Uninvited: 25 eyewitness stories of the Russian occupation of Ukraine

Thursday / 26.02.2026 / 19:30 / in English

What happens when freedom is replaced by an occupying force overnight? The book „Uninvited: 25 Stories About the Russian Occupation of Ukraine“ breaks the silence regarding the reality of life in occupied territories. Following its original Ukrainian release in 2024, this powerful collection is now presented in English translation.

The publication brings together 25 personal memoirs from residents of the Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Chernihiv regions. Covering the period from 2014 to 2022, the stories illustrate why life under Russian rule is fundamentally unacceptable to civilian Ukrainians of all ages and backgrounds. The essays half-open the door to a world of bombings, hunger, and the trauma of families forced to choose between losing their homes or their identity. Ultimately, the book serves as a vital testament to the coping strategies and spiritual resistance of those who refuse to let their voices be silenced.

Featured Speakers:

• Volodymyr Shcherbachenko (Editor): Head of the Eastern Ukrainian Center for Civic Initiatives (EUCCI). Formerly from Luhansk, he has been coordinating the documentation of gross human rights violations resulting from Russian aggression since 2014.

• Valentyna Fedorchuk (Author): A journalist from the Kherson region. She bravely reported for a Ukrainian TV channel from within the occupied city and continues her work today documenting war crimes from the Kherson frontline.

• Natalia Huran (Author): An IT consultant and community activist. She survived the Russian occupation from February to April 2022 in the Kyiv region, near Bucha and Hostomel. Today, she focuses on securing patient rights and informing Ukrainians about medical care.

• Natalia Nesenyuk (Author): A psychologist/psychotherapist from Mariupol. She survived the Russian siege of the city in 2022 while pregnant. Now she is living in Germany, supporting other refugees from Ukraine and studying to improve her qualifications as a psychologist