Fighting for kindness: Zla Mavka
7/15/2026
Ukraine
Shout out to the DCFR members that I met tonight! Thank you for your support!
I am dedicating this blog to Casey, Executive Director of the Denver Council on Foreign Relations.
Tonight humbled me. I did not realize just how proud my friends were of me until Casey and I attended a DCFR meetup with several members. We were all seated around a large table, chatting about different subjects, when Casey casually slipped in, “Did you know Maggie wrote about this?” Everyone at the table turned to look at me in awe, and I found myself explaining the backstory. Casey would simply nod and smile. Then, once the surprise wore off, she would mention another one of my accomplishments. Again, everyone would turn toward me, and again, I would explain the story behind it. Casey would just smile and nod. Finally, as the grand finale, she said, “Maggie, aren’t you supposed to go to Ukraine?” Mouths dropped. Casey looked straight at me, proud as ever, and smiled.
Casey, with tears in my eyes, I want you to know that you are too good to me. You make me sound far more amazing than I feel. You have been one of my biggest cheerleaders from day one, and I appreciate you tremendously. You encourage me to reach for the stars. I secretly think you want me to become famous. I didn't realize until tonight how proud you are of me. Thank you!
To the rest of the DCFR members that attended tonight: I am not really a big deal, but thank you for listening to my stories and for wanting to know about my life.
In honor of tonight’s conversation, I decided to bring back one of the stories I shared: The Zla Mavka. I hope you enjoy it. To my longtime readers, I have also included a few updates at the end. Thank you to all my readers; I appreciate each one of you.
Original date posted 6/14/2025
Updated 7/14/2026: New information has been added at the bottom of this post.
“The power is in the people. Each of us has the power to do something to help this world, from a leaflet to big decisions in the world’s seats of power.”
“Olesia,” one of the founders of Zla Mavka, quoted in The Kyiv Independent, January 30, 2025.
Some of my favorite stories from World War II are stories of resistance: ordinary citizens who made a difference in their own way against the forces occupying their countries. Across Europe, resistance fighters helped American and British pilots reach safety, blew up supply trains, hid people in danger, and helped others escape. They came from all walks of life and all ages, including middle-aged women, older men, teenagers, and even children. Many were caught. Others were lost to history.
Today, in occupied Ukrainian cities like Mariupol, similar nameless resistance fighters are emerging. They are becoming legends in Ukraine. They are not soldiers, but their courage is shared through small media outlets and by word of mouth. Sadly, many of these stories are still not being told by mainstream media. With this blog, I would like to honor them and applaud their bravery. There are several resistance groups in Ukraine, but today I would like to focus on one in particular: the brave all-women resistance fighters known as Zla Mavka. They have become a serious thorn in Russia’s side. The group has a sharp, defiant sense of humor, even knowing the danger they would face if they were found. I find them inspiring, and I admire the courage, humor, and creativity behind their actions.
But first, let’s talk about Virginia Hall. You know how I feel about educating my readers on history. She, too, was a serious thorn in the enemy’s side in the 1940s. She operated under several names, including “Diane,” “the Limping Lady,” “Germaine,” and “Marie Monin.” Although she was American, she held several overseas posts before the war. After losing her leg while on assignment in Turkey, she believed her life as a diplomat was over. Nevertheless, she kept going. During World War II, she volunteered for the British Special Operations Executive. She organized agent networks, assisted American and British pilots, and recruited French citizens to run safe houses. The Gestapo desperately wanted to catch her, but she always stayed one step ahead of them. After the war, she joined the CIA and later received the Distinguished Service Cross, the only civilian woman to receive that honor for service in World War II. She passed away in 1982. She was never captured by the Gestapo.
Now let’s fast-forward to 2025 and bring our attention back to Zla Mavka. The name Mavka comes from Ukrainian folklore and refers to a female forest spirit who lures young men into the woods. She represents female Ukrainian power and strength. The group uses this name as a badge of honor and defiance in response to the brutality Ukrainian women face in occupied cities. From the little research I could find, three women started this resistance in one of their kitchens. They were tired of Russian soldiers leering at women and decided to do something about it. So they did. The group was formally founded in 2023 in occupied Melitopol, Ukraine.
These ladies are fierce. Here are a few examples of their resistance actions:
In one resistance campaign poster, a Mavka is shown striking a Russian soldier with a bouquet of flowers. I cannot fully do justice to their posters and stickers here; the artwork is truly incredible. In essence, the image rejects the advances of the Russian soldier and turns flowers into a weapon of defiance. The group creates posters and stickers with this imagery and distributes them throughout occupied cities. They also publish underground newsletters that counter Russian propaganda with truth.
They also created fake currency that resembles Russian money. Instead of featuring Russian monuments, the bills include Ukrainian monuments or acts of Ukrainian resistance, such as the destruction of a Russian naval ship by Ukrainian forces. The currency has reportedly caused confusion because it has circulated widely, even inside Russia. That kind of courage and creativity is hard not to admire.
When Russian troops knock on doors demanding food, Zla Mavka has reportedly provided food with a little extra “flavor” that makes the soldiers very sick. It makes the occupiers uneasy about eating local food.
Finally, reports from occupied areas have described sabotage against Russian supply lines, including damage to railways and supply routes toward Crimea. Zla Mavka may or may not be taking ownership of some of these “accidents.”
Zla Mavka wants to make one thing very clear: they are bringing light into darkness. “We are here, and despite everything, we continue to resist because evil must not win. Please fight with us and for us.” So, my fellow readers, as you wash your dinner dishes, turn on your favorite TV show, and get ready for bed, think of Zla Mavka: mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends who once lived lives much like yours and are now resisting in their own way. Folks, they are fighting for kindness.
7/14/2026 Update
As of mid-2026, Zla Mavka appears to still be active in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. These women continue to use posters, stickers, underground newsletters, Telegram coordination, and symbolic campaigns to push back against Russian propaganda and remind the occupiers that Ukrainian resistance has not disappeared. Their recent messaging emphasizes visibility and vigilance through efforts like “We see everything,” which encourages women in occupied areas to observe and report what they can while remaining anonymous. I have included a link that highlights their journal entries and artwork. Some of those entries are painful to read because they are not written by fictional characters in a story. They are written by real women whose lives were once very similar to ours: women who had families, favorite places to eat, everyday routines, worries, and quiet, ordinary days before the invasion changed everything. Even as I write this as a woman and a mother, it makes me sad to think of these Ukrainian women and all they have had to endure.
It is also important to mention an article from The Kyiv Independent that raised concerns about the extreme risks civilians face when participating in these campaigns, including surveillance, detention, torture, and even death. Their actions are heroic, but folks, this is not a Hollywood movie. Real people are harmed. Real families wait for answers, not knowing whether the person they love is safe, imprisoned, or gone. Nevertheless, Zla Mavka’s work remains courageous and creative. Their story is still one of defiance. And maybe that is where hope lives too: in the courage of ordinary people who refuse to let darkness have the final word. Please keep these women in your thoughts. They are still fighting for kindness.