Ukrainian Railroad Ladies

Ukrainian Railroad Ladies is a series of portraits of traffic controllers and safety officers at railroads of Ukraine. This project is also an exploration of why these professions still exist in the 21st century, given the almost entire automatization of railroad crossings in the country.

It is a study of the anthropological and social aspects of this phenomenon and the overall role of Ukraine’s railroad system. While working on the project, Sasha Maslov – known for his social documentary portraits, where the main focus is always the hero in his substantive environment – has traveled all over Ukraine.

Ukrainian Railroad Ladies is more than 50 photos of women who work on Ukrainian Railways. They seem to be a symbol of certain things in the country that don’t change, standing firm in the present as a defiant nod to the past. Unfazed by the passing of trains and time, they are here to stay.

Published by Osnovy, a small publisher based in Kyiv.