Photography exhibition showcasing impact of war in Ukraine opens in Dublin

A unique exhibition showcasing the devastating impact of the Russian invasion on Ukraine by some of the most prominent Ukrainian photographers will open in Dublin tomorrow at 5pm and run until Sunday 17 July.

“Ukraine. The Cost of Freedom” offers a glimpse of life on the frontline of the devastating war against Russian forces and will take place in the EPIC Museum in the North Docks.

The exhibition sheds a light on the pain and struggle of Ukrainian citizens, who are now resisting the Russian invasion for more than two months without food, water and electricity.

People hide in a Kyiv metro station, during an air raid. (Picture credit Dmytro Laryn / Ukrainska Pravda).

Photographs taken along the high-risk 800km frontline show the devastation of Russian attacks, with ruins of Ukrainian cities now laid bare in rubble.

Yevgeniy Ikhelzon, former Deputy Editor of Ukraine’s largest daily newspaper Segodnya, who has moved to Ireland with his family since the war broke out said:

“What we have experienced in Ukraine is unspeakable. Photographers and journalists have risked their lives in combat zones to capture the atrocities of Russian attacks on our towns, villages and people.

“We are hoping the images will shed light on the devastation that is occurring in our homeland.

“We could not be more grateful to the people of Ireland for welcoming us in their country and providing safe refuge.

“We hope that we can tour this exhibition around Europe to raise awareness of the gravity of the situation.”

Remains of a Russian airplane destroyed in Gostomel airport during fierce fighting. Picture credit: Dmytro Laryn/Ukrainska Pravda

Yevgeniy Ikhelzon covered the Russian attacks on Chechnya and Syria, in 1999 and 2015 while working as the Deputy Editor of Segodnya and a war correspondent.

Just over two months ago, Ikhelzon moved to Cork with his wife, Svitlana, also a journalist.

Alongside his mother-in-law and two children aged five and two, he now lives in Mallow.

Since the invasion began in February of this year, more than 20,000 residential buildings, 1,200 schools and 400 hospitals have been destroyed by the Russian army.

Thousands of lives have been lost, with over 5 million Ukrainians having fled their home country in search of safety.

Many of the attacks by Russian forces have been likened in scale to those that occurred in World War II.

Photographs have been provided to the exhibition by Ukrainska Pravda, Ukraine’s largest news website.

Additional support of the project has been provided by the Ukraine-Hilfe Berlin charity.

Those involved in the exhibition hope to bring the display on a tour to European cities.

The exhibition will be open to the public from 11:00am – 8:00pm each day from July 12th-17th.

• Opening – July 12, 5.00 pm
• Admission – Free
• CHQ, Custom House Quay, Dublin 1
• https://epicchq.com/