The Disruption In Ukraine Yields Some Beautiful Photography.

With friction between Russia and the Ukrainian approaching a climax, media attention is focusing more on places like Crimea and Kiev. Ukraine is in turmoil after its bloodiest week in decades. Days of deadly clashes between anti-government protesters and police have culminated in parliament voting to oust President Viktor Yanukovych.

The protests broke out after President Yanukovych’s government rejected a far-reaching accord with the European Union in November 2013 in favor of stronger ties with Russia. Thousands of people, outraged that a long-standing aspiration for integration with Europe had been ditched overnight, poured into central Kiev for peaceful protests. They have occupied Independence Square, known as Maidan, ever since.

Photographer Barbaros Kayan from Istanbul Turkey captures some wonderfully revealing images of the people in the midst of this conflict. Kayan has to be saluted for producing not just portraits of masked men, soldiers, but for bringing an incredible type of beauty to a worldly conflict so ugly.