A Photographer’s Perspective on Growing Up During the War in Donbas

Wed, 06 May 2026 19:42:00 +0200

Alina Panasenko, a young Ukrainian photographer, grew up in Severodonetsk amid the occupation of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Her teenage years were marked by constant shelling and political instability, forcing her and her family to hide in basements and confront the harsh realities of war. In 2018, she moved to Kyiv to study screenwriting and began a photography project titled 'Donbas in Colors,' documenting her hometown in black-and-white images that capture the loss of childhood due to war. Through her work, Panasenko emphasizes the senselessness of conflict and the enduring psychological effects, including panic attacks triggered by loud noises. Her photographs convey both personal and collective trauma, showing ordinary life disrupted by violence, disinformation, and fear. The series culminates with a striking image of a train with boarded-up windows, symbolizing uncertainty and displacement. Today, at 21, Panasenko continues to process her experiences through photography while s