Francis Farrell, a 28-year-old journalist for The Kyiv Independent, shares his harrowing experiences reporting from the front lines of the war in Ukraine. He describes the emotional toll of attending an average of three funerals each month, often for individuals he has recently interviewed or communicated with. This stark reality has made the concept of death almost routine for him, although each loss weighs heavily as he grapples with the impermanence of the lives around him.

The job of a war correspondent has become increasingly perilous, particularly due to the threat posed by Russian drones. Farrell highlights the drastic changes in the landscape of reporting since the onset of the conflict. Just two years prior, journalists could report more freely from the trenches near the front lines, but escalating dangers have transformed the environment, making it much more hazardous to cover the war directly.

Through his reflections, Farrell provides a poignant insight into the life of those covering conflicts, revealing not only the physical dangers they face but also the emotional burdens they carry. His story serves as a reminder of the high stakes involved in journalistic work in war zones and the profound impact of the ongoing conflict on both reporters and the communities they seek to inform.