The first thought that comes to mind when we think of the war between Ukraine and Russia is destruction. It’s right, but what Ukrainians value most is the cultural factor of their cities, not just the buildings. When a bomb destroys a divine place, they are more attacked and sorrowful than if it had been just a building.
For example, at the start of the war, a sacred place called “Princess Olga” was protected by layers of sandbags in hopes of protecting it from any bombs. The Ukrainians voluntarily covered it which easily demonstrates the value of the statue to them. Ukraine’s culture in the modern era often notes the Soviet Union’s annexation 80 years ago. After Russia finally let loose of Ukraine, now it’s conquering Ukraine once again, disrupting the culture of Ukraine.
It seemed as if Russia was purposely attacking cultural institutions, as Farago from New York Times described it: “Right now that danger is starkest away from Kyiv. In the occupied eastern cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, local history museums are presumed destroyed. The missiles come again and again in Kharkiv — the nucleus of the Ukrainian avant-garde in the early days of the Soviet Union. But no city can sleep easy, and no cultural institution is safe.
On Thursday a barrage of Russian missiles struck Vinnytsia, a city west of Kyiv and hundreds of miles from the front. They blew up a music venue ahead of a pop concert; the performer Roxolana posted to Instagram that her sound engineer was among the dozens dead.”
A scholar of Ukraine, Anton Drobovych noted Ukraine’s culture as an explicit military asset. “It is contagious, and it spreads to the rest of the world,” he told me[SF1] at the barracks. “It seems that this truth and justice, which is violated, simply explodes in people who create art. And I think that’s a huge part of why we’re going to win this war.”
In the Russia-Ukraine war, it could possibly be the place you think is least likely to have culture. However, the Ukrainians might remain strong and still celebrate their wondrous culture.
For example, at the start of the war, a sacred place called “Princess Olga” was protected by layers of sandbags in hopes of protecting it from any bombs. The Ukrainians voluntarily covered it which easily demonstrates the value of the statue to them. Ukraine’s culture in the modern era often notes the Soviet Union’s annexation 80 years ago. After Russia finally let loose of Ukraine, now it’s conquering Ukraine once again, disrupting the culture of Ukraine.
It seemed as if Russia was purposely attacking cultural institutions, as Farago from New York Times described it: “Right now that danger is starkest away from Kyiv. In the occupied eastern cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, local history museums are presumed destroyed. The missiles come again and again in Kharkiv — the nucleus of the Ukrainian avant-garde in the early days of the Soviet Union. But no city can sleep easy, and no cultural institution is safe.
On Thursday a barrage of Russian missiles struck Vinnytsia, a city west of Kyiv and hundreds of miles from the front. They blew up a music venue ahead of a pop concert; the performer Roxolana posted to Instagram that her sound engineer was among the dozens dead.”
A scholar of Ukraine, Anton Drobovych noted Ukraine’s culture as an explicit military asset. “It is contagious, and it spreads to the rest of the world,” he told me[SF1] at the barracks. “It seems that this truth and justice, which is violated, simply explodes in people who create art. And I think that’s a huge part of why we’re going to win this war.”
In the Russia-Ukraine war, it could possibly be the place you think is least likely to have culture. However, the Ukrainians might remain strong and still celebrate their wondrous culture.
