British cartoonist and illustrator Ella Baron presented a series of graphic reports on the war in Ukraine, combining the trauma and hope of people who survived injuries, captivity, loss of home and forced displacement. In May 2025, she worked on Médecins Sans Frontières projects in Vinnytsia and Cherkasy, where she recorded the stories of patients and medical professionals. Her work was published in The Guardian in July, and in September the exhibition was shown at The Arcade at Bush House, King’s College London.
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The series features the voices of military personnel and civilians. Dima describes his nightmares after the front and his path to recovery. Olena recalls Luhansk and talks about the “home in her heart” that keeps her feeling safe. Roman shares his experiences after amputation and his dream of returning to the sea with his children. Inna and Tetyana await the return of their loved ones from captivity and hold on thanks to mutual support. Tetyana cherishes the memory of her son, who died in Donetsk Oblast. Brothers Dmytro and Petro are recovering from their injuries and have not lost faith in regaining their mobility. Valentin is learning to live with the loss of his fingers and plans to fish on the Dnipro River again. Natalia from Kherson grows flowers in her temporary home in Vinnytsia as a way to regain a sense of home.
Ella Baron’s work echoes what Médecins Sans Frontières does every day in Ukraine. Since March 2023, the organisation has been developing early rehabilitation in hospitals in the Cherkasy region, combining physiotherapy, psychological support and care for patients with blast injuries, shrapnel wounds and amputations. In Vinnytsia, since 2023, specialised mental health care has been provided to people with PTSD symptoms; in September 2024, a specialised centre was opened, where individual sessions and work with families are conducted, using, in particular, EMDR therapy. Special attention is given to veterans and demobilised soldiers who are adapting to civilian life, as well as to internally displaced persons.
The Baron series shows what remains outside the camera lens — invisible traces of memory, loss and recovery. The author emphasises that she draws not only what she hears from people, but also her own feelings, because scars are often preserved in words and images. In this way, her graphic reportage complements documentary evidence and medical data, bringing the viewer closer to the personal experience of war.
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