# History
How Ukrainians used to tell fortunes using eggs, and why they were punished for it
Why did a simple pysanka inspire such fear in the Soviet system? Together with Dr Valentina Borysenko, a Doctor of Historical Sciences, and her work *Traditions and the Life of an Ethnic Group*, we delve into the depths of history, where Easter was a time of true magic and a struggle to preserve one’s own memory
Lessons in courage: Odessa honours the memory of prisoners of Nazi concentration camps
Every year on 11 April, at the initiative of the UN, the world marks International Day of Liberation of Prisoners of Fascist Concentration Camps. This date was established to commemorate the international uprising of prisoners at Buchenwald, which began on 11 April 1945
In the Sumy region, the Russians attacked the 19th-century Kharitonenko Palace. Only ruins remain of it
The Russian army shelled the Kharitonenko Palace in the Sumy region, which was built back in the 19th century. The attack sparked a major fire at the site, and the building has been almost completely destroyed.
Palm Sunday and the start of the Easter season: traditions and rituals
Today, 5 April, the Orthodox community in Ukraine celebrates the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday). This feast marks the beginning of the most important week of the year in the great Easter cycle. Ahead lie days of profound purification, sacred rites and preparation for the Glorious Resurrection
Van Gogh’s painting *Spring Garden*, which was stolen in 2020, has been returned to a museum in the Netherlands
The painting *Spring Garden* by the world-famous artist Vincent van Gogh, which was stolen six years ago, has been put on display again at a museum in the Dutch city of Groningen.
Palm Beach Airport in Florida is to be renamed in honour of Donald Trump
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill renaming Palm Beach International Airport in honour of US President Donald Trump.
The National Pantheon in Kyiv: where Bandera, Petliura and modern-day heroes will be reburied
Ukraine is moving closer to establishing the nation’s main memorial — the National Pantheon. Active consultations have begun in the capital regarding the location and the list of figures whose remains are to be returned to their homeland
UN meteorologists have described the last ten years as the hottest on record
The period from 2015 to 2025 was the hottest since official UN records began. The year 2024 was the most exceptional: temperatures were around 1.55°C higher than average.
Magical traditions and strict taboos on 22 March that everyone should be aware of
Today, 22 March, Orthodox Christians commemorate Saint John Climacus. In the folk calendar, this day marks the arrival of true spring and has its own unique traditions.
A catastrophe 550 million years ago wiped out 80% of life on the planet
Researchers have found evidence of a catastrophe that occurred around 550 million years ago and wiped out 80% of all living creatures. This event, known as the Kotlin Crisis, has turned out to be far more extensive than previously thought and is now considered to be the first ‘major’ mass extinction in the planet’s history.
Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church–Kyiv Patriarchate has died at the age of 97: what he is remembered for
On 20 March, at the age of 98, His Holiness Patriarch Filaret—Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and one of the most influential religious figures in independent Ukraine—passed away.
Kyiv customs officials seized a Prussian officer’s helmet dating from 1915 in a parcel bound for the US
Kyiv customs officials have discovered a rare military artefact in an international postal consignment bound for the United States. The item in question is an original protective helmet dating from 1915, which belonged to a Prussian officer.
