A landmark event has taken place in the history of Ukrainian-Swedish cultural relations: the Order of Princess Olga, III Class, has been awarded to Helene Rånlund, Director General of the Swedish National Museums of Military History, as well as to representatives of the National Archives of Sweden – Director General Karin Åström Iko and International Coordinator Johanna Fries Markiewicz. The awards were presented in accordance with Presidential Decrees of Ukraine № 576/2024 of August 23, 2024, and № 617/2025 of August 23, 2025, by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk.
Our Swedish colleagues are active participants in cultural cooperation between Sweden and Ukraine and reliable partners of the War Museum. During Russia’s full-scale invasion, our institutions have implemented a series of joint initiatives. In particular, in 2024 the exhibition “Crossroads: Sweden – Ukraine (1000 Years)” was presented at the Swedish Army Museum in Stockholm. This is the largest international museum historical project of Ukraine ever, uniting almost 30 institutions from both countries. Helene, Karin, and Johanna have confidently taken up the baton of Ukrainian-Swedish cooperation and raised it to a new level.
The War Museum sincerely congratulates our partners on this well-deserved high honor and takes pride in our collaboration. We wish you inspiration for new achievements, the realization of your boldest plans, and the warmth of family. Your unwavering support serves as a pillar and source of inspiration for the Museum during these difficult times, and the projects we have realized together will serve as a guiding light for generations of Swedish and Ukrainian museum and archival professionals to come.
