Heritage under attack: Ukrainians revive interest in culture

But amid all the gloom, Nastya Ishchenko from the Skovoroda museum believes Ukrainians have also started to value more what is under threat from the Russian invasion.

“It’s like in a relationship: to understand what you’ve lost, it has to be taken away,” she says. “We’re uniting not around aggression or anger, but around cultural values which each of us will hand down to future generations. It gives us a ray of light.”

Den newspaper describes how bands, performers and writes are appearing, with new plays premiered and theatres full.

Ukraine’s numerous volunteers have not just provided vital provisions and supplies of clothing and medicines, but musical instruments too.

“Children said that music helped them emotionally, it took them to a place where they don’t hear bombs or sirens. It helps them enormously,” UK-based musician Irina Gould told the BBC’s podcast Ukrainecast.

“For them it’s the best medicine, just to get away from reality and live in a world of beauty and happiness.”