Life in Ukraine

Ai Weiwei’s new installation, Three Perfectly Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White, opened September 14 in Kyiv’s Pavilion 13. It confronts Russia’s war in Ukraine with stark symbolism and calls for reflection on violence and peace.

Having secretly enrolled in a Ukrainian online school and waiting for her 18th birthday, Marta was finally able to leave Russian-occupied Donetsk in spring 2025. Without saying a word to her parents, she packed her belongings and headed to Kyiv. Marta told her story to UNITED24 Media. 

“1,2,3,4!” The commands echo across the river as blades slam in unison. On Kyiv’s Trukhaniv Island, soldiers and veterans swapped rifles for paddles, driving long dragon-headed boats down the Dnipro to the beat of a drum in Ukraine’s first-ever dragon boat race.

Kyiv will host the Fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen on September 10-11. Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska will unite global leaders, Nobel laureates, and teachers from around the world to explore how education can transform societies—even amid war.

A Kyiv penthouse with panoramic windows once embodied success. Now, it’s where people jolt awake to air raid sirens, counting the seconds: will they make it to a shelter, or is it safer to stay in the bathroom? Russia’s relentless bombardment has radically reshaped what Ukrainians call comfortable housing. Here are the main lessons.

A new school year has begun in Ukraine, once again under the shadow of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Despite frequent air raid alerts and the constant threat from Russian attacks, city administrations, schools, and teachers across the country are finding ways to ensure that as many children as possible can continue their education.