March 2014 - Russian troops being unmarked occupy the peninsula of Crimea. That is how  the aggression against Ukraine has begun. And soon   in April terrorist group "Donetsk People's Republic" with the support of  Russia has captured Donetsk city.

  Ukrainian authorities have reacted cautiously, because after the escape of former president Viktor Yanukovych to Russia, the  authority structures  collapsed. The army after decades of stagnation was not able to resist the planned aggression. Western allies neglect the Budapest Memorandum, which supposed to guarantee the preservation of Ukraine's territorial integrity in return for the surrender of nuclear weapons. Instead, Russia, which was one of the guarantors, among other countries such as  the USA and Great Britain,  commits aggression.

  Self-organized social groups  came with a  volunteer help for  army , and began to provide food and even military ammunition. At the same time, the so called  volunteer battalions started to appear, which often went  to war without any legal status, or no social security. One of these battalions (photos of which you can see) is called "Carpathian Sich". Although the formation  based on volunteers from Transcarpathian region, it also includes  fighters from all over Ukraine. By the way, the battalion received its name for a reason, because  the tradition of voluntary military structures has  existed  in Transcarpathia since the interwar period (1919-1939 yy.). The most famous of the structures formed back in 1938 with the membership of the Ukrainian National Defence – paramilitary transcarpathian youth organizations and other scouting organizations, received the name "Carpathian Sich".  Drawing parallels, a modern scout organization "Sokil"

( Falcon)  has invested considerable effort in creating today's "Carpathian Sich".  On May 20  the first group of "Carpathian Sich" , part of  93 Mechanized Brigade, has completed legalization process. These were the first volunteers who joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in separate formation. Now they keep the defense   in Donetsk  airport area.

  The Photo Gallery you can see, has been gathered during  more than  a year, with a hard  and dangerous work of photographers, journalists and soldiers on the frontline. The aim of exhibition  is   not to promote war, but to show the proportion of life,   on how effectively we implement  the changes in the state and help our soldiers,  on that depend their and ultimately our lives.