'Miniature universes:' The personal spaces of women at war (Photos)

War has long been framed as the domain of men, reinforced by language, imagery, and tradition. But after Russia invaded Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in 2014, Ukrainian women took up arms, proving that in the fight for national sovereignty, it is not gender but loyalty to one’s country that defines a soldier.

Photographer Marysia Myanovska’s series “Zone of Seismic Activity” captures the role of women in Ukraine’s Armed Forces — where over 70,000 women now serve today — not only through the stark symbols of war, such as unexploded shells and combat uniforms, but also through intimate moments of daily life on the front lines. Her images challenge traditional narratives, revealing the unseen, the overlooked, and the undeniable presence of women in war.

On International Women’s Day, the Kyiv Independent presents excerpts from Myanovska’s photo series to show that Ukrainian women defending their country against Russian aggression are not only counted but seen.

A person’s personal space is a miniature universe — fragile in war, always on the brink of disappearing.

Just like the universe itself.

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In August 2024, I traveled to the combat zone to document how war reshapes women's lives.  

I followed three female service members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kharkiv and Donetsk areas: Oksana "Ksena" Rubanyak, an unmanned aerial vehicles platoon commander; Andriana "Malysh" Arekhta, a weapons operator in a Special Operations Forces unit; and Yulia "Kuba" Sidorova, a combat medic with the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade. I slept beside them, brushed my teeth next to them, accompanied them to positions, and shared conversations over coffee. Yet, they rarely spoke of combat, focusing instead on moments when they could simply be themselves.  

In war, personal space is unstable. Solitude is rare. Boundaries shrink — to a car, a sleeping bag, or, if lucky, a restroom, a shower, or a clearing in the forest. The closer to the "zero line," the more space collapses inward, leaving only the refuge of one’s own body.  

My project explores the fragile personal space of women in war — its boundaries, its instability, and its connection to the ever-changing front lines.

- Marysia Myanovska