Photographer says capturing Ukraine conflict helped her ‘not go crazy’

Alina Smutko took photos on February 24 in case she saw ‘Ukrainian’ Kyiv for the last time.

Journalists of local broadcasting station tape windows to save it from possible shelling on February 24 2022 (Alina Smutko)

A photojournalist who captured Kyiv through a series of images on the day Russia invaded Ukraine said photography helped her document her “weird” feelings and “not go crazy”.

Alina Smutko, 30, a photojournalist at Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne News, told the PA news agency that on February 24 2022, she took a camera – a Nikon D3 – and a bag with basic equipment to Maydan Nezalezhnosti (the Independence square).

“I took a few photos just for me in case I see ‘Ukrainian’ Kyiv for the last time,” she said, from Kyiv.