The photographic series Beyond the Border captures three stories of young people from
Ukraine whose lives have been deeply affected by the war. Each story presents different
experiences and ways in which these young individuals cope with the conflict. Yet in all of
them, the war has left a profound imprint on their personal identities, their lives, and their
perception of the world.
Ukraine whose lives have been deeply affected by the war. Each story presents different
experiences and ways in which these young individuals cope with the conflict. Yet in all of
them, the war has left a profound imprint on their personal identities, their lives, and their
perception of the world.
Bohdan had just turned eighteen. He remained alone in Ukraine after his family left the
country. Due to being of conscription age, he was not allowed to leave. While his family tried
to settle in Brno, he stayed behind—alone in the war.
Kateryna had spent her entire life studying in Western Europe. When the war began, she
decided to return home. At a time when many young and capable people were leaving
Ukraine, she chose the opposite path. She went back—to serve, to be with her homeland.
Her return is a quiet act of courage and a deep connection to her roots.
Kostyantin witnessed the events in the Donetsk region. He decided to leave the country, but
his journey to freedom was complex. He traveled across the front line, Crimea, Russia, and
Georgia. He was arrested and interrogated, and hid in a mountain cabin in the Caucasus. All
of this in order to find refuge in the Czech Republic. The journey took him a year. In the end,
he did make it to the Czech Republic safely. His friends who stayed in Ukraine, however, are
no longer alive. In his story, I see immense determination and a longing for freedom.
his journey to freedom was complex. He traveled across the front line, Crimea, Russia, and
Georgia. He was arrested and interrogated, and hid in a mountain cabin in the Caucasus. All
of this in order to find refuge in the Czech Republic. The journey took him a year. In the end,
he did make it to the Czech Republic safely. His friends who stayed in Ukraine, however, are
no longer alive. In his story, I see immense determination and a longing for freedom.
The photo series is a visual testimony to authentic human stories, to the desire for freedom,
to the effort to preserve one’s identity despite external terror. It transcends geographical,
physical, and inner borders. It is an invitation to glimpse into another world.
