War in Ukraine. The horrors of war by Irpin

Sunflowers, a beloved symbol of Ukraine, and a family of storks adorn the shattered walls of Irpin's Central House of Culture. With the Ukrainian government lacking the funds for widespread reconstruction, many residents are forced to restore their own homes and make use of any functioning public facilities.

A mural by the elusive British artist Banksy shows an injured gymnast in a neck collar performing a ribbon routine, painted on one of Irpin's shattered residential areas. The town recently bestowed the title of honorary citizen on Banksy for "drawing the world community's attention to the scale of the destruction of Irpin."

Children play near a generator in front of the library. Ukrainian officials have tried to encourage Irpin on its road to recovery by designating it a "hero city," an acknowledgement of the resolve its people have demonstrated in the face of so much adversity.

Children use flashlights on their mobile phones during a power outage at a meeting of their literature club in Irpin's public library on December 23. Located on the ground floor of a nine-story apartment block, the library has become a symbol of a tentative recovery following the devastation of the Russian occupation.