This year, the Museum’s publishing “Ambassadors” were two of its latest publications: “Historical Portrait of Sloboda Ukraine: Kursk region” and “World War II. War Calendar.”
The first is a catalogue of the museum exhibition “...beyond the borders of our native land”, which emerged from an unprecedented museum expedition to the Ukrainian-russian border during the height of the Kursk defensive operation. The second is a popular science project designed to be helpful to both educators and students in studying the history of the last global conflict.
The Museum’s main event at the “Book Arsenal” was a public discussion titled “From World War II to Today’s War: How to Describe the War from a Ukrainian Perspective.”
Speakers included: Yurii Savchuk, Director General of the War Museum; Volodymyr Viatrovych, People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Director of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance (2014–2019); Vitalii Nakhmanovych, Leading Researcher at the Kyiv History Museum; Mykhailyna Skoryk, Deputy Mayor of Bucha (2021–2023)
The event was moderated by Roman Kabachii, Senior Researcher of the War Museum.
The participants discussed the formation of a Ukrainian vision of World War II, drawing parallels between the largest armed conflict in history and the ongoing russian-Ukrainian war.
Museum Director Yurii Savchuk emphasized that the challenges of the current war force our society not only to reassess the events of World War II but also to make every effort to communicate the truth about the current war to the international community.
The speakers also addressed the issue of historical continuity between the Ukrainian people’s past struggles for independence and today’s resistance to russian aggression. As Volodymyr Viatrovych noted, it is precisely Ukrainian statehood and national unity that have been decisive factors in the present war.
Mykhailyna Skoryk drew a clear parallel between the criminal practices of the totalitarian regimes during World War II and those used by the russian occupiers today.
Vitalii Nakhmanovych noted that the lessons of World War II help modern Ukrainians understand the importance of national agency—something Ukrainians have successfully defended in their struggle against russian aggression.
During the public discussion, Museum Director Yurii Savchuk presented the Museum’s publications and, afterward, donated copies to military personnel as part of the “Books to the Front” initiative.
The War Museum expresses its gratitude to the organizers of the “Book Arsenal” and all the participants of the discussion.
