Darya Zorka
@daryazorka.bsky.social
Writer & translator | Writing about the culture, history, and food of Eastern Europe. Sharing stories from Ukraine, Belarus, and beyond.
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter on Substack: https://daryazorka.substack.com/
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter on Substack: https://daryazorka.substack.com/
As the days got colder, I caught myself baking more and more often. No matter the storms outside and the chaos in the world around me, the warmth and nourishment of homemade food always calms me down and brings a sense of safety.
Grated pie recipe:
daryazorka.substack.com/p/grated-pie...
Grated pie recipe:
daryazorka.substack.com/p/grated-pie...
November 23, 2025 at 9:44 PM
As the days got colder, I caught myself baking more and more often. No matter the storms outside and the chaos in the world around me, the warmth and nourishment of homemade food always calms me down and brings a sense of safety.
Grated pie recipe:
daryazorka.substack.com/p/grated-pie...
Grated pie recipe:
daryazorka.substack.com/p/grated-pie...
Behind numbers and statistics lie human lives, memories, and culture that are impossible to measure. Invaluable and irreplaceable.
A house in the Vinnytsia region, central Ukraine. Photo by the Old Khata Project.
See more beautiful Ukrainian houses here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/irreversible
A house in the Vinnytsia region, central Ukraine. Photo by the Old Khata Project.
See more beautiful Ukrainian houses here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/irreversible
November 22, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Behind numbers and statistics lie human lives, memories, and culture that are impossible to measure. Invaluable and irreplaceable.
A house in the Vinnytsia region, central Ukraine. Photo by the Old Khata Project.
See more beautiful Ukrainian houses here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/irreversible
A house in the Vinnytsia region, central Ukraine. Photo by the Old Khata Project.
See more beautiful Ukrainian houses here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/irreversible
A woman embroidering by the window, Chernihiv region, Ukraine, 1900s. Photo by Natalia Symplikevych.
I love this photo so much. Ukrainian culture is so beautiful. If you want to discover more — I’d be happy to see you among the readers of my newsletter!
daryazorka.substack.com
I love this photo so much. Ukrainian culture is so beautiful. If you want to discover more — I’d be happy to see you among the readers of my newsletter!
daryazorka.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:24 PM
A woman embroidering by the window, Chernihiv region, Ukraine, 1900s. Photo by Natalia Symplikevych.
I love this photo so much. Ukrainian culture is so beautiful. If you want to discover more — I’d be happy to see you among the readers of my newsletter!
daryazorka.substack.com
I love this photo so much. Ukrainian culture is so beautiful. If you want to discover more — I’d be happy to see you among the readers of my newsletter!
daryazorka.substack.com
A walk in the autumn forest. A recent photo from Ukraine by Kateryna Svyrydenko. Read a rare and beautiful Ukrainian poem about autumn here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/autumn-poe...
November 17, 2025 at 8:29 PM
A walk in the autumn forest. A recent photo from Ukraine by Kateryna Svyrydenko. Read a rare and beautiful Ukrainian poem about autumn here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/autumn-poe...
I translate and share poems by Ukrainian and Belarusian writers in my newsletter and often, it is the first time people have a chance to read them. If you love poetry, I’d be happy to see you among my readers!
daryazorka.substack.com
daryazorka.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 7:08 AM
I translate and share poems by Ukrainian and Belarusian writers in my newsletter and often, it is the first time people have a chance to read them. If you love poetry, I’d be happy to see you among my readers!
daryazorka.substack.com
daryazorka.substack.com
Autumn, 1960. A watercolor painting by Ukrainian artist Kateryna Bilokur. If you haven’t heard about this artist before, read a story of her incredible life below. You will be touched, inspired, shocked, and very moved.
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-queen-...
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-queen-...
November 11, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Autumn, 1960. A watercolor painting by Ukrainian artist Kateryna Bilokur. If you haven’t heard about this artist before, read a story of her incredible life below. You will be touched, inspired, shocked, and very moved.
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-queen-...
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-queen-...
I love this photo a lot — a portrait of two men from the Brest region, south-western Belarus, 1930s. Their eyes are so piercing, sad, and kind. What did they see? What is the story of these men? So many questions.
See more historical photos from Belarus here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/how-life-i...
See more historical photos from Belarus here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/how-life-i...
November 10, 2025 at 9:34 PM
I love this photo a lot — a portrait of two men from the Brest region, south-western Belarus, 1930s. Their eyes are so piercing, sad, and kind. What did they see? What is the story of these men? So many questions.
See more historical photos from Belarus here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/how-life-i...
See more historical photos from Belarus here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/how-life-i...
Photo of Mayson for your attention! 💛
We raised $1,670 so far! Thank you! We still need to collect $4,330 to send a package with lifesaving tacmed to Sergei. Every donation means someone’s life is saved. Please repost and donate if you can!🙏
PayPal: donations@ukrainefrontline.org (write For Sergei)
We raised $1,670 so far! Thank you! We still need to collect $4,330 to send a package with lifesaving tacmed to Sergei. Every donation means someone’s life is saved. Please repost and donate if you can!🙏
PayPal: donations@ukrainefrontline.org (write For Sergei)
November 5, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Photo of Mayson for your attention! 💛
We raised $1,670 so far! Thank you! We still need to collect $4,330 to send a package with lifesaving tacmed to Sergei. Every donation means someone’s life is saved. Please repost and donate if you can!🙏
PayPal: donations@ukrainefrontline.org (write For Sergei)
We raised $1,670 so far! Thank you! We still need to collect $4,330 to send a package with lifesaving tacmed to Sergei. Every donation means someone’s life is saved. Please repost and donate if you can!🙏
PayPal: donations@ukrainefrontline.org (write For Sergei)
A page from the Tale of Bygone Years, 1110s - a legendary work that describes the events and lives of the people of Kyivan Rus. Byzantine Envoys Bring a Sword to Prince Svyatoslav of Kyiv.
Learn interesting facts and a brief history of 🇺🇦 language: daryazorka.substack.com/p/surprising...
Learn interesting facts and a brief history of 🇺🇦 language: daryazorka.substack.com/p/surprising...
November 4, 2025 at 7:36 PM
A page from the Tale of Bygone Years, 1110s - a legendary work that describes the events and lives of the people of Kyivan Rus. Byzantine Envoys Bring a Sword to Prince Svyatoslav of Kyiv.
Learn interesting facts and a brief history of 🇺🇦 language: daryazorka.substack.com/p/surprising...
Learn interesting facts and a brief history of 🇺🇦 language: daryazorka.substack.com/p/surprising...
Fundraiser for my friend Sergei! ‼️
Sergei is a heroic medic from Mariupol and he is running out of lifesaving medicine. The goal is $6,000. Please repost and donate if you can! 🙏
PayPal: donations@ukrainefrontline.org (write “For Sergei”)
Donate on fundraiser’s page:
givebutter.com/sergei
Sergei is a heroic medic from Mariupol and he is running out of lifesaving medicine. The goal is $6,000. Please repost and donate if you can! 🙏
PayPal: donations@ukrainefrontline.org (write “For Sergei”)
Donate on fundraiser’s page:
givebutter.com/sergei
November 3, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Fundraiser for my friend Sergei! ‼️
Sergei is a heroic medic from Mariupol and he is running out of lifesaving medicine. The goal is $6,000. Please repost and donate if you can! 🙏
PayPal: donations@ukrainefrontline.org (write “For Sergei”)
Donate on fundraiser’s page:
givebutter.com/sergei
Sergei is a heroic medic from Mariupol and he is running out of lifesaving medicine. The goal is $6,000. Please repost and donate if you can! 🙏
PayPal: donations@ukrainefrontline.org (write “For Sergei”)
Donate on fundraiser’s page:
givebutter.com/sergei
Козак з казок (Kozak z kazok) – is a Ukrainian palindrome, a phrase that reads the same forward and backward. It translates as “The cossack from fairy tales.” Learn more interesting facts about the Ukrainian language in this article:
daryazorka.substack.com/p/surprising...
🇺🇦 alphabet book, 1917
daryazorka.substack.com/p/surprising...
🇺🇦 alphabet book, 1917
November 2, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Козак з казок (Kozak z kazok) – is a Ukrainian palindrome, a phrase that reads the same forward and backward. It translates as “The cossack from fairy tales.” Learn more interesting facts about the Ukrainian language in this article:
daryazorka.substack.com/p/surprising...
🇺🇦 alphabet book, 1917
daryazorka.substack.com/p/surprising...
🇺🇦 alphabet book, 1917
This is my favorite illustration of Ukrainian Vidma — a witch that lives among people. Vidma can turn into a cat with a woman’s face. Learn more about Vidma and other fascinating creatures of Ukrainian mythology here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
Illustration by Ihor Vyshynskyi, 1993
Illustration by Ihor Vyshynskyi, 1993
October 31, 2025 at 8:31 PM
This is my favorite illustration of Ukrainian Vidma — a witch that lives among people. Vidma can turn into a cat with a woman’s face. Learn more about Vidma and other fascinating creatures of Ukrainian mythology here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
Illustration by Ihor Vyshynskyi, 1993
Illustration by Ihor Vyshynskyi, 1993
“Girl in the red,” painting by Belarusian artist Yakov Kruger, 1910. This is the portrait of the artist’s daughter, Sofia.
Discover Belarusian art you’ve never seen before: daryazorka.substack.com/p/discover-b...
Discover Belarusian art you’ve never seen before: daryazorka.substack.com/p/discover-b...
October 31, 2025 at 4:26 AM
“Girl in the red,” painting by Belarusian artist Yakov Kruger, 1910. This is the portrait of the artist’s daughter, Sofia.
Discover Belarusian art you’ve never seen before: daryazorka.substack.com/p/discover-b...
Discover Belarusian art you’ve never seen before: daryazorka.substack.com/p/discover-b...
Mavka or Nyavka is one of the most beautiful creatures of Ukrainian mythology with a very sad story – the tragic love that turned into a curse. Learn more about Mavka and other fascinating creatures of 🇺🇦 mythology here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
Forest Mavka by Mykhaylo Derehus, 1977
Forest Mavka by Mykhaylo Derehus, 1977
October 29, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Mavka or Nyavka is one of the most beautiful creatures of Ukrainian mythology with a very sad story – the tragic love that turned into a curse. Learn more about Mavka and other fascinating creatures of 🇺🇦 mythology here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
Forest Mavka by Mykhaylo Derehus, 1977
Forest Mavka by Mykhaylo Derehus, 1977
Ukrainians believed that forests, lakes, swamps, fields, and mountains were inhabited by spirits and creatures who could bring people harm or help them.
Learn more about Ukrainian mythical creatures and beliefs: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
Ukrainian forest. Painting by Ivan Trush, 1904
Learn more about Ukrainian mythical creatures and beliefs: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
Ukrainian forest. Painting by Ivan Trush, 1904
October 27, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Ukrainians believed that forests, lakes, swamps, fields, and mountains were inhabited by spirits and creatures who could bring people harm or help them.
Learn more about Ukrainian mythical creatures and beliefs: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
Ukrainian forest. Painting by Ivan Trush, 1904
Learn more about Ukrainian mythical creatures and beliefs: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
Ukrainian forest. Painting by Ivan Trush, 1904
This is Vidma — a Ukrainian witch who lives among people. Spooky October days are a perfect time to learn about 🇺🇦 mythical creatures: their names, powers, and stories. Read below to find haunting legends, unique illustrations, and fascinating folk beliefs!
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
October 26, 2025 at 8:36 PM
This is Vidma — a Ukrainian witch who lives among people. Spooky October days are a perfect time to learn about 🇺🇦 mythical creatures: their names, powers, and stories. Read below to find haunting legends, unique illustrations, and fascinating folk beliefs!
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-magica...
A mesmerizing painting by 🇺🇦 artist Kateryna Bilokur, “Flowers, tomatoes, and apples,” 1950. Her paintings were exhibited in the Louvre and used as trays for pigs by her neighbors. Her life story is a testament to human talent and perseverance. Read it here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-queen-...
October 22, 2025 at 7:57 PM
A mesmerizing painting by 🇺🇦 artist Kateryna Bilokur, “Flowers, tomatoes, and apples,” 1950. Her paintings were exhibited in the Louvre and used as trays for pigs by her neighbors. Her life story is a testament to human talent and perseverance. Read it here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-queen-...
“Conversations,” by Belarusian artist Eleonora Bubashkina, 1994
See a beautiful and unique collection of Belarusian art here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/discover-b...
See a beautiful and unique collection of Belarusian art here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/discover-b...
October 19, 2025 at 8:04 PM
“Conversations,” by Belarusian artist Eleonora Bubashkina, 1994
See a beautiful and unique collection of Belarusian art here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/discover-b...
See a beautiful and unique collection of Belarusian art here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/discover-b...
Did you know that the modern bra that millions of women around the world wear today was created by a Belarusian woman? Learn this fascinating story here — Three inventions by Belarusians that changed the world: daryazorka.substack.com/p/three-disc...
October 5, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Did you know that the modern bra that millions of women around the world wear today was created by a Belarusian woman? Learn this fascinating story here — Three inventions by Belarusians that changed the world: daryazorka.substack.com/p/three-disc...
A rare photo of the family from central Belarus, my native region, 1912. It’s fascinating to see how people lived back then. See more historical photos that show how life in Belarus looked 100 years ago here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/how-life-i...
October 2, 2025 at 8:25 PM
A rare photo of the family from central Belarus, my native region, 1912. It’s fascinating to see how people lived back then. See more historical photos that show how life in Belarus looked 100 years ago here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/how-life-i...
“Even if thunder roars above me, I'm getting down to work, because this is the only way I'll put an end to any trouble!”
– Solomiya Krushelnytska, the legendary Ukrainian opera singer of the 20th century.
Learn the incredible story of her life here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/solomiya-k...
– Solomiya Krushelnytska, the legendary Ukrainian opera singer of the 20th century.
Learn the incredible story of her life here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/solomiya-k...
September 29, 2025 at 7:49 PM
“Even if thunder roars above me, I'm getting down to work, because this is the only way I'll put an end to any trouble!”
– Solomiya Krushelnytska, the legendary Ukrainian opera singer of the 20th century.
Learn the incredible story of her life here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/solomiya-k...
– Solomiya Krushelnytska, the legendary Ukrainian opera singer of the 20th century.
Learn the incredible story of her life here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/solomiya-k...
Mosaic "Boikivschyna" at the health resort in Lisovichy, Kyiv region, Ukraine. Author Mykola Andruschenko. 1980s
Learn why mosaics are an important part of every 🇺🇦 town and village and see a mesmerizing collection of 20 mosaics from all around Ukraine!
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
Learn why mosaics are an important part of every 🇺🇦 town and village and see a mesmerizing collection of 20 mosaics from all around Ukraine!
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
September 26, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Mosaic "Boikivschyna" at the health resort in Lisovichy, Kyiv region, Ukraine. Author Mykola Andruschenko. 1980s
Learn why mosaics are an important part of every 🇺🇦 town and village and see a mesmerizing collection of 20 mosaics from all around Ukraine!
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
Learn why mosaics are an important part of every 🇺🇦 town and village and see a mesmerizing collection of 20 mosaics from all around Ukraine!
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
Mosaic on the facade of Lviv Medical University Training Pharmacy. Author Valeriy Marchak. 1990s
See more Ukrainian mosaics and learn their story here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
See more Ukrainian mosaics and learn their story here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
September 21, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Mosaic on the facade of Lviv Medical University Training Pharmacy. Author Valeriy Marchak. 1990s
See more Ukrainian mosaics and learn their story here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
See more Ukrainian mosaics and learn their story here: daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
Mosaic “Ukrainian Madonna” at the Khanenko Museum, Kyiv, Ukraine. Author Vasyl Ovchynnikov. 1960s
Learn how Ukrainian artists kept the culture alive through mosaics and see a collection of unique Ukrainian mosaics that you haven’t seen anywhere else!
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
Learn how Ukrainian artists kept the culture alive through mosaics and see a collection of unique Ukrainian mosaics that you haven’t seen anywhere else!
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
September 21, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Mosaic “Ukrainian Madonna” at the Khanenko Museum, Kyiv, Ukraine. Author Vasyl Ovchynnikov. 1960s
Learn how Ukrainian artists kept the culture alive through mosaics and see a collection of unique Ukrainian mosaics that you haven’t seen anywhere else!
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
Learn how Ukrainian artists kept the culture alive through mosaics and see a collection of unique Ukrainian mosaics that you haven’t seen anywhere else!
daryazorka.substack.com/p/the-overlo...
Whenever I share my essays about the history and culture of Eastern Europe, I see lots of interest and positive feedback, but very few people subscribe to my newsletter. I’d be so happy to see you among my readers!
daryazorka.substack.com
“A portrait of a girl”, by 🇺🇦 artist Ivan Driapachenko, 1932
daryazorka.substack.com
“A portrait of a girl”, by 🇺🇦 artist Ivan Driapachenko, 1932
September 16, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Whenever I share my essays about the history and culture of Eastern Europe, I see lots of interest and positive feedback, but very few people subscribe to my newsletter. I’d be so happy to see you among my readers!
daryazorka.substack.com
“A portrait of a girl”, by 🇺🇦 artist Ivan Driapachenko, 1932
daryazorka.substack.com
“A portrait of a girl”, by 🇺🇦 artist Ivan Driapachenko, 1932