RussT artwork in Oulu draws attention to Ukrainian prisoners in Russian captivity

A RussT artwork by Ukrainian artist #NEIVANMADE has been installed on the southern end of the renovated Oulu10B building. RussT, short for RUSSian Tortures, is a series of public art installations intended for urban spaces around the world. The project aims to raise awareness of the brutalities of illegal captivity and to keep the issue visible until all Ukrainian prisoners are freed.

The City of Oulu received the artwork as a donation from Mykhailo Vydoinyk, Ambassador of Ukraine to Finland. There are now three RussT artworks in Finland, two of them in Helsinki. Works have also been installed elsewhere in Europe, including Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.

The artwork and the international project are backed by the Ukrainian organisation Cultural Forces, which works during the war with civil society, the armed forces and international partners. Its activities include cultural and educational projects in communities affected by the war, cultural activities for military personnel, and the presentation of Ukrainian culture and international cooperation.

“When the war of aggression began more than four years ago, Finland’s six largest cities – Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere, Turku and Oulu – raised financial support for Ukraine. As European Capital of Culture, Oulu now encourages everyone to show their support for Ukraine through art. We challenge Finnish cities and municipalities to acquire their own artwork for the exterior walls of public buildings with the assistance of the Embassy of Ukraine in Finland,” says Ari Alatossava, Mayor of Oulu.

The artwork consists of five prisoner silhouettes, one of which is now installed at the corner of Torikatu 10B, next to the main entrance. The poses of the figures correspond to documented methods of torture described by survivors of Russian captivity. The silhouettes also refer to the Ukrainian defenders of Mariupol who resisted total encirclement and were described as “stronger than steel”.

The figures are made of Corten steel and installed outdoors. As they are exposed to the weather, rust streaks form across the surface, symbolising continuous bleeding. Over time, the figures themselves corrode, embodying the idea that time is lethal for those held in Russian captivity.

By placing the work in a public urban space, the project seeks to highlight the experiences of Ukrainian prisoners of war and unlawfully detained civilians and to raise awareness of torture in captivity.

Oulu has supported Ukraine in many ways

Since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression, the City of Oulu has supported Ukraine and its twin city Odesa in several ways. In February 2026, the city organised a free screening of Mstyslav Chernov’s documentary 2000 Meters to Andriivka in cooperation with Finnkino and Kaleva.

In August 2026, a Russian Geran-2 attack drone shot down in Ukraine was displayed on Rotuaari pedestrian street. The exhibition aimed to bring the reality of the war into the heart of the city and to encourage discussion about the ongoing impact of the war in Ukraine. It attracted thousands of passers-by and generated extensive discussion.

Installing the RussT artwork on the façade of Oulu10B continues Oulu’s support for Ukrainians who have been defending their country for more than four years.