Diary of War

Diary of War The project originated in the first days of the invasion, when Kolomiec was sheltering in Kyiv.

Diary of War is a documentary-theatre project created by Ukrainian award-winning cultural activist Daria Kolomiec, that shares first-person testimonies from Ukrainians living through Russia’s full-scale war. Diary of War is a documentary-theatre project created by Ukrainian award-winning cultural activist Daria Kolomiec, named by Time Magazine as one of its Next Generation Leaders, and honored by

the Parliament of Ukraine for her work. From a bomb shelter, she collected 41 voice messages from Ukrainians, capturing their fear, loss, resilience, and bravery as the war unfolded, forming a rare, immediate archive of lived experience. Over time, Diary of War evolved from a podcast into a documentary-theatre piece that has played to sold-out houses in New York and DC, featuring prominent American actors from film, television, and Broadway, including Zuzanna Szadkowski, Laila Robins, and Ismenia Mendes, all volunteering their talent in aid of Ukrainian medics. Produced by Kolomiec and directed by TCD alumna Dr. Musa Gurnis, Diary of War last year raised $90,000 for Hospitallers, bringing the total gathered by the project to $150,000 in support of Ukrainian aid organizations.

24/04/2026

Daria Kolomiec: 17 червня 2022 року десь у соцмережах мене знайшла Олена Нікуліна з Маріуполя, яка висловила бажання записати свій щоденник до мого подкасту Diary of War. Олена розказала свою історію початку повномасштабного вторгнення, як разом з сином вона рятувалася з Маріуполя, і як дізналася про другу вагітність, коли її коханий Максим був на оточеній Азовсталі, а згодом він потрапив в російський полон. Коли я почала залучати до співпраці міжнародних акторів і продюсувати документальні благодійні читання по світу, я пообіцяла, що щоденник Максима буде звучати у кожному сценарії і кожному перформансі до моменту його обміну. Так історію Максима і Олени почули безліч разів у Нью-Йорку, Вашингтоні і цього року у Дубліні.

Максима звільнили з полону влітку 2025 року, і я нарешті познайомилася з подружжям Нікуліних особисто. Читання Diary of War в Дубліні в лютому 2026 року стали першими, де я могла розповісти, що Максим на волі.

Track ID: Our Atlantic - Небо, SI Process - Strum

Монтаж: Oleksandr Polishchuk , Анастасія Лапко

14/04/2026

Emmet Kirwan is an Irish stage and screen actor, playwright, and screenwriter, known for Sarah & Steve and for writing and performing Dublin Oldschool, which won the Stewart Parker Award and later became a critically acclaimed film. His work spans major stages including The Abbey, The National, Donmar Warehouse, The Gate, and Project Arts Centre.

Emmet joined Diary of War for its Irish premiere on 23 February 2026, marking four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As part of the reading, he gave voice to Marat Shevchenko, a stagehand and DJ who fled his occupied hometown of Kupiansk on an old motorcycle, carrying his Ukrainian vinyl records and a traditional embroidered shirt.

In this video, Emmet shares why taking part in Diary of War is his way of helping real Ukrainian stories be heard – beyond headlines and geopolitics, and closer to everyday human experience.

Thank you, Emmet, for your voice and support 🤍

—-
Video by Anastasiia Lapko, Kostiantyn Antipenko.
Edited by Anastasiia Lapko.

Daria Kolomiec has been included in UP100: The Power of Women by Ukrainska Pravda Українська правда – an annual award by...
25/03/2026

Daria Kolomiec has been included in UP100: The Power of Women by Ukrainska Pravda Українська правда – an annual award by one of Ukraine’s most influential independent media outlets recognizing women whose work is shaping Ukraine today.

Now in its third year, UP100 brings together voices from across fields – from defense and politics to culture, science, and business. It highlights different kinds of strength, experience, and impact, and the many ways people contribute to the country’s resilience.

Daria’s work sits at the intersection of culture, media, and international advocacy. Following the full-scale invasion, she launched Diary of War – first as a podcast documenting firsthand Ukrainian experiences, and later as a documentary theatre project staged in the US and Europe. Through collaborations with acclaimed international actors and profound cultural institutions, the project brings real Ukrainian voices to global audiences in a deeply human, personal way.

Beyond that, Daria continues to represent Ukrainian culture internationally – speaking at major platforms including the Harvard European Conference, collaborating with global media, and creating projects that amplify Ukrainian stories. Her work has also been recognized by Time magazine, which named her a Next Generation Leader and published her war essays.

19/03/2026

Sarah Morris is a Dublin-based actress currently appearing in Dublin Gothic at the Abbey Theatre. She recently performed in the Irish premiere of The Ferryman at the Gaiety Theatre and in The Pull of the Stars at The Gate Theatre. Her work spans leading Irish stages, and she is the recipient of the Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Actress.

As part of Diary of War, she gave voice to Olha Bulkina, who works as a clown at Kyiv’s Ohmatdyt children’s hospital – struck by a Russian missile in the summer of 2024.

In this exclusive video, Sarah reflects on why it’s important to keep telling real Ukrainian stories – and what Diary of War matters to her.

We’re very grateful for your voice and your support, Sarah 🤍

Video credits: Anastasia Lapko, Kostiantyn Antipenko
Edited by Anastasia Lapko

On February 23, at Dublin’s City Assembly House we came together for the Irish premiere of Diary of War – a powerful the...
06/03/2026

On February 23, at Dublin’s City Assembly House we came together for the Irish premiere of Diary of War – a powerful theatrical reading of real-life wartime diaries from Ukraine, performed by Irish stage actors. This one-night-only event marked four years since the invasion began on 24 February 2022, raising funds for the volunteer combat medics of Медичний Добровольчий Батальйон Госпітальєри • Hospitallers Paramedics serving on the frontlines.

We are proud to announce that our fundraising initiative collected $19,500. Of this amount, $14,578 was gathered through Ukrainian Action in Ireland, event’s partner charity, and $4,922 was collected through The Private Theatre. All proceeds from the event and our fundraiser will be donated to Hospitallers, a Ukrainian volunteer organization that delivers crucial medical care on the battlefield, facilitates the evacuation of the wounded, and assists with their recovery.

We are immensely grateful to everyone who attended the event, participated in our auction, made a donation, and supported us in person or on social media.

Check out the cards below to find out more details about our premiere in Dublin 🤍

28/02/2026

For the first time, Diary of War was heard in Dublin.
A European premiere – and such a warm one.

Thank you, Dublin – for the sold-out performance, for your presence, and listening.

Watch this video – a small glimpse of a very meaningful evening – share it and support our fundraiser via the donation link in comments.

Video filmed by Anastasiia Lapko and Kostiantyn Antipenko, edited by Anastasiia Lapko 🤍

We are thrilled to announce the full cast of Diary of War in Dublin.On 23 February, these stellar actors will take the s...
21/02/2026

We are thrilled to announce the full cast of Diary of War in Dublin.

On 23 February, these stellar actors will take the stage for the Irish premiere of the project.

Together, they give voice to real wartime diaries:
- Derbhle Crotty reads Julia Kochetova, a Ukrainian photojournalist documenting Russian war crimes from some of the most dangerous places in the country.
- Mark Huberman reads Denys Khrystov, a former TV host turned volunteer who evacuated hundreds of civilians and animals from frontline towns, some of which no longer exist.
- Emmet Kirwan reads Marat Shevchenko, a stagehand and DJ who fled his occupied hometown of Kupiansk on an old motorcycle, carrying his Ukrainian vinyl records and traditional embroidered shirt.
- Margaret McAuliffe reads Olena Nikulina, a Ukrainian woman who learned about her second pregnancy while her husband, a soldier of the Azov Regiment, was surrounded at Azovstal.
- Venetia Bowe reads Iryna Tsybukh, a combat medic with the Hospitallers, killed by Russian forces in May 2024 and posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine.
- Sarah Morris reads Olha Bulkina, a clown working with children at Kyiv’s Ohmatdyt, the largest children’s hospital in Ukraine, which was struck by a Russian missile in the summer of 2024.
- Leonard Buckley reads Yurii Marchenko, a Ukrainian journalist, storyteller, and editor-in-chief at Platfor.ma, who writes about losing his pet pug during the first weeks of the invasion when he could not access veterinary care.

The Dublin performance is now officially sold out.

However, you can join the waitlist via the ticket link in comments below, and you can still support the fundraiser by donating through another link there.

Thank you for your support 🤍

We’re pleased to announce that Leonard Buckley has joined the cast of Diary of War in Dublin.A graduate of the Royal Aca...
19/02/2026

We’re pleased to announce that Leonard Buckley has joined the cast of Diary of War in Dublin.

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), Leonard Buckley works across television, film, and theatre. His TV credits include Say Nothing, Belgravia: The Next Chapter, and The Great (Hulu). On screen, he has appeared in The Velveteen Rabbit, Big House, and Belfast. His stage work includes Reunion (The Kiln / Landmark), The Beacon (The Everyman Cork), Translations (Abbey Theatre / Lyric Belfast), and The Longsong (Chichester Festival Theatre).

At the Diary of War benefit staged reading, Leonard Buckley will read the diary of Yurii Marchenko, a Ukrainian journalist, storyteller, and editor-in-chief at Platfor.ma. In his testimony, Marchenko describes losing his pet pug during the first weeks of the full-scale war, when he could not access timely veterinary care.

On 23 February in Dublin, these personal stories will be brought to the stage in a one-night-only benefit staged reading marking four years since the Russian invasion began.

While the tickets are sold out and we are working on adding more seats, please join the waitlist to get your ticket via link in comments. Also, you can support our fundraiser at iDonate via another link in comments below.

19/02/2026

We are so grateful to share that Diary of War in Dublin on February 23 is now fully sold out.

Thank you for your trust, attention, and care. It truly means a lot.

There is still a chance we may be able to release a few additional seats. If you’d like to attend, please join the waitlist on the Eventbookings page via the link in the comments.

And if you can’t be there in person, you can still support our fundraiser via another link in comments. Every donation helps Ukrainian combat medics continue their lifesaving work.

Your support matters deeply to us.
See you on Monday 🤍@

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