Five days on the road, spending the nights in the city hall of the regional centre and at the site of archaeological excavations, moving around the country incognito – all this is not a spy game... This is how the evacuation of the museum treasures of the Khortytsia National Reserve looked like, which was probably one of the first museums in the country to take care of the evacuation of its funds to a safe place.

The dismantling of its exhibitions began on the eve of the invasion, on 23 February, and as soon as on 3 March 2022, a truck packed full of the most valuable items of historical and cultural heritage headed off to the west of Ukraine.

Natalia Chergik, a senior researcher at the Department of Scientific and Exhibition Work of the Khortytsia National Reserve, shares a story about the unique expedition. Without hesitation, she agreed to accompany the priceless cargo on a dangerous journey...