In 2019 I travelled to Ukraine and lived in Donetsk Oblast for Summer. I visited Azov a number of times, and travelled throughout both Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts conducting freelance journalism and research for documentary, filmmaking, and reporting projects.

The following ‘documentary’ is a collection of moments, interviews, and glimpses at life within Azov during their deployment to the Svitlodarsk Bulge area during 2019. This was Azov’s first deployment after years away from the front lines in the Donbas.

During my time embedded with Azov I was given essentially unlimited access to military personnel and positions throughout their area of deployment. I am not able to publish everything I was shown, due to operational security concerns.

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In 2016/17 I was trying to find a nondescript, spacious bag, with plenty of internal padding and protection for my digital and analog gear. It needed to be budget-friendly and still offer great protection for up to two camera bodies, multiple lenses, audio recording gear, and have extra space to carry my journal and other related stationery, but not look like a ‘camera bag’. The Cityscape 150 had those features I was in need of, so I purchased one for approximately $139.95 AUD from Michael’s Cameras in Melbourne, Australia.

In 2015 I became the first Australian correspondent/photojournalist to embed with the Ukrainian military. I traveled to Ukraine’s eastern conflict zone and embedded with Ukraine’s military in frontline regions, and produced reportage published by ABC Australia.

Since then I have returned to Ukraine a number of times, producing and directing further projects related to the ongoing military conflict, and humanitarian crisis in Donbas. Throughout 2019 I have been living in Kyiv, and Donetsk Oblast, producing new documentaries, and reportage.

After months of planning I was given the chance to embed with Ukraine’s ‘AZOV’ special forces infantry regiment. This was a very rare opportunity, and I was the first Australian journalist to embed with the regiment; foreign media are rarely given access like this. This documentary will be released alongside other projects currently in production.