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"Ukraine. Crucifixion. Tribunal" in New York

On March 31, 2023, an epochal event on the diplomatic, cultural and informational fronts of the fight against Russian aggression took place: the international exhibition about the Russo-Ukrainian war "Ukraine. Crucifixion. Tribunal". It is dedicated to the creation of a Special International Tribunal that will prosecute Russia for the crime of aggression. The exhibition was opened on the eve of the UN vote on the resolution on the creation of a special international mechanism to punish the country-aggressor.

The partners of the project are the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations and the Consulate General of Ukraine in New York. The exhibition emerged due to the support of the Ministry of Culture and Informational Policy of Ukraine and the personal assistance of Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko. The project was implemented jointly with the Bohdan Gubsky Foundation "Ukraine - 21st century".

The exposition is composed of artifacts collected within a year in the field expeditions to recently de-occupied Ukrainian settlements. The exhibited materials demonstrate the realities of the invasion, as well as the reality that the aggressors bring to our country: mass murders, rapes and robberies, merciless bombing of peaceful cities, barbaric destruction of the spiritual and cultural heritage of Ukraine, poisoning of the residents of the occupied territories with the misanthropic propaganda of the "Russkiy mir” (Russian world).

The exhibition became a part of the project "Ukraine. Crucifixion" - the world’s first stationary exhibition of artifacts about the Russo-Ukrainian war, created during the same war. It was first opened in Kyiv on May 8, 2022.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition in New York was attended by diplomats, specifically - members of world missions to the UN, Ukrainian veterans, well-known public and cultural figures, and representatives of mass media. The participants of the event were congratulated via video messages by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak.

"The burial of tortured people in the occupied territory - in the backyards, in the forests, along the roads - is an integral companion of the Russian state flag. This state chose its path. The path of a terrorist. The path of an executioner. The path of a killer. The path of a marauder. This is Russia’s state choice, and there should be state responsibility. Russia should be responsible for every burnt Ukrainian town and village. For every life it destroyed. For every Ukrainian family destroyed by Russian missiles, bombs and mines. We have to restore justice. We can restore justice. We must punish evil," the President of Ukraine emphasized.

"Russia’s war crimes are so brazen and obvious that the International Criminal Court recently issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin. First of all, the main and primary crime committed by the President of Russia is the very act of aggression," the head of the President’s Office underlined.

The permanent representative of Ukraine to the UN, Serhiy Kyslytsia, made a speech. The representatives of the UN member states - Permanent Representative of Denmark Martin Bille Hermann, Permanent Representative of Lithuania Ritas Paulauskas, Permanent Representative of Poland Krzysztof Szczerski and Deputy Representative of the USA Richard Merrill Mills Jr. addressed those present. The diplomats emphasized the importance of justice for Ukraine and its injured citizens, as well as the solidarity of the free world in the fight against aggression.

Yuliya Paevska (aka "Taira"), a paramedic and volunteer, participant in the defense of the city of Mariupol, who survived Russian captivity, spoke to the guests.

The founder of the "Ukraine - 21st century" foundation Bohdan Gubsky noted that the exhibition calls on the United Nations to investigate Russia’s crimes against Ukraine and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Yurii Savchuk, General Director of the Museum and curator of the exhibition, had the honor to present the work of the museum team on the creation of the exposition. After the official part of the ceremony, he conducted a guided tour for the guests.

The project aroused great interest among the diplomatic community. Representatives of 52 countries took part in the opening of the exhibition. Currently, in New York City, we are presenting impressive evidence of Russian criminal actions in order to share the truth about the events in Ukraine and to appeal to the world to jointly fight the total evil.