17.5.2025 | Culture

The Last Fighters of the Siege of Mariupol

Text Susanna Poikela
Photos Dmytro Kozatskyi, Susanna Poikela

A new exhibition about the Ukrainian war and the siege of Mariupol was opened yesterday, Friday, 16 May, in the workshop hall of the Krulli Quarter. The exhibition titled “Faces of Courage: The Unconquered Defenders of Azovstal” tells the story of the defenders of Mariupol, who are remembered for the three-month siege of Mariupol in 2022.

The Ukrainian defenders, entrenched in the bowels and underground tunnels of the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol, managed to hold their ground for almost three months. Dmytro Kozatskyi’s touching photographs of the men and women who refused to surrender were broadcast around the world. Azovstal in Mariupol became a symbol of Russia’s brutal aggression and Ukraine’s unwavering resistance.

The “Faces of Courage” exhibition is a collaboration between the Estonian War Museum, Vabamu, and the National History Museum of Ukraine. It takes the viewer back to the spring of 2022, when the eyes of the entire world were on the Ukrainian port city, which was suffering under a merciless Russian siege.

“The exhibition is about the people behind the numbers,” says Linda Lainvoo, the developer of the exhibition idea. “When we talk about war, the conversation easily drifts to statistics, but people die in war. Every person who dies has a face, a name, and a story. We want to highlight their dignity and courage, because this is a story that must not be forgotten.”

The exhibition is open until 5 October every day from 10:00 to 18:00. You can see the location here. If you come by car, you can park here. The ticket costs €9, the reduced price is €7, and people under 19 and Ukrainians get in free. The exhibition is also free for holders of the Tallinn Card or Estonian Museum Card.