Photographs Of Ukrainian Refugees On Display In Sarasota Friday

SARASOTA, FL — Powerful images of Ukrainian refugees in Poland will be on display during a free photography exhibit, Scenes of Ukraine, Friday evening in the Rosemary Art & Design District.

The images, taken by Bradenton photographer Allan Mestel, will be shown at 580 Central Avenue in Sarasota from 8 to 11 p.m., according to the RADD for Ukraine website.

Wanting to show how Russia's aggression in Ukraine has affected real people, Mestel traveled to the Polish city of Medyka on the Ukraine-Poland border on March 11 and spent a week capturing heartbreaking images of refugees escaping the violence in their homeland.

Related Story: Ukrainian Refugees Documented In Poland By Bradenton Photographer

"There were a lot of stories of individuals…and every individual story is a story of pain and suffering and displacement and disbelief at what's happening," he told Patch in March. "And all caused by the megalomaniacal ambition of one twisted man (Russia’s President Vladimir Putin). It's incredible to think that a single human being can cause so much suffering and so much anguish and so much pain."

Though there’s no cost to attend the event, RADD for Ukraine is accepting donations for Ukrainians impacted by the war.

“Join us for this free event to take in these striking images, witness exactly where all of our efforts are going and have further opportunity to donate to those suffering in Ukraine, RADD wrote on its website.