Kyiv-based South African entrepreneur on what the world doesn't understand about Ukraine.
South African tech entrepreneur and filmmaker Ronnie Aptaker spent 19 years in Ukraine documenting its people, culture and evolving identity.
Kyiv Independent's Lili Bivings talks to Apteker about what first brought him to Ukraine, why he decided to document life in Ukraine in 2018, and how the full-scale invasion changed his project. They discuss Ukraine's image abroad, persistent stereotypes, war fatigue and the importance of telling stories that show Ukrainians as people who build businesses, raise families and create despite the war.