We are a pioneering storytelling movement. We lead a global push to help communities shaped by Russian colonialism reclaim their stories. Think journalism meets education, meets audience science meets art —all aimed at busting imperial myths.
The Hub fuels books, podcasts, video explainers, and newsletters. Its flagship social media campaign, #RussianColonialism, has racked up over 350 million digital views.
We produce projects where journalism, art, and fiction collide to tell the story better. Where facts alone aren’t enough. To open your audience’s mind, you must first open their heart. Build an empathy and trust bridge.
Volya Hub visual identity created by a leading Ukrainian art studio SERI/GRAPH
Volya Hub Basics: Episode One (2023)
A series of video explainers about colonialism and decolonisation, mixing digital art, journalism, educational approach and storytelling. Produced for Ukrainian newsroom Zaborona.
An audio show exposing myths and propaganda about Russian imperialism. It is an eclectic mix of narrative storytelling, historical reconstruction, audio essays and interviews. Produced for a leading Ukrainian newsroom Ukraïnska Pravda.
Russian Colonialism 101: an immersive art show (2025)
An immersive book show that brings Maksym Eristavi’s powerful and award-winning Russian Colonialism 101 guidebook to life through the lens of human stories and lived experiences. Through intimate storytelling, vivid art installations, and heartfelt narratives, you’ll journey alongside individuals whose voices were silenced by Russian colonialism, uncovering their courage, dreams, and unyielding resistance. This experience, co-produced by Ukraine’s leading art collective u2203, weaves history and storytelling, creating a deeply personal connection to the past while inspiring hope for a better future without imperial abuse. More than a history lesson, it’s a celebration of the indomitable human spirit and a call to imagine a world where justice and dignity prevail over tyranny and colonialism.
Feel your audience’s vibe. Build an empathy bridge. Don’t talk over them. Learn from them. Never, ever patronise.
That is the decolonial fire behind everything we do at Volya Hub.
To us, every story is a lab. A chance to learn. A data-rich treasure trove showing us how to meet our audience — on their cultural terms, in their language, on their turf.
Matryoshka of Lies: S01E02 (2024)
Volya Hub’s Decolonial Production Cycle (2022)
Every story we produce is designed based on the strategy informed by audience data and disinformation research, then it gets field-tested in each production, and the results alter the original editorial strategy. All of it forms the never-ending feedback loop that helps our stories to stay audience-anchored and escape elitist or colonial tropes.
Every story we produce is designed based on data and research-informed strategy, then it gets field-tested in each project, and the results alter the original editorial strategy. All of it forms the never-ending feedback loop that helps our stories to stay audience-anchored and escape elitist or colonial tropes.
Russian Colonialism 101: an illustrated guidebook (2023)
Part history, part innovative journalism, and part art — crafted to challenge imperial propaganda and spotlight indigenous voices erased by empire. An illustrated guidebook to 48 Russian colonial invasions in the last century alone, illustrated by a group of leading Ukrainian wartime artists. Translated to Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Czech and German.
how russia turned north asia into ‘siberia’ (2024)
Blending decolonial academic research, journalism and fiction for impactful social media storytelling. Produced for WithUkraine.
how russia stole Ukrainian Malevych (2024)
Experimenting with motion graphics to power up historical justice storytelling. Produced for a Ukrainian project of constructive journalism ShoTam.
Volya Hub’s Decolonial Storytelling Manuals (2022)
Our team of producers, audience and disinformation analysts package the field-testing knowledge from our projects into guidebooks on decolonised storytelling, available exclusively to our Volya Hub partners. It is a practical manual on audience-centred and decolonial storytelling that helps to bridge distrust and empower the audiences affected by colonial abuse.