IRON PEOPLE

“Iron People” tells the story of the war in Ukraine from the unique and close perspective of its railway community, living and working along the tracks throughout the country. It investigates how the railway community has contributed to Ukraine's ability to withstand the Russian invasion, and also what the impact has been on this community. It is a long-term multimedia project about the daily lives of railway workers in Ukraine, by photojournalist, reporter and filmmaker Jelle Krings. Its chapters have been published with numerous large international news organizations and magazines such as CNN, The Guardian, National Geographic, the Economist and De Volkskrant.

On the morning of February 24th 2022, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While missiles struck its major cities, railway workers reported for work and boarded trains heading east. They had become rescue workers overnight. Within weeks they would evacuate over 6 million people, bringing them from the frontlines of the war to safety in the west. In the full-scale war that followed, Ukraine's 15,000-mile-long railway network became invaluable for the country’s survival. With the support of their families, railway workers managed to maintain civilian mobility and provided essential support to the military. This has played a significant role in the country's ability to resist the invasion.

Because of the vital importance of rail however, the railway community in Ukraine has also been exposed to significant and disproportional risks. Railway families often work for the railway institution for generations, and they live together along the tracks and near key logistical hubs. These are frequently targeted by Russian strikes. Much of the vital work to maintain and restore the critical railway infrastructure takes place in- or near the war's active conflict zones. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, this has resulted in over 1,100 railway workers who have been injured, and more than 450 who lost their lives.

Even under these circumstances, a sense of duty and a struggle for survival drives the railway community to continue its important work: repair workers, crossing attendants and railway inspectors along the tracks; administrative workers, planners and traffic controllers at the stations; doctors and nurses in railway hospitals; and maintenance- and factory workers in train depots and power plants.

This project takes its name from a what railway workers have commonly been referred to in Ukraine for generations: "Iron People". It shows both the strength and struggle that comes with this title.

Pre-Order the book