In the memory of the wonderful raid of Czechs on Kharkiv.

Markéta Gregorová, a Czech, originally from the city of Most, became the first European deputy to visit the city of Kharkiv since February 2022.

By Adam Sybera

When I asked Markéta Gregorová if she would like to take auspices over our exhibition “Fracture – documents from Kharkiv”, which is a series of photographs that Maidan Monitoring Information Center collected as part of the “Mapping the Russian aggression against Ukraine: Damage to cultural heritage and environment” project, which was made possible with the support of the International Visegrad Fund, I did not expect it would go this far.

Already during the exhibition in Brussels, Markéta was interested in visiting Kharkiv, the city of heroes who have faced Russian terrorism since the first day of the full-scale war. After intensive planning and setting up everything possible and impossible, it really happened and Markéta Gregorová, a Czech, originally from the city of Most, became the first European deputy to visit the city since February 2022.

I’m incredibly proud of her. Not only because she came here, but also because of the way she represented the Czech Republic and the European Union in the city. She advocated the ideals of liberal democracy and according to feedback, which I received from the locals, made a great impression. She kept calm and supportive even when we were right in the center of the city, and Russia launched an attack, hitting the city with two rockets.

This happened shortly after her appearance at the Volunteer Security Forum, where she talked about disinformation, Russian influence and how the EU is dealing with it, what active steps and measures it is taking against them, but mainly, she listened to the locals and what they had to say about the topic. She didn’t come to take a photo in a bullet proof vest for the news, she really listened to what people had to say and showed support that is not just on paper. As she later told me, along the way her view of the situation in Ukraine changed from 2D to 3D.

At the same time, Bohumil Kartous, a seasoned fighter of Kremlin’s influence in the EU and their propaganda, and a person whom I have the honor to call a friend, appeared at the forum. Mainly as the spokesman for the Czech Elves, a volunteer initiative that uncovers russian propaganda in Czech Republic, and presented his position on media literacy and civic resistance. Big thank you belongs to him too. As well as Robin Kvapil, a Czech documentary director who filmed and documented our journey.

I consider Kharkiv my home away from home. It is a city where Czech traces are present long before February 2022. The city respects Czechoslovak heroes such as Antonín Sochor or Otakar Jaroš, after whom they named streets and built monuments here. The fact that we can further develop historical friendship and cooperation between Kharkiv and Czechs is mainly thanks to Nataliya Zubar and Petr Pojman, who have been working here since 2014 and who introduced me to the city, accepted me and gave me these opportunities for cooperation.

Once again, thank you to everyone who participated, including my partner in crime Sofia, who helps me both professionally and psychologically, who literally goes with me to the end of the civilized world and who did not forget me even when I felt that everyone else did . Sometimes it’s not easy.

And one more special thanks for those three who came for the first time, for your courage, determination, support and exemplary representation of the Czech Republic.

Along the way, many ideas arose on how to further support Ukraine and how we can be more effective in the fight against our common historical enemy. We firmly believe that this is the start of another chapter of cooperation in our common European journey.

Truth prevails, Glory to Ukraine!!

Adam Sybera
05 April 2024