Time named the most important photos of 2025: Ukraine was among them

Time magazine has presented an updated selection of the most powerful photographs of 2025, compiling images that have influenced the global information space, from natural disasters to the realities of war in various countries. The list also includes photographs taken in Ukraine, which attracted the world's attention with their authenticity and emotional power. Learn more about which Ukrainian photos made it into the ranking and why they were chosen by the editors of Time

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The American magazine Time has presented its traditional annual selection of the 100 most powerful photographs of the year that have had the greatest impact on the global audience. The images capture political upheavals, natural disasters, cultural events and moments that make us stop and take a closer look at reality.

Ukraine also found itself among the global stories. Five photographs taken in different regions of the country made it onto the prestigious list. We will tell you more about what the world saw in these images below.

Ukraine through the lens: why did our photographs appear among the most powerful photos of the year?

Time's top 100 includes the work of photojournalists who documented the consequences of Russian attacks, rescue operations and human stories born of war throughout the year. For the world, these photos are a reminder that the full-scale invasion continues, and for Ukrainians, they are a daily reality captured at a specific moment.

Smoke over the field: Zaporizhzhia region

One of the photos that caught the attention of Time's editors was the work of photojournalist Dmytro Smolienko from Zaporizhzhia.

The photo shows a black column of smoke rising above a sunflower field after another Russian strike. Nature and war meet in one frame, exposing the contrast between the peaceful Ukrainian landscape and the brutality of the shelling.

Photo: Dmytro Smolienko

Rescuing pets under shelling in Kharkiv

Another photo featured by Time was taken by photographer David Guttenfelder. The photo shows a woman carrying her dogs as she flees a house damaged by Russian air strikes in Kharkiv.

The photo has become a symbol of those stories where people lose everything in a second but still find the strength to save those who depend on them most.

Photo: David Guttenfelder

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Rescuer in Kyiv: fighting for life amid the ruins

The selection also includes a photo from Kyiv taken by Konstantin Liberov. The photographer captured the moment when a rescuer is helping a person near a residential building that was hit by a rocket.

This photo is about the professionals who are the first to go where the thunder has just struck. About people who save lives even when their own are in danger.

Photo: Konstantin Liberov

A wounded woman after an air strike: silence after the explosion

Yevhen Maloletka, one of Ukraine's most famous photojournalists, captured another moment: a wounded woman sitting outside her home in Kyiv after a Russian air strike.

The photo conveys a state of shock, the fragility of a person in the face of war, and at the same time the resilience with which Ukrainians live each new morning.

Photo: Yevhen Maloletka

Titanium mine in Zhytomyr region: work despite the war

The fifth photo, taken by Roman Pylypii, shows another side of Ukrainian reality, namely the country's economic resilience.

The photo shows workers at an open-pit titanium mine who continue to work even during the war. This is a story about industry that does not stop, about people who hold the economic front.

Photo: Roman Pylypii

Why are these photos important?

All five Ukrainian photos are fragments of a complex mosaic of life in the country during the war. By including them in its top 100, Time reminds the world that the war in Europe continues, and Ukrainians continue to live, work, save lives and fight.

Despite the war, many foreigners continue to come to Ukraine on humanitarian missions, on business or as journalists. If you are planning a trip, take care of your safety in advance.

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Reminder! Kyiv continues to live at its own pace even when reality throws new challenges every day. The city is held together by people who do not lose their strength, warmth and faith, and its streets have become a symbol of the indestructibility of the entire country. How the capital is changing, living and inspiring during the war — we tell you here.

Photo: Dmytro Smolienko

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