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To make wine is to believe in the future: the Ukrainians growing grapes on the frontline
In Ukraine's southern Mykolaiv region, winemakers such as the Molchanov family are continuing to tend their vineyards despite the ongoing Russian invasion, framing the act of growing grapes as an expression of faith in the future. Their organic Steppe Wines vines sit amid the biodiverse grassland near the Southern Buh river, but the war is a constant presence — most starkly in the form of an unexploded Russian rocket lodged nose-down between rows of Chardonnay, which they have chosen to work around rather than risk damaging the vines with heavy removal machinery.
When the full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022, the Molchanovs left their home in Mykolaiv for their winery, only to find themselves caught between the two armies' artillery lines as fighting intensified in early March. The successful defence of Mykolaiv proved pivotal, as its capture would have opened a route towards the strategic Black Sea port of Odesa; the family sheltered in their wine cellar, sacrificing a stock of 2017 Cabernet in the process. Beyond the war, the growers also contend with the ordinary hazards of viticulture — poor weather, rot, disease and fungus — made harder by their reliance on organic methods using only copper and sulphur.
In short
- Ukrainian winemakers keep tending frontline vineyards despite the Russian invasion.
- An unexploded rocket sits among the Molchanovs' Chardonnay vines.
- Defending Mykolaiv blocked a Russian route towards Odesa.
Explained simply
Ukraine's Mykolaiv region in the south is home to winemakers who have continued tending their vineyards despite Russia's invasion that began in February 2022. The Molchanov family, who produce organic wines under the Steppe Wines label, have remained at their vineyard situated in grassland near the Southern Buh river, viewing the act of growing grapes as a statement of belief in Ukraine's future. The war's proximity is unavoidable — an unexploded Russian rocket remains lodged in the ground between rows of Chardonnay vines.
When Russia's full-scale invasion started, the Molchanovs initially fled Mykolaiv but returned to their winery, only to become caught between artillery lines as fighting intensified in early March 2022. The successful defence of Mykolaiv proved strategically crucial, as the city's capture would have created a pathway for Russian forces to reach the major Black Sea port of Odesa. The family sheltered in their wine cellar during the conflict, which resulted in the loss of much of their 2017 Cabernet stock.
Beyond the military conflict, the winemakers face the traditional difficulties of grape growing — poor weather, rot, disease and fungus — which are made more challenging by their commitment to organic cultivation methods that rely only on copper and sulphur. Their choice to continue working despite wartime hazards reflects both their economic dependence on the vineyard and their determination to maintain a form of civilian life in a region defined by conflict.
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