Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions. Vitalii Atamanchuk was the archetypal man of the Donbas, the industrial heartland that stretches across eastern Ukraine. He spent more than 20 years toiling in a coal mine. In 2000, he retired, but found the life of a pensioner dull. He went back to work in the mines and, later, found a job with a construction company in the city of Donetsk. Then, in 2014, the EuroMaidan Revolution swept Ukraine, toppling pro-Russian strongman Viktor Yanuko

Editor’s Note: This story was produced in collaboration with the Organized Crime and Corruption and Reporting Project (OCCRP) and is published by both organizations. The story is based on the Kyiv Independent’s latest investigative documentary, “He Came Back.” The day after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Maryna discovered she was expecting a boy. Fearing it might be the last time she would be able to get to a hospital, she queued for hours at checkpoints to attend the ultra