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The fight to preserve Kyiv’s past and Ukraine’s future

Beneath one of Kyiv’s most iconic squares lies an archaeological site that reveals the story of Ukraine’s past and its deep Orthodox Christian roots. Despite its importance to Ukrainian identity, activists are fighting daily to protect it from corrupt developers. Their struggle takes on even greater meaning amidst the ongoing war, as Ukrainians continue to defend not only their land but also their heritage.

December 7, 2025 - Theodore Griffin - Issue 6 2025MagazineStories and ideas

Olga Rutkovska poses in front of the exhibit. She is an art historian who co-founded the museum with the architect and lawyer Vitaly Biletsky in 2018. Photo: Denys Klymenko

Kyiv’s iconic Poshtova Square sits next to the broad waters of the Dnipro and looks out onto the wooded parks beyond. Old as the city itself, the square connects the ancient centre’s various districts, yet it has seen numerous facelifts over the centuries. The latest has sparked a row that strikes at the heart of Ukraine’s national destiny.

With a little imagination, Poshtova Square serves as a microcosmic study of Ukraine’s past and present. Its small yellow church was destroyed by the Soviets in the 1930s but rebuilt earlier this century. The square’s eponymous post office was commissioned by Tsar Nicholas I in 1846 and is soon to become an art gallery. What was once a Soviet-era riverboat terminal is now home to the American University of Kyiv. There is even a McDonalds.

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