Patrick Enssle’s “Life Under Shelling”: Survival Stories from Eastern Ukraine
This series documents the struggle for survival in eastern Ukraine, where war with Russia rages unabated. Life is dominated by the front—a death zone stretching up to 30 kilometers inland, where artillery fires relentlessly and tanks thunder through the night.
Jun 19, 2025
16. “Long way home” March 2024; Kupiansk; Since the largest bridge near Kupiansk was largely destroyed, residents now have to walk across to the other side on foot.
This series documents the struggle for survival in eastern Ukraine, where war with Russia has raged since 2014.
Life is dominated by the front — a death zone stretching up to 30 kilometers inland. Artillery fires relentlessly; tanks and military vehicles thunder through the night. Those who could, fled. The elderly stayed behind.
Even near the front, an estimated ten percent of residents remained. Many paid with their lives — like the school supply store owner, whose charred books now lie in ruins. Others, like Evgeniy, Victor, and Nicolai, barely survived the strikes that destroyed or damaged their homes. Physically unhurt but visibly traumatized, their hollow stares tell of deep psychological wounds.
In Orikhiv, near Zaporizhia, Evgeniy lives in the ruins of his home — a single, patched-up room with no running water, frequent power cuts, and poor mobile reception. Life Under Shelling consciously avoids the graphic imagery that dominates headlines and social media, opting instead for focused, aesthetic storytelling.
Patrick Enssle, born in 1984 in Biberach an der Riß (South Germany), began his career in 2003 as a radio reporter and was soon reporting from Sarajevo with the Bundeswehr. Deeply influenced by Larry Burrows’ story “One Ride With Yankee Papa 13 (LI1965)”, Patrick developed a lasting belief in photography’s power to document war and move hearts.
After working as an editor and photographer for the German armed forces, he became a freelance journalist. His focus today is the war in Ukraine, which he has covered repeatedly since 2022. Patrick’s work seeks to raise awareness of war crimes and human suffering that often escape public attention.
Inspired by Burrows’ conviction that photography can overcome apathy, he emphasizes empathy and dignity over sensationalism, using clear visual narratives and aesthetic restraint to tell the stories of those affected by war. [Officil Website]
Broken Education”, February 2024, Orikhiv: Like many buildings, the elementary school was also hit by a heavy aerial bomb (FAB bomb) and was completely destroyed. To this day, gym bags still hang on the coat hooks of the former classrooms.“Death in the schoolbook store”, April 2028, Selydowe: The picture shows the local store for school supplies. The owner, who wanted to impart knowledge to children, died alone in the rubble.“Love and victory”, February 2024, Kupjansk: “We in the world of love multiply; for this, we WIN!” is written in the city center, which remains completely destroyed after Russian shelling.“A nation in ruins”, April 2028, Selydowe: When Viktor looks out from the rubble of his destroyed department, he sees the Ukrainian national flag on the horizon.“Nothing but despair”, February 2024, Orikhiv: Like many residents of Orikhiv, the house of Evgeny and Angelika was almost completely destroyed. One room of their large house is still habitable; it is all they have left. Out of fear of looting or confiscation by the army, they stayed in the heavily contested city, which is shelled almost daily.“All that remains”, February 2024, Orikhiv: Viktor’s house was almost completely destroyed. A single room remains with no running water. You can smell the alcohol from the night before. For the people in Orikhiv, it is often the only thing that seems to help them somehow endure the horror.“Verdun repeats”, February 2024, Orikhiv: The city of Orikhiv, located about a 45-minute drive from Zaporizhzhia, was almost completely destroyed by Russian troops. In some places, the houses are so heavily destroyed that only piles of bricks remain. In the former gardens, skeletal trees stand as silent witnesses to the extreme aerial bombardment“Valentina hides”, February 2024, Zagryzovo: Under occupation, Valentina was hiding a picture from her grandson serving for the AFU from the Russian troops. In December 2023, her house was hit by a misguided Shahed drone, and she miraculously survived without injuries.“Close call”, April 2028, Selydowe: Viktor had just smoked a cigarette on the balcony and went to the bathroom, his father was sitting on the couch. Then the rocket hit, without warning. The explosion destroyed several apartments in the building, but Viktor and his father miraculously survived with only minor injuries.” Crossing Obstacles “, February 2024, Borova: The small town’s car bridge was destroyed by Russian shelling. Today, only a small improvised makeshift bridge leads to the other side of the town. .“Road to perdition”, February 2024, Stepnohirsk: The small town of Stepnohirsk is located about 7 kilometers to the frontline. Almost daily, the area is shelled by Russian artillery. The remains of a “Grad rocket” are stuck in the road leading towards the town.“Fragments in night sky”, February 2024, Stepnohirsk; The warehouse for agricultural machinery is riddled with shrapnel.“The suffering of the elderly” February 2024, Orikhiv; It is primarily the poor and vulnerable who did not leave their homes and are falling victim to the war.“Alexander” March 2024; Kharkiv District; Alexander barely survived the occupation of his hometown; the thought that the Russians might return one day weighs heavily on him.“Broken Wedding”February 2024, Orikhiv; The wedding photo of the couple lies as a silent witness to a once happy past on the floor of the completely destroyed living room.“Long way home” March 2024; Kupiansk; Since the largest bridge near Kupiansk was largely destroyed, residents now have to walk across to the other side on foot.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
