Viktoriia Grivina
@brams884.bsky.social
Writer, researcher of Kharkiv, PhD student at St Andrews University.
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Viktoriia Grivina
@brams884.bsky.social
· May 30
Kharkiv—A War City
Kharkiv—A War City - This unique collection of essays offers a glimpse into life in and around Kharkiv during the first two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A Kharkiv native, Vikoriia
www.ibidem.eu
You can now order my book via Ibidem. These are stories with a bit of humor and history, and I hope they are saying more about Kharkiv than my ever-modest self 😅. Big thanks to @maksymeristavi.com and @victoriadonovan.bsky.social - my first readers & inspirations. www.ibidem.eu/en/Topics/So...
Modernist 1960s cafe Krystal in Kharkiv, was renovated in 2020. The problem with the renovation as you see are the pines that were enclosed in concrete and died. The cafe is famous for the Bilochka (squirrel) icecream - thick cream dessert with chocolate and lots of hazelnuts.
January 20, 2026 at 7:32 AM
Modernist 1960s cafe Krystal in Kharkiv, was renovated in 2020. The problem with the renovation as you see are the pines that were enclosed in concrete and died. The cafe is famous for the Bilochka (squirrel) icecream - thick cream dessert with chocolate and lots of hazelnuts.
Palm tree that survived ww1 and ww2 in Kharkiv botanical garden. The greenhouse suffered from russian attack in 2022, and the tree for the first time was threatened. Now the garden is fragile as ever, as most of the homes are barely heated after continuous attacks.
January 19, 2026 at 7:42 AM
Palm tree that survived ww1 and ww2 in Kharkiv botanical garden. The greenhouse suffered from russian attack in 2022, and the tree for the first time was threatened. Now the garden is fragile as ever, as most of the homes are barely heated after continuous attacks.
David Lynch kind of days.
January 18, 2026 at 3:51 PM
David Lynch kind of days.
Derzhprom, my modernist love on an evening walk in a winter Kharkiv.
January 18, 2026 at 7:26 AM
Derzhprom, my modernist love on an evening walk in a winter Kharkiv.
Reposted by Viktoriia Grivina
Check out one of our 2025 Nonfiction Selections, "What to do with all the Russion Books" by @brams884.bsky.social (Fiery Scribe Review) selected by Jen Soriano on bestofthenetanthology.com/2025-2/2025-nonfiction/what-to-do-with-all-the-russian-books/
#bestofthenetanthology #nonfictionwriting
#bestofthenetanthology #nonfictionwriting
January 14, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Check out one of our 2025 Nonfiction Selections, "What to do with all the Russion Books" by @brams884.bsky.social (Fiery Scribe Review) selected by Jen Soriano on bestofthenetanthology.com/2025-2/2025-nonfiction/what-to-do-with-all-the-russian-books/
#bestofthenetanthology #nonfictionwriting
#bestofthenetanthology #nonfictionwriting
This Kharkiv cat wishes all an adventurous Tuesday.
January 13, 2026 at 8:10 AM
This Kharkiv cat wishes all an adventurous Tuesday.
“Someone who could sit here is now in russian captivity”, - a sign on the bench along the Lopan river in Kharkiv.
January 9, 2026 at 6:41 AM
“Someone who could sit here is now in russian captivity”, - a sign on the bench along the Lopan river in Kharkiv.
Dear all, the first session in the Cities at War Lecture Series in 2026 will be given by Viktoriia Grivina on "Kharkiv is a Dream. Planning a Future During War". Join her timely talk on Wednesday, 07.01.2026 at 4 pm CET.
register here -> lnkd.in/eSVGc5wD
register here -> lnkd.in/eSVGc5wD
January 6, 2026 at 1:43 PM
Dear all, the first session in the Cities at War Lecture Series in 2026 will be given by Viktoriia Grivina on "Kharkiv is a Dream. Planning a Future During War". Join her timely talk on Wednesday, 07.01.2026 at 4 pm CET.
register here -> lnkd.in/eSVGc5wD
register here -> lnkd.in/eSVGc5wD
My friend mending her artwork while 5 russian missiles hit the city in the distance. @kharkivisadream.bsky.social
January 6, 2026 at 10:13 AM
My friend mending her artwork while 5 russian missiles hit the city in the distance. @kharkivisadream.bsky.social
Kharkiv pedagogic university decorated for the holidays. Hryhorii Skovoroda, baroque Ukrainian philosopher also got an image update.
January 5, 2026 at 8:04 AM
Kharkiv pedagogic university decorated for the holidays. Hryhorii Skovoroda, baroque Ukrainian philosopher also got an image update.
Kharkiv snowperson reflecting my emotional state.
January 4, 2026 at 7:04 AM
Kharkiv snowperson reflecting my emotional state.
My dear Kharkiv Tractor Factory hood. 1930s-1940s were militant years for Soviet architects, even little windows in the hallways resemble medieval fortress loopholes.
January 3, 2026 at 7:42 AM
My dear Kharkiv Tractor Factory hood. 1930s-1940s were militant years for Soviet architects, even little windows in the hallways resemble medieval fortress loopholes.
Unique modernist neighbourhood in central Kharkiv hit by two russian missiles. From the early 20th century buildings with elements of Art Deco to 1920-30s constructivism, this is European architectural legacy destroyed along 16 injured lives.
January 2, 2026 at 2:13 PM
Unique modernist neighbourhood in central Kharkiv hit by two russian missiles. From the early 20th century buildings with elements of Art Deco to 1920-30s constructivism, this is European architectural legacy destroyed along 16 injured lives.
My Christmas tree in Kharkiv. Even in this hellish year I couldn’t help running down the street to a tiny Christmas tree market and decorating my crooked little tree that nobody else wanted to take 😅.
January 2, 2026 at 7:36 AM
My Christmas tree in Kharkiv. Even in this hellish year I couldn’t help running down the street to a tiny Christmas tree market and decorating my crooked little tree that nobody else wanted to take 😅.
On 1 January the russian military threw two guided bombs on the enclosures of birds and tigers of the Kharkiv eco park. Many birds killed, injured tigers are hiding in the destroyed enclosure.
Russia hit an eco-park near Kharkiv with a glide bomb, injuring lions, killing most birds, and destroying winter enclosures, says founder Feldman. A volunteer was hurt; tigers’ status is unclear. Cleanup and animal rescue continue.
January 1, 2026 at 2:34 PM
On 1 January the russian military threw two guided bombs on the enclosures of birds and tigers of the Kharkiv eco park. Many birds killed, injured tigers are hiding in the destroyed enclosure.
Happy New Year greetings from a Kharkiv Christmas tram, friends! We shall overcome, one day ❤️.
December 31, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Happy New Year greetings from a Kharkiv Christmas tram, friends! We shall overcome, one day ❤️.
Christmas carols’ choir in Kharkiv. Singing together Carol of the Bells makes my voice breaks, as home of this beautiful song, the city of Pokrovsk is dying before our eyes. But no, Carol lives and Pokrovsk lives in it.
December 31, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Christmas carols’ choir in Kharkiv. Singing together Carol of the Bells makes my voice breaks, as home of this beautiful song, the city of Pokrovsk is dying before our eyes. But no, Carol lives and Pokrovsk lives in it.
Snow in my darling Kharkiv.
December 30, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Snow in my darling Kharkiv.
This Kharkiv cat wishes all a productive last Monday of the year (he knows it won’t be).
December 29, 2025 at 6:37 AM
This Kharkiv cat wishes all a productive last Monday of the year (he knows it won’t be).
Reading stories from Sloboda Ukraine on a long train ride.
December 28, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Reading stories from Sloboda Ukraine on a long train ride.
Beautiful book of recipes and stories of gardening from across Ukraine, result of a workshop at Jam Factory in Lviv.
December 28, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Beautiful book of recipes and stories of gardening from across Ukraine, result of a workshop at Jam Factory in Lviv.
Carol singers, snow, bombs, Ukrainian Christmas.
December 27, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Carol singers, snow, bombs, Ukrainian Christmas.
The detail of the old doors and a privilege to have something that wasn’t destroyed. I really appreciate the rustic vibes of Lviv.
December 27, 2025 at 9:39 AM
The detail of the old doors and a privilege to have something that wasn’t destroyed. I really appreciate the rustic vibes of Lviv.
As a kid when I heard the stories about the Soviet Union my grandparents told, I thought they were imagining that country, so bizarre its ideology and habits sounded. To think I could actually live there 😳. So happy USSR collapse day.
December 26, 2025 at 12:38 PM
As a kid when I heard the stories about the Soviet Union my grandparents told, I thought they were imagining that country, so bizarre its ideology and habits sounded. To think I could actually live there 😳. So happy USSR collapse day.
For some reason it is my holiday habit to be running out of airports coughing my lungs out and calling bus drivers to wait for 5 minutes (thankfully, Ukrainian bus drivers can take pity on you). Sorry, Europe, but you won’t stop me, I’m coming home! 😁🐈⬛
December 25, 2025 at 5:44 PM
For some reason it is my holiday habit to be running out of airports coughing my lungs out and calling bus drivers to wait for 5 minutes (thankfully, Ukrainian bus drivers can take pity on you). Sorry, Europe, but you won’t stop me, I’m coming home! 😁🐈⬛