What Fire Cannot Burn

A massive strike hit the Oleksandr Dovzhenko Film Studio. The costume workshop, which housed priceless historical treasures, was completely destroyed by fire. Reduced to ashes were authentic costumes from the legendary films Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, The Lost Letter, and many other cinematic masterpieces created during nearly a century of the studio’s existence.

These garments, crafted by the hands of folk artisans, had been carefully preserved by generations so that they could safeguard memory and return to the screen in new productions. Now they have turned to dust, while official reports from Russia once again cynically claimed that only military targets had been struck.

That same night, another attack damaged the majestic Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The strike caused a fire on the roof of the ancient sanctuary, engulfing the domes of the church.

The rescue of invaluable relics became an example of extraordinary unity and courage. Amid the sound of air raid sirens, museum workers, the abbot and monks of the active monastery, and emergency responders stood shoulder to shoulder, carrying ancient icons and spiritual treasures out of the burning building.

At the moment of greatest danger, when the flames threatened the entire complex, the sky above Kyiv erupted with thunder and flashes of lightning. A sudden torrential rain became a source of salvation, helping to bring the fire under control.

Throughout this brutal war, which began in 2014 and expanded into a full-scale invasion in 2022, cultural heritage has remained a primary target in the attempt to destroy identity. The loss of unique works of art is a deep wound for all.

Yet the spiritual memory nurtured by generations of Ukrainian artists remains stronger than any destruction, uniting people in their determination to preserve their history.