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DISPATCHES
Welcome to Dispatches, where we share compelling stories from our projects around the world and offer a behind-the-scenes look at our creative process, featuring insights from journalists in the field.
Baba-Yaha: The Drone That Haunts the Russian Front
As night falls over the abandoned villages of eastern Ukraine, a Ukrainian drone team readies their “Vampire,” a modified hexacopter capable of long-range strikes and resupply missions. Russian troops have given it a name drawn from Slavic folklore — Baba-Yaha, the dread crone. In the open steppe, where light disappears and artillery is constant, this legend has returned in the shape of a machine.
Squall Unit: Prison Soldiers Fighting for Ukraine
By Robert Spangle
Drawn from prison cells and thrown into Ukraine’s bloodiest battles, the men of Squall fight at the most dangerous points on the Eastern Front — assaulting trenches, holding ground under fire, and seeking redemption in war.
Dobropillia, a Ghost Town at the Edge of the Front
The car speeds headlong past the last checkpoint. The plains of Donbas stretch out silently. The blur of yellow sunflower fields reflects the blazing sun. Columns of smoke quiver in the dry air, faint scars poorly stitched into a flat sky. The road is deserted. The front is close, and danger outruns the front.
Internal Security Forces Conclude Major Security Operation in al-Hol Camp: A Comprehensive Review of Security Campaigns and Humanitarian Challenges in North and East Syria
On the April 23 2025 the General Command of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) in North and East Syria has announced the successful conclusion of a six-day, wide-scale security operation in al-Hol Camp.
24 Hours On The Front: A Fight In All Directions
By Robert Spangle
Bouncing in the back of a Land Cruiser speeding towards the trench lines of Ukraines Eastern front Martin is the first soldier I've met in 3 years here without a nickname. It’s his first day on the front, and he is headed to the first line of trenches. At 5’ 4’’ with rimless glasses fogging in the cold, I expect it wont be long before he is given one.
Darfur's Unheard Tragedy: A Decade of Brutal Conflict, Unimaginable Suffering, and Unyielding Resilience
By Hollie McKay
Darfur, Sudan, remains engulfed in one of the world's most devastating and neglected humanitarian crises. The conflict, rooted in ethnic and political divides, has spiraled into brutal violence where Arab militias, backed and armed by foreign countries like the UAE, have targeted African communities with unimaginable cruelty. Entire villages are decimated, leaving scorched landscapes and mass graves.
Inside Haiti’s Crisis: Photos From The Field
Photos from a recent trip to Haiti: Capturing Gang Violence and Daily Life Amid Crisis
By Dylan Roberts