Life in Spite of Everything

Since Russia's war on Ukraine began in 2014, Donbas has meant conflict. After 2022, cities like Bakhmut and Lysychansk became symbols of devastation. Victoria Donovan uncovers the region's rich, multicultural past, offering a different view. From Bilokuzmynivka's peaks to Mariupol's marshes, raves and abandoned mines, she explores landscape and identity, amplifying local voices to reveal the human reality of Putin's war.