The Eighty Years’ War National Museum in Groenlo, Netherlands, hosted the grand opening of the international exhibition project “War Up Close.” The core of this exposition, dedicated to the contemporary russo-Ukrainian War, features artifacts from various institutions, including the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War. From now on, the Museum space in Groenlo tells the story of two wars for independence: that of the Netherlands in the 16th–17th centuries and that of Ukraine in the 21st century.
The War Museum provided 57 exhibits for the display, including drones, guided bombs, fragments of a destroyed russian helicopter, and trophies captured in battles against the aggressor. One of the centerpiece exhibits is the Magura V5 maritime drone — a prime example of Ukraine’s latest technological innovations in the current war. It was provided by The Diana Podolianchuk Charity Fund upon the initiative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (HUR MO).
Opening the exhibition, Daphne Maas, Director of the Eighty Years’ War National Museum, emphasized: “This project is not only about weapons and destruction but also about the human dimension of war—courage, loss, resilience, and hope. And something especially relevant today—the fight for the truth.”
The official ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Netherlands, Andriy Kostin. He highlighted Ukraine’s unique resilience throughout four years of the full-scale russian invasion and noted that every act of support from the people of the Netherlands helps Ukrainians resist aggression.
Karel Burger Dirven, Honorary Consul of Ukraine in the Netherlands, underscored the exhibition’s significance, stating: “There is a vast difference between observing war and feeling it.” It is this sense of the war currently waged by the Ukrainian people for their national independence that the authentic artifacts from our Museum’s collection provide.
The exhibition “War Up Close” will run until September 30, 2026. The Netherlands has become the 19th country to host international cooperation projects involving the Museum during the war. We sincerely thank The Eighty Years’ War National Museum, as well as Director Daphne Maas personally, and project curators Gerard Boink and Paul van der Ham for their collaboration and for spreading the historical truth about the Ukrainian people’s struggle for freedom.
