Three years of invasion: exhibition and interview with a Ukrainian student
On Monday 24 February 2025, the world commemorates the third anniversary of the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. At this occasion, the Prague University of Economics and Business (VSE) will re-launch the Unissued Diplomas exhibition, which honours the memory of the fallen Ukrainian students who were never able to complete their studies. The exhibition will run in front of the Likešova Hall from 24 February for two weeks.
VSE and its faculties have been working to mitigate the impact on Ukrainian students since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, more info here. Last year, VSE started cooperation with another partner institution in Ukraine – Odessa National University of Economics. Four students came from Odessa for the spring semester 2024/25, you may read the story of one of them bellow.
Kateryna Plokhotniuk (Odessa National University of Economics)
- This year we commemorate the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. How has the war personally affected you and your family?
The war has left scars on each and every Ukrainian, regardless of their location, age or faith. These scars are often not visible from the outside, they hide deeper. My 85-year-old grandmother Valentina, who is still a senior researcher at the Plant Breeding and Genetics Institute, Odesa, is working on breeding new barley varieties. If I ask her how she is, she usually answers “I’m fine, are you hungry?”. You will never be ready to hear the story of how she woke up at night to the explosions of Russian missiles and the crackling of glass flying out of the windows of her apartment, leaving her trembling and horrified. She is my grandma. I just want my grandma to be safe. My mother Olha, an ophthalmologist at the Odesa City Polyclinic, continues to work under extreme conditions, treating patients even when there is no electricity and heating, as Russia constantly targets Ukraine’s infrastructure. She is my mom. I just want my mom to be safe. I just want my family to be safe. I just want my friends to be safe.
And this, of course, cannot be compared to the families who lost their loved ones, families who were brutally murdered, and families who went missing because of the Putin’s regime. How many families in Ukraine have suffered and how much more is needed to be affected before Russia stops?
- What changes have you observed in Ukraine over the three years since the invasion began?
We’ve learned to live with air raid sirens, power outages, and constant uncertainty. But no one should have to “learn” to live like this. Wars should never become routine. A peaceful day should never feel like a rare event.
- Can you describe the current situation at your home university in Odesa?
My university building was damaged by a nearby Russian missile explosion. Air raid sirens dictate our schedules. Ongoing attacks force students and professors to stay in bomb shelters without electricity, heating, or stable internet during classes. Some students have lost their homes. Some students have lost their families. Some students have lost their lives.
Despite the hardships, my university made and continues to make a significant contribution to supporting Ukrainians during the war. It provides assistance to internally displaced persons, raises funds for our defenders, and organized humanitarian aid for those in need. These initiatives are taking place with the support and involvement of students and NGOs. We persist because education is a form of resistance.
- How has your experience been so far studying in Prague?
My first week went smoothly thanks to the support from the International Office team. And I hope the whole semester will be spent in this spirit.
- What are your hopes and expectations for the future of Ukraine?
FREEDOM
