The war in Ukraine did not start this year — it has been going on since 2014, in the eastern Donbas region. The conflict had become known as Europe's "forgotten war," until Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country in February.
The town of Avdiivka was one of many Donbas communities where life was shaped by the front lines cutting through what used to be a peaceful suburb of Donetsk city. As a team of a photojournalist and a writer, we have been frequenting Avdiivka for the past five years, reporting on the gruesome impact of the war and the resilience of its residents who have found creative ways to go on with their lives, despite all odds.
