On October 14, 2023, an extraordinary event was held in the most famous place in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Palace in Kiev.

Anton Tymoshenko became the first Ukrainian stand-up comedian to perform solo there.

“I grew up in a village with fewer people than in a Ukrainian palace,” he said after the ceremony. “A lot of people told me: ‘It’s not going to happen’… Stand-up comedy has never reached that level.”

It is now, largely due to the all-out invasion launched by Russia.

The invasion turned many Ukrainians away from Russia’s previously lavishly promoted acts and caused a renewed interest in Ukrainian culture.

Mainstream Ukrainian comedians say they now make jokes to help deal with the grim reality of war and also help the military by raising money.

“Stand-up comedy is a budget version of psychotherapy,” Anton Tymoshenko tells the BBC.

“I love relieving social tension with my jokes. When that happens, it’s the best thing.”

Another popular performer, Nastya Zukhvala, says the full invasion of Russia in February gave stand-up comedy in Ukraine a “boost,” albeit for darker reasons.

“The demand for comedy seems completely natural to me now because comedy supports and unites.

“It can make reality seem less catastrophic. It’s a tool that can help us process this frustrating information stream,” she told me.

“To remain optimistic or even sane, we have no other choice.”

So what are the jokes that make Ukrainians laugh?

Comedian Hanna Kochora says this kind of humor is dark, but making fun of the danger makes it easier to deal with.

“It looks darker from the outside, and it’s clear why,” she says. “Anyone in Ukraine knows that there are no safe places here.”

“You never know if this airstrike will be the last. You don’t know if Shahid’s drone will target your home or your family’s home.

“Naturally, all our topics are related to the war. Because our life is now. Stand-up comedy is a frank genre where comedians talk about their own experiences or ideas,” says Ms. Kochora.

Here is an example – a joke performed by Anton Tymoshenko at Palace Ukraine:

“I was never worried about a nuclear attack because I know that would mean death for the wealthy residents of Kiev. I live on the outskirts – but nuclear weapons will hit the central parts. Before the repercussions reach me, they will have to make two changes to the metro.”

“More realistically, I would be killed by Iranian drones.

“People can laugh at the news,” Anton told me.

“If we are not allowed to use [Western] Missiles against targets in Russia – yes, this is funny because it is ridiculous. Build on this ridiculous fact, and it becomes funny.

“Of course, Ukrainians find it funny.”

The Western allies were initially reluctant to allow Ukraine to use their missiles against targets in Russia for fear of escalation. But permission was granted after months of pleading by Kyiv: the first shorter-range weapons in May 2024Then long-range missiles in November.

Joking about war is risky.

Anton Tymoshenko says he tries not to “turn on” his fans or add to the trauma they may already be experiencing.

“Wartime stand-up comedy is the hardest kind,” he says. “It’s possible to do jokes without offending anyone, but that would be like joking in a vacuum.”

But, it is usually possible to find out where the line lies according to Nastya Zukhvala:

“I feel what other Ukrainians feel. If I find something sad or tragic, I don’t see any need to turn it into a stand-alone comedy.”

There is also a very practical side to Ukraine’s fight against comedy – helping its military.

“Almost all the comedians I know have been helping the armed forces. We are all involved in fundraising [for the Ukrainian army]. “We hold charity programs and perform many times in front of the army,” says Hanna Kochiura.

Some, like Nastya Zukhvala’s husband Serhiy Lipko, a comedian himself, are in the army.

“Culture, humor or psychology – it’s all well and good,” he says, “but everything has to be of practical use to the army. When there are so many missiles out to hit you, you’re not interested in talking about art alone.” Mr. Tymoshenko.

“My main task is to hold concerts so I can raise money for them.”

He says he has donated more than 30 million hryvnyas (£580,000; $710,000) since the start of the full invasion in February 2022.