On 24 December, the National Museum of the History of Ukraine opens the exhibition «About Ya.: Insights into the Life of the Ukrainian “Elite”». The project is devoted to reflecting on the figure of Viktor Yanukovych as a symbol of a pro-Russian political course, large-scale corruption, and a crisis of state governance in Ukraine in the early 21^st century. Through objects abandoned at the Mezhyhiria residence after “Ya” fled in February 2014, the exhibition offers a view of the mechanisms through which power was formed, as well as the notions of success and the values held by a segment of Ukraine’s political «elite».

«About Ya» is a journey into the inner world of a man who believed that the country was private territory and that power could be measured by the amount of gilding. It is not merely a display of luxury items, but a carefully assembled portrait of the era of “Ya” — an era in which the state served as a backdrop and one’s own reflection was the main exhibit. The events of the Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity became a turning point in the history of independent Ukraine and marked the end of the era of “Ya”.

The flight, prepared in advance, testified not only to the personal defeat of “Ya” but also — we hope — to the defeat of an entire model of state governance built on self-enrichment, the imitation of grandeur, and the disregard of societal demands. The objects that did not leave Mezhyhiria in time have today acquired the status of historical evidence of the era.

Technical partner of the project: Zigzag crystal.

Admission: with a museum entry ticket – UAH 200; for school pupils / students / pensioners – UAH 100.

Visitor information: +38 (044) 278-48-64 or +38 093 855 61 16 (Viber and Telegram).

The exhibition is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00; the ticket office is open until 17:00.

Address: National Museum of the History of Ukraine, 2 Volodymyrska Street, Kyiv.