From Russian detention to Kyív’s drift scene

Meet Alex, a young Ukrainian who uses drifting as therapy to recover from the trauma of spending close to ten years in Russian captivity. Like him, the country's drift community has also been impacted by the war in Ukraine. Many drivers have left the country, are serving in the military or have given up the motorsport for financial reasons. And since all of Ukraine, including its capital Kyív, remains under martial law, drifters must also navigate curfews and military checkpoints, as well as the constant threat of drone attacks and airstrikes. Yet Ukrainians continue to drift year round, whether competing in the Pro-Am Drift series or just taking advantage of spontaneous parkour opportunities, like the Dnieper River freezing over.