Collage of two photos (L-R): The 8th Guard of the Army of General Chuikov, Soviet Army, on the streets of Odesa, Ukraine, amid the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in April 1944. (Galerie Bilderwelt/Getty Images), Ukrainian soldiers at a checkpoint near the Odesa National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet in the center of Odesa, Ukraine, on March 18, 2022. (Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty 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 79 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 of the past – is taking place as events strikingly similar unfold in Europe.
During Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Nazi forces occupied much of Soviet Ukraine, executing civilians, and destroying cultural heritage and infrastructure.
The same Ukrainian regions and cities that were once invaded by Nazis are now suffering from Russian attacks and deliberate killings.
Irynka Hromotska is a photo editor at The Kyiv Independent. She received her MA in photojournalism from the Missouri School of Journalism as a Fulbright student. Irynka previously curated the “Fighting for Dignity” exhibition, highlighting the resilience of Ukrainians, interned at the Magnum Foundation, worked with Magnum Photos, and was an assistant photo editor for the FotoEvidence photo book “Ukraine: A War Crime.” Her photography has been featured in outlets like Radio Free Europe, Reuters, The New York Times, and The Guardian.
In her role at Kyiv Independent, Irynka actively fosters relationships with photojournalists covering Ukraine, with a particular focus on promoting long-form visual storytelling.
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