A new art installation titled “Turning Point in the War” was unveiled in Kyiv to mark the anniversary of the Kyiv region’s liberation from Russian forces. The event took place under the Arch of Freedom of the Ukrainian People, according to the Cultural Forces platform.
This installation honors the bravery of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and specifically commemorates the Battle of Hostomel Airport, a pivotal moment at the onset of the full-scale invasion.
The centerpiece of the artwork is a real concrete slab from Hostomel Airport, split in half. This site was intended as a landing zone for enemy troops aiming to capture the capital but instead became a symbol of the aggressor’s failed plans.
According to the Cultural Forces, “Every detail of the installation carries its own meaning: a map of unfulfilled hopes with red arrows on the concrete reflects the actual strategies of the Russian invasion that were utterly destroyed by Ukrainian defenders. Through this fracture emerges a steel memorial pillar engraved with the insignias of all units involved in the liberation of the region, culminating in a beam of light representing the triumph of victory—symbolizing the resilience of the Ukrainian soldier and eternal respect for fallen heroes.”
The Battle of Hostomel and the defensive operations in the Kyiv region signaled to the world that the Ukrainian Defense Forces could indeed “break the backbone” of what was previously considered an invincible enemy. This art piece captures this historical moment as a reference point in the war’s turning tide.
A ceremonial event was held at the installation on the day of Kyiv region’s liberation, attended by military leaders and project partners, including Ivan Dobrovolskyi, Deputy Head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, Viktor Yevdokymov, Managing Director of Education, Science, and Innovation at BGV, Colonel Yevhen Sasyko, Deputy Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Major Andrii Aparov from the military chaplaincy service.
The “Turning Point in the War” installation will be available for public viewing until the end of April, allowing visitors to pay tribute to those who defended the Kyiv region and to honor the respective military units.
A new installation in Kyiv commemorates the anniversary of the region's liberation from Russian forces, focusing on the Battle of Hostomel Airport. The artwork symbolizes the resilience of Ukrainian defenders and marks a significant turning point in the ongoing conflict.