On May 16, a new exhibition telling the story of how one of Europe's largest steel plants, Azovstal in Mariupol, became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance in the spring of 2022, opened in Tallinn's Krulli Quarter.

"The Face of Bravery. The Undefeated Defenders of Azovstal" tells the story of the men and women who were among the last defenders of Mariupol in the spring of 2022 at Azovstal, Europe's largest steelworks.

One of the defenders was Vladyslav Lytvynenko, who volunteered to defend his homeland in 2019, hiding decision from his family.

"They were preparing for this war. They knew that something was going to happen. On February 23, he sent home parcels containing some of his belongings. Unfortunately, there was already martial law at that time and they were lost, we couldn't find them," said Vladislav's mother Vira Lytvynenko.

"He was a liaison officer in a special intelligence group and according to his duties he should have been in the Azovstal bunker, next to his commanders, but we had no communication. The Starlinks hadn't arrived yet and so they were all engaged in street fighting. He was fatally wounded."

In the exhibition, Vladyslav is remembered by his boots he was wearing when he lost his life. He died on March 23, 2022, just two days before his 28th birthday.

The pain of the loss prompted Vladyslav's mother, Vira, to seek out the families of other soldiers who had been killed defending Mariupol. The family were only able to identify Vladyslav's body through DNA testing.

"It occurred to me that there was a way to show the world and Ukrainians that so many young, very well educated and wonderful people were dying in this war. It all started with an exhibition of photos in Sophia Square in our capital (Kyiv – ed.). I gathered information about 154 fighters. These were the defenders of Mariupol from the Azov Brigade. I then got to know Anton, a researcher at the Ukrainian History Museum, and together we decided to make an exhibition about it. We are trying to show the truth about the war and that the best of our people really have perished."

"I collected the soldiers' belongings. Unfortunately, there are very few of them. That's why these things are very precious to us," she added.

Vira said she was delighted that the exhibition is now being shown in Estonia. "The way the exhibition is set up here really conveys the atmosphere, it reminds me of the Azovstal barracks and bunker. These photos show the faces of our heroes. It is very painful but also very important for us," she told ERR.

"Putin did not start this war to end it under certain conditions. He wants to destroy Ukraine as a country," she said. "He will not leave us alone. Ukraine is a democracy defending itself at the cost of the lives of its best sons and daughters."

"We are awaiting the establishment of a national military cemetery in Kyiv, so we can bury [Vladyslav] with dignity alongside his comrades-in-arms and with military honors," Vira said.

"The Face of Bravery. The Undefeated Defenders of Azovstal" has been created in cooperation between the Estonian War Museum and Vabamu. Profits from ticket sales will be donated to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine.

More information about the exhibition is available here.

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