The 10 most impactful videos from the war on Ukraine

A year since Russia declared war on Ukraine, we’re looking back at some of the most impactful moments caught on camera. From devastated cities and fleeing citizens, to emotional reunions and a heart surgery performed in a blackout, discover the videos that shook the world.

1 - Ukraine surgeons operate on child’s heart in darkness as blackouts hit Kyiv hospital

Back in November of 2022, Doctors at the Kyiv Heart Institute successfully carried out a heart operation on a young child despite there being a blackout in the hospital. Borys Todurov, a cardiac surgeon at the Institute in Kyiv, relayed the events saying that the blackout happened midway through the surgery.

Caught by filmer Newsproduction

2 - Car camera captured moment Russian missile struck Dnipro, Ukraine

A car’s dash cam captured the moment a Russian missile hit the city of Dnipro in Ukraine in late October 2022. A few seconds after the initial explosion, another missile hit the middle of the road where cars had stopped and quickly after were seen to be retreating.

Captured by filmer Viralbear

3 - ‘Trench pups’ offer Ukrainian soldiers comfort as tensions with Russia remain

Stray dogs in the area of Artemivs’k have gained an unlikely nickname as the ‘trench pups’. Some of these dogs that had been keeping Ukrainian soldiers company on what was the supposed front-line in February 2022 ended up being fostered and even adopted. The unsuspected trench companions provided some much needed company as well as acting as an alert to any incoming dangers.

Caught by filmer Scootercaster

4 - Teddy bears laid out to commemorate the children killed in Ukraine

Back in April 2022, protestors in the English city of Manchester laid out hundreds of teddy bears to represent and commemorate the children that have been killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine. The crowds, which gathered in Piccadilly Gardens, waved Ukrainian flags in solidarity with the suffering nation.

Caught by filmer Tke Media

5 - Buildings burn and tanks roam streets in Ukraine city Melitopol battling against Russian presence

This footage from February 2022 shows the destruction brought upon the streets of Melitopol. Military vehicles and nearby buildings are seen to be engulfed in flames, whilst the Russian forces continue to patrol the streets in tanks.

Caught by filmers StringersHub

6 - Drone footage shows devastation in Ukrainian city of Mariupol

This drone footage, released by the Ukrainian military, revealed the utter destruction of the city of Mariupol in late March 2022. Russian missiles targeted the Ukrainian city subsequently destroying the infrastructure and trapping a huge number of civilians.

Caught by filmer Newsproduction

7 - Russian assault devastates town near Kyiv

Borodyanka, a small town near the Ukrainian city of Kyiv, faced one of the initial attacks of this war only one week after Russia declared war on Ukraine. The footage shows the destruction of everything in the videographer’s path, from collapsed buildings to extreme fire damage.

Caught by filmer Specteeinc

8 - Hundreds fleeing Ukraine enter Poland through border crossing in Hrebenne

A week after Russia’s declaration of war on Ukraine, hundreds of Ukrainian civilians were seen fleeing from their home country and crossing the border into Poland. The footage, filmed in February of 2022, shows refugees and families with their belongings making their way across the border and into Hrebenne.

Caught by filmer Novovision

9 - Ukrainian’s search puddles for water amid destroyed buildings in Kherson

Residents in the city of Kherson continue to struggle after repeated Russian airstrikes last year. Many civilians have escaped the city, but those who stayed behind are living with limited access to vital water and electricity supplies. In addition to capturing the devastated city and severely damaged infrastructure, this filmer also caught a local resident scooping water from a puddle into a bucket.

Caught by filmer StringersHub

10 - Kindergarten kids and locals in metro station sing as missiles strike Kyiv

Locals who were taking shelter in a Kyiv metro station and children hiding in a bomb shelter in their Kindergarten courageously sang together as their capital was attacked. The residents hiding out in the metro were singing “Oi u Luzi Chervona Kalyna,” a Ukrainian song that has grown in popularity during Ukraine’s war with Russia. Whilst the young children sing along to a Ukrainian hymn as they take shelter.