KAWASAKI -- A local photojournalist here will publish a book compiling pictures he took in war-torn Ukraine over a span of more than 200 days, using crowdfunding to cover part of the publishing cost.

Ko Sasaki, 53, has taken pictures for major American and European publications, including The New York Times. He has also covered war zones and served as a World Press Photo juror. He hopes that the book will help people learn about the everyday lives of ordinary citizens in Ukraine and their battle on the front lines -- stories that are not sufficiently conveyed in the news.

His new photo book to be released in April is titled "Kherson," the name of a southern Ukraine oblast that became one of the fierce battlegrounds after Russia invaded its neighbor. Sasaki used all of his savings to spend some seven months covering various parts of Ukraine between the summer of 2022 and the following year. During that time, he accompanied soldiers as artillery shells flew over and witnessed militia members crafting their own weapons using 3D printers.

The 240-page book features about 160 pictures vividly capturing the people Sasaki encountered -- both in the city and on the battlefield. It also includes roughly 15,000 characters of texts covering his ongoing exchanges with friends and acquaintances on social media. The book illustrates clearly the reality of Ukraine as a place where real people live.

While the situation for Ukraine remains dire as superpower Russia continues its offensive, with reports saying that people there have become exhausted, Sasaki expressed strong faith in the resilience of the Ukrainian people. He questions the heavy-handed stance taken by U.S. President Donald Trump and other figures, saying that it must stem from a lack of understanding of the on-the-ground reality.

Sasaki noted that many of the Ukrainian soldiers he met on the battlefield were men and women in their 30s or older. "Many seemed to believe that it was a war to protect their families, and that it was their responsibility to go to the front lines themselves, rather than sending their children," Sasaki said. He plans to return to Ukraine in the future to continue his reporting.

For information regarding the photo book, contact Sasaki at ko1972312@gmail.com

(Japanese original by Hiroaki Wada, Kawasaki Local Bureau)