On February 24, 2022, the Russian offensive in Ukraine began. Widely condemned as a war of aggression, it marked the most significant military conflict in Europe since World War II.

Cities like Kyiv, Mariupol, and Kharkiv became targets of relentless shelling, while ground troops advanced from Russia and Belarus. In a single moment, the lives of millions of Ukrainians were irrevocably changed. Families were forced to seek refuge in cold underground shelters, spending nights—and sometimes days—beneath the surface to escape the violence above.

Ordinary people, some who had never touched a rifle, took up arms to protect their loved ones and defend their homeland.

The invasion triggered one of the largest refugee crises in modern European history. Millions of Ukrainian families fled, leaving behind everything they knew. Most of these refugees were women and children, as Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 were prohibited from leaving the country, bound to stay and fight.

Their journeys—by car, train, bus, or even on foot—spanned days in sub-zero temperatures. They crossed borders into neighbouring countries, especially Poland, carrying only the hope of survival and the dream of reuniting with their husbands, sons, and fathers left behind.

These Polaroid images capture the fragmented moments of those families: the instant the war began, the instant they made the heart-wrenching decision to leave, and the instant they started a journey into the unknown. Each frame is a testament to their resilience, their heartbreak, and their hope.

These are their stories. These are their incomplete family portraits.