Estonian War Museum and Vabamu exhibition on the defenders of Azovstal shows the face of bravery

From today, Friday 16 May, a new temporary exhibition “The Face of Bravery. The Undefeated Defenders of Azovstal”, which recalls how Azovstal, one of Europe’s largest steel plants, became a symbol of Russia’s brutal aggression and Ukraine’s unbreakable resistance.

Opened on the third anniversary of the fall of Mariupol, the exhibition is the result of a collaboration between the Estonian War Museum – General Laidoner Museum, Vabamu and the National History Museum of Ukraine. It will take the viewer back to the spring of 2022, when all eyes were on the Ukrainian city, which was fiercely besieged by Russian troops, who were mercilessly tightening the siege. The defenders of Mariupol fortified themselves with a powerful network of underground tunnels and bunkers in the Azovstal steelworks, where they managed to withstand the onslaught for nearly three months. Photographs of men and women refusing to surrender taken by Dmytro Kozatskyi were circulated around the world .

“This exhibition is about the people behind the numbers,” said Linda Lainvoo, the author of the idea for the exhibition. “When we talk about war, we tend to end up talking about statistics, but in war people die – each with a face, a name and a story. We want to highlight their dignity and bravery, because this is a story that must not be forgotten.”

The exhibition features:

• Personal items of fighters who died defending Mariupol;
• Dmytro Kozatsky’s world-famous photographs taken at the Azovstal factory during the siege;
• Partly previously unpublished video footage of the siege and the evacuation of civilians;
• a wall of memorial for nearly 300 of the fallen, with portraits and biographies by family members.

The exhibition is non-profit and has been made possible thanks to the support of donors from the public and private sectors. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the National History Museum of Ukraine to continue the exhibition’s activities.

The exhibition will be open daily from 16 May to 5 October 2025 from 10am to 6pm.
Location
Parking

Ticket information:

• Free for visitors up to 19 years old;
• Free admission for children up to 19 years;
• children under 19 – free admission, children with a ticket €9;
• Supporter’s ticket €30;
• Free of charge with Museum Card and Tallinn Card;
• Ukrainian citizens free of charge.