The project is organized by the public organization UKRAINE WOW together with the Royal Armouries Museum and the Vasyl Tarnovskyi Chernihiv Regional Historical Museum, in partnership with Ajax Systems.

The Royal Armouries is one of the oldest museums in the world. It houses the United Kingdom’s national collection of arms and armour, which has been assembled over more than 700 years. Many of its treasures are on display at the Tower of London — a UNESCO World Heritage Site run by the independent charity Historic Royal Palaces that welcomes nearly 3 million people annually. As part of their trip, visitors to the Tower of London are also able to enjoy a Ukrainian audio tour of the entire site.

Mazepa’s sabre is exhibited in the White Tower — the oldest part of the Tower of London, founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century.

“The display of Mazepa’s sabre is a rare opportunity to see a historical artefact associated with one of Ukraine’s foremost statesmen and warriors, who was once well known across Europe. The sabre took on symbolic significance when World Heavyweight Champion Oleksandr Usyk raised it above his head in the ring after defeating Tyson Fury in 2024. It shows the power that objects can hold in shaping national identity and resilience. We are honoured to present this relic alongside the Royal Armouries collection at the Tower of London ahead of Usyk’s title defence fight against Daniel Dubois on July 19,” said Nat Edwards, Director General of the Royal Armouries.

“Ivan Mazepa, who is little remembered in Europe today, was once—thanks to the works of Voltaire and Byron—incredibly well-known and popular, a symbol of reckless passion and adventure, a hero of poems, paintings, and even circus performances. I hope that the display of Mazepa’s sabre at the Tower of London will not only prompt the British public to recall his name but also to discover the real Hetman—a far deeper and more complex figure: a statesman, a shrewd politician, a patron of the arts and education, and a true European of his time. In this sense, Mazepa is a powerful symbol of our country. He embodies a depth that deserves to be rediscovered,” — said Halyna Hryhorenko, First Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.

“Hetman Mazepa’s saber is a unique example of late 17th-century Ukrainian craftsmanship, shaped by the influence of Eastern cultures. Today, it forms part of the heritage we strive to preserve during wartime,” says Maksym Blakytnyi, Director of the Vasyl Tarnovskyi Chernihiv Regional Historical Museum. “Our museum was damaged by Russian shelling in 2022, and the threat to cultural heritage remains very real. It is only thanks to continued support — including from international partners — that we can not only safeguard these treasures, but also show the world what Ukraine is fighting to protect.”

Historians Serhii Plokhy and Oleksii Sokyrko contributed to the development of the exhibition materials, portraying Mazepa as a warrior, diplomat, and patron of the arts.

The Ukrainian relic is protected at the Tower of London by security systems provided by Ajax Systems, the project’s official security partner and Europe’s leading manufacturer of security technology.

“The Ajax Systems team is proud to be part of this project and to protect Hetman Mazepa’s sabre in the Tower of London. Our solutions operate in more than 180 countries and have repeatedly proven effective in the most challenging environments, ensuring the highest level of security. This time, we are safeguarding a piece of Ukrainian history in the heart of Britain — helping to preserve the memory of the past and pass down its legacy to future generations,” said Valentyn Hrytsenko, CMO at Ajax Systems.