My blogs - Maria Romanenko's Go For The Goal

Publications

As a Ukrainian journalist based in the UK, I write about Ukraine, resilience, and cultural identity for international and UK audiences.

Below you’ll find a selection of my published work.

Being at Eurovision Was an Irreconcilable Mix of Joy and Pain

As a Ukrainian living in Manchester, I couldn't miss Eurovision. But partying as cities – including my home town – were targeted with Russian bombs felt incredibly wrong.

We Ukrainian Refugees Will Go Home and Rebuild When War is Over

I was one of the first refugees from Ukraine to enter the UK. One year on, I’m overwhelmed by people’s generosity but can’t wait to get back there

Let’s Continue to Talk About Crimea

At the heart of any resolution of the war in Ukraine is the issue of the Crimean Tatars. I explain how a play, part of the UK/Ukraine season of culture, explores their subjugation and resistance

They Won't Be Home for Christmas

Thousands of Ukrainian war refugees are living in the north of England. How will they be spending their first Christmas in this country?

These Volunteers Risked Their Lives to Save 2,000 Animals from War-Torn Ukraine

Amid constant danger, volunteers at a Ukraine pet shelter are making sure no animal is left behind.

Fleeing the War in Ukraine, I Was Reminded of the Generosity of Strangers

For a social anxiety sufferer like me, being surrounded by people for prolonged periods is panic-inducing. But when you flee a war, you don’t choose who you surround yourself with. You don’t get privacy. You can’t ask for peace and quiet.

Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga on Ukraine's Zelenskyy, Donbas War, and Coronavirus

"We are no Switzerland," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to journalists during a press conference in May.

“I’m the Change”: What It’s Like to Be Feminist in Moldova, Armenia, Ukraine, and Russia

ODESA, Ukraine – One of the organizers of a feminist exhibition in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa Steffi Klein says that it shocked her that she couldn’t find any feminist groups in the city.