Writing War - Survive, Record, Repeat: Olena Huseinova & Yuliya Musakovska

What sustains writing in the face of recurring tragedy, displacement, and loss? How has Ukrainian literature evolved since 2022, as Russia’s full-scale invasion continues to invade lives and language alike? What draws writers toward new genres and themes in wartime? What role does Ukrainian poetry play in cultural diplomacy and in shaping global understanding of the war?

Prominent Ukrainian writers and cultural advocates Yuliya Musakovska and Olena Huseinova will discuss this in conversation with Hugh Roberts, professor at the University of Exeter and an active promoter of contemporary Ukrainian wartime poetry.

Alongside their poignant work, the poets will carry the voices of their colleagues serving in Ukraine’s Defence Forces. The poems will be presented in both the original Ukrainian and in English translation.

Entry is free but we suggest individual donations to Hospitallers Medical Battalion in lieu of ticket prices, https://www.hospitallers.org.uk/ways-to-help

Books by the participating poets will be available for purchase at the event.

Yuliya Musakovska is an internationally acclaimed Ukrainian poet and translator. She has published six poetry collections, most recently Stones and Nails (2024). Her book The God of Freedom, in English translation, was named one of the Top 10 Ukraine-related books of 2024 by The Kyiv Independent. Her work has been translated into more than 30 languages. Yuliya is the winner of the 2025 Asian Prize for Poetry and the 2025 Diana Der Hovanessian Prize for poetry translation. In 2023, she paused her 20-year career in IT and international business to focus on cultural advocacy for Ukraine. Yuliya is a co-founder of the Lines of Resistance initiative between Ukraine and the UK, focused on Ukrainian wartime poetry. She is a member of PEN Ukraine.

Olena Huseinova is a writer, radio host, and radio producer from Ukraine. She has authored three poetry collections: Відкритий Райдер (Open Rider) (2012), Супергерої (Superheroes) (2016), and Нічний ефір (Night Air) (2024). She also writes short fiction and essays. Until January 2025, she served as the editor-in-chief at UA: Radio Culture, where she oversaw radio theater and literary programming. Since February 26, 2022, she has been one of the key voices in the 24-hour news marathon on Ukrainian Radio. Writer-in-residence at the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa (2024). In January 2025, she became the creative producer for Radio Khartiya, a project that has become the voice of front-line Kharkiv, led by Serhiy Zhadan.