Peculiarities of documenting testimonies about the modern wartime everyday life of communities in the Kyiv region (based on materials from an academic oral history project)

Abstract

The article examines the documentation of testimonies about the modern everyday life of the communities in Kyiv region in wartime, shaped by Russia’s armed aggression. The recording of testimonies was conducted within the framework of the research project “Modern Everyday Life of the Communities of Kyiv Region in Wartime: A Cultural and Anthropological dimension”, implemented by young scholars of the M. T. Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies, Folkloristics and Ethnology of the NAS of Ukraine. Recording oral narratives about the experiences of the Russo-Ukrainian war is crucial for studying societal consciousness shifts, strengthening national identity, and developing post-war recovery strategies for Ukraine. In 2022, following the liberation of Kyiv region from occupying forces, investigations into Russian war crimes began, alongside their academic documentation. Such initiatives have laid the foundation for a comprehensive source base for studying the events of Russia’s full-scale invasion in Kyiv region. This academic project is aimed at that goal. As part of its implementation, the research team conducted in-depth semi-structured problem-oriented interviews with war eyewitnesses. The study encompasses a broad spectrum of social and professional groups and includes visual materials reflecting the realities of wartime life. The research conducted within the project is focused on creating an archive of testimonies, serving as evidence for lawsuits against Russian federation in international courts, further academic research, and the development of new educational and cultural strategies. A key principle of this work is the voluntary consent of eyewitnesses to document their experiences. Special attention is paid to ethical standards in recording oral history testimonies to prevent re-traumatization of war eyewitnesses.