In the middle of a war zone, where destruction is everywhere, Ukrainian skaters keep rolling.
Bombed-out buildings and cracked pavement don’t stop them from doing what they love. Instead, they turn the ruins into spots to skate, a way to escape the reality around them.
Photojournalist Robin Tutenges captured this defiance through his lens. His photos show young skaters flipping their boards down stair sets, grinding ledges near abandoned buildings, and simply hanging out, finding a sense of normalcy in chaos.
For them, skateboarding isn’t just about landing tricks—it’s about holding onto something familiar when everything else is uncertain.
Many of these skaters have lost friends, family members, or even their homes. Some have taken shelter in new cities, where they’ve had to start over.
But as long as they have a board, they have a way to express themselves. They’ve formed new crews, built makeshift ramps, and skated through streets that used to be filled with cars but are now eerily quiet.
The conflict has made everyday life unpredictable, but skateboarding gives these kids something steady. Some of them see it as a form of resistance—an act of refusing to be broken by what’s happening around them.
Others see it as a way to stay sane, to feel like themselves even when the world is falling apart. Either way, the sound of urethane wheels rolling over rough concrete is a reminder that life goes on.
Tutenges’ photos don’t just capture tricks; they capture emotions. A skater staring at the horizon, deep in thought.
Skateboarding in Ukraine right now isn’t just about fun. It’s about survival. It’s about finding moments of freedom in a place where freedom feels distant. And no matter how much destruction surrounds them, these skaters refuse to stop riding.