On March 19, 2026, at the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine, an exhibition "Documenting the Impact of the Russian War on Ecology" opened in the largest exhibition greenhouse and the adjacent gallery – the result of a scholarship program for young photographers from the documentary project Living the War.
Five authors: Mykyta Bezus, Ivan Samoylov, Valentyna Polishchuk, Ruslana Klyuchko, and Regina Bukvych – spent four months researching the ecological consequences of the war: from landmines and the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP to the death of dolphins in the Black Sea and the disappearance of insects due to pesticides. Their works are organically integrated into the garden space – between the living collections of the greenhouse and the monumental granite walls, creating a strong contrast between the vulnerability of nature and its resilience.
This event gained special significance precisely in the space of the botanical garden – a place that houses one of the most valuable collections of tropical and subtropical plants in Ukraine, which has the status of a National Heritage. Throughout the winter of 2025–2026, under constant threats of missile strikes and energy instability, preserving this collection required daily, intense, and highly professional work by the entire botanical garden team. The efforts of the tropical and subtropical plants department staff were especially important, as they ensured a stable microclimate, maintained the viability of unique specimens, and prevented losses even under critical conditions.
It was precisely thanks to the systematic and dedicated work of the staff that the collection was preserved, which is not only a scientific value but also a strategic resource for the future restoration of Ukraine’s biodiversity. Part of the exhibition is dedicated to specific moments of this difficult winter for the "Kyiv tropics."
Human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviychuk emphasized during the opening the necessity of systematically discussing the losses and threats to Ukraine’s unique natural territories.
The director of the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine, corresponding member of the NAS of Ukraine Natalia Zaimenko, thanked everyone who contributed to saving the collection during the most difficult winter period: "Preserving this unique biological diversity is about ensuring that these plants will later help restore our ravaged land."
The community of the documentary project Living the War, together with the botanical garden team, aims not only to document but also to spread the story of this place as an example of the resilience of science and nature in wartime.
Today, the garden is seeking partners ready to join efforts to preserve and modernize the greenhouse complex – particularly in creating energy-independent solutions. During the exhibition, the Living the War documentary project team, together with the botanical garden team, is working on finding sustainable energy supply models, which are critically important for the functioning of the collections.
"The botanical garden is Kyiv’s showcase, it is a landmark place of Ukraine," emphasizes Natalia Zaimenko.
During the event, guests had the opportunity to visit the exhibition greenhouses of the botanical garden and, enjoying the hospitality of the tropical and subtropical plants department, together with its head, Doctor of Biological Sciences Roman Ivannikov, to view the impressive collection of blooming azaleas and camellias, which are currently at the peak of their flowering.
The botanical garden preserves unique ancient varieties of Indian azalea, ancient European breeding, with some varieties over 100 years old. In this way, the institution makes a significant contribution to preserving the pan-European cultural and natural heritage and supports Ukraine’s high international image.
The exhibition will be open until April 5, 2026.
According to information from the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine
