After weeks of low-level hostilities, the conflict in South Ossetia, a breakaway region of Georgia backed by Moscow, escalated dramatically in the early morning of August 8, 2008. Georgia declared that it intended to restore constitutional order and launched a large-scale military offensive. Russia sent additional troops to South Ossetia, saying they were reinforcements to Russian peacekeepers who are in the area to monitor a 1992 ceasefire between Georgian and South Ossetian forces. REUTERS/Denis Sinyakov
august 2008

This is a short Christmas story about people who respect their traditions. During a celebrating of Orthodox Christmas in the Carpathian villages adults and children in traditional dress walk door-to-door to perform Christmas carols, known locally as “Kolyadki”, attend church services and mourn their deseased relatives.  Ukraine, january 2008-2009