in kyiv, civilians and soldiers display war trophies in the middle of the street as “proof” of the Russian invasion

It’s an unusual manoeuvre: a truck crane which deposits on the sidewalk – not without breaking a few branches – a tank and an armored vehicle of the Russian army, both charred. An event, on this Monday, May 9, on this small tree-lined avenue of usually peaceful kyiv, as fighting intensifies in eastern and southern Ukraine. Grigory, 13, is very excited: “It’s so cool! Something important is happening in my street. It’s the enemy machines that are on display. Look: there are tanks, armored vehicles. Oh! I would like to climb on them !”

Like this boy, many passers-by pose for souvenir photos in front of these war trophies, as proof of the Russian invasion. The majority of these photo sessions are improvised but others have been skilfully organized. Iana came with her daughter and her grandchildren. This “improvised museum” has, according to her, educational virtues: “My husband and my son are at the front in Mariupol [au Sud-Est], and that’s where it’s the hottest. So we decided to show the little ones what their father and grandfather are fighting against.”

Here a little boy climbs and takes a break on the tail fin of a Russian fighter plane, shot down on March 2. “It allows us to touch the exploits of our Ukrainian army”, enthuses Vlad, 23 years old. Some of these trophies have been on display on the road for several days already and most were collected around Hostomel aerodrome, very close to Boutcha. “It’s really proof of what the Russian army did on our soil,” explains Andriy, conductor, of this temporary installation.

“It’s important to have these machines, before our eyes in the middle of the city, for city dwellers who have never seen war. And because we can see that some still don’t believe in it.”

Andriy, Kyiv resident

at franceinfo

Eventually, the collection will join the National Museum of Ukrainian History. So many Ukrainians, on their own scale, are also starting to put together small personal collections, sometimes surprising initiatives. In this conflict which is also a war of communication, these objects testify to this conflict which they have been undergoing for more than two months.

Erfane, manager of a Tatar restaurant, takes stock of his loot: “I’m going to put military tokens, badges, personal documents… Lots of little details like that, which allow the Russian aggressors to be clearly identified.” A miniature museum that he installs… in the toilets of his establishment. “A political gesture”obviously.