The DJ has installed his turntables and speakers on a low wall. To the sound of electronic music, hundreds of young Ukrainians form a human chain to remove bricks from a ruined building in the village of Yagidné. “We are cleaning up the consequences of the Russian occupation,” says Dmytro Trofymenko, 31. “It’s an example of how young people can be helpful, without compromising the way we like to spend our time listening to music,” continues the mustachioed DJ.
The Repair Together initiative is taking place this weekend in several villages in the Cherniguiv region of northern Ukraine, after more than 500 days of Russian invasion. It was launched last year in several areas of Cherniguiv that were under Russian occupation or located on the front line. “We are in contact with the local authorities. They give us a list of buildings and addresses where we must come and dismantle the ruins, explains Bogdan Bieliaev, 29, one of the organizers. Building professionals then get to work once the debris has been cleared by the ravers.
Outings are regularly organized in the summer, with most volunteers coming from Kyiv or the surrounding region. According to Bodgan Bieliaev, about 350 people, with an average age of 25, took part in the rally this weekend. “Most of them want to help. They don’t want to stay at home,” he said.
Oleksandra Gorgane, a 28-year-old agricultural expert, wearing sunglasses and a leopard scarf on her head, says she is “inspired by patriotism”. “Unfortunately, my hometown is currently under (Russian) occupation. I cannot help them physically, only financially. I feel like, somehow, I’m catching up,” she explains. Iaryna Kvasny, 21, says she wants to “help with her hands”: “It benefits the community. They don’t need to hire someone, they just need to hire young workers who do it for free”.
And after a hard day of clearing, it’s time to relax: volunteers take part in the celebrations of the folk tradition of the night of Kupala, which usually takes place on the summer solstice. They undress and bathe in a nearby lake, some dressed in embroidered linen shirts and their heads crowned with flowers. Later, they will dance around a fire. For Anna Pendyoukh, a 30-year-old graphic designer, these parties are a way to get rid of “a lot of negativity”. “It’s very important in times of war, it helps mental health,” she says. “We want to tear our hair out because of what is happening. This negativity needs to be released somewhere, to be spat out,” she adds. “It’s the most constructive and non-destructive way to do it.”
