Themes by tag: culture
On March 13, an event dedicated to Ukrainian Volunteer Day, which Ukraine celebrates on March 14, will take place in Kyiv. This holiday honors the courage and self-sacrifice of those who consciously stood up to defend their country in the most difficult times. The date was not chosen at random: on this day in 2014, the first 500 volunteers left Independence Square for a training base in Novi Petrivtsi to form the first volunteer battalion. They were not professional soldiers, but they had a common desire — to defend their homeland.
During the meeting, they will talk about the mood and motivation of those who took up arms in 2014 and those who joined the defense of the country in 2022 from the very first days. They will try to understand what motivated people to make this decision then and what supports them today. They will discuss the challenges veterans face after returning to civilian life. Special attention will be paid to the issues of veteran employment and the role of the state and society in shaping a culture of support for people with military experience. They will also talk about the lives of families after the loss of a son or daughter — about memory, pain, and the need for sensitivity and solidarity.
Participants:
Dmytro Kraslyansky — combatant in eastern Ukraine, veteran, founder of the veteran business “Barbecue BBQ`72”;
Marianna Kuzmenko — mother of the deceased volunteer Daniel Kovalchuk “Francuz”;
Serhiy Mokrenyuk — veteran, community activist, representative of the Regional Council of Ukrainians of Crimea, deputy director for development of a Ukrainian UAV manufacturer,
Anastasia Rozlutska — head of the Nazustrich project at Work.ua, expert on veteran employment, head of the Ukrainian World NGO.
Advance registration is required.
For reference: In response to russian aggression in 2014, the volunteer movement quickly gained mass popularity. With the support of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, territorial battalions began to form, and under the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, volunteer units of the National Guard and special police forces were created. In addition, independent volunteer battalions appeared, which became the country’s shield in the first months of the war. Thanks to their dedication, it was possible to gain time for mobilization and save Ukrainian statehood.
In 2014-2015, nearly 40 volunteer battalions took part in combat operations in eastern Ukraine. Subsequently, most of them became units of the security forces, and many volunteers pursued military careers and became experienced commanders.
The volunteer movement was revived with renewed vigor after russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. From the very first hours of the war, thousands of Ukrainians joined the ranks of the Armed Forces, territorial defense, and volunteer formations. Many returned from abroad to defend their homeland.
Nazarі Krasovsky signed a contract with the 12th Azov Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine in 2020. The soldier encountered a full-scale invasion in Mariupol, defended Azovstal, and, together with his comrades, carried out the command’s order and surrendered in May 2022.
Nazari spent 3.5 years in captivity. To keep himself going, the soldier wrote poems, scratched lines on a bar of soap, and when the opportunity arose, transferred the texts to scraps of paper. The man was returned home in August 2025 during a prisoner exchange.
Since then, Nazarі has been undergoing rehabilitation at the UNBROKEN center in Lviv. The soldier has a serious spinal injury, which he sustained while in captivity. The soldier said that he had long wanted to sing with Khristina Soloviy. During a gala evening organized by the rehabilitation center, Nazarі managed to fulfill this dream. On stage, they performed the song “Who, if not you?”, and the audience gave them a standing ovation.
You can speak with Nazari Krasovskyi both online and in person in Lviv or Kyiv by prior arrangement.
On March 6, the exhibition project “Cultural Suitcase” opens at Kyiv’s Central Railway Station, offering visitors a chance to explore Ukrainian culture through personal belongings, archives, and stories of prominent Ukrainian figures.
The project is a way to preserve memory, identity, and meaning amid the constant movement the country is experiencing during the war. It also brings remarkable artifacts of the past out of archives — stories worth sharing with the world and remembering ourselves.
Forced displacement — abroad, to the front line, or back home — has become part of a shared experience. “Cultural Suitcase” speaks directly to this state of being on the road: to people in transit, to each and every individual. In motion, culture becomes a way to maintain a connection to one’s roots, to the country, to what cannot be left behind. At the same time, the exhibition engages with archives — presenting extraordinary artifacts from the past that are returning to the public space.
Among the artifacts gathered by the project team are the travel bag of composer Stanislav Liudkevych, original song lyrics by Andriy Kuzmenko (Kuzma), notebooks containing well-known poems by Serhiy Zhadan, and the 1936 score of “Carol of the Bells” by Mykola Leontovych. Visitors will also see the original facade design sketch of Kyiv’s railway station by architect Oleksandr Verbytskyi — an important cultural and transportation symbol of the capital.
Through these and other objects, the exhibition tells the story of literature, music, cinema, architecture, and art as a living experience that shapes the world’s perception of Ukraine. The project also has an educational dimension: independent experts contributed to its creation, shedding light both on the stories of individual artifacts and on broader phenomena within Ukrainian culture.
The exhibition invites every visitor to remember at least one story about Ukraine — and to pass it on.
Background: The project is implemented by Bolt Ukraine in cooperation with Port of Culture, in partnership with Visa, Ukrainian Railways, and Ajax Systems.
On March 2, the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War will host a memorial event titled “6700,” dedicated to honoring the victims of the 1943 Koriukivka tragedy. A total of 6,700 people were brutally killed on March 1–2 and 9 by Nazi occupation forces and their allies — the Hungarian 105th Light Division — who burned the settlement to the ground along with all its residents, from infants to the elderly and infirm.
The event launches an annual tradition of candle-lighting at the War Museum to commemorate the murdered civilians of the town of Koriukivka in Chernihiv region. This crime stands alongside Nazi atrocities in Lidice (Czech Republic), Khatyn (Belarus), and Oradour-sur-Glane (France).
Today, as russia deliberately commits war crimes against Ukraine’s civilian population, the Koriukivka tragedy takes on renewed significance, requiring reflection and international attention. All democratic forces must condemn crimes against humanity and remind the world that such crimes have no statute of limitations.
Background: The event is co-organized by the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance and the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War.
Five Ukrainian veterans will participate in the international open-water swimming competition Oceanman Lago d’Orta (Italy). They will compete in the 2 km and 5.5 km distances.
All members of the team are veterans with amputations and severe injuries. Each has gone through war, prolonged medical treatment, and rehabilitation. They are currently preparing for the international competition and train four times a week.
Team Members:
- Ivan Khalupa — veteran of the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade. He lost a leg in combat. Swimming became part of his systematic rehabilitation. He has experience in international competitions.
- Ihor Oliinyk — veteran of the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade. He began swimming after being wounded to restore psychological balance.
- Serhii Khrapko — lost an arm and a leg in 2015. Participant of the Invictus Games and Warrior Games. Has extensive experience in sports rehabilitation.
- Volodymyr Shanayda — was wounded in 2023. After a year of treatment, he began swimming. Oceanman will be his first international competition.
- Ihor Bystryi — combat veteran since 2016. He was wounded in 2022 by a cluster munition. After rehabilitation, he continues his sports training.
The project aims to support veterans’ participation in an international sporting event and highlight the role of sport in physical and psychological rehabilitation. It promotes the development of veteran sports and raises awareness of recovery through sport.
By prior arrangement, journalists may cover training sessions in Kyiv.
Background: The project is implemented by the charitable foundation YANKO Fund. Logistical support is provided by the concierge service FlyPoint. The team trains under the supervision of medical specialists, coaches, and rehabilitation professionals. The Oceanman organizing committee has provided the athletes with complimentary entry passes for the competition.
Official delegations from partner countries visiting Kyiv these days in support of the Ukrainian people will see the art object — a specially illuminated damaged carriage No. 5 of train No. 103 Chop–Barvinkove, which was struck by russian attack drones on January 27, 2026.
The installation “Pulsating Pain” was created by lighting designer and founder and art director of the contemporary light art laboratory Expolight Arts, Mykola Kabluka.
Light in this work serves as an instrument of memorialization. It does not decorate or soften — it highlights the metal wounds, deformed surfaces, and traces of impact.
Background: On January 27, train No. 103 Chop–Barvinkove was attacked by russian drones: two exploded near the train, one in front of the locomotive. Another drone struck a carriage carrying 18 passengers. Six people were killed in the carriage and two were injured. Around 300 people were evacuated to safety.
The contemporary light art laboratory Expolight Arts works with light as a medium of meaning and transformation, creating light installations, media art, and participatory projects in which technology, sound, and digital tools merge with artistic expression, shaping new ways of emotionally experiencing space.
Expolight Arts represents Ukraine on the global art scene, develops cultural initiatives, and builds international collaborations, shaping a new Ukrainian language of light art.
On February 24, an exhibition dedicated to the anniversary of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine will open at the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre.
The exhibition serves as a reminder of the duration and necessity of the struggle — for territory, freedom, identity, and people. A special focus is placed on prisoners of war, particularly the defenders of Azovstal and other Ukrainians who remain in russian captivity. An important message of the project is the need for societal consolidation around bringing Ukrainian defenders home.
One of the visual works displayed on the theater’s facade will be an illustration by Kateryna Prokopenko, reminding viewers that not all Azov fighters have returned home, and that their memory must remain alive through action and support.
The sculpture “Dancing Stones” by artist GORN symbolizes the search for meaning. Even stone can take on the form of movement, but without meaning it remains stone. The exhibition reflects on the different roles within the shared struggle and on the purpose that unites Ukrainians today.
For reference: The exhibition was initiated and curated by the Image and Information Department of the 1st Corps of the Azov National Guard of Ukraine. The project was created with the participation of the Association of Families of Azovstal Defenders, which represents the voices of families of captured defenders and shapes the artistic and public dimension of the struggle for their return.
In the city of Boryslav, Lviv region, Ukraine’s first winter adaptive sports center for male and female war veterans with lower-limb amputations has begun operating at the Bukovytsia ski resort.
During the first open training sessions, veterans learned the Three-Track Skiing technique — skiing on one ski using two outriggers — under the guidance of alpine skiing instructors, physical therapists, and veterans who completed certified training in the United States.
Going forward, within the Hub, veterans will receive ongoing free access to the Bukovytsia ski infrastructure, modern adaptive equipment, adaptive skiing lessons from professional instructors, and peer-to-peer mentorship.
According to Oleksandr Shvachka, veteran and president of the Alliance of Veterans organization, the creation of the Hub at the Bukovytsia ski complex is one of the stages in developing a large-scale infrastructure for the physical and psychological rehabilitation of Ukrainian veterans through adaptive alpine skiing.
By prior arrangement, journalists may cover the activities of the hub.
For reference: The Hub was initiated by the public organization “Alliance of Veterans” as part of the Adaptive Skiing for Veterans project, with the support of the Bukovytsia ski resort, the charitable foundation Razom for Ukraine, and the Boryslav City Council.
On February 21, the exhibition “KHERSON: NOT/stolen” will open in the capital. The event is timed to the fourth anniversary of the start of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
The joint project “KHERSON: NOT/stolen” brings together studies and homages to looted museum artworks created by Ukrainian artists. Its goal is to support the Kherson Art Museum, which was looted by russian occupying forces before the city was liberated in November 2022.
For reference: The project was launched in 2024 as a study of the stolen collection of the Kherson Art Museum. It now seeks to draw attention to all Ukrainian museums that have been looted by russian occupying forces since the occupation of Crimea in March 2014 and up to the present day.
Petro Prysiedko has worked for several years at DTEK, where he is responsible for the design and development of the mobile application and online account platform for the YASNO project. During a lighthearted discussion with colleagues about unconventional business ideas, he came up with the concept of a “subscription” service for chickens and eggs.
In 2024, he applied for a business grant program. His startup was selected among the five winners — Petro received financial support and began implementing the idea.
Currently, he has one coop for 20 chickens and plans to build another in the spring. The rental service operates on a subscription model: for 1,000 hryvnias per month, a person chooses a chicken, gives it a name, and receives an “egg box” with 20 eggs. If the hen lays more eggs during the month, Petro donates the monetary difference to the Defense Forces. All 20 birds are already reserved, and there is a waiting list for new ones.
Journalists may speak with Petro Prysiedko both online and offline in Kyiv by prior arrangement.
