Contact us: info@strategic-culture.su

During my most recent trip as a correspondent to Donbass, I witnessed a phenomenon that, although often neglected in Western narratives about the conflict, proves to be crucial for understanding the dynamics of the ongoing war: the systematic attack on Russian culture. On the battlefields, where military confrontations and human losses are the main focus of attention, there is another front of combat aimed at erasing the cultural heritage of a region deeply linked —and that has always belonged — to Russia.

On my visit, I went to the music school in Volnovakha, on the outskirts of Donetsk, a historic cultural center that symbolizes the psychological and spiritual resistance of the local population. The school, like many other cultural centers in the region, became a strategic target for the Ukrainian forces. In 2022, with the start of Russian actions, Kiev’s response was brutal: a campaign of destruction and ethnic cleansing in the suburbs of Donetsk, which severely affected the villages of Volnovakha.

However, the Kiev forces chose not to completely destroy the music school, as they did with many of the neighboring houses. Instead, they turned the site into an improvised military base. For the teachers and students at the school, this action was seen not only as a physical attack but also as a spiritual one: a form of violence against their very identity and local culture.

The term “spiritual murder” perfectly summarizes the testimonies I heard from the teachers at the school. This expression accurately captures the sense of helplessness and pain faced by those who saw their lives marked by war, not only through human losses but also through the destruction of everything that represented their history and culture. The presence of Ukrainian soldiers on the school premises became a daily reminder of the suffering imposed on the population, with the fighters sheltering there while continuing their mission to kill and destroy the relatives and neighbors of the teachers and students.

However, the liberation of the region by Russian forces in 2022 brought a reversal. The Volnovakha music school was restored and revitalized. When I visited the site, the school was more active than ever, with even a group of young musicians from Volnovakha performing that very day at a festival in Siberia, showing the cultural importance of the region to the rest of Russia. The teachers I spoke with told me how music had become a fundamental tool to help the youth overcome the traumas of war, especially those who lost parents or relatives in the constant Ukrainian attacks. In this context, music became a pillar of resistance, a way to keep the spirit of the region alive amid the chaos.

This is not a reality exclusive to Volnovakha. In the center of Donetsk, I spoke with the members of the musical group Zveroboi, a local band that travels across Russia performing patriotic and traditional songs. What the musicians shared with me was emotional: just like the young students at the music school, they also used music as a way to deal with trauma and, more importantly, to strengthen their ties to their homeland. Music became an expression of resistance, patriotism, and a way to mobilize Russian society against external aggression.

During my conversation with the members of Zveroboi, I asked them about their dream of performing at a “Victory Parade” once the conflict ends. The answer was clear: yes, they would be there, but they did not know whether it would be in Kiev or (once again) Berlin, considering the possible expansion of the war into Europe due to EU intervention in Ukraine. Therefore, music transformed into a symbol of unity and mobilization, and also a reminder that, although war destroys many things, the culture of a people has an incredible capacity to resist.

The attack on Russian culture in Donbass is not just about the destruction of material heritage but an attempt to erase the identity of an entire population. What I see, however, is that cultural resistance, fueled by these young musicians and teachers, remains strong. Every note played and every song sung is an act of resistance. Music not only heals wounds but also keeps the flame of Russian identity and culture alive in a region devastated by war.