Poignant possessions of refugees who fled the Russian invasion will form part of a new exhibition covering the war in Ukraine at The Tank Museum.

The largest exhibition in the UK focusing on the conflict, ‘Ukraine: Armoured Warfare in the Modern World’ will open at the award-winning Dorset attraction next week. Charting the Russian invasion of Ukraine, visitors will be able to see examples of the fighting vehicles used by both sides up-close and hear the very personal stories from refugees who have settled in Dorset.

Exhibitions Manager Luke Clark said:

“As a museum, our purpose is to tell the story of tanks and the crews who serve in them, so it was logical to develop an informative exhibition about the ongoing war in Ukraine through our collections."

“The vehicles on display include a Russian T-72 daubed with a ‘Z’ and an example of the British Challenger 2 tank, of which 14 were donated to the Ukrainian Army by the UK Government. Whilst the tanks and the hardware are impressive and interesting it’s the personal stories which are the most moving. Through local charity Ukraine Relief, we got in touch with refugees now living in Dorset."

“Interviewing these families about their experiences is when the situation really hits home.”

Amongst the poignant personal items on display are a set of house keys belonging to the Boiko family. They spent the first two weeks of the invasion sheltering in the basement of their apartment building in Kyiv. By the time they decided to leave the country, they no longer needed them - there was no apartment left.

Visitors to the exhibition will also see the drawings created by 11-year-old Anastasiia Boiko while sheltering from the Russian bombardment. It was Anastasiia who convinced her family that their best chance of survival was to flee.

“The interviews and personal items kindly shared with us by local refugee families are the heart of this exhibition,” added Luke. They want to tell their story, and we feel very proud they have entrusted us to do so.”

The exhibition opens on 4 April 2025.