Ukraine’s Unlikely Fighters

www.ozy.com [OZY]() Your World. Bold & Bright [Daily Dose]( Sponsored by [Cariuma]( The newsletter to fuel — and thrill — your mind. Read for deep dives into the unmissable ideas and topics shaping our world. Jun 20, 2022 Today Across Ukraine, an unlikely cadre of defenders seeks to counter the effects of Russia’s ongoing war. Artists and cultural activists are leading new grassroots initiatives to preserve cultural heritage, document war crimes and help displaced citizens. They’re doing so in defiance of sustained bombings and military aggression. In honor of World Refugee Day, today’s Daily Dose gets up close with this harrowing and often overlooked form of resistance. – with reporting by Sylwia Serafinowicz from London [Trust the numbers]( [Cariuma]( We’ve told you how good these shoes are, but if you don’t want to take our word for it, or the words of over 15,000 5-star reviewers… consider this. 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Bombing history Targeted raids on cultural sites, public and private collections, and even antique shops, continue to be reported by the Ukrainian [Ministry of Defence](, most recently in the occupied Kherson region, north of Crimea. As accounted by Konstantin Akinsha, an art historian and curator, the museums in this area are home to over [150,000 artifacts](, including gold Scythian jewelry. Blue shield UNESCO is collaborating with Ukrainian cultural activists to [identify and mark]( sites that should be protected from accidental and deliberate damage inflicted by the war. The organization assesses satellite images and communicates across the border with heritage workers overlooking Ukrainian resources. According to the [Museum Crisis Centre]( — a grassroots initiative set up by Olga Honchar, director of the Lviv Territory of Terror Museum — the Ukrainian government focuses on preservation of objects over 50 years old and therefore legally [considered]( to be of “cultural value,” leaving the safety of more contemporary initiatives and smaller collections in the hands of their creators and custodians. [What do supermodel Nina Adgel, comedian Pete Davidson, and actress Helen Mirren have in common?]( [Cariuma]( They've all been seen stepping out at A-list celebrity events in comfy and stylish [Cariuma]( sneakers. It's no wonder, with bold and saturated colors that are fashion-first and Internet-famous, that these are the shoes of the moment. But you don't have to pay celebrity prices with us. [Use the code OZY2022 and save $15!](. [Shop Now]( Emergency Support Helping artists Shortly after the February 2022 Russian offensive began, the Kyiv Biennale, an interdisciplinary initiative of international scope, launched the [Emergency Support Initiative](. Focusing on the occupied and relocated artistic community, this initiative offers financial support and a safe space for displaced artists to live and work. The platform, forging an impressive local and international network including the European Cultural Foundation and ERSTE Stiftung, put into practice the premise of the 2021 edition of the Biennale, which (somewhat prophetically) looked at fostering new international alliances in the face of the growing dangers of [authoritarian capitalism](. Talk about Mariupol. Shout about it. The [TU platform]( operated in Mariupol until the destruction of the city by Russian forces. Initiated in 2015 after Russia’s aggression on Donetsk, it functioned under the banner “Everything that works for culture, works against war.” Formed by Diana Berg and Konstantin Batozsky, the organization promotes critical thinking in Ukrainian society and fights xenophobia. The siege of Mariupol was directly reported by those who remained [on the ground]( alongside [global news agencies](. TU team members who managed to escape to Lviv continue to support those who [stayed in Mariupol](. Racing against time [Asortymentna Kimnata]( is an initiative led by curator Anna Potyomkina, who oversees the evacuation of endangered artists, studios and archives. The platform, based in Ivano-Frankivsk in Western Ukraine, has established [a network of safe locations]( where, amid the chaos of a war-torn country, contemporary art can be stored. [The Instagram account of this independent institution]( offers an insight into the physical and logistical effort that goes into saving lives and preserving a lifetime of work during the current war. [TAKE OUR POLL]( WATCH SONYA ZLOTNIK on [The Carlos Watson Show](! Documenting war crimes Citizens’ reporting The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recognizing the value of citizens’ reporting, encouraged the submission of photographs and testimonies through [Diia, an administrative services app.]( Simultaneously, charitable organization Vostok SOS, working with victims of war since May 2014, makes such reporting public through its regularly-updated [Documentation]( webpage. Natalia Kaplun, a program coordinator at Vostok SOS, previously co-authored a publication called “[The City, from Which the War Started](,” which gathered testimonies from citizens of Sloviansk in the Donetsk region, occupied by Russian-backed rebels in 2014 and attacked again in 2022. Sensitive material In April, a group of 13 Ukrainian media, news and human rights organizations submitted a public [letter]( to Meta, Facebook’s parent company, protesting the deletion of imagery and posts that documented Russian war crimes, which they argued could serve as crucial evidence in future trials. The letter also pointed out that many posts glorifying Russian armed forces and including the symbols “Z” and “V” — criminalized in countries such as Latvia — had slipped through the net and remain widely available on Meta platforms. Photographers on the frontline Yana Kononova and Stanislav Ostrous are two professional photographers who turned their cameras into tools to document Ukraine’s plight. Through their lenses, viewers are confronted with the terror of bodies and buildings shattered by bombs or missiles. Kononova’s black-and-white photos have been broadcast from the Kyiv Biennale Instagram account, together with a [statement from the artist](, who has accreditation from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence to document war crimes. Ostrous, meanwhile, was previously a conceptual photographer and continues to document [the destruction of his hometown Kharkiv]( while wearing a bulletproof vest. [TAKE OUR POLL]( Community Corner What would you do to defend your country if it were invaded by a foreign military? Share your thoughts with us at OzyCommunity@Ozy.com. ABOUT OZY OZY is a diverse, global and forward-looking media and entertainment company focused on “the New and the Next.” OZY creates space for fresh perspectives, and offers new takes on everything from news and culture to technology, business, learning and entertainment. [www.ozy.com]( / #OZY Curiosity. Enthusiasm. Action. That’s OZY! 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