Keeping the peace and catching up with the dream: Mykolayiv region and Dnipropetrovsk region

There is a great deal of blasphemy in this — to name places of Cossack glory after the very person who destroyed Sich and the Hetmanship, suppressed Ukrainian Cossacks as such and turned many Ukrainians into serfs. After all, steppe Ukraine and Prydniprovya, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, according to the Soviet historical doctrine, are "Catherine" places. Involved historians claimed that it was the imperial Russian army that brought "civilization" to these regions in the XNUMXth century, when during the reign of Catherine II and Potemkin, modern Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions became part of the Novorossiysk province. Before that, there was almost nothing here, except for the steppes through which nomads traveled, and scattered settlements. The founding of the cities of Mykolaiv and Katerynoslav (Dnipro) and the subsequent jump in the development of the region were also attributed exclusively to these figures.

Ukrainian local historians claim that before the Russian colonization, there were more than 300 Cossack winter camps and more than 100 settlements — villages, hamlets, which had constant connections with each other — in Mykolaiv Oblast. The memory of the people, ancient crosses on burials, remains of fortifications, and toponyms remind us of the Cossack era. The archives are worse: a considerable layer of documents from the time of the Cossacks was removed, which complicates the search. Dnipropetrovsk region is a glorious region. Of the eight Siches that existed during the Cossack era, five were located on the territory of the modern region. There are versions that the famous Petrykivka was founded by Petro Kalnyshevskyi, the last basket chieftain of Zaporizhzhya Sich. The historical museum in Dnipro is named after Dmytro Yavornytskyi, a historian and chronicler of the Ukrainian Cossacks.

It seems that the imperial and Soviet experience determined further interest in this part of Ukraine already on the part of modern Russian politicians and ideologues. On the maps spread by Russian propaganda in 2014, when Russia first attacked Ukraine, annexed Crimea and bloodily tore off part of the East from the body of our country, both Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions were "drawn" as part of the quasi-formation of "New Russia" - the historical the dead, whom they wanted to resurrect.

Thanks to the Ukrainian defenders, the unity of the nation, the work of volunteers and all patriots, the Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv regions remained Ukraine, we stopped the enemy. This came at a great cost and human losses, but it changed Ukrainians, made them more united, and increased their faith in their country. Knowing the loss, we learned the price of freedom. Today, new pages of history are being written, where the enemy wants to complete what was started and destroy Ukrainianness as such - the struggle of Ukrainians continues.

Fire of life and life in fire

It so happened that visiting the Mykolaiv Oblast is not the first idea that arises when searching for travel routes, not all Ukrainians know this region well. Steppe Ukraine, warm and bready, imbued with the aromas of wormwood and silvery wild olives, lulled by the waves of estuaries. Other associations are the Black Sea and ships, cargo and ports, windmills, sunflower fields and melons (here Mykolaiv Oblast can compete with its neighbor Kherson Oblast). These images are representative, but certainly clichéd.

 

According to the doctor of historical sciences, local historian Oleksandr Trigub, the Mykolaiv region is rich in archaeological monuments and natural landscape objects, and the regional center is generally unpromoted for tourism. We note with sadness that now all these objects have received a new aspect of attention - not as a certain terra incognita that we "missed", but as a heritage that has become vulnerable due to the Russian invasion. On the territory of Mykolaiv Oblast, there are Trikratsky forest and Volozhyn forest on the Kinburn spit, Aktovsky canyon and Mygia. The region is rich in archaeological finds, for example, the Bronze Age settlement "Wild Garden" in Mykolaiv, the national historical and archaeological reserve "Olvia". A historical location that is insufficiently known to Ukrainian tourists is Berezan Island near Ochakov.
The last two monuments are currently undergoing significant destruction: the village of Parutyne, near which the Olvia hillfort is located, is regularly shelled by rocket artillery. Oleksandr Trygub notes that the statistics of these damages have not yet been worked out, since independent collection of any information is a crime.

Before the start of the war, two state-level projects were planned: the completion of the reconstruction of the "Old Fleet Barracks" museum in the regional center and the large-scale project "Mykolaiv (Black Sea) Riviera" - both of them are currently suspended due to the war.

Oleksandr Trygub: "In the current conditions, Mykolaiv Oblast has become a front-line territory. All attention and efforts should be focused on accelerating the victory, only this will make it possible to save architecture and cultural and historical monuments"

"Mykolaiv Riviera" is a route-cluster laid out as part of the government program "Great construction" in 2021, provided for the unification of the city of Ochakiv, the settlements of Chornomorka, Rybakivka, Lugove, Morske, Kobleve and five united territorial communities along a resort route of more than 100 km. In the project the laying of bicycle paths, interesting stops on the route, sea connections, etc. were also foreseen was supposed to draw the attention of tourists to the sights of the region and improve logistics.

The Troitsky bridge remains an unfinished project, according to the information published by the Mykolaiv State Administration, there was a month of work left before its completion, and it seems that they will be able to finish the work only after the victory because of the risks.

Now the region is practically on the line of fire, and the neighboring Kherson Oblast is temporarily occupied. Mykolaiv, which received the title of hero city for its resilience, turned into a fortress. The shelling has continued since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, and endless air raids are pouring through the cities and towns of the region. As of today, the city of Snigurivka, located only 60 km from the regional center, is temporarily occupied by the Russians. At the beginning of March, an attempt was made to capture Voznesensk, which was repelled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Several small settlements near the "Biloberezhya Svyatoslav" national nature park remain blocked by the enemy. These are today's realities of the region in which people live, work and help each other.

In peacetime, key archaeological sites were annually excavated, roads in the former Ochakiv district were repaired, which should have attracted tourists here. In the current conditions, Mykolaiv Oblast has become a front-line territory. All attention and efforts should be focused on speeding up the victory, only this will give an opportunity to save architecture and cultural and historical monuments, Oleksandr Trygub notes.

One of the most difficult situations unfolds in the "Biloberezhya Svyatoslav" National Nature Park. According to the words Pavlo Kholodniak, deputy director of the NPP, since the beginning of the Russian invasion, the protected zone has been permanently shelled, massive fires have occurred. The Kinburn Peninsula is quite separated from the Mykolaiv Oblast: you have to drive through almost the entire Kherson Oblast to get here by land, the spit originates in the Kherson Oblast. Not only this natural park is located on the territory of the Kinburn Peninsula, but also the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve and the regional landscape park "Kinburn Spit". If we talk specifically about the Mykolaiv region and the "White Coast of Svyatoslav", fires at different times covered more than 2500 hectares of territory. In total, more than 10 hectares of protected lands were affected. Fires occur in different ways: top, bottom, in some places the land is burned completely.

The scientific department of the NPP records fires and their spread every day, often they come close to the houses of local residents, because people live on the territory of Kinburn. Park workers and local residents are trying to contain the fire at their own peril and risk, saving homes and power lines where help can no longer reach. In recent weeks, there have also been tragic incidents: two cars with people blew up, there are fatalities. Part of the Kinburn Spit is currently in something of a "grey zone" where the Russians enter to shell the town of Ochakiv. The people living here found themselves cut off from the mainland of Ukraine. "These are very difficult and incomprehensible days, we are waiting for our Armed Forces," states Pavlo Kholodniak.

The villages of Vasylivka, Pokrovka, Pokrovske, and Geroyske are located next to the NPP. The size of the damages, tentatively calculated by scientists, reaches colossal figures, there have been no such fires since the Second World War. But how can you calculate the ecological consequences that will be felt by generations? Pavlo Kholodniak emphasizes: the damage concerns not only the territory of a separate park. The processes taking place affect the soil, flora, living conditions of animals, nesting of birds. Nature has no borders, even if individual territories have survived, negative changes develop in a complex manner and can cause droughts, desertification, dune migration or flooding - various reactions that even scientists cannot always predict.

Pavlo Kholodniak notes: the clarification of damages can be carried out only when the entire nature conservation fund is deoccupied. The territories must be demined, and a corresponding analysis will be carried out by police departments and environmental protection agencies.

The current state of the NPP is inconsistent with the changes that have been taking place and being prepared recently. Last year, the management of "Biloberezh" Svyatoslava changed, the new team launched a number of initiatives. The management of the park managed to regulate the registration of property rights to land resources in a short period of time, this saved the vulnerable part of the park from the risks of construction as part of the expansion of the OTG settlement. Visits to Lithuania (the NPP cooperates with the Lithuanian park "Curonian Spit") and Canada were planned for May and summer as part of the exchange of experience.

In "Biloberezhja Svyatoslav", the economic vectors of activity have been reviewed, the search for resources for development continues, so that the park receives adequate financial support.

"We realized that it is fundamentally wrong when the park receives almost nothing for visits, because of this there is no development. Perhaps such measures are unpopular, but they are for life. We emphasized for ourselves the understanding of what recreational services the park can offer visitors, what they have to pay for," Pavlo Kholodniak continues.

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Conservationists from the Lithuanian Curonian Spit park, with which a cooperation agreement was signed, and the Frankfurt Environmental Protection Union are involved in the discussion of restoration and development opportunities. "There is an understanding that now that we have become candidates for the European Union, the European community, there are tremendous prospects for cooperation, we can communicate and build relationships independently. We must be clear and transparent to Europe, the USA, and Canada if we plan economic and scientific cooperation with them that could ensure the restoration of the park, as well as help to people - our employees," Pavlo Kholodniak notes.

There are plans to make the nature park more inclusive and convenient for visitors with disabilities. Already during the war, the idea of ​​creating a rehabilitation center for Ukrainian defenders appeared: in a part of the park on the shore of the Black Sea there is a stationary recreation area, where it is allowed to build structures. It is prohibited in the rest of the territory of the NPP, but it is allowed to set up "green" tent cities.

Odesa architect Oleksandr Ovsyannikov, with whom the park directorate communicated during the provision of assistance to the residents of the Kinburn spit, expressed readiness to propose ideas for the restoration of the "Biloberezhya Svyatoslav" national nature park. There is also a project of revitalization of the territory near the village of Rybakivka on the part of the park — Lake Solonets-Tuzly. The village is included in the territory of the Koblev OTG. NPP "Biloberezhya Svyatoslava" was invited to cooperate in the restoration of this territory, with plans to develop eco-trails and viewing locations.

Pavlo Kholodniak says: "On February 27, at the scientific and technical council, we had to approve the project of creating an observation deck on the edge of the spit, where the Black Sea meets the Dnieper-Buzka estuary, and fresh water mixes with salt." Since the Second World War, a half-submerged barge has remained there, which later served as a breakwater, it was impractical to dismantle it. The breakwater surrounded by untouched nature is planned to be turned into a tourist landmark and location for photo sessions.

"There were many plans. They were not cancelled, they were just delayed a little, - summarizes Pavlo Kholodniak. — I want people to know about us and get involved. They knew that at the time, when there was no war, there were few people like us. I am 100% sure: everything will end well for our country, if only it happened faster. We will overcome everything and recover, even before these events we had a European vision, it will be better in the future."

Pavlo Kholodniak: "I want people to know about us and get involved. They knew that at the time, when there was no war, there were few people like us"

Viktor Skorobogatov, a leading expert of the Ukrainian environmental protection group, says: 2014 was a turning point for the country in many areas, including environmental protection. In connection with the integration into the European family, Ukraine began the practical implementation of obligations that were ratified earlier, but actually remained on paper. According to the environmentalist, one of the greatest achievements of a qualitative approach to nature protection was the creation of the "Emerald Network of Ukraine" within the framework of the "green" Bern Convention.

Unfortunately, as a result of the war, the authorities are making decisions that can worsen the state of the environment. Law No. 2211-IX "On the Peculiarities of Regulation of Land Relations in Martial Law" brought such changes. As a result of legislative changes, it became easier for communities to use their land resources, but this significantly increases the risks of destruction of steppes, creates prerequisites for illegal uncontrolled logging, and such precedents already exist. "Therefore, unfortunately, it can be said with certainty that the environment suffers not only at the hands of rakers," the environmentalist notes. Among the good legislative changes is the signing by the president of Law No. 5650, which legally defined the steppes and prescribed a ban on their afforestation and leasing for commercial agricultural production. At the same time, during the discussions on the restoration of Ukraine, the issues of nature protection do not receive enough attention. Environmentalists gave the conference in Lugano the unofficial name "Luhansk shame", and the reason is simple: environmental protection is not emphasized in most points of the plan. "During the war, this topic remains aside, many initiatives stop at solutions. Often the reason for this is that nature protection is one of the sectors from which funds are "taken" for the needs of other areas," sums up Viktor Skorobogatov.

War has a colossal impact on the environment. It's not just fires, the term "scorched earth" that is often used now is complex: pollution of air, water, destruction of landscapes and biodiversity. A separate "new" aspect is the chemical contamination of soils by ammunition, which is not only an ecological, but also an economic disaster. In general, rates are increasing. Viktor gives an example: the fire in Vasylkiv at the oil depot, which happened a few years ago, was considered by most at that time to be the biggest environmental disaster since Chernobyl. During the war, dozens of oil depots burned as a result of shelling. What exactly can be damaged in Mykolaiv region or Dnipropetrovsk region, which will lead to disasters? Industrial facilities, warehouses with dangerous chemicals, chemical plants, thermal power plants... All these facilities are now at risk. Speaking of Dnipropetrovsk region, it is one of the regions with the largest concentration of such objects.

According to the conservationist, both Mykolaiv Oblast and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast are largely steppe regions, so the "steppe" fund is mainly suffering now. Damage due to war and criminal human activity can lead to soil degradation and desertification. In the conditions of war, when a large part of the land is polluted due to hostilities, this will add its contribution to the total area of ​​polluted, degraded and unproductive land.

Currently, the Ministry of Environment, together with public environmental organizations, collects information about Russian eco-crimes. Crimes against the environment are also part of war crimes. According to the Geneva Convention, "methods or means of conducting military operations that can cause widespread, long-term and serious damage to the natural environment are prohibited," Skorobogatov states.

Innovations that give hope

More than half a hundred educational institutions were destroyed in Mykolaiv Oblast, including 3 national universities. The Black Sea National University named after Petro Mohyla became the fiftieth higher education institution that the Rashists tried to destroy. The courage and dedication of people who continue to work in such circumstances is admirable. According to the representatives of the GCIP Regional Acceleration Center for Innovations, Technologies and Innovative Startups in the Mykolaiv Oblast at ChNU named after Peter the Great, since Soviet times, Mykolaiv was considered a "city of ships", but time passes, and the structure of the region's economy changes. Coordinator of the GCIP center, Candidate of Technical Sciences Anna Alekseeva and Member of the Supervisory Board of the center, Candidate of Historical Sciences and expert in technology transfer and sustainable development Alyona Bilokon note: in recent years, the IT sphere, small and medium business and the sphere of services have been actively developing. Startups in the field of clean technologies can become the necessary impetus to attract investment and rebuild the region after the war. The center has been operating for a little over a year — it is a platform for collaborations between business, local authorities and scientists. CHNU named after Petra Mohyly became one of the 5 selected higher education institutions in Ukraine, where pilot acceleration centers were created as part of the UNIDO international project with the support of GCIP Ukraine and GEF "Global Innovation Program of Environmentally Clean Technologies for Small and Medium Enterprises of Ukraine". The cooperation of the national university is established with scientific institutions of Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, Norway, and the USA.

Representatives of the center note: in the conditions of Russian aggression, their research is aimed at improving the country's security, assessing the impact of military actions on the state and ways to restore Ukraine after the end of the war. "After creating the acceleration center, we saw how much the demand for training in entrepreneurship and innovation in the region has grown. Mykolaiv is home to a large number of IT startups, startups in the field of clean technologies, presented developments in the field of medicine, etc." At the Business Academy of GCIP, among 20 others, two projects were presented, the activities of which contribute to the development of territorial communities of the Mykolaiv region and the post-war reconstruction of the region: this is the "Object of rural ecological creative tourism Rural estate "Olvia", the "Greek" tourist cluster, and space "Chimeras of the Wild Steppe", which involves the revitalization of a depressed rural area and the preservation of historical and cultural heritage.

We hope that the chances of implementing these initiatives remain.

People change cities

Cities are for people, without them they are just scenery. After the Revolution of Dignity and the trials of war that began in 2014, Ukraine took a clear course towards European integration, European values ​​and living standards. Decentralization reform was an important step towards building communities and giving cities greater autonomy. As a result, the number of local initiatives increased, the number of public organizations, youth centers and unions increased, and people's interest in social entrepreneurship deepened. Small cities gained greater access to international cooperation, business education, and opportunities for grant support.

"PoraDiy is the only youth center of the Mykolaiv region" - such a phrase on the center's official Facebook page attracts attention. During the week of our communication with Svetlana Matveeva, executive director of the NGO "Fund for the Development of Ukrainian Communities" and the youth space "PoraDiy" in the urban-type village of Domanivka, air alarms sounded in the settlement 40 times. People live in such conditions now. Active hostilities continue 150 km from Domanivka, the closest the war came in March, when the Russian military tried to capture the nearby Voznesensk.

According to Svitlana Matveeva, "PoraDiy" is the only youth center operating in the region. Its founder, the NGO "Community Development Fund of the village of Domanivka", has existed since 2014 and has currently transformed into the NGO "Community Development Fund of Ukraine". "PoraDiy" became the actual embodiment of the co-working project "Newly", the business plan of which in 2018 won the competition "Social Entrepreneurship" and was included in the top ten projects of youth work in Ukraine.

The Foundation's initiatives cover 30 settlements, that is, about 16 people who can participate in cultural, public and educational events and receive assistance. About 4300 people actually live in Domanivka itself.

NGO "Community Development Fund of Ukraine" cooperates with grant programs that allow to attract funds for the development of public initiatives, social entrepreneurship is implemented in the "PoraDiy" space. Many initiatives were implemented within the five-year USAID program "Decentralization brings better results and efficiency" (DOBRE), which has been implemented since 2016 in 75 communities of Ukraine.

Before the war, the NGO "Fund for the Development of Ukrainian Communities" and the "PoraDiy" center cooperated with the initiative volunteer program of BUR - "Building Ukraine Together", which was created in 2014 primarily for the reconstruction of cities affected by the Russian invasion in the East. In 2020, Domanivka was home to the only BUR camp in Mykolaiv Oblast. The residents of BUR worked on the renovation of the Domaniv park, organized a public space, and created a location for the recreation of older people (Mykolaiv greetings to the Kyiv "Zhyttelyubu". — Editor's Note). In cooperation with BUR, it was also planned to create a mural in Domanivka, but in the end this issue did not find a response from the local authorities, and the project was not implemented.

During the war, the Domanov youth space, in addition to its main activity, works as a volunteer headquarters, helping IDPs and vulnerable sections of the community. Now many people from Kherson and Mykolaiv live in Domanivka, who came to escape the occupation and shelling.

Development strategies of the Community Development Fund of Ukraine were drawn up until 2026 and provided for the creation of 11 new centers in the region. The war affects these plans, but, according to Svitlana Matveeva, the global strategy has not yet changed. Even other aspects are being opened, for example, new centers are now being developed in the territories where the Fund members have temporarily moved.

Vitaly Vozniak, the head of the NGO "Factory of Mood" from Voznesensk, also shared with the editors information about the initiatives implemented in his hometown. The NGO was created in 2019 by a group of activists. According to Vitaly Vozniak, the city of Voznesensk is small, so an active, active part of the people is always visible. Almost all participants of the "Mood Factory" are people who know each other from different fields of activity: businessmen, lawyers, civil servants and students. The "Mood Factory" implemented a number of projects to improve the public space of the city: installation of chess and game tables in Sichova Slava Park and Nezalezhnosti Park, planting of 350 trees as part of the eco-action, emotional action "Colorful Bridges of the City" - renovation of 4 bridges over the Mertvovod River (painting of bridges in the brand colors of the Voznesensk community logo), the "History of a Small City" project, which introduces the city's residents and guests to historical sights. In 2019-2020, the "FunZona" pavilion was designed and erected - a "place of opportunities", as the team calls it, for holding film screenings and educational events, "green lessons".

An inspiring reference for him was the visual of the pavilion by the German architect Erika Koch (the author knows about this borrowing, she was consulted at the beginning of the project work). Vitaly Wozniak, in cooperation with local architectural bureaus, developed the concept and construction of the pavilion, with a partial change of design and functional elements to extend the life of the building. The project took first place in the "Participatory Budget" competition (The competition, created by the local authorities, allows residents to participate in the distribution of the community's local budget. — Editor's Note). The approximate cost of "Fanzone" was UAH 476, of which UAH 500 were budget funds, the project was implemented in 86 months. Now it is actively used by NGOs and the community.

Vitaly Wozniak: "War is the final stage of the conflict of cultures and worldviews. Everything we did before and are doing is creating conditions for a new worldview. With each project, we showed the difference between how it is and how it could be. In the environment of educated people there is no place for ignorance. My dream is a city, a country of opportunities"

"Fabryka Nastroyu" has won several grants from USAID and the DOBRE program, currently the team participates in the grant program together with NGOs from Mykolaiv. The idea, which was waiting for its implementation for a long time and was finally realized - Youth hub for the community, crowdfunding funds and grant investments were also used for it.

Answering a question about the changes that war brings, Vitaly Wozniak says: "War is the final stage of the conflict of cultures and worldviews. Everything we did before and are doing is creating conditions for a new worldview. With each project, we showed the difference between how it is and how it could be. In the environment of educated people there is no place for ignorance. My dream is a city, a country of opportunities. That's why everything we do is steps ahead."

Dnipropetrovsk is a challenge of sustainability

In 2014, Dnipro surprised many with the power of unity. The "city on three hills", which risked sharing the sad fate of Luhansk and Donetsk, turned into an eastern outpost and resolutely rejected the enemy. It was here that the government and business reacted very quickly to the threat and were able to form the defense of the region "from the wheels". Without delving into the names and personalities of the responsible persons - opinions on this matter may differ - the fact remains indisputable: Dnipropetrovsk region defended its freedom. All fronts were drawn to the Dnipro, the region actually held the south. As a cultural resistance to Russian propaganda, in 2014, a gigantic trident mural appeared on the unfinished Parus hotel, one of the city's recognizable symbols. In 2016, the museum "Civic Feat of Dnipropetrovsk Region in the Events of ATO" was created in Dnipro. The people of Dnipro consolidated their Ukrainian identity, since then Dnipro has been called the city of patriots and the free city.

According to the Dnipro Center for the Development of Local Self-Government, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast has become a leader in Ukraine in terms of decentralization, 26 self-governing local authorities have been created over the past year, and there are already 60 of them in the region. Over the past year, about 100 infrastructure objects in cities and towns have been built and reconstructed in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. villages Such rates gave good prospects for the development of the region in the future.

Now Dnipropetrovsk is suffering from close enemy aggression. Russian deadly missiles, "tornadoes", "hailstorms" and "hurricanes" have no mercy - they fly over the skyscrapers and high-rise buildings of the Dnipro, over "Pivdenmash" and critical infrastructure objects, over the grave of the Cossack chieftain Ivan Sirk and the ancient mounds, the picturesque Petrykivka and its museums. Unfortunately, these weapons often find their targets. A recent shockingly terrible incident was the shelling of the Chaplyne railway station followed by the burning of passenger train carriages, this tragedy claimed the lives of 25 Ukrainians.

According to the Dnipro Center for the Development of Local Self-Government, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast has become the leader in Ukraine in terms of decentralization

For several months, the cities of Marganets and Nikopol have been shelled by the city of Energodar and the ZNPP. According to the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, during this time, about 400 residential buildings have already been destroyed and damaged in Nikopol. There are also dozens of cases of destruction of housing stock, educational institutions, and hospitals in Marhanka. The City Palace of Culture and the ensemble of residential buildings "Central Square Building" that have cultural value were damaged. During the war, the Nikopol, Synelnykivskyi and Kryvorizhzhia districts were the most affected during the war, and another 4 districts are regularly bombarded by rockets and barrel artillery. The recently repaired Nikopol highway was damaged. Natural sights suffer: part of southern Kryvyi Rih comes under fire or is directly in the war zone, the regional landscape park "Balka Kobylna", Bazavlutsky floodplains, Kamianka river valley are located on this territory. Currently, it is impossible to monitor damage to these areas (data from biologist Victoria Trotner, Kryvyi Rih).

According to the Ministry of Culture, the statistics of the destruction of the cultural fund in the Dnipropetrovsk region are smaller than in other front-line regions and regions where hostilities are taking place: the register records data on 3 such objects. By the way, you can familiarize yourself with the list of destroyed cultural heritage and participate in the collection of information on the website created by the ministry platform, now it contains information about 448 damaged or destroyed Ukrainian monuments.

Dnipropetrovsk region responds to enemy attacks with resilience, an extraordinary wave of volunteers, hospitality to internally displaced persons and all Ukrainians from other regions who came here to escape the scourge of war. According to the Ministry of Social Policy, 115 displaced people are registered in Dnipro, but if we take the scale of the region and unregistered persons into account, the figure may be twice as large. Decommunization is also underway: 90 Soviet-era monuments are planned to be removed from the heritage registers in the regional center and region, and more than 70 streets in Dnipro have already received new names. This is the second major wave of decommunization after 2018. The creation of a "park of the totalitarian period" - an open-air museum where dismantled monuments of the Soviet era will be collected - is being discussed.

Ukrainians strive to live in peace on their land, without the "baggage" of the past, and to build the country for future generations. Cherish life, realize the planned. Even under such conditions, communities continue to work to protect and popularize cultural heritage.

The war interfered with the prospects of building a second museum object in Petrykivka — the Museum of the History of Petrykivka Painting and Folk Crafts, the creation of which was initiated by the regional authorities. According to the information of the Department of Capital Construction of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, published on the portal of the Petrikivska settlement council, the construction of a two-story exhibition complex with a total area of ​​1443 square meters is planned. m with improvement of the park area (the museum is being built on the territory of the local park), green areas, a sports field, a singing field and entrances that ensure accessibility for people with reduced mobility. A tender was held and a contractor was selected, construction started at the end of 2021. A group of Dnipropetrovsk architects and designers, as well as masters of light design, known for their installations in the Dnipro, worked on the project.

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According to the director of the museum Andrii Stolbchenko, before the start of a full-scale war, they had time to lay the foundation, carry out communications, and the basement floor and power structures were completely completed. The construction was to be completed and the building put into operation in December 2022. Currently, in the conditions of martial law, there is no possibility to continue work.

According to the plan of the authors of the project, the interactive facade and light shows will give the museum its uniqueness: the famous Petrykiv murals, folk ornaments creatively interpreted by masters of light will be used. In the process of working on the project of the new museum, the authors and the management of the museum communicate with the community, because the construction also involves the reconstruction of the village park. Perhaps changes will be made to the appearance of the building - the war necessarily gives time to think, but at the same time - to search for better solutions.

The team temporarily works in the premises of the village council, the work does not stop: it is both planning exhibitions and establishing connections with museum colleagues from abroad. Museum director Andriy Stolbchenko is currently defending Ukraine in the ranks of defenders. He shared with the editors the renderings that make it possible to assess the scale of the future museum object. We hope it will definitely be implemented after our victory.

To keep the peace and catch up with the dream, to avoid destruction and victims, to prevent the enemy from entering their land is all that the residents of Mykolaiv Oblast and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, residents of the whole of Ukraine, want. We really want this too.

 

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