April in Ukraine: a glimpse through Rubryka’s lens

Rubryka offers a handpicked collection of images depicting life across Ukraine in April. Despite ongoing challenges, daily life continues, carrying with it a sense of renewal and the unmistakable arrival of spring. The spirit of Easter — celebrated in Ukraine as the Great Day — echoes the enduring belief that good will overcome evil, life will conquer death, and Ukraine will rise again, like a phoenix from the ashes.

• And once again — there is war, war, war. On April 3, Russian forces launched a large-scale attack on the Kyiv region, killing one person and injuring another. Meanwhile, in central Sumy, a Russian drone strike hit a shopping mall, wounding several people.

• War or not, Easter traditions endure — blessing paskas [Ukrainian traditional Easter cakes – ed.] on Easter Sunday is sacred! Enjoy these photos of Ukrainians — young and old, soldiers and civilians — gathering in church to bless their Easter baskets.

• Ukraine and Russia have conducted a new prisoner exchange, resulting in the return of 193 Ukrainian service members from Russian captivity. This was the 73rd exchange since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion and follows the recent "Easter exchange," in line with prior agreements.

• Kyivans gathered at the National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine for a traditional spring toloka—a community clean-up rooted in an ancient Ukrainian custom of collective, unpaid labor. Participants worked together to tidy the grounds, restore order after winter, and care for the museum's historic homes and pathways.

• On April 17 and 18, open donor days took place on Reytarska Street in Kyiv at the "Teplokrovni" mobile hub. The event was organized by DonorUA in partnership with PUMB and Mastercard. Participants could donate blood right in the city center—in a specially equipped double-decker bus designed for blood donations.

• The savED charity foundation, together with the Tokarev Foundation, has presented the first DIY guidebook — a step-by-step manual for organizations and communities seeking to create hands-on technology learning spaces with a strong STEM component. On April 16 in Kyiv, the guidebook was unveiled with representatives from the public sector, social responsibility-minded businesses supporting STEM, educators, and the Ministry of Education and Science.

• In the capital, on Saturday, April 25, a car rally titled "Our people are not home yet" took place in support of Ukrainian prisoners of war and missing service members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Around 30 vehicles gathered near the Trade Unions Building in central Kyiv, after which the колонa drove through the city's main streets, as reported by Rubryka. Participants in the rally included:

  • relatives of service members,
  • their loved ones,
  • concerned citizens.

Rubryka photo correspondent Mykola Tymchenko took the photos.

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