In pictures: Cardiff journalist on Ukraine frontline

Jess Daly is a Cardiff-based journalist who worked in Ukraine until January. She worked with a volunteer medical battalion, documenting life in the Donbass region that is now at the heart of the conflict with Russia.

Jess has self-funded trips to Ukraine over the last six years as she said she wants to document the stories of those that live there.

While war had been expected among those living in the area, Jess still felt "shocked" to see news of an attack by Russian forces.

"The place I was staying on the frontline was hit yesterday," she said.

"I wasn't expecting Kyiv to be hit so hard, I know lots of people on the ground there who have never been on the frontline so it must be hard to see their city turned upside down."

Jess has been in contact with friends in Ukraine over the past two days.

"I've been speaking to friends and people are scared," she said,

"I've spoken to many, some outside Kyiv who were hit last night and others in the capital who were only minutes away from the explosions.

"The general feeling is that the people on the frontline, like the medics will stay put, many in Kyiv are trying to stay safe underground."

Jess graduated in journalism from University of South Wales last July. She said: "I wanted to go myself and see what Ukraine is like first hand - it's my passion to share those stories.

"It felt terrifying to be there, but when I see children walking through minefields or miles to get clean water, I feel it's important to give those people a voice.

"The first time I was there in 2020 the houses were intact. When I returned this time (January) they'd been badly hit and medics I had worked with had died

"Also another medic I was with was shot in the arm a few days after I was with him

"But everyone on the frontline warned that this meant full scale war was to come."

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