#Khartiia

From smashing a 2,000-year-old Han dynasty urn to carpeting the vast halls of the Tate Modern with millions of ceramic sunflower seeds, the career of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has been defined by large-scale statements. The very established artist, who started off as a dissident not only in China but in the art world itself, talks to us about his time 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.

Alina Shukh was a World U20 heptathlon champion with Olympic ambitions. Far from the track, and deep in the fight against Russia’s invasion, today she leads foreign fighters on Ukraine’s frontline.

At the close of 2024, the Ukrainian 13th National Guard Brigade "Khartiia" surprised the Russian forces by executing the first-ever combined-arms maneuver conducted solely with drones. This historic attack involved a wide range of systems, from ground drones fitted with machine-gun mounts to FPVs.