The Five Doors Presented at the Exhibition

As part of the exhibition Tridents and Tanks: Ukraine’s Struggle for Freedom, we are honored to present five original doors from Ukrainian homes destroyed during russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. Each door carries the scars of shelling, fire, and occupation. These doors are not just physical remnants of war - they are testimonies of survival, memory, and the unshakable will of the Ukrainian people to defend their homes, families, and future.

Door 1 – Trostianets, Sumy Oblast (Okhtyrka Raion)

This door comes from the home of Olga, a resident of Trostianets. Her house was located near the railway station, where Russian troops placed tanks, howitzers, and artillery during the occupation.

The home was shelled multiple times, set on fire twice, and ultimately destroyed—leaving Olga and 59 other families without housing. Despite this loss, she shares her message of resilience:

“I believe in victory and a better future for all of Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine! We are an invincible people!”

Door 2 – Kharkiv (Saltivka District)

Saltivka, one of Kharkiv’s largest neighborhoods, became a symbol of destruction during the russian full-scale invasion. Once home to hundreds of thousands of people, it was relentlessly bombarded, with residential towers reduced to hollow shells.

With the help of local volunteers, this door was recovered from a destroyed residential building in Saltivka. It stands as a reminder of the devastating toll russia’s war has taken on Ukraine’s second-largest city known for its vibrant culture and innovation, now scarred by indiscriminate attacks.

Door 3 – Bohdanivka, Bakhmut Raion, Donetsk Oblast

The village of Bohdanivka lies in a region that has been on the front line of war since 2014, when russia first ignited conflict in eastern Ukraine. In 2022, with the full-scale invasion, this area again endured some of the heaviest fighting, including the infamous battle for Bakhmut.

The door retrieved here carries not only the physical marks of war but also the memory of a community torn apart by almost a decade of continuous violence. It speaks to Ukraine’s long, painful struggle for freedom and sovereignty against russia’s aggression.

Door 4 – Kam’yanka, Izyum District, Kharkiv Oblast

This door belonged to Nadiya Zadniprovska, a resident of Kam’yanka. Her home was struck by a Grad missile, burned, and later damaged further by explosives. The village itself became part of the “grey zone” a buffer between russian and Ukrainian forces, constantly under threat.

Nadiya, deeply pro-Ukrainian and determined, guided us through the ruins of her community, including the school where she and her children once studied. Her door bears the marks of fire, shrapnel, and shockwaves a silent witness to her family’s ordeal and her unbroken spirit.

Door 5 – Kam’yanka, Izyum District, Kharkiv Oblast

Also from Kam’yanka and belonging to Nadiya Zadniprovska, this second door further illustrates the immense destruction the village endured. Like the first, it carries the wounds of shelling, fire, and relentless violence.

Together, the two doors from Kam’yanka serve as powerful symbols of survival in a place that lived for months between two armies. They remind us of the cost paid by ordinary families and the strength required to endure.

The Artist’s Vision

“For me, it was important to focus on an ordinary object - the door - something every person encounters in their daily life. A door is never just wood or metal; it becomes a portal between life and death, safety and danger, belonging and exile. It can both open the way forward and stand as protection.

In mythology, doors and thresholds often symbolize the passage between worlds - the known and the unknown, the mortal and the divine. Within the context of war, this symbolism takes on urgent meaning: in Ukraine, doors have become silent witnesses to violence, forced departures, and the fragile hope of return.

By presenting doors as both personal and collective symbols, the installation reflects on how war transforms the most familiar objects into carriers of memory, trauma, and resilience. Each door stands not only for the stories of millions of Ukrainians, but also for the universal human experience of crossing thresholds in times of upheaval.”

To learn more about the project please visit : ruslankurt.com/doors

Acknowledgments

The exhibition Doors Through the Horrors of War at The Canadian Tank Museum has been made possible thanks to the dedication and support of:

Brought to you by BWV Toronto Ukrainian Festival.