Wedding under drones: a couple marries near the front line (photo)

In Kramatorsk, a city where the front line of the war between Ukraine and Russia is approaching, 35-year-old Tetyana and Oleksandr got married. The couple held their wedding ceremony in the city's central Peace Square, amidst the threat of drones and escalating military danger. This was reported by The Guardian.

The ceremony took place on August 29, Ukraine's Independence Day. Three days before the wedding, Kramatorsk was officially designated a combat zone. Most buildings in the city have been damaged, and some streets are covered with anti-drone nets.

According to The Guardian, 51 shelling incidents were recorded in Kramatorsk in the few days leading up to the wedding, resulting in six deaths.

Despite such a dangerous situation, Tetyana and Oleksandr decided to hold the wedding in Kramatorsk. Oleksandr explained this decision by his desire to preserve the Donetsk region and his memories associated with it.

Tetyana serves as a volunteer military medic at the front. Although her medical evacuation team was redeployed to Kyiv a few days before the wedding, she returned to eastern Ukraine to attend the ceremony. Oleksandr is an army captain.

The couple met in February of this year. Tetyana reached out to Oleksandr online and offered him medical assistance.

The marriage registration ceremony was conducted online via video call. In 2024, Ukraine introduced an online marriage service for couples unable to gather in person due to wartime conditions.

Tetyana and Oleksandr exchanged rings, took their vows, and kissed. After the ceremony, they went to one of the few open establishments in the city—a cafe—to eat their wedding cake.

During the wedding, reports of a drone appearing over the city caused a brief moment of alarm. Nevertheless, the couple continued the ceremony.

Interestingly, Tetyana and Oleksandr are the same age as independent Ukraine—both are 35. Despite the war, they are planning to build a future and have children.