Blinded by War: documenting the aftermath of injury in Ukraine – photo essay

What Happened

Photojournalist Paula Bronstein is documenting the long-term physical and psychological impact of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine through a project titled Blinded by War. The project focuses on Ukrainian military personnel who have sustained severe injuries, specifically vision loss, due to the extensive use of FPV drones, mortar fire, and tank strikes across the front lines in regions including Kharkiv and near Bakhmut. Ocular surgeon Mariia Borkhalenko reports that 70% of her patients at a regional hospital in Kyiv have lost one or both eyes, often accompanied by hand injuries caused by reflexive shielding during explosions.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The report highlights the mounting long-term humanitarian and healthcare burden facing Ukraine as a result of the war. The high volume of soldiers suffering from complex, life-altering injuries like blindness and limb loss places significant strain on the national healthcare system and necessitates long-term rehabilitation and psychological support infrastructure for a growing veteran population.

Watch For

Monitor reports from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health regarding the expansion of specialized rehabilitation facilities and the integration of wounded veterans into civilian life, as well as ongoing trends in casualty types resulting from the continued high-intensity use of FPV drones by both Russian and Ukrainian forces.