Symbols of Resistance: How War is Redefining Ukraine’s Jewelry Artistry

In a Kyiv workshop, a jeweler carefully applies a blowtorch to her latest creation: a necklace pendant shaped like a drone propeller. From bullets and tanks to peace doves, the ongoing resistance against Russia’s invasion is fueling a new movement of jewelry design that reflects a society and artistic landscape forever altered by four years of conflict.

This creative shift is driven by demand from both military personnel and civilians. “It’s part of a soldier’s identity,” explains Illia, a 26-year-old artisan with the Karpenko brand, as he holds the drone-blade pendant. The brand also produces pieces featuring stones from Snake Island, the Black Sea outpost that became a global symbol of Ukrainian defiance following a viral radio exchange between Ukrainian soldiers and a Russian warship.

“These pieces identify the wearer. If you work with drones, it is evident; if you are in a tank, it is visible,” Illia says. The company’s founder, Oleksii, joined the military after the 2022 invasion, positioning the brand as a venture “from a soldier for soldiers.” Manager Svitlana Karpliuk notes that demand is high, with entire brigades placing corporate orders for unit-wide pendants. These military-inspired pieces are often used to honor fallen comrades, though drone-themed designs have also gained significant popularity among the general public.

At the Karpenko workshop, a craftsman polishes a heavy silver bracelet designed to look like tank tracks. Throughout years of relentless attacks, many Ukrainians have integrated symbols of war into their daily lives as a means of displaying defiance or commemorating the dead. This influence extends beyond jewelry, reshaping the nation’s music, culture, art, and fashion.

Jeweler Kateryna Tytova, who fled the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk, saw her workshop in Gostomel destroyed during the 2022 invasion. Now rebuilt, she creates pieces inspired by viral content and war memes, viewing her work as a way to archive the conflict for future generations. “Eventually, a child will ask, ‘Grandma, what is that pendant?’” she says, referring to a silver piece shaped like a cotton bud—a popular Ukrainian meme mocking the Russian military.

In her workshop, Tytova showcases designs that include a depiction of the national “Motherland” statue gesturing with two middle fingers and a representation of a landmark tower from Mariupol, the southern city that fell after a brutal siege in 2022.

The trend has expanded beyond independent designers into the luxury sector. At the Dukachi jewelry store, a window patched with tape after a recent strike overlooks Kyiv’s Maidan Square. Among their most sought-after items are pendants shaped like traditional motanka fabric dolls, which are believed to offer protection. Store manager Liudmyla, 27, shares the story of a customer who believes a motanka pendant saved her life during a strike on a nearby building, stating the woman now refuses to take the piece off.

Similarly, the Tsvite Teren company released a line of white ceramic peace doves just days before the 2022 invasion. The collection has since become one of their most popular offerings both domestically and internationally. “We live in fire. Constantly. Even in Kyiv,” says founder Olga Ostapenko. “People who live in peace, who have not seen this, will never truly understand it.”

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