Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s ongoing aggression has not been without support from the crypto realm. Since February, in between NFT-related initiatives like UkraineDAO and crowdfunding drives by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, more than $63 million has been raised through crypto asset donations to back the country’s military efforts. “Rebuilding the country,” as Alex Bornyakov, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation, put it, “requires modern solutions.”
As the war roils on, this mobilization of the crypto community has yet to flag. And especially not for the aforementioned government ministry, which has readied the country’s official NFT collection, intended to serve as “a museum of the Russian-Ukrainian war,” according to Bornyakov.
What happened
“New Russian war crime,” NFT #0045 documenting Day 3 of the war with a tweet from @DefenceU and an illustration by Erlikh Dima. Image: Meta History: Museum of War
On March 25, the Ukraine ministry unveiled Meta History: Museum of War with a series of NFTs capturing key points of Russia’s illegal invasion. Per its mission, the project aims “to preserve the memory of the real events of that time, to spread truthful information among the digital community in the world, and to collect donations for the support of Ukraine.” The initiative was launched with the support of NFT platform Fair.xyz.
The chronology currently encompasses moments stretching from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announcing the severing of diplomatic relations with Russia, to rocket strikes on Kyiv, to the delivery of military supplies from NATO allies. Each NFT features a verified tweet paired with striking visuals created by artists including Margarita Polovinko, Ann Khomych, and Sveta Bilyk. The collection drops today, with prices for each NFT starting at 0.15 ETH and all proceeds going to the Ministry of Digital Transformation to aid the Ukrainian army and civilians.
Why it matters
Left: “Boris Johnson convenes an emergency NATO summit,” NFT #0011 with art by Iryna Vale. Right: “Martial law has been introduced in Ukraine,” NFT #0007 illustrated by Serj Marco. Images: Meta History: Museum of War
Fitting for a government with an office dedicated to digital transformation, Ukraine has savvily leveraged the facility of crypto and the zeal of the NFT community to fundraise and spur support for an urgent cause. It’s a mobilization that maximizes the promise of crypto by leveraging the blockchain to create real-world change.
Also vital here is the department’s decision to frame its NFT platform as a “museum,” particularly during a war that has been troubled by Russian disinformation. While attempting to provide a verified and factual chronology of the conflict, the Museum of War effectively documents and preserves history in real time.
It’s additionally critical and resonant at a time when Ukrainian’s institutions like Mariupol’s Kuindzhi Art Museum and Kyiv’s Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum have been destroyed by Russian artillery, and its cultural monuments are increasingly endangered. Similar to digitization projects by other museums, the platform, as Bornyakov intended, presents a modern solution to safeguarding history, ensuring its persistence online and on the blockchain.
What the Ukrainian government said
“Crypto is a multitool that can be put to service for all kinds of goals. So why not involve technologies in world’s peacekeeping?” — Alex Bornyakov, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine
