Sussex Ukraine Society marked the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine with a stark installation outside in Library Square, on 24 February.
A line of empty chairs stretched across the plaza. On each seat: a black-and-white photograph of someone killed since February 2022. Some chairs were draped in the blue and yellow flag, while others held children’s toys – a teddy bear, a doll, small stuffed animals – a visual reference to the civilian toll of the conflict.
Two hand-written placards positioned at the end of the row:
“If it’s not on your land, you still owe us”
“Silence protects the aggressor.”
Students walking between lectures slowed to look at the photographs, with some stopping to read the accompanying materials.
Alongside the chairs, a noticeboard featured a large QR code and the hashtag #SupportUkraineToWin. Beneath it, a printed question asked: “How has the war affected you?”
Pinned below were detailed anonymous testimonies from members of the university community. The statements described missile attacks, air raid sirens, displacement from cities including Kyiv, and returning home to destroyed neighbourhoods. Several accounts reflected on the difficulty of studying abroad while family members remain in a country still under attack.
Others wrote about leaving Ukraine in the early days of the invasion, navigating sudden displacement and uncertainty about when – or whether – they would return. One testimony reflected on the guilt of being in the UK while friends remain in combat zones. Another described the emotional disconnect of moving between academic deadlines and updates from home.
A member of the society said the aim was to create a visible and accessible space for reflection. “We didn’t want this to be something you had to sign up for or attend formally,” they said. “We wanted people to encounter it as part of their day.”
They added that even four years on, misunderstandings about the war persist. “I get asked all the time if the war is over,” one member said.
As the war enters its fifth year, fighting continues across Ukraine. For Ukrainian students at Sussex, the war remains part of daily life – through phone calls, news alerts, and uncertainty about what comes next.
The display remained in place throughout the day, asking students and staff not just to remember, but to reckon with a war that is still unfolding.
Another article you may enjoy: https://thebadgeronline.com/2026/02/sussex-mayoral-election-delayed-to-2028-2/