Daily

1pm

IWM North

Main Exhibition Space

Everyone

Free event

Mass media coverage of the war in Ukraine has shocked the world. Russia’s invasion in 2022 marked a significant escalation point in the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. For those living in Donbas and Crimea the harsh reality of war has been present since 2014. Over the past decade it has become one of the most devastating modern conflicts in Europe since the Second World War.

© IWM


in February 2022 Russia launched a full-scale Invasion into Ukraine. We are so frustrated, we are shocked. I woke up from my mom's call she said the war has started. During some, some of those moments I feel like I was actually ready to die I appreciate every moment because in my situation any moment could be the last.

Spanning the period since the 2022 invasion, IWM North’s Big Picture Show uses powerful real-life stories to highlight the experiences of 15 young Ukrainians, exploring their lives as they try to find normality, living their ordinary lives through extraordinarily challenging times. 

Told through their own social media posts, their stories are shared through images and footage capturing the reality of what everyday life is like for young Ukrainians caught up in war.  

Our Partner

Freeda Media Logo

Freeda Media is among the international leaders in the digital media company market, with a community of over 11 million people engaging with its social media channels active in the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.

Founded at the beginning of 2017, Freeda primarily speaks to Generation Z and Millennials, offering original content on relevant topics such as diversity, sustainability, mental and physical well-being, and self-acceptance. With the mission to be a space where the voice of real women stories can spread, to inspire a positive change in society. Freeda has made the promotion of uniqueness one of its core values.

Learn more

S2 E7: Ukraine, with Sophie Duker

What is the history behind the devastating war in Ukraine, and how did it all begin? Recorded in August 2022, this special episode of Conflict of Interest explores Ukraine’s recent past, from the collapse of the Soviet Union to Russia’s annexation of Crimea with guests including comedian Sophie Duker, Ukrainian journalist, expert and activist Olga Tokariuk, academic and historian Samir Puri and senior IWM curator Carl Warner.

A tower block with visible bomb damage. In front of the building, construction and recovery workers are visible.
©Alasdair Brenard IWM DC 137767
Contemporary conflict

Ukraine Conflict

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 shocked the world. Find out more about the conflict and the impact it has had on the lives of the people of Ukraine. 

A Ukrainian artillery gun firing.
© Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, CC BY-SA 2.0
Contemporary conflict

Why is the war in Ukraine so deadly?

The scale of the war in Ukraine is staggering and has shocked the world. Brandon Mitchell and Iryna Knyzhnyk are volunteer medics from the Ukrainian Hospitallers Medical Battalion, which provide life-saving medical assistance and evacuation on the front lines of Ukraine. They are developing strategies to adapt and tackle the issues they face.