In Ukraine, the repair movement is heading underground

Almost five years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience in the face of war – and not just on the battlefield. 

While the environment usually takes a backseat in times of conflict, Ukraine has continued with its rewilding efforts, sowing the seeds for a green, more peaceful future. Now, residents of one Black Sea city are taking the circular economy underground amid the threat of Russian strikes. 

Chornomorsk is a hub for Ukraine’s repair movement, but has been subjected to Russian missile strikes. Ahead of International Repair Day on 17 October, organisers of Chornomorsk Repair Festival in Ukraine are relocating their event to an underground shelter after the college building where they hold repair cafés was bombed.

“We do not want the war to completely take away young people’s opportunities to learn, create, experiment, meet one another and imagine their future,” said Nataliia Pasenko, an organiser. “That is why holding it, even under these circumstances, matters so much to us.”

The security situation in Ukraine adds urgency to the event, says Pasenko.   

“While we talk about repairing things and bringing them back to life, we are constantly learning how to adapt, repair and restore the spaces and everyday life around us,” she said. 

Chornomorsk Repair Festival will include demonstrations on fixing bikes, electronics and clothing, plus a ‘Take Me Apart’ experimental zone, where visitors can explore the inner workings of everyday objects.

International Repair Day celebrates the power of community repair to bring people together while helping with the cost of living, preventing waste and building repair skills. Thousands of repair events will take place in dozens of countries, including in Egypt, India, Ukraine and the UK.

“As we approach Repair Day each year, it’s always thrilling as news comes in about events planned around the world,” said Fiona Dear, co-director of the Restart Project, a repair charity. “This year we’re inspired and humbled by the dedicated team organising a repair festival in Chornomorsk. 

“The poignancy of running an event to teach repair skills in an underground shelter while their city is under attack can’t be missed.”

Pasenko said: “When we fix something broken, bring items back to life, or find new uses for them, we see the tangible results of our actions and feel that we can make a difference. This simple experience can be especially important right now.” 

Find out where your nearest repair event is here.

Main image: The Restart Project / Mark A Phillips