly two months, and those stuck inside the bunkers – both military and civilians – were forced to survive on little food and medicine, barely seeing daylight. Photos from Azovstal that emerged online during the siege shocked t
Photos

Vyshyvanka in photos: Ukrainian traditional clothing through time

by Irynka Hromotska
Every year on the third Thursday of May, Ukrainians celebrate Vyshyvanka Day. Vyshyvanka is the Ukrainian word for an embroidered shirt or dress – a central piece to traditional Ukrainian clothing. Vyshyvanka is traditionally made from linen and embroidered with various symbols unique to each region of Ukraine. Throughout history, Ukrainians have worn Vyshyvankas for special occasions, such as weddings and various holidays. However, in recent years, embroidered shirts have found renewed popula
World War II

Never again? Again. (Photos)

by Irynka Hromotska
Warning: This article contains graphic images. The slogan "Never again" emerged in response to the Holocaust and other atrocities of World War II as a vow of humanity to prevent such horrific events from being repeated. On May 8, the world marks Victory in Europe Day, celebrating 80 years since the unconditional defeat of Nazi Germany, and with it, the end to its crimes against humanity. But for the third year in a row now, this day – meant to remind the public about the horrors and lessons o

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