Events and Heroes

The immersive exhibition "Ukraine: Land of the Brave" was created in the first half of 2022 and consists of ten episodes that reflect the consequences of russia's invasion of the territory of Ukraine and the fight of a courageous people for their homeland.

Episode one – Chernihiv
Chernihiv is one of the oldest cities in Ukraine, which was surrounded by russian troops for more than a month and suffered from shelling. The battles for Chernihiv began on the first day of the full-scale invasion of the russian invaders into Ukraine on February 24, 2022. From March 8 to the beginning of April, Chernihiv and its suburbs were besieged, and a third of the residents were there all this time. The russian army launched missile, bomb and artillery strikes on Chernihiv.

As a result, 70% of the city was destroyed. Almost all the blows that were inflicted on Chernihiv and the region hit the civilian infrastructure. 27 bridges and overpasses were destroyed, about 3,500 buildings were damaged or destroyed, 80% of them were housing. People hid in basements and shelters, civil infrastructure was destroyed, water, gas and electricity supplies disappeared. About 700 people died in Chernihiv. As of May 27, 2022, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy recorded 38 war crimes committed by russians against the cultural heritage of Chernihiv Region.
On April 2, 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the liberation of Chernihiv from the occupiers.

Episode two – "FILES FOR THE HAGUE"
Used materials that emphasize the brutality of actions, propaganda and distortion of information about events in Ukraine by the russian side.

Episode three – “Chervona kalyna” (Red Viburnum)
“Oy u luzi chervona kalyna” (Oh, in the meadow red viburnum bent down) ‒ is a Ukrainian song written at the beginning of 1914 in Sub-Austrian Galicia by Stepan Charnetsky, based on the last verse of the 17th-century Cossack song "Razlylysya kruti berezhekchi" (Steep banks overflowed). After the beginning of the First World War, it was probably edited by Hryhoriy Trukh, was performed by the Sich Riflemen, and became popular. It is known in several variants. It was sung by the fighters of the UPA (The Ukrainian Insurgent Army 1942-1960).

In 2022, the song gained a new wave of popularity after being performed by Andrii Khlyvniuk in the early days of the russian invasion.
The song calls for the struggle for freedom and independence. From the first days of the russian invasion, it became a symbol of the liberation war of the Ukrainian people against the ancient enemy. This song rallied Ukrainians; it sounds like the leitmotif of our military present and inspires the exploits of the defenders of Ukraine. What is more, already the whole civilized world perceives it as a symbol of the courage and indomitability of the Ukrainian nation, which opposes the last empire in the history of mankind.

The exhibition uses footage from various periods of the struggle of the Ukrainian nation against russian aggression.
In support of Ukraine, the legendary band "Pink Floyd" performed its cover of this song, known as "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!".

Episode four - INTERVIEW OF MILITARY FROM THE FRONT "THEY PROTECT YOU"
In this episode, Ukrainian soldiers from the trenches and from the front line address the Ukrainians with words of support and assure that Ukraine will win, and also address the occupiers with a warning of imminent death on alien land if they do not voluntarily leave it. In these shots, it is clearly shown that the army of Ukraine consists of ordinary people who stood up to defend their country. In civilian life, they used to be farmers, entrepreneurs, bakers, IT workers, or even members of the Latvian Parliament, and now they are fighting for the freedom and independence of Ukraine alongside professional soldiers and they have no intention of giving up.

The creation of this part was made thanks to the bravery of the famous journalist Serhiy Loiko, who from the first minutes of the war went to the front to defend Ukraine. The materials presented here were recorded and provided by the author himself.

Episode five – Mariupol
This episode uses footage from the film "Mariupol. The Chronicles of Hell" by Yelyzaveta Tatarinova with testimonies of rescued locals who managed to leave the occupied city.

Mariupol is an ancient city in Ukraine in the south of Donetsk region, on the shores of the Sea of ​​Azov, founded by Ukrainian Cossack warriors in the 16th century as a guard post on the banks of the Kalmius River. In peacetime until 2014, about 500,000 people lived in the city. During the years of the independence of Ukraine, the city turned into a metallurgical capital, and in 2002 it was recognized as the best city of Ukraine in terms of landscaping.

In the spring of 2022, the name of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol flew around the world. During russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, the russian army used so-called "scorchedßearth" policy against the city, where every building and every living thing is destroyed block by block. This is how the world learned about Mariupol - now a bombed-out, mutilated, almost extinct city.

Mariupol became a symbol of murderous war and genocide, evidence of the enemy's lack of respect for either cultural heritage or human life. russian troops destroyed many architectural monuments, museums, theaters, educational institutions, parks, and hospitals. The bombed-out high-rise buildings look at the devastated city with black burnt wounds. To the world once full of life and peace. The world that no longer exists.

On March 6, 2022, the city was awarded the honorary title "Hero City of Ukraine" by the Decree of the President of Ukraine in order to celebrate the feat, mass heroism and resilience of citizens, shown in the defense of their cities during the repulse of the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine.
The photos used in this episode were also taken by DMYTRO KOZATSKY.

Episode Six - WOMEN AT WAR
The exhibition uses footage about women at war, about their courage, patriotism and skill in military affairs, about femininity at war and about the right to defend their country on an equal footing with men, while using their professional and combat knowledge and experience.
According to the official statistics, as of the beginning of May 2023, 42,000 women are serving in Ukrainian military formations, which is a significant percentage of the total number of military personnel.

Of the 42,000 women, 5,000 were or are on the front line. Unfortunately, 107 women were killed or injured during the russian aggression.

According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the best daughters of the country protect Ukraine no worse than the best sons.
Ukraine is proud of its defenders, regardless of gender or religious affiliation.

Episode seven - CHILDREN OF WAR
Children are the most precious and important thing in every person's life, because children are their continuation and inheritance. The exhibition includes footage of children affected by the war: terrible shots in hospitals, rescuing wounded children and the fear in their eyes.

According to the "Children of War" state portal for searching for children, as of August 25, 2023, 503 children were killed and 1,116 were injured during the full-scale war. In addition, 1,162 children are considered as missing.

16,639 children were found, 386 were returned to Ukraine. These are all approximate numbers, since the exact number of victims cannot be established due to hostilities and the occupation of some territories.

Also, to date, about 19,500 cases of deportation of children are known. It was for this crime that the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for vladimir putin and the russian Commissioner for Children's Rights, maria lvova-belova.

From the first days of the war, thousands of Ukrainian women took out their children to safe countries, where they received protection and shelter, because children should not suffer, but at the same time, the majority remains in Ukraine and from a young age know how a siren sounds, how shells explode and that a shelter is a place where it is not comfortable, but it can save lives. We, all Ukrainians, dream of victory over the aggressor and a peaceful sky and a free life in our native land without war for the sake of the future of our children.

Episode Eight - FILES FOR THE HAGUE (CONTINUED)

Episode nine – BURIAL OF A HERO
The episode uses footage from the burial of lieutenant colonel in Odesa, the commander of the 18th separate battalion of marines - Serhiy Mykolayovych Derduha (July 20, 1983 - June 3, 2022), who lived for 38 years, of which 18 years he was in the Armed Forces and 8 years he defended Ukraine from russian invaders.

In 2014, he participated in the liberation of Mariupol, as part of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade, he participated in the defense of the Donetsk airport. He had two injuries. He defended the city of Volnovakha and New York (Donetsk region, Ukraine).

On May 27, 2022, the 18th battalion of marine infantry under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Derduha crossed the river Ingulets in the Mykolaiv region, ousted the enemy behind the river and got ahead few kilometers, liberating the territories from the occupants.
On June 3, 2022, Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Derduha died in battle, having received injuries incompatible with life.

On June 8, 2022, Serhiy Derduga was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, II degree, posthumously.

This episode is one of thousands of similar burials of Ukrainians who died defending Ukraine. Family and friends are waiting for every soldier at home, but, unfortunately, not everyone returns from the war alive. Ukrainians honor and bow to everyone who returns home "on a shield" both in small towns and villages and in megacities, paying their last respects to their Heroes.

They say in Ukraine, heroes do not die, because the fame of their exploits will live forever.

Episode ten - TARAS SHEVCHENKO'S WISDOM
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko (1814-1861) - Ukrainian poet, novelist, thinker, painter, engraver, ethnographer, public figure. National hero and symbol of Ukraine. A member of the Ukrainian national movement, a member of (Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts. Shevchenko's literary heritage, in which poetry plays a central role, in particular the collection "Kobzar", is considered the basis of modern Ukrainian literature and, in many respects, the literary Ukrainian language.
In the last frames of the immersive exhibition, the words of the great Kobzar are heard.