The photo exhibition ‘Focused on Humanity: Convoys, Courage and Compassion,’ documenting the humanitarian missions of Ukraine Focus, will open on 21 July at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War. This was reported by the author of the project, Chantal Mistral-Bernard.
"This exhibition tells the story of urgency, sacrifice and solidarity - from the first desperate months of the full-scale invasion, when frontline medics lacked even the most basic necessities, to the present day, when every ambulance donated helps save lives and protect human dignity. One of these vehicles can save up to 250 lives, but medical vehicles are often targeted just like military vehicles. That is why the need remains critical. It's not just about what we bring - it's about standing with Ukraine through action and humanity," says Brock Bierman, founder and CEO of Ukraine Focus.
Over the past three years, Ukraine Focus, a US-based non-profit organisation, has delivered more than 400 ambulances and specialised vehicles to the frontline, as well as millions of dollars in medical equipment, prosthetics and humanitarian infrastructure. The story behind these missions is now being revealed through the lens of Paris-based photographer Chantal Mistral-Bernard, who has taken part in 12 Ukraine Focus humanitarian missions and captured their most powerful moments. Her parallel exhibition, Faces of Ukraine after 2022, created for a foreign audience, will also be on display.
‘These are stories of courage in the darkest of times - not only of those who fight, but also of those who help, heal and do not turn away,’ says Chantal Mistral-Bernard, photographer and author of the exhibition.
Almost 200 volunteers from more than 10 countries took part in Ukraine Focus missions, establishing a new tradition of international solidarity. Many of them had never been to Ukraine before and had no personal ties to it.
The exhibition also draws a historical parallel between the American Field Service of the First World War, when civilian volunteers drove ambulances across Europe, and the current global response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The exhibition will be open to visitors from 21 July 2025 at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War in Kyiv.