On Wednesday, 3 June at 18:30, at Lassingleithnerplatz 2/3, 1020 Vienna, Austria, several authors and editors of the book “Uninvited: 25 Stories About the Russian Occupation of Ukraine“ will share their stories during a public presentation and discussion.
What happens when freedom is replaced by an occupying force overnight? The book breaks the silence surrounding the reality of life under occupation. Following its original Ukrainian release in 2024, this powerful collection is now presented in English translation. The event will include readings and personal reflections by the authors, after which there will be room for questions and discussion with the audience Featured Speakers:
** Volodymyr Shcherbachenko (Editor): Head of the Eastern Ukrainian Center for Civic Initiatives (EUCCI). Formerly from Luhansk, he has been coordinating the documentation of gross human rights violations resulting from Russian aggression since 2014.
** Valentyna Fedorchuk (Author): A journalist from the Kherson region. She bravely reported for a Ukrainian TV channel from within the occupied city and continues her work today documenting war crimes from the Kherson frontline.
** Anastasia Kozak (Author): An author from Kherson who survived two months under Russian occupation before escaping the city in April 2022. In her essay, she reflects on the traumatic experience of evacuation, the meaning of home and belonging, and how war reshapes the value of even the simplest everyday things, reminding us that there are no insignificant losses.
** Nadiia Nesterenko (Author, Editor): A human rights advocate, who works with the Eastern Ukrainian Centre for Civic Initiatives documenting Russian war crimes and supporting victims of the war. In her essay, Nadiia reflects on generational trauma, loss, forced displacement, and the painful emptiness war leaves in Ukrainian families, while drawing connections between Russia’s current aggression and the historical violence Ukrainians endured under Soviet rule.
The publication brings together 25 personal memoirs from residents of the Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Chernihiv regions. Covering the period from 2014 to 2022, the stories illustrate why life under Russian rule is fundamentally unacceptable to civilian Ukrainians of all ages and backgrounds. The essays half-open the door to a world of bombings, hunger, and the trauma of families forced to choose between losing their homes or their identity. Ultimately, the book serves as a vital testament to the coping strategies and spiritual resistance of those who refuse to let their voices be silenced.
The event is organised by the Eastern Ukrainian Centre for Civic Initiatives (EUCCI) in cooperation with KURVE Wustrow – Centre for Training and Networking in Nonviolent Action in the framework of the Civil Peace Service in Ukraine with the kind support of Vienna goes Europe.
Registration via office@viego.eu
By participating in this event, participants expressly consent to the possible publication and use of photo, audio, and video recordings, for example online.