TUESDAY June 6, 2023: 'UKRAINE WAR DAY 468: For This, They Fight' by award winning, ZUMA Press photo-journalist Gabriel Romero: Quantifying the toll of Russia's war in Ukraine remains an elusive goal over a year into the conflict. 8,006: Confirmed civilian deaths in Ukraine since Russia's invasion, through Feb. 15, according to the U.N. Estimates of Russian troop deaths at 200 thousands and Ukraine troops 100 thousand. The full-scale war in Ukraine began in the early morning hours of February 24, 2022, by early April of 2022, Ukrainian forces had liberated the Kyiv region and the horrors of the Russian occupation were revealed on a scale not seen since World War II. Over the last year, Ukrainian forces have been able to reclaim many parts of the country lost early in the war, yet their struggle continues. Religion is an important aspect of Ukrainian life, however many of them will tell you that their true religion is freedom. For this, they fight. Welcome to 'For This, They Fight' UKRAINE WAR DAY 468
© zReportage.com Story of the Week #891: TUESDAY June 6, 2023: 'UKRAINE WAR DAY 468: For This, They Fight' by award winning, ZUMA Press photo-journalist Gabriel Romero: Quantifying the toll of Russia's war in Ukraine remains an elusive goal over a year into the conflict. 8,006: Confirmed civilian deaths in Ukraine since Russia's invasion, through Feb. 15, according to the U.N. Estimates of Russian troop deaths at 200 thousands and Ukraine troops 100 thousand. The full-scale war in Ukraine began in the early morning hours of February 24, 2022, by early April of 2022, Ukrainian forces had liberated the Kyiv region and the horrors of the Russian occupation were revealed on a scale not seen since World War II. Over the last year, Ukrainian forces have been able to reclaim many parts of the country lost early in the war, yet their struggle continues. Religion is an important aspect of Ukrainian life, however many of them will tell you that their true religion is freedom. For this, they fight. Welcome to 'For This, They Fight' UKRAINE WAR DAY 468

Both young and old came in the hundreds to say goodbye during the funeral for Ukrainian soldier Artur Asadov. Artur fought against his father on the Russian side and died while battling to free his country from Vladimir Putin's forces.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

U.S. made Patriot missiles shoot down Russian missiles over Kyiv at night. These Russian missiles were attempting to target the Patriot missile systems that had just been deployed in the region. The Patriot missiles proved effective at downing the Russian missiles including the hypersonic Kh-47M2 Kinzhal.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

LIUBOMYR BURLIUK grasps his mother, NATALIYA SVITUKHOVA during the funeral service for his brother Artur Asadov. Ukrainian soldier Artur fought against his father on the Russian side has died in battle against Vladimir Putin's forces.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

Across the dark sky, a surveillance drone passes approximately 15 meters overhead during a night of intense Russian drone attacks on Kyiv.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

NATALIYA SVITUKHOVA is comforted by her partner VIKTOR BURLIUK during the service for her son, Artur Asadov.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

The flash from the detonation of a Russian missile illuminates the smoke trails of several U.S. made Patriot missiles that were fired by Ukrainian forces to intercept the Russian attack.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

Mourners cover the coffin in flowers and a woman says goodbye to Artur Asadov. Artur a Ukrainian soldier fought against his father on the Russian side has died in battle with Vladimir Putin's forces. Since the full scale war started on February 24, 2022, deep rifts have occurred within families. Some sided with Ukraine, some with Russia. In that sense, this is also a civil war. At the time of his death Artur Asadov was a commander in the Carpathian Sich, a fire support company of the 49th Specialized Motor Brigade.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

Ukrainian Soldiers act as pall bearers as the coffin of Artur Asadov is transported to the cemetery in Pidhirtsi. Asadov 28, was commander of the fire support company of the 49th OMBr and died while defending his country during the war with Russia. Artur's father, Oleg Asadov is a Colonel in the Donetsk People's Republic, the separatist government in Eastern Ukraine that is supported by Russia. It is reported that during a battle last year near Kharkiv, Oleg and his son Artur were on opposite sides of the battlefield. According to Artur's Instagram, he had been estranged from his father since 2016. However, he did still communicate with his father over text until his death on April 9th.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

Mourners gathered around the coffin of Ukrainian soldier Artur Asadov during the funeral service to grieve as the rain fell. Artur Asadov was born on March 31, 1995, and died on April 9, 2023. He wanted to be a film director after the war. He wanted to be a father with his newly married wife, Karina Bondarchuk. He was 28 years old.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

A young girl prays amid glowing candles and icons as the faithful observe Orthodox Easter during a time of war at Saint Volodymyr Cathedral in Kyiv.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

The sun begins to rise over Central Kyiv after a long night of air-raid threats and a mandatory curfew that lasts from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. It is apparent that one of the Russian strategies is to disrupt the normalcy of Ukrainian life.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

A bullet hole through the head of a statue of poet Taras Shevchenko. Scenes like this are seen as an attempt at erasure of Ukrainian cultural identity.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

Streak of smoke across the sky as an Iranian made Shahed attack drone of the Russian military is shot down by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft system over Central Kyiv.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

A young boy stands atop a destroyed Russian tank in Mykhailivs'ka Square in Central Kyiv. After the liberation of the Kyiv region in 2022 the Ukrainian government put several destroyed Russian vehicles on display in the square.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

A statue of a mother and child looking skyward at the destroyed National University of Tech Service in Irpin. Since the full scale war started on February 24, 2022, deep rifts have occurred within families. Some sided with Ukraine, some with Russia. In that sense, this is also a civil war.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

A children's swing set sits empty in a park in front of a destroyed high-rise apartment building in Borodyanka.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

An artists image of Ukrainian author Lesya Ukrainka is painted onto ruins of a destroyed building in Borodyanka.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

Workers prepare to remove a Banksy artwork from the side of a destroyed building. There are plans to move the piece to a safe location for viewing after the war.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

The escalator to one of the many subterranean metro stations within Kyiv which are routinely used as bomb shelters during Russian attacks. This city has the deepest subway system in the world, descending to as much as 107 meters (351 feet) deep.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

The Kyiv Metro consists of a network of 69.6 kilometers (43.2 mi) of routes deep beneath the city. The subway stations are routinely used as bomb shelters during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

The city's metro system consists of three lines and 52 stations, located throughout Kyiv's ten districts. since the start of the war in 2022, these stations act as bomb shelters for the city's population.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

A bicycle stands beside a heavily damaged apartment building in Irpin during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

The view from a destroyed apartment building in Borodyanka. This is a city to the west of Kyiv that was shattered by Russian forces during their attempted advance on the capital.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

Peeling wall paper hangs over a portrait which rests on a piano with broken keys inside a heavily damaged apartment unit in Borodyanka.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

The destroyed exterior of the National University of Tech Service in the liberated city of Irpin. Russian forces targeted not only the cultural symbols of Ukraine but the educational ones as well.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

Broken pottery and kitchen utensils scattered and broken inside a destroyed apartment unit in Borodyanka.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

A Banksy artwork on the side of a destroyed building in Borodyanka shows a small child throwing Russian President Putin to the ground during a Judo bout.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire

A young couple share a tender moment at Independence Square in the city center.
© Gabriel Romero/ZUMA Press Wire