This transformer provided light to people for over 50 years. The energy workers named it "Orest"—over the years of working together, it became like family to them. But in 2024, during one of russia’s massive attacks, the transformer was destroyed by fire.
The flames reached 50 meters, and "Orest" burned for an entire day… Of the 200-ton giant, only 40 tons of charred metal remained.
After its destruction, the transformer was transported from the Dnipropetrovsk region to Kyiv, where the "Battle for Light" installation was created. This art project was set up at Kontraktova Square and served as a visual reminder of the hardships Ukraine faced during the war. "Orest" became part of this art piece, symbolizing the massive shelling and destruction of the country’s energy infrastructure. It stood not just as a damaged object but as a symbol of resilience and the will to restore normal life even amidst war.
Today, "Orest" is more than just a transformer. It is part of the exhibition at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War—an artifact of the modern war, a symbol of the indomitability of Ukrainian energy workers who, even under missile fire, refuse to let the light go out or darkness prevail.
