Culture

Despite Russia being excluded from most international festivals since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian flag reappeared on the roof of the Palazzo del Cinema on the Venice Film Festival’s opening day—reviving questions about Moscow’s political, economic, and cultural influence at major international events.

Russia stole the works of Ukraine’s renowned 20th-century painter Leonid Chichkan in 2022. Three years later, it claimed the life of his great-grandson, David Chichkan, an artist, anarchist, and soldier.

As war continues to disrupt daily life in Ukraine, a handful of international musicians are moving beyond symbolic gestures—bringing not just music, but solidarity, aid, and a sense of normalcy to audiences who need it most. Despite the risks, they are coming to Ukraine to perform in person.

Were the Cossacks Ukrainian or Russian? The answer’s simpler than it sounds. The Cossacks were born in the flatlands of what is now southern Ukraine, where they carved out a fierce, democratic society that became a cornerstone of Ukraine’s—and Europe’s—unfinished struggle for freedom from empire.

In wartime Kyiv, even after some of Russia’s most intense attacks, audiences still fill screening rooms to witness Ukraine’s unfolding history. The 22nd Docudays UA film festival premiered in June 2025 with over 70 Ukrainian and international films, capturing everything from frontline heroism to the search for justice in Bucha.