Ukraine: Donetsk's Battle for Unity

Written By Justin Merriman
 A woman watches out a bus window as several thousand pro-Russia demonstrators march past from a rally at Lenin Square towards Donetsk's regional administration building in Ukraine.
 A soldier mans an armored vehicle at a road leading to a Ukrainian Army encampment in a small village of Svobodnoe, sixty miles from the Russian border. Locals have helped distribute military clothing, boots, gloves, and other items needed by the under-prepared soldiers.
 Pro-Russia supporters demonstrate beneath the statue of Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin as a police officer stands watch during a protest in Lenin Square in Donetsk, Ukraine.
 A woman joins several thousand in a pro-Russia demonstration in Donetsk's Lenin Square.  Many protesters called for the return of Viktor Yanukovich, the Ukrainian president who fled to Russia last month after deadly protests in the capital, Kiev.
 A pro-Russia demonstrator stands in front of riot police to try and prevent any provocation by younger protestors as they line up in front of Donetsk's regional administration building.
 Several thousand pro-Russia demonstrators fill Lenin Square in Donetsk, Ukraine.
 Police in riot gear wait as several thousand pro-Russia demonstrators march towards them as they guard Donetsk's regional administration building.
 Several thousand pro-Russia supporters gather in Lenin Square in Donetsk, Ukraine on Sunday, for a second day in a row of demonstrations calling for the return of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych and for a referendum to be held to join with Russia.
 A Ukrainian woman joins a demonstration of several thousand pro-Russia supporters in Lenin Square.
 Soldiers stand guard at a small road leading to a Ukrainian Army encampment in a small village of Svobodnoe, sixty miles from the Russian border, where some fear an invasion by the Russian army.
 A man with his face painted in the colors of Russia's flag talks to police at a pro-Russia demonstration in Lenin Square in Donetsk.
 A pro-Russia supporter chants during a demonstration in Lenin Square in Donetsk.
 Several thousand pro-Russia supporters gather in Lenin Square in Donetsk.
 Pro-Russia demonstrators fill Lenin Square in Donetsk.
 A pro-Russia supporter chants during a demonstration in Lenin Square in Donetsk.
 A woman yells at police as pro-Russia supporters march on Donetsk's regional administration building.
 Riot police line up in front of Donetsk's regional administration building as several thousand pro-Russia demonstrators marched from Lenin Square to the building.
 Pro-Russia supporters gather in Lenin Square in Donetsk.
 Pro-Russia supporters listen to speakers during a second-straight day of demonstrations in Donetsk's Lenin Square calling for the return of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych and for a referendum to be held to join with Russia.
 Riot police line up in front of Donetsk's regional administration building.
 A woman stands with her dog, wearing the colors of Russia as a collar, during a demonstration of several thousand pro-Russia supporters in Lenin Square in Donetsk.
 Pro-Russia supporters remove the Ukrainian flag in front of Donetsk's City Hall during protests on Sunday.  Several thousand demonstrators marched from Lenin Square to government offices, for a second straight day of protests, calling for the return of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych and for a referendum to be held to join with Russia.
 A demonstrator chants as he walks past police at the entrance to Donetsk's regional administration building.
 A pro-Russia demonstrator argues and points at riot police.
 A pro-Russia demonstrator poses for photos in front of riot police.
 Pro-Russia supporters hang the Russian flag from a flag pole after removing the Ukrainian flag in front of Donetsk's City Hall during protests.
A soldier stands guard at a small road leading to a Ukrainian Army encampment in a small village of Svobodnoe, sixty miles from the Russian border, where some fear an invasion by the Russian army.

To find out more about the situation in eastern Ukraine read Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Betsy Hiel's reporting about Donetsk's divide, continued protests, and activists fears to speak up for a united Ukraine.
Justin Merriman

Justin Merriman, a freelance photojournalist based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has traveled the world to cover politics, wars, natural disasters, civil unrest as well as covering assignment throughout the United States. His work has appeared in leading national publications and he has received multiple top journalism awards.   

After covering the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks – including the crash of United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania – Merriman committed to chronicling the U.S. military and its war on terror.  He has followed this story across the United States and into the conflict zones of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He also has covered life in Fidel Castro’s Cuba in 2002, India’s efforts to eradicate polio from its population, the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Cuba in 2012, the 2013 conclave and election of Pope Francis in Rome, the second anniversary of Egypt’s revolution and subsequent unrest, Russia’s invasion of Crimea and the international political crisis that unfolded in Ukraine in 2014, a look inside of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in 2015 and its uncertain future, and most recently, traveled the entire U.S. border with Mexico documenting issues on immigration. 

Merriman’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, Time, USA Today, Sports Illustrated and other publications across the globe. 

He has been recognized with numerous regional, national and international awards from organizations including Pictures of the Year International, Society of Professional Journalists, the National Press Photographers Association, the Society for News Design, the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar, the Northern Short Course, the Southern Short Course, the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the Military Reporters and Editors Association, and the Western Pennsylvania Press Club. He was awarded Photographer of the Year by the News Photographer Association of Greater Pittsburgh four times and most recently was honored with the Keystone Press Award’s 2016 Distinguished Visual Award from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.

Born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Merriman graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Writing. In 2009, the university awarded him its prestigious Alumnus of Distinction award. 

Currently Merriman lives in Oakmont with his fiancé, Stephanie Strasburg, a photojournalist with PublicSource. 

http://www.justinmerriman.com
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