Niels Ackermann went to Ukraine for the first time in 2009 somewhat by accident. He yearned to photograph in Russia, but it was too expensive for his budget as a university student in his hometown, Geneva. Flights to Kyiv were cheaper than to Moscow, and no visa was needed.
He has returned to Ukraine dozens of times, and last year he moved to Kiev full time. While he did not make it to Russia in 2009, Russia, in a way, has come to him. Its annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine have changed Ukraine.
