On May 23, Heroes’ Day, a special event took place at the War Museum dedicated to women who have fought and continue to fight for Ukraine’s freedom – from participants in past liberation struggles to defenders in the ongoing russian-Ukrainian war.
In his opening speech, the Museum’s Director General Yurii Savchuk emphasized: "Women have become an integral part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – serving in a wide range of roles, both in combat and in civilian structures. Today’s event is dedicated to them, those who defend Ukraine by the call of their hearts."
Museum researcher Iryna Kotsabiuk spoke about the origins of Heroes’ Day and the historical role of women in Ukraine’s Liberation Movement. The stories of Olena Stepaniv, Myroslava Hrebeniuk-Onuferko, Theodosia Plytka-Sorokhan, Kateryna Zarytska, and Andriana Susak came alive through artifacts and memories – different eras, different challenges, but one goal: a free Ukraine.
The everyday lives of modern female defenders on the front line were revealed through the media project "Zone of Seismic Activity" by photographer Marysia Myanovska. Through images and stories of well-known and lesser-known heroines, the audience was able to see the war as it truly is – daily, exhausting, yet filled with dignity.
A separate part of the event was the presentation of the book This is She Who Fights – a collection of stories about women who took up arms to defend their country. Military service members Olena Shargovska and Yuliia Shevchuk, the heroines of the book, shared their combat experiences and discussed the process of creating the publication – from the initial interviews to the moment their stories were printed on its pages.
As part of the panel discussion "The Heroine: On the Place of Women Soldiers in the National Culture of Remembrance," journalist Yevheniia Podobna, representatives of public initiatives Kateryna Datsenko (project "Honor") and Lera Lauda (memory platform "Memorial"), and Museum researcher Iryna Kotsabiuk discussed how women’s wartime stories are being memorialized in public spaces. The discussion was moderated by Kateryna Pryimak, a leader of the VETERANKA movement.
At the center of the conversation was the issue of transforming the public perception of women at war – from bias and stereotypes to one of respect and recognition.
This day at the War Museum served as another reminder: women’s struggle is not an exception but a full-fledged part of Ukraine’s great tradition of resistance. Preserving the memory of courageous defenders is our duty in the fight for truth and dignity.
