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Про смерть Світлани Олешко повідомив у Фейсбуці письменник Сергій Жадан.
Журналіст та громадський активіст Євген Клімакін зазначив, що прощання з режисеркою відбудеться 23 грудня о 12.00 у Варшаві.
«Не стало Світлани... Людини, яка створила Teatr 'Arabesky'/ Театр "Арабески", привносила в театр поезію, повставала проти штучного і заскорузлого, розповідала про Шевельова і Юру Зойфера, про наших закатованих і репресованих. Людини, яка втілювала Харків і була частиною його серця», — написала Тетяна Терен, журналістка, виконавча директорка Українського ПЕН.
«Талановита, харизматична, світла, вона була джерелом натхнення для багатьох з нас. Своєю енергією та добром Світлана змінювала світ навколо себе, несучи любов, підтримку й силу кожному, хто її знав», — пише у своєму пості лідерка ініціативи Євромайдан-Варшава Наталка Панченко.
Після початку повномасштабного вторгнення Світлана Олешко переїхала до Польщі, де працювала у Польському театрі ім. А. Шифмана у Варшаві.
Наприкінці березня цього року у Варшаві відбулась прем’єра вистави Світлани Олешко «Харків, Харків». Вистава створена у формі мюзиклу та розповідає про діяльність театру «Березіль» та його засновника Леся Курбаса. Текст до вистави спеціально написав Сергій Жадан. «Це дуже харківська історія про те, як театр “Березіль” приїжджає до Харкова з Києва і що власне з ним стається потім, — розповідала Світлана Олешко. — Сергій Жадан дотримується історичної правди. Майже. Тільки ми змінили фінал. Ми подумали, що досить вбивати наших митців і ми залишили Курбаса жити і вручили йому Оскар».
У січні цього ж року в Польському театрі імені Арнольда Шифмана режисерка організувала читання антології «Війна 2022». До книги увійшли твори 42 українських авторів, написані після 24 лютого 2022 року.
Фото: Tymofii Klubenko
Світлані Олешко був 51 рік. Вона двічі була заміжня. Першим чоловіком режисерки був письменник Сергій Жадан. Другий — лідер гурту «Мертвий півень» Місько Барбара, який помер у 2021 року.
Світлана Олешко – засновниця, директорка і режисерка театру «Арабески». Проходила стажування в Польському інституті театру. З 1993 по 2019 рік працювала науковим співробітником Літературного музею в Харкові. Світлана Олешко є ініціаторкою створення Театрального інституту в Харкові. Найвідоміші постановки – «Декалог: локальна світова війна», «Червоний Елвіс», «Чорнобиль™ », «РадіоШансон: Вісім історій про Юру Зойфера».
Світлана Олешко від початку заснування онлай-медіа Sestry.eu була його авторкою, робила інтерв'ю з видатними постатями сучасності. Вся редакція Sestry висловлює свої співчуття рідним та друзям Світлани Олешко.
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Croatians have warmly welcomed Ukrainians since the very first days of the full-scale war. According to official data, the country has taken in approximately 30 thousand Ukrainian refugees. Stress, language barriers, and lack of employment are just some of the challenges faced in a new country. In July 2022, several proactive Ukrainian women, who had overcome the tough path of adaptation themselves, decided to unite for a good cause. They established an organisation for their fellow countrymen called «Svoja», which has been actively helping those in need for three years now.
Iryna Pronenko: «I could not comprehend that war could happen twice in my life»
I come from Luhansk. I studied there, graduated from the Faculty of Psychology, and managed to work in my profession before 2014. As soon as the war began, my future husband and I left the city. We never wanted to live under Russian rule. In Luhansk, we left two apartments and all our belongings behind, embarking on a new life in Kharkiv. We invested our earnings in professional development and education because the situation in 2014 demonstrated that those with knowledge and experience had a better chance of finding employment. It took us eight years to build a new life and make something out of ourselves. By the time of the full-scale war, I was a managing partner of an HR consulting agency, and my husband had a psychological counselling practice. However, like in 2014, the war caught up with us again. In mid-March 2022, we decided to leave. Due to my husband’s disability, we both went abroad.
Iryna Pronenko: «The situation in 2014 showed that those with knowledge and experience had a better chance of finding employment». Photo: Private archive
We chose Montenegro, not knowing that fate would decide otherwise. Our route passed through Hungary and Serbia. However, when boarding a bus to Belgrade, the driver refused to let us on with our cat. We started looking for another way to get to Montenegro, and it led us through Zagreb. At that point, we had been on the road for five days.
We arrived in Zagreb on 17 March 2022. Perhaps due to exhaustion and the sense of peace, we decided to stay there.
On Facebook, I found a group helping Ukrainians in Croatia. I wrote that a couple with a cat was looking for accommodation. That same day, we received a reply: «We would be happy to host you»
Within a few days, I saw a social media announcement about free Croatian language courses. Over the next month and a half, I studied. Finding a job in Croatia was not easy, but I continued working remotely in Ukraine. Eventually, I met the head of the «Svoja» organisation, offered my help, and got involved in volunteering.
Iryna Pronenko at Croatian language courses. Photo: Private archive
I still help Ukrainians in Croatia with career counselling, setting up businesses, and job searches - such as writing CVs and preparing for interviews. Before us, no one else was doing this. With my beginner-level Croatian, I accompanied people to interviews. Later, when the association won a grant and began receiving funding, I was employed there as a specialist in employment and career consulting.
When the full-scale invasion began, I could not comprehend that war could happen twice in my life. There was an inner protest when you think, how many times must I start over?
In Croatia, it so happened that we created our own job. Its results are evident. Over two years, we have employed more than 500 people. For now, I do not plan to return to Ukraine - and I have nowhere to return to.
Tetyana Chernyshova: «It is very important to feel that you are not alone»
We are from Kyiv and, like many others, thought that the war would not last long - at most, three days. I remember sitting in the bomb shelter with my children. We have three. At that time, one daughter was eight years old, the other six. Our eldest was no longer living with us.
Tetyana Chernyshova’s daughters in a bomb shelter during the shelling of Kyiv. Photo: Private archive
On the second day of the full-scale war, my husband said: «We are leaving. You have half an hour to pack. Whatever you take is yours. We are heading to Western Ukraine». We had a huge argument because I thought it was inappropriate and unnecessary to leave home. I took documents, money, some belongings, and underwear for three days. For some reason, I was convinced that we would return within a week.
On the way, along the Zhytomyr highway, we saw a lot of military equipment. Missiles were being shot down overhead. The children asked: «Why are there fireworks during the day? You cannot even see them». From Kyiv to Zhytomyr, it took us about seven hours. The next day, we heard horrifying news that cars were burning on the Zhytomyr highway and that there were Russian tanks there. We reached the Slovakian border. We managed to find a place to stay in a student dormitory. A few days later, we decided to go abroad with the children. Friends invited us to Zagreb, Croatia. My husband stayed behind, and I went with the children to the pedestrian border crossing. In a queue over seven kilometres long, we stood for 12 hours.
After crossing the border, I panicked. My mind was in chaos. I called the woman who had invited us to Croatia. She fully coordinated us. The next day, we travelled by train to Budapest and from there to Zagreb. And again, we thought we would stay for a week at most - and then return home. However, on March 8th, our house near Kyiv was destroyed by an enemy projectile. It was a direct hit. All that was left of the house was a pile of rubble. That was the moment I understood the gravity of the situation. At first, I was like an animal trapped in a cage. Only later did I start going outside, exploring where the shops and hospitals were.
The children were very well received at the local school. Simultaneously, they studied online in Ukraine. One daughter immediately integrated into the group, while the other struggled. She cried every day and said: «Mum, I do not want to go to school. I do not understand what they are saying. They hug me, and I do not want to hug them».
Tetyana Chernyshova with her daughters. Photo: Private archive
Croatians are a kind and empathetic nation. They sympathised with us greatly because 30 years ago, they also experienced war and understand what it is like. I worked online as a lecturer in therapeutic physical education at Shevchenko University. However, we were eventually told that it was impossible to conduct lessons from abroad. I had to resign. Until I learned the Croatian language, I worked wherever I could - cleaning floors and toilets, babysitting. In March 2022, I accidentally met a Ukrainian woman named Nataliya, and later, we founded our association «Svoja». We decided to provide informational support to Ukrainians who found themselves displaced by the war.
When you are in a foreign country and do not know your rights, anything can happen. For example, there were cases where people were deceived about their wages at work
Today, I work as a waitress in a café near my home and my children’s school, and I volunteer at «Svoja». From my own experience, I know that people arriving in a new place often do not know where to start or how to proceed. As for my adaptation, I have learned the language and gained some understanding of how to survive here. However, I still feel like a stranger in a foreign country.
Nataliya Hryshchenko, Head of the Ukrainian Association in Croatia: «For us, «Svoja» is one of our own»
We established «Svoja» in July 2022. At that time, it was not easy for anyone who had found temporary refuge in Croatia. We lived without unpacking our suitcases, waiting to return home the next day. Unfortunately, that did not happen. So, we decided to create our own community called «Svoja». To gain people’s trust, it was necessary to officially register the organisation. We were fortunate to meet the «Solidarna» Foundation, which supported us both legally and financially. They provided us with our first grant, registered a fund to support Ukrainians, and acted as our mentors.
Nataliya Hryshchenko: «We managed to create a community of Ukrainians who use our services». Photo: Private archive
Today, our core team consists of four people brought together by chance. Each of us has our own area of focus. We managed to build a community of Ukrainians who use our services, comprising over three and a half thousand people.
It is very important to feel that you are not alone. By helping others, we help ourselves cope with the pain that the war inflicts on all of us
First and foremost, we provide informational support. Our main focus areas are employment and education. We collaborate with the local employment fund. We have a database of people who contact us and respond to their requests quickly. There is no bureaucracy with us. We work with over 70 employers who provide us with job openings. We also cooperate with legal firms that support refugees. Additionally, we assist Ukrainians in validating their diplomas. The number of people seeking our services grows every year. People want to work in their professions and receive fair pay.
During a meeting at «Svoja». Photo: Private archive
We also work in the field of human rights protection. We collaborate with the Ombudsman of the Republic of Croatia and have even had to seek their assistance. For example, 20 kilometres from Zagreb, there is a settlement of Ukrainians where there was no family doctor after the previous one resigned. This is a significant issue for Croatia, which lacks two thousand doctors. We wrote a collective appeal to the Ombudsman, who addressed the issue through the Ministry of Health.
Additionally, we organise language courses. So far, over 200 people have completed our programmes. From January 2025, we plan to introduce a Croatian language course specifically for medical professionals. We have also established an IT community that offers training sessions. Currently, we are running a course on artificial intelligence. Moreover, we provide regular psychological support lectures.
There are requests for psychological, physical, and even material support. Recently, we collected items and food for people who had just arrived from Ukraine. Their numbers continue to grow. Last year, according to official data, there were 22,900 Ukrainians in Croatia; by 2024, this number had risen to over 27 thousand.
«In Berlin, you pay an agent up to 5 thousand euros just for the right to rent a flat»
- On the morning of 24 February, my sister called me: «The war has begun». I hung up, looked out the window, and saw a four-lane traffic jam, recalls Marharyta Korovina, organiser of public events and a Ukrainian culture festival in Berlin. - At that time, I lived with my mother. My sister said they would take me, but there was nowhere to take my mother. Understanding that I could not leave my mother alone, I refused to leave.
There were fewer and fewer people in our district. Within days, the neighbourhood was deserted, with only the elderly left. And I started helping them. I used my savings to buy them food. Getting groceries at that time was quite a challenge. My task was to find bread for my mother, my neighbours, and myself. At «Silpo» (Ukrainian supermarket chain), they gave out one loaf per person. So I searched all over our district. And I believed the war would soon end...
Empty shelves at «Silpo» immediately after the full-scale invasion, February 2022
I also created a TikTok account where talked to Russians through chat roulette. I asked them why they had attacked, what they wanted from Ukraine. They gave all kinds of absurd answers, often aggressive. It was my social experiment to counter the «not all Russians are like that» narrative - I posted conversations with Russians in the public domain. In the first months of the full-scale invasion, my account went viral. Some people used my materials to edit videos for their Telegram channels. Some videos gained a million views in one day. Then I got banned.
By summer 2022, I realised my savings were running out, and I had no income. The office where I had worked before the war had closed. A quick decision was necessary.
Since the situation in Kyiv was already more or less calm, I made the difficult decision to go to Barcelona, as our fund's hub was there. Besides, my sister already lived in Spain. I went there hoping to be among ambitious, motivated and active people but found something entirely different: in the Spanish office, like in an ordinary accounting office, everyone worked from 9 to 3 and then hurried home. I could not focus. I went to Berlin for a couple of days to volunteer... and stayed.
I had no friends or relatives in Berlin, but I was captivated by the enormous Ukrainian creative community here. At every corner, Ukrainian flags: on official buildings, universities, town halls, and even just on the balconies of residential houses. I was amazed by the scale of support for Ukraine.
Moving to Germany can be compared to a person learning to walk and talk again after an injury. You seem like an adult, but your opportunities are like those of a two-year-old child. For a long time, I felt like a non-functional part of society. But now, it seems I have reached the acceptance stage.
Berlin 2022. The Beginning
A significant problem in Berlin is housing. I was lucky not to live in «Tegel». This is a non-operational airport where a camp for refugees was set up using tents, and nearly everyone arriving from Ukraine passed through it. Using the programme for Ukrainian refugees, I lived for the first two months with a young German family. Simultaneously, I searched for a flat.
Finding accommodation in overcrowded Berlin is a task with a star, so social networking works best here (word of mouth). Ukrainians created Telegram channels and found local resources that worked better than the official housing search. However, estate agents are also used here, and that is another corrupt scheme. Agents often ask for 1-5 thousand euros as a «provision» - a one-time cash payment directly to the agent, not included in the contract. Essentially, a cash bribe for the right to rent a flat. Perhaps agents artificially create such demand that people are ready to pay any money just to get a housing contract. An open flat viewing in Berlin is a queue of a hundred people. You pay the agent to be prioritised. Personally, I found a flat by talking to people because I kept asking everyone about housing.
Germany is an entirely different world. I thought there would be technological progress here. Instead, everything is slow, unclear and bureaucratic. This was a shock to me. I know that even most Germans are dissatisfied with this.
«I can only do things related to Ukraine»
- Was it difficult to adapt to Germany?
- In Berlin, I quickly got to know interesting people. We began meeting and creating projects. I felt there were resources here through which I could do much good for Ukraine. Because I can not do anything unrelated to volunteering or Ukraine. When you constantly think about the war at home, other things barely concern you.
Imagine, here in Berlin, I have seen people from Mariupol who still carry keys to their flats in Ukraine, even though those no longer exist
Regarding the adaptation of Ukrainians in Berlin, I have a basis for comparison - with Barcelona, Paris and Lisbon. Kyiv had a special relationship with Berlin even before the war, so, unsurprisingly, many cultural figures, artists and activists relocated here. Today, Berlin feels like an extension of the Golden Gate and Podil. Events here easily gather Ukrainian music, food, and goods. We even received a proposal to hold «Kurazh Bazar» in Berlin, but we organised something in a similar format called «Motanka».
In Frank Wilde's legendary elevator
Ukrainians in Berlin are what keeps me here: active people who tirelessly keep Ukraine in the informational spotlight, fight against disinformation, talk about Ukrainian culture and history, shout about the repressions our nation suffered under the Soviets, and open the eyes of the «concerned» and not-so-concerned Europeans to the proximity of the war and Russia’s colonial, imperialist, and terrorist nature.
Moreover, many Ukrainians in Germany are already integrated and well-acquainted with local sentiments. Most such individuals now occupy leadership positions in Ukrainian organisations, cultural institutions, embassies, etc.
Over the past three years in Berlin, several Ukrainian restaurants, beauty salons, and a gallery have opened, but the largest focus is on public organisations. People did not bring their businesses here since Germany is not the most favourable place for entrepreneurs. Instead, they brought their social and charitable initiatives. Everything here revolves around culture, politics and information.
In 2023, together with German, Georgian and Ukrainian like-minded individuals, we registered a public organisation here called Mizelium. By law, Ukrainians can not establish their own organisation in Germany. Its composition must include Germans. What do we do? Initially, we collected humanitarian aid and sent it to Ukraine. Then we shifted to organising festivals, concerts and workshops to introduce Europeans to Ukrainian culture and make it trendy.
I am learning German and will soon take the B2 level exam. I plan to obtain grant funds for our cultural projects.
Our main idea is to show the colossal difference between Ukrainian and Russian cultures. Many Germans do not distinguish between them
A German acquaintance once said he did not even know that beyond Poland there was another country. He thought it was immediately Russia
The second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion in Berlin, 2024. Photo: Shutterstock
«We created the largest Ukrainian culture festival in Europe - for 10 thousand people»
- Tell us about the projects in Berlin you participated in. Why is this important to you?
- In 2023, we organised the largest Ukrainian culture festival in Europe, «Motanka». A year earlier, in 2022, we launched its pilot version. We chose an underground location, little-known even to Berliners - a place where hippies live: a river, yurts, a bar made of planks, a small stage. We arranged an exhibition in a boathouse garage.
A year later, we organised a large-scale festival.
Six floors of various formats: music, cinema, exhibitions, a pop-up market of Ukrainian brands, food, discussions about culture and politics. Over three days, about 10 thousand people attended our festival
We created this event without grant funding. We offered collaboration to Ukrainians from the cultural sphere in Berlin, and all of them agreed. We did not expect such a scale but were happy. The location was provided to us for free. We enlisted the help of partners and sponsors who provided free services totalling approximately 300,000 euros.
I would call Berlin a decision-making hub. Many politically significant events happen here.
Now, in 2024, the intensity of Ukrainian informational events is still quite high. However, greater involvement is desirable because, for example, there are fewer and fewer people at protests and rallies.
There is an event called «Café «Kyiv» with a political focus. Last time, Ursula von der Leyen participated, and Vitali Klitschko was present. Our ambassadors also joined. Panel discussions were held, the documentary «20 Days in Mariupol» was shown, and there was an exhibition titled «Yolka», which had been with us on Maidan in 2014 - there was a queue at the entrance. The first event was held at a place called «Moscow Restaurant». On the day of the event, this name was symbolically covered with a banner reading «Café Kyiv». Politicians attend this event to emphasise their pro-Ukrainian image.
Our «Motanka» was created to engage people who unknowingly discovered Ukraine. Through collaborations with local artists, brands, and musicians, we managed to unite an audience and subtly involve thousands of Berliners, showing them the creative side of Ukraine without alienating them with the topic of war.
Ukrainian culture festival in Berlin «Motanka 2023»
«In the state I have been in for almost three years, Frank Wilde has been in nearly his entire life»
- How do Germans now view everything Ukrainian?
- Until 1989, Berlin was divided by a wall, and the eastern part of the city still significantly differs from the western part. Even election results reflect this. Here, people romanticise the Soviet Union and Russian politics. Even the generation that did not experience life in the USSR somehow feels nostalgic about it. Therefore, their attitude towards everything Ukrainian, naturally, is not positive.
Russia, thanks to friendly relations with Merkel, deeply ingrained itself in the minds of Germans, and people «outside politics» miss it because kebabs used to cost 3,50 euros under her rule, and now they cost 8. Gas was also cheaper.
There are Germans who still feel «backed into a corner» because of World War II. This has led to the quiet emergence of a second wave of Nazism, which is now breaking out of the underground. For instance, the popularity of the AfD party is growing. This pro-Russian party plays on Germans' emotions (the main ideological theses of the AfD are directed against European integration and immigration - Edit.)
In general, discrimination based on nationality is prohibited by law in Germany (this is stated in the constitution). Therefore, no German would do this openly or transparently. I have not noticed such conflicts here.
However, there are also many conscientious Germans who are interested in Ukraine, attend Ukrainian demonstrations, speak at them, and provide support.
The first Ukrainian culture festival «Motanka 2022»
- You have been working with Frank Wilde, a designer and a great friend of Ukraine, for over two years. What is the most important aspect of this collaboration for you?
- I learned about Frank while sitting in a bomb shelter in Kyiv, before I left. When I arrived in Berlin, I met him at one of the events dedicated to Ukraine. He literally attends all such events. When we organised the first «Motanka», I suggested he hold his own auction. He agreed and donated part of the proceeds to support Ukraine.
I offered him my help with PR and managing his communications. Now, I am his volunteer manager.
Frank played a key role in my stay in Berlin. He is a very wise person. In the state I have been in for almost three years, he has been in nearly his entire life. He is always fighting. In collaborating with Frank, I am motivated by gratitude. I want to repay him on behalf of all Ukrainians for what he does for us.
Visiting Marharyta's mother with Frank Wilde, Kyiv
«I dream of reviving my grandmother's village»
- What helps you hold on? What do you dream about?
- That is a good question. I still live with my pre-war dreams. I have a country house in the Sumy region, which I have always loved. My grandmother used to live there, and it was always cosy and cheerful at her place. When she passed away, we bought a house next door. Growing up, I saw how the village changed. It began to decline because many people left. Even then, I dreamed of reviving this village.
During the Covid lockdown, I went there for a month and saw that people had nothing to do or entertain themselves with. I started thinking about how to change this.
I arranged with the local cultural centre to use a space to create a place for young people. I also planned to organise a rural retreat for city dwellers - giving rides in a cart, teaching people to herd geese and cows, and holding a rural rave party. Additionally, I wanted to find grandmothers who knit, embroider, or create other interesting handmade items and help them sell their crafts. Handmade work is very popular now. I even created a social media account for this village. Then the war started. But when I feel sad or lose hope, I open my laptop and write down my ideas about the village. This is now my way of recovering.
With grandmother
Photos: private archive and the heroine's Instagram
Poland has submitted a film about Ukrainians, featuring Ukrainian actors, for the Oscars. The drama «Under the Volcano» by Polish director Damian Kocur explores the transformation of a family from tourists to refugees, due to the full-scale invasion. In this film, which premiered in September at the Toronto International Film Festival, Roman Lutskyi, a well-known actor for Polish audiences, starred. He is known for notable theatrical performances, such as «Hamlet» and «Forefathers' Eve (Dziady)» by Maja Kleczewska. Globally, he gained recognition through his lead role in «Reflection», the first Ukrainian film showcased at the Venice Film Festival. Lutskyi has walked the red carpet at this festival twice, and now, he has an Oscar submission.
Scene from the film «Under the Volcano»
«This is my third film about war without combat scenes»
- Damian Kocur once said that we Ukrainians live under a volcano that could erupt at any moment, - said Roman Lutskyi to Sestry. - Under the volcano refers to a neighbouring country, armed to the teeth. In 2014, this «volcano» awakened, and in 2022, it indeed erupted…
- Since «Reflection», you have become a serious dramatic actor. Sometimes, I do not recognise where that cheerful Oleshko Popovich from «The Stronghold» has gone. Your gaze especially has changed. You have also done a drama, «Honeymoon», about a couple's life under occupation, followed by «Under the Volcano» - and everywhere there is war.
- If you have noticed, «Under the Volcano» is already my third war film without combat scenes. People understand what war is like on the front line. But the war within Ukrainian families - Europeans do not see that.
With the onset of the great war, every family had to choose - to stay or to leave. This choice gave birth to numerous conflicts. Even in my family, we argued, deciding what to do next. War provokes micro-wars - within small family universes. It is not just about the combat scenes shown on television.
- And it is precisely about such a war that you tell in each of your films. You are not running on screen with a gun, but you reveal to the world the internal drama Ukrainians go through.
- Yes, this is not action, it is subtler, and that is interesting for me as an actor.
«The red carpets of Venice - a result of my selectivity as an actor». Photo by Vira Blanch
«The director did not want to cast me because of my… «actorly» beard»
- Tell us, how did you end up in the film «Under the Volcano» and why director Damian Kocur chose you for the leading male role?
- Oh, it was quite a story. Kocur, a Polish director, is not very familiar with the Ukrainian acting market, so he asked the casting director to gather a list of Ukrainian actors for him. I was on the list, but the director initially dismissed me. As I later learned, Damian said that Roman Lutskyi was too handsome, with that overly actorly beard, and he wanted regular, ordinary people.
I was unaware of this until a friend asked me to help her record a self-tape, also for Kocur - just to stand behind the camera and argue with her on screen, and we did it. Damian saw the footage and asked who was that person behind the camera arguing so convincingly - saying he wanted the guy behind the camera. I was invited for an interview, and based on that, I was cast in one of the main roles.
- Why did Poland choose to submit the film «Under the Volcano» for the Oscars? It is not about Poles, it is about Ukrainians, and Ukrainians perform in it.
- Perhaps they saw that this particular film is competitive on the international stage and could resonate more strongly than local stories in the context of current events.
It also advocates for Ukraine. We often hear that people are tired of Ukrainians and their war, but it turns out that not everyone feels that way. The world needs to be constantly reminded of this war, and we are grateful to Poland for doing that.
There is only one question: whom should Ukrainians root for at the Oscars now - the Ukrainian film «La Palisade» or the Polish «Under the Volcano»?
In general, this film is for export. We have lived through all of this and understand very well who the enemy is. Meanwhile, the world has not fully grasped the danger of this war. Some still doubt, trying to advocate for the enemy. It is a dangerous game - to wait and not take notice, thinking that Ukraine will protect everyone. The volcano’s effects could be felt by all.
Scene from the film «Under the Volcano»
- Your first film about war was «Reflection», before that, you had not acted in such films. Director Valentyn Vasyanovych plunged you into the horrors of war at its very beginning - in 2014. Captivity, torture, PTSD... How difficult was it to act in such a film?
- As an actor, it was an intriguing challenge. It was crucial that Valentyn Vasyanovych, a deep-thinking director, made this film. The subjects of Ukrainian captivity and PTSD are weighty, and it was important to depict them correctly without exaggeration.
Viewers may have felt uncomfortable watching this film, but we know that the tortures shown in the film are experiences that Ukrainians endure in real life. Since 2014, the «Isolation» prison in the DPR territory has been a terrifying place where our people have been tortured in various ways. The worst part was that the captives did not know if they would ever be released.
I played a military surgeon who ended up in this prison. Immersed in the filming process, I lived alone in an apartment and hardly went out. At that time, I watched many videos on the subject and read numerous books. I tried to come close to that heavy and unpleasant state and to remain in it. To avoid «jumping» into it only when in front of the camera and then coming out after the director called «cut».
Scene from the film «Reflection»
- Great actors, before playing a role, observe people similar to the characters they will portray. How do you prepare for roles - for instance, when playing a person with PTSD after captivity?
- I spoke at length with psychiatrists and with nurses in rehabilitation clinics.
Doctors told me how people walk after captivity - not straight, but curling up into a sort of «question mark», barely lifting their eyes from the ground
I used this technical detail about a captive’s physiology.
The film’s consultant, Stanislav Aseyev - a journalist and author of the book «The Bright Path. The Story of One Concentration Camp» - told me many things. He was a prisoner in the DPR’s «Isolation» concentration camp for 28 months and described in his book the horrors inflicted on captives there. For example, Aseyev explained in detail what a person feels when subjected to electric shock - I reproduced this in the scene where my character is tortured in this way. He described how the current passes through, which muscles contract, and whether it is possible to scream when the current goes from the ear to the hand, causing spasms in the vocal cords.
Scene from the film «Reflection»
- These are very frightening things, but Vasyanovych managed to turn this material into a work of art.
- Yes, everything in Valentyn’s work is very meticulous, dry and without excessive drama. If you noticed, there is no music in «Reflection» because it would only intensify an already terrifying picture.
- You attended the screening of «Reflection» in Venice. How did the European audience respond to the film?
- After the screening, there was prolonged applause. People said that we managed to convey the filth of war through artistic means. This story moved viewers, many people cried. I would add that this film should be watched on a big screen because viewing it on a phone or even a computer does not convey the full range of emotions.
«I learnt Polish from TV by ear»
- Whom would you refuse to portray in films today? Perhaps an evil muscovite?
- Listen, but who should play Muscovites? Should we invite actual Muscovites or what? Many Ukrainian actors are fluent in Russian.
This is a reality because we are a post-colonial country. Just as Lebanese people speak French fluently, or Indians speak English. One actor or another will play a Muscovite. We do not always play likeable characters, that is our lot as actors.
Personally, I do not refuse roles, but I do refuse certain material. If it is superficial or vulgar, flat, and uninteresting, then definitely no. But if the material is deep and relevant, then I would take it on, even if I had to play a villain. The structure of dialogues also matters to me.
- So you would play the role?
- No, because I do not speak Russian. I can talk, but I would have an accent, like representatives of Caucasian ethnic groups.
- Judging by your career, there seems to be a mutual affection between you and Poland. It all started with «Hamlet» in Poznan (2019), where you were invited for the lead role by the iconic Polish director Maja Kleczewska. How did this happen?
- Maja has been following Ukraine since 2013. Initially, she was concerned that our young people were dying on the Maidan, and then in the ATO. When she decided to stage her «Hamlet» at the Polish Theatre in Poznan, she thought it would be interesting if the main character returned not to Danish Elsinore from Wittenberg, but to Poland from Ukraine.
She searched a long time for the lead actor. I missed the initial audition dates, so I simply wrote to the director afterwards, and she arranged a meeting in Warsaw. After the premiere, Maja told me that I was the only one who gave her a satisfactory answer to the question of who Hamlet was.
I told her then that I understood Hamlet - he came to reclaim power because it was unjustly taken, and that is that. It is human, and there is no need to make a philosopher out of him
I also said that we should remember that in Shakespeare’s time, people came to watch this play because it was action-packed - there are so many corpses in the end. So there is no need to seek superhuman qualities or lofty ideals in Hamlet. Certainly, he is of a delicate soul, but above all, he is a human being. Maja and I discussed this for about four hours, she understood my stance on the character. And I was cast in the role.
In the role of Hamlet
- And, judging by the success of Kleczewska’s «Hamlet», Poles accepted you?
- I had long wanted to enter the Polish acting market. Especially since I know Polish - though not intentionally, I learnt it as a child. I can almost perfectly understand it by ear and communicate fairly well.
- How did you learn Polish?
- When I was in the sixth grade, the only TV channels we had in our village were UT-1 and UT-2. In some towns, people could watch other channels, but we only had these, broadcasting from morning till night about how much grain Ukraine had harvested. My father bought a satellite dish from abroad, and I started watching Polish TV - specifically, the channels Polsat and Polsat-2, which featured comedy series like «13 posterunek», «The Kiepski World» («Świat według Kiepskich»), and various sitcoms… It was all so colourful, with interesting storylines.
I became hooked on Polish television and learnt Polish by listening. Later, while working in theatre, I began reading books in Polish and occasionally speaking with native speakers. Right before «Hamlet», the theatre hired me a pronunciation tutor.
- After «Hamlet», Maja Kleczewska staged a production of «Forefathers' Eve» by Adam Mickiewicz at the Ivano-Frankivsk Drama Theatre, and it was reportedly «tailored for you».
- Maja is totally my director. Our collaboration in Poznan was so inspiring for both of us that after «Hamlet», we immediately began planning future projects.
We searched for material for a long time, Maja wanted to work on a piece of Ukrainian literature, and we even discussed «Macbeth». Then the full-scale invasion happened, and Kleczewska decided she would stage «Forefathers' Eve» because, in her view, there is no other anti-Russian dramatic work quite like it in Polish literature.
We chose the third part of this poetic drama, where Mickiewicz describes Polish-Russian relations that very much resonate with what Ukraine is experiencing now in its relations with Russia. Nothing new - this is a universal story for both Poland and Ukraine, as it is fundamentally about a person’s freedom being threatened by a powerful adversary.
- In «Forefathers' Eve», you once again play a prisoner. Well, you play the proud poet Konrad, but the audience perceives you as an Azovstal defender.
- While we were working on the play, we did not even think about captivity. I was very moved when audiences started interpreting the characters on stage as defenders from Azov. After the premiere, a friend told me that when my character Konrad emerged from an imaginary basement or prison for the grand improvisation, she saw it as if an Azov commander was coming out of the trench straight into enemy fire.
Maja Kleczewska's «Forefathers' Eve»
People interpret things in various ways. And that is fantastic because it means the work is multi-layered and rich in meaning. That is precisely what should happen with works of talent.
- You have already walked the red carpet in Venice twice. Now you could win an Oscar - why not? Americans already know you, a critic from The Hollywood Reporter once praised your performance in «Reflection». How do you feel about fame?
- I have no problem with people paying attention to my work and praising it.
Yes, I read about myself in The Hollywood Reporter and Variety - positive reviews inspire and motivate. And humility does not lead to anything good (smiles).
As for the Oscar - one should always hope, but simply being nominated is already a huge success.
One of the most successful wartime art projects in Ukraine is the retrospective exhibition «Alla Horska. Boryviter», held this year at the Ukrainian House and attended by a record number of visitors. The exhibition, whose impact on Ukrainian society has been described as a «national catharsis», was curated by artist and art historian Olena Grozovska. Sestry spoke with Olena about the state of the Ukrainian art market in wartime, the phenomenon of the Alla Horska exhibition and Russian global cultural expansion, which should be perceived as a special operation.
The Alla Horska exhibition resonated with many. Photo: Ukrinform
«The tragedy of Bykivnia echoes what is happening now in the de-occupied territories»
Oksana Goncharuk: Why do you think the Alla Horska exhibition became a sensation in Ukraine? She is not Van Gogh, whose name alone would attract so many people…
Olena Grozovska: We have been working on Alla Horska for years, studying her work and creating an archive of Ukrainian unofficial art, called Ukrainian Unofficial. It focuses on the profiles of artists from Kyiv and Lviv who went beyond the confines of the socialist realist canon. Alla Horska is one of the stars of this art.
This was not just an exhibition but a kind of research project. Everything came together: our previous work, the collaboration between the Dukat auction house and the strong team at the Ukrainian House. The complex space of the building was cleverly utilised. It resulted in a story rich in meanings: in addition to visual material, there was historical context. People are now eager, they seek answers to their questions in the past.
People resonated with the story of Horska’s persecution and murder, as well as the destruction of her mosaics in Mariupol by Russian occupiers. All of this struck a nerve and resonated. In the end, approximately 51 thousand people visited the exhibition over one and a half months - a record for the Ukrainian House
Alla Horska’s Mariupol mosaic before and after Russian shelling
- You mentioned that it was like a national catharsis...
- Yes, especially in the last days, when people realised they needed to hurry, and crowds flocked to the exhibition. I saw so many tears in the eyes of those leaving the Bykivnia Hall… You know, we did not aim to frighten or move anyone, but it worked that way because people internalised everything. The past is also linked to the present, and the tragedy of Bykivnia resonates with what is happening now in the de-occupied territories, with mass graves of Ukrainians murdered and tortured by Russian occupiers.
And when people understand that the evil of the 1930s remains unpunished, that it has resurfaced and returned, there is a shock. This continuity feels like a connection between one person’s biography and the broader historical canvas
The success of the exhibition is gratifying, but it is also a challenge, as each subsequent event must be on par. We are now working on a new project, which we hope will take place next year - also at the Ukrainian House. We will showcase several of our unofficial artists who worked after World War II.
«Right now, we simply need major exhibitions at the world’s top venues to make our presence known»
- At the start of the war, the director of the Hermitage said that exhibitions of Russian art are also a special operation and a «major cultural offensive». Is it happening worldwide now?
- As long as Russia exists, this special operation will continue. But perhaps for the first time, its mechanisms have come to light - things we felt but did not fully comprehend can now be examined.
In the West, people do not see them because this does not directly affect their culture. We are the nearest victim, and this monster is built on the theft of our culture and identity.
For Russians, it is important to continue destroying us because our history and culture have been appropriated, and only by erasing the witness to these crimes can they continue promoting their so-called «great Russian culture»
Unfortunately, there are few platforms from which we can speak about this, but it is essential to do so, as this phenomenon has reached colossal proportions over the last 15-20 years.
- Do you monitor these processes?
- Yes. Russian global cultural expansion is unprecedented, and it is a deliberate policy. The enormous number of Russian exhibitions held at the world's finest museums was intended to showcase the greatness of their culture. I have published articles on what we could counterpose to Russia, but they have proven insufficient.
Olena Grozovska’s painting «Interrogation of the Reptiloid», 2014
In 2018, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican hosted a grand exhibition «The Russian Way: From Dionysius to Malevich», curated by the renowned Russian art historian Arkady Ippolitov. There was a report showing Putin with the Pope kissing icons at the exhibition. At that time, Crimea was already annexed, the war in Ukraine was ongoing, and the Russians wanted to portray themselves as simply «reviving and reclaiming what rightfully belongs to them».
The exhibition featured works by Malevich and Kramskoy - that is, Ukrainians appropriated by Russia! Today, we ask why the Pope articulates entirely pro-Russian imperial views. It is because this work has been ongoing for years, even centuries. We are now trying to change this situation in emergency mode. But to change it, we at least need to understand how the art institution system in the West operates, what narratives to bring, and how to tell our story. Russia has long studied this and uses it for its hybrid influence.
Now, they are less successful because it is challenging to kill people with one hand while showcasing «masterpieces of great Russian culture» with the other. That is why I am practically shouting that we urgently need major exhibitions that tell the world about us from the world’s best platforms.
- Can you give examples of Ukraine’s collaboration with international art institutions during the war?
- For example, the National Art Museum is touring its exhibition of Ukrainian modernist art worldwide. But there needs to be more of this.
Fedir Krychevsky’s triptych «Life» at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna as part of the exhibition «In the Eye of the Storm. Modernism in Ukraine», 2024. Photo: NAMU
We have been, and continue to be, robbed by the Russians, but we have something unique to show, as our art is original. The same Horska exhibition could be interesting in the West. Yes, it must be presented in different contexts there. But I cannot say that any official in Ukraine is interested in showcasing Alla Horska abroad.
- What should we do then? You recently spoke with Zelenskyy; perhaps you told him about the lack of a strategy for promoting Ukrainian culture...
- Yes, the President of Ukraine and his wife visited the Alla Horska exhibition. As the curator, I was pleased that the exhibition was appreciated at such a high level. But cultural strategies are not a matter for the President, that is what the Ministry of Culture is for. The President cannot handle everything in the country, as he has priority tasks. The real question is why state institutions are not working.
Volodymyr and Olena Zelenskyy listen to Olena Grozovska at the Alla Horska exhibition at the Ukrainian House. Photo: OPU
- Compared to the Russians, whose museums are filled to the brim with masterpieces stolen from Ukraine alone, will we have enough arguments to showcase our Ukrainian uniqueness?
- We cannot even come close to comparing the number of works of historical significance in Ukraine to what the Russians have. The empire extracted everything from the territories under its control. My God, how many of Ukraine's prime masterpieces are in their museums... For example, at the Tretyakov Gallery, the old art section opens with our St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki, stolen after the demolition of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery. Nowhere does it mention that this is a Kyiv mosaic, taken to Moscow in the 1930s for three months of safekeeping. They were supposed to return this masterpiece to its homeland, but it remained in Moscow and is now presented as a «masterpiece of Russian art».
I am not even mentioning all the archaeology represented by thousands of artefacts in Russian museums. Moscow vacuumed up valuable items from Chernihiv and Kyiv regions. This needs to be discussed so that the West starts to see Russia as a colonial empire, which it somehow is not perceived as globally.
At the same time, we still have a wealth of unique art that deserves to be shown. Ukrainian icons are underexplored and yet to be discovered by the world. Our fantastic modernism - yes, few works have survived, but even the collection of the National Art Museum of Ukraine, currently touring abroad, elicits awe.
Because in the West, they did not know that Ukraine has its own national modernism of such calibre
We can also discuss post-war art, namely the late modernism of the 1960s-70s - these are also very unique philosophies. People behind the Iron Curtain created their own artistic worlds - unlike any other. And there is a demand for this.
- If you were talking to a foreigner and wanted to tell them about our art, where would you start to make an impression on someone «not in the know»?
- I would start based on who I am speaking to and the background of my interlocutor. To some, I would tell about how St. Sophia of Kyiv preserves the most complete ensemble of authentic mosaics and frescoes from the 11th century in the world. To others, about Ukrainian avant-garde, about Malevich, Exter and Bohomazov. About the powerful folk tradition, which in the 20th century blossomed into the phenomena of Mariya Prymachenko and Kateryna Bilokur. About Ukrainian Baroque. About Pinsel and Arkhypenko. And to some, I would tell about modern Ukrainian artists.
«In Borsch We Trust» by Olena Grozovska, 2014
«We decided: if it came to it - we would shoot back»
- Did you leave Kyiv at the start of the war?
- No, my husband and I decided to stay, even though Kyiv emptied in the first weeks, and it was quite an eerie sight. We decided: if it came to it, we would shoot back, but under no circumstances would these monsters force us to leave, abandoning our land.
All of this is frightening, but on the other hand - it is interesting. This experience changes a person and provides a valuable sense of perspective that is unavailable in ordinary life. Plus, such events crystallise the understanding of who is who around you.
- I know that you and your husband - the well-known collector and gallery owner Leonid Komsky - have a substantial collection of Ukrainian art. What happened to it after February 24th?
- It is in a safe place. Most of the works are post-war and contemporary Ukrainian art, as well as works by 20th-century Ukrainian emigrant artists.
- Do you currently feel inspired to paint?
- I did not paint for the first year, but then I gradually began to thaw. Sometimes I sell my works at charity auctions, and this is my contribution to the boys on the front. We also raise funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine through concerts (Olena is also the founder and lead singer of the band «GrozovSka band» - Author).
- Zhadan said that it is too early to write about the war, first, it must be experienced.
- I do not consider myself among those who knew the war was coming, as I thought people could not be so bloodthirsty and foolish. But already a few years before the full-scale invasion, terrifying and strange plots began to appear in my mind that I did not fully understand. Many of my works dealt with some horrors, dark subjects with heavy energy. Military themes began to emerge as well. So something was indeed ripening subconsciously, and I was picking up on these vibes.
«Refugees» by Olena Grozovska, 2023
- What is the mood among Ukrainian artists and in the art market right now?
- The art market has suffered greatly, and everyone is finding their own survival strategies. But the mood among everyone is this: despite everything, with gritted teeth, we work towards victory and do not succumb to despair. And that is important because these recent massive attacks on our cities are meant to make people lose heart, flee, give up, and ask for negotiations. But we do not.
At commercial Ukrainian auctions, prices for certain contemporary Ukrainian artists have risen and exceeded 100 thousand dollars
Ukrainians are now buying more Ukrainian art - it is a trend. People have less wealth, but there is a growing appreciation for the value of our artists and craftsmen.
The international art market, unfortunately, operates on different figures for now. Currently, there are no personalities in Ukraine who can be classified among the top international artists.
I’m Fine as a profile picture for Ukrainians
- Groundbreaking things are happening in the Ukrainian art scene today, but it is driven by individual enthusiasm, whereas there is no state strategy...
- There needs to be a deliberate policy, at least to ensure that what goes abroad to represent Ukraine does not devalue perceptions of it. Let’s be frank, sometimes things happen that are embarrassing. And there are breakthroughs, spot-on hits. This recently happened at the Burning Man festival in America, where Kyiv artist Oleksiy Sai presented his work I’m Fine in the Nevada Desert.
- Oh, I saw it. It is a huge sculpture made from war artefacts and is a perfect capture of the situation.
- Yes, it is a bitter irony, as the text is made from our road signs shot up by the Russians, but it is about each of us, about how we, Ukrainians, piece together this «I’m fine» within ourselves and try to survive and regenerate. And that is why there was such a sincere reaction, such a wow effect - people started using this I’m Fine as their profile pictures.
Oleksiy Sai’s sculpture I’m Fine at the 2024 Burning Man festival in America. Photo: Eleanor Preger
Today, it is not enough just to have a piece of art. We live in an era of storytelling - you need to tell your story, to reach the minds and hearts of the audience.
We have yet to tell the world our story: they know more or less about our present in terms of the war, but who we are, where we come from, why we were overshadowed by an empire, and the mechanisms of oppression and destruction applied to our culture - all this still needs to be voiced. Because the fact that we managed to survive under such conditions is a miracle. And it happened precisely because of our culture.
Ruslan Baginskiy hats on Madonna, Guzema jewellery in the series «Emily in Paris», Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez in dresses by Ivan Frolov, Heidi Klum in an outfit by Lesia Verlingieri on the red carpet in Cannes… The Western world’s interest in Ukrainian brands is growing, and Ukrainians are being invited to participate in global fashion weeks. In September - for the first time during the war - a fashion week was held in Kyiv - Ukrainian Fashion Week (UFW).
After two and a half years of forced absence in Ukraine, it returned to support the Ukrainian fashion industry and amplify Ukraine's voice globally. Over four days, sixty-one brands, including ten new names, presented their vision for the spring-summer 2025 season. Yet, in the context of war, the collections shown were less about fashion and more about resilience and revival. Today, we can say that this fashion week is a historic event for Ukraine.
«People want to live, work and be effective», explains UFW co-founder and head of the organising committee Iryna Danylevska. Sestry spoke with Iryna about the social dimension of fashion and poignant designer statements at UFW 2025, as well as about 2.5 years of Ukrainian fashion abroad.
Young designer Aliona Prodan and her new collection
«The world must understand: if all talented Ukrainians are killed, it will be impoverished»
Oksana Goncharuk: Returning to Ukraine after two and a half years of working abroad - a difficult decision…
Iryna Danylevska: Over these two and a half years, we organised twenty-nine runway events in London, Berlin, Budapest, Lisbon, Vienna, Copenhagen, thereby supporting the Ukrainian fashion industry. But fashion brands are not the entire industry, so we - despite all risks - returned home.
We set three goals: to support the industry and Ukrainians, to demonstrate the need to be effective for the country during the war, and to ensure that Ukraine continues to resonate globally.
Not only the appeals of our politicians, not only reports on destroyed homes and civilian deaths should continuously circulate worldwide. Instead, we wanted to show Ukraine as a country of not only courageous but also talented people. So that those who, somewhere abroad, view photos from UFW held in Kyiv during wartime, come to understand: if all these talented people here are killed, the world will be impoverished.
- How many countries have seen our fashion during the war?
- Since the start of the war, we have held shows in 12 countries. These were exclusively official events such as fashion weeks or major international exhibitions.
It was a revelation for us that global fashion, which is considered a highly competitive environment, was ready for solidarity
They did not just lend us their catwalks but created special conditions, understanding how difficult it is for Ukrainian brands to survive during the war. London, Budapest, Berlin, Lisbon, Los Angeles - everywhere we had comfortable conditions for shows. Some provided free venues, some paid for models, some - like Berlin Fashion Week - could, with state support, invite our young designers and cover their tickets and accommodation. This was powerful support for which we are sincerely grateful.
Ukrainian designers Ksenia Schnaider, Nadya Dzyak, Elena Reva at London Fashion Week in 2023. Photo: Scott Garfitt/Invision/East News
- Where did the first Ukrainian show during the war take place?
- In Malta, in the summer of 2022. Designer Nadiya Dzyak participated in Malta Fashion Week. Models walked the runway with yellow and blue scarves, and our wheat-and-sky flag was displayed on the backdrop. The organisers also requested that we record a video message explaining events in Ukraine, which they played repeatedly.
- Did any state institutions ever offer you assistance?
- Everything was on our initiative and personal connections.
However, when we needed male designers to travel to London or Copenhagen, we sought help from the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy. We are very grateful to USAID (the United States Agency for International Development, which provides non-military aid - Edit.), which implements the «Competitive Economy of Ukraine» programme. Thanks to grants from the fund, we held five events.
Fashion Created in Bomb Shelters
- How did you personally react to the start of the war before realising action was necessary?
- I awoke immediately. Only a week had passed since the full-scale invasion, and we were already writing letters to all global fashion organisations, proposing six effective steps to support Ukraine. We advised hiring Ukrainians from the fashion sector who had found themselves abroad, avoiding collaboration with Russian models or brands. We asked employees of large fashion corporations to write letters to their leaders to encourage them to help Ukraine. We also provided several specific addresses for assistance - verified charitable foundations.
In March, the initiative Support Ukrainian Fashion (SUF) was born. We sent 16 letters, informing colleagues that Ukrainian fashion brands were on the verge of survival. We immediately received 12 responses with offers of support and acceptance. Among the first to respond were Copenhagen, Berlin, Budapest, Bucharest and Vienna.
- Did you consider leaving the country with your family?
- No, because we knew we could be useful at home. Our entire family made this decision. I focused on fashion brands, our daughter Dana, a professional psychotherapist, continued her practice. My husband, Volodymyr Nechiporuk (UFW's general producer - Edit.), who has volunteered and helped wounded soldiers since 2014, immediately chose this path. We divided tasks to be as effective as possible.
At the start of the war, we did send our grandchildren to relatives in the Ternopil region, but they returned after two months. Since then, we have all lived together in a house near Kyiv. When there are attacks and it becomes dangerous, we hide in the garage, which is buried on three sides and serves as a shelter.
Iryna Danylevska with her husband Volodymyr Nechiporuk, daughter and grandchildren. Photo: private archive
- How does the Ukrainian Fashion Week team work on its messages? How should we speak to the world today to be heard?
- That is a very good question, as we must constantly think about what we want to convey. Over the two and a half years of war and four fashion seasons, we have adjusted these messages multiple times.
For example, in early 2023, we needed the world's support and donations. At London Fashion Week, we held a joint show of collections created during the war by three Ukrainian brands (KSENIASCHNAIDER, PASKAL and FROLOV). At the end of the show, the designers appeared with a Ukrainian flag bearing the UNITED24 logo (a fundraising platform collecting aid for Ukraine worldwide - Edit.).
In 2023, before each show, we wrote letters to guests instead of releases, explaining that the collections they were about to see were created amid the sounds of alarms, during explosions and blackouts…
So that everyone understood that the collections were made by brave and resilient people.
Later, when talk began of the need to «negotiate», we added to our messages that we are being killed simply because we want to be Ukrainians in an independent state.
It is important to always bridge the emotional with the official to convey that we must win this war - otherwise, it will keep repeating, as Russia will not allow us to be free.
This season, we held shows in Budapest, Berlin and Copenhagen. Copenhagen Fashion Week is about sustainability, environmental awareness and sustainable development. The Danes respond strongly to issues of ecology and nature preservation. When we discussed with designers what message to convey to the guests, we came up with the idea of telling them about our Askania-Nova biosphere reserve. Okay, you care about nature preservation - then look at how Europe's largest steppe reserve is being destroyed in plain sight, literally obliterated by the Russians.
To tell the story of Askania-Nova, we chose Ukrainian vytynanka - one of the most vivid traditional forms of our craft. Imagine: the entire second floor of the Ukrainian House in Denmark was filled with vytynanky depicting zebras, herons, other animals and birds, as well as plants from the reserve. It was against this backdrop that the new collections were presented.
- How impactful are your messages?
- We have not broken the system, but we have contributed to helping Europeans and Americans understand what is really happening.
The power of culture is in its constant, emotional and sincere expression. People need to encounter reminders everywhere: Ukrainians are fighting for freedom, for the right to be Ukrainian. Some are born with the right to be free, while Ukrainians must fight for this right.
«War drives us to fulfil old dreams, as it is uncertain if there will be a tomorrow»
- You mentioned that the fashion industry froze at the start of the war. How is it today?
- The market froze, not the industry. In 2022, Ukrainian designers simply shifted their production to military needs, began sewing for the army, which suddenly grew due to volunteers. Every sphere suffers during war, but most designer brands have survived - thanks to our support, the move towards exports and an increase in online sales.
There are phenomena that were born during the war. Antonina Belinska, a talented movie costume designer, had always dreamed of her own clothing brand.
After overcoming the initial shock of the war, she finally dared to make this dream a reality and created the brand TONiA. To me, this is a poignant story about how the uncertainty of tomorrow pushes us to fulfil our dreams today.
- Are Ukrainian designers involved in creating military uniforms, particularly for women?
- The Veteranka sewing workshop creates winter, demi-season and summer military uniforms. In two years, this workshop has produced 1291 units of women’s tactical clothing.
Since the start of the large-scale war, Veteranka has received hundreds of requests from female soldiers asking for adjustments to the men’s uniforms they were issued. Therefore, the workshop focused on sewing high-quality women's military uniforms, which are provided free of charge to female defenders upon request.
Viktor Anisimov’s VIKTORANISIMOV collection
- When you decided that UFW would happen, were the designers ready to accept this challenge?
- We began discussing fashion week in Ukraine as early as November 2023. Even then, designers started writing and calling me.
On the very first day, we announced that applications were open, 25 were submitted. This only strengthened our belief that such an event was necessary right now. However, we took a long time to make an official announcement, which we did only once preparations were in full swing.
We spent considerable time figuring out how to ensure everyone could go to the shelter during air raids and return to the shows afterwards without completely disrupting the schedule. We thought about holding the event not at Mystetskyi Arsenal, but directly in a shelter. However, Mystetskyi Arsenal won, as it is a reliable building with a shelter for 800 people.
Of course, we were also concerned about power outages, so we secured our operations with two generators.
- How many air raid alerts occurred during Fashion Week?
- It is a miracle, but there was not a single alert at that time. They happened between the first and second days of the event, and a journalist from British Vogue, who was brave enough to come to Ukraine for the event, wrote in his article that instead of an opening party, UFW had alerts and explosions.
- The art installation showcasing our designers' responses to the war received significant resonance...
- These are 18 artworks that designers created as reflections on the war. For example, Bevza's necklace, which resembles a circle of charred wheat stalks - a symbolic reminder of Ukrainian wheat that feeds many countries worldwide. Or Ksenia Schnaider's jacket, sewn from ties that Ukrainian men no longer need, as they are at the frontline. Another example is a jacket that designer Maria Starchak created right after the Mariupol tragedy - it is embroidered with the theatre bombed by the Russians, with the word «ДЕТИ» (from Russian - children) on the bottom.
From OMELIA, there is a shirt with flowers. One might wonder, what does it have to do with the war? Designer Kostyantyn Omelia said that when he returned to his studio in 2022 after forced evacuation, he saw dried flowers in vases that left a strong impression on him.
Art installation with designers' reflections on the war
- How has the war manifested in new collections?
- Designers know how to speak about the war in a way that chills to the bone. For instance, in the shows of brands Andreas Moskin, Gasanova and Nadya Dzyak, our veterans appeared on the runway with prosthetics, conveying more about our reality and the war than any military-style clothing could.
- Guests gave standing ovations to the veterans on the runway. I was personally struck by ballroom dance champion Kateryna Stashchyshak, who professionally danced in peacetime, but the war took her leg. How challenging is it for such people to walk the runway?
- This is also about courage. They did it to show our Ukrainian life. Inclusivity is not a trend, it is our new reality, and we are ready to live this way. We respect and bow to these people. They will never be separated from the processes taking place in the country. They should not sit at home alone with their pain.
Ukrainian ballroom dance champion Kateryna Stashchyshchak at the Nadya Dzyak show
FROLOV collection «Ivasyk-Telesyk»
Backstage at Ukrainian Fashion Week SS25. Photo by Serhiy Khandusenko
Nadya Dzyak presented the Chromatic collection, inspired by the Pink Lakes in southern Ukraine and the breathtaking views of the Kinburn Spit (currently occupied by the Russians)
Wozianov's collection titled In Apocalypse about modern Kyiv, characterised by the combination of war and creativity
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