in kyiv, the first museum that documents the war “in real time” opens its doors

It is an impressive remnant of a Russian helicopter, shot down at the start of the war by a Ukrainian missile, which welcomes visitors to the threshold of the museum, on the hills of kyiv.

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This trophy, like all the objects that Yuri Savtchouk has collected in his museum, was collected, with the authorization of the army, in the fields of Boutcha, Irpine, all these villages occupied in March by the Russians .

“We are the first museum in the world to offer an exhibition on war ‘in real time’ while the conflict is still ongoing.”

Yuri Savochuk, director of the “real-time” war museum

at franceinfo

Inside, relics of the passage of Russian troops. Among other things, about sixty pairs of boots that belonged to the enemy, which draw a large red star on the ground. And documents, which make it possible to clearly identify the Russian soldiers. “There you see, these are different identity papers: military cards, driving licenses, veteran cards, bank cards, too”he explains.

Cloth in hand, the staff shines the windows a few hours before opening. And the date of this inauguration owes nothing to chance: the 8th of May at European time and not the 9th, at Moscow time, for the commemorations of the Second World War. “Ah yes, it was done on purpose! Commemorating May 8 rather than May 9 is a strong symbol, a new meaning for us Ukrainianshe explains. It’s a way to change software, and get rid of Russian ideology. With this war, the Russians wanted to impose their values ​​on us? Well they didn’t succeed.”

In the basement, also an impressive reconstruction: the light goes out. You can make out, in the dark, mattresses, blankets, enough to survive for weeks, exactly as the inhabitants of Hostomel did. Yuri Savtchouk named his exhibition “Ukraine Crucified”like a page of history written in the present tense.