Pictures of the Year: A Picture and its Story
Volodymyr, a member of the Ukrainian armed forces, plays with puppies in a trench on the line of separation from pro-Russian rebels in Donetsk region, Ukraine April 10, 2021. Reuters photographer Oleksandr Klymenko: "In April 2021, I was photographing Ukrainian soldiers on the front line waiting as the world watched in alarm at the large buildup of Russian troops on the country's border. I had arrived at this position at 5:15 a.m., after it had been fired on by pro-Russian rebels in the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in the night. Vova, the soldier in my photograph, had shown me the edge of the trench, where enemy snipers often shoot, as the sun rose. As we sat down I noticed a puppy run towards Vova, then another. As he stroked the puppies I watched as Vova's face changed, becoming gentle and thoughtful. Vova told me the puppies had only recently been born and are looked after by the soldiers. "We feed them what we eat ourselves," he said. For soldiers constantly living in such danger, the unconditional kindness and affection from an animal can remind them of home and a more peaceful life. After 20 minutes in this position, we heard the shot of an enemy mortar and fled for cover. Three hours after I left, a sniper wounded a Ukrainian soldier. We reporters often witness violence, destruction and death, but seeing a soldier in the trenches show kindness and tenderness to animals reminds me of the good and humanity in the world." REUTERS/Oleksandr Klymenko/File Photo SEARCH "POY STORIES 2021" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
