Igor Mitchnik
First Executive Manager
Since February 1, 2024, Igor is the First Executive Manager of Austausch. Prior to this role, Igor Mitchnik was primarily involved in civil society, humanitarian, and analytical projects in and related to crisis and conflict areas in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus. From 2019 to 2021, he was deployed by Austausch to Eastern Ukraine, where he was responsible for two years for the establishment and management of ‘Drukarnia’ in Sloviansk (Donetsk Region). Even thereafter, his work focus remained predominantly in Ukraine, where he collaborated with American NGOs such as the Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) and Mercy Corps.
Igor Mitchnik holds a dual master’s degree in Politics and Security from Tartu (Estonia) and University College London. He was a fellow of the Mercator Kolleg for International Affairs, the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes), and the Ernst-Ludwig-Ehrlich-Studienwerk.
Recent articles
Key Takeaways from the Discussion “Building Climate Resilience in Ukraine” at Café Kyiv 2026
At Café Kyiv 2026, we organised a joint panel with GIZ, the Ukrainian Climate Office, the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, and the InsuResilience Solutions Fund. Titled “Building Climate Resilience in Ukraine: Cross-Border Environmental Action and Climate Risk-Informed Adaptation,” the discussion brought together policy analysis, climate risk modelling, and practical experience from civil society environmental work.
“Im Alltag – In Everyday Life”: A Photographic Testimony of Ukraine During War Opens in Berlin
On 20 February 2026, the photo exhibition “Im Alltag – In Everyday Life” officially opened at the Stasi Museum in Berlin, offering visitors an intimate and powerful glimpse into the everyday realities of life in Ukraine during Russia’s war. The exhibition is presented at Stasi-Zentrale. Campus für Demokratie, Haus 22 (Ruschestraße 103) and will be open to the public until 13 March 2026.
Migration from Ukraine in the Fifth Year of the War: Why the Main Crisis Is Still Inside the Country
On 1 February 2026, Igor Mitchnik, Executive Director of Austausch e.V., explored these trends during a public lecture at the Museum Europäischer Kulturen in Berlin. The evening proved highly interactive, with active audience participation underscoring that Ukrainian migration remains not just a matter of solidarity, but a shared challenge shaping European societies.
What We Built Together in 2025
In a year shaped by war, social transformation, and growing pressure on democratic and inclusive societies, Austausch e.V. focused on what matters most: supporting people, dialogue, and solidarity. We launched new initiatives, deepened international partnerships, and worked closely with civil society actors, educators, activists, and local communities across Europe and beyond. At the core of our work were inclusion and disability rights, historical memory and education, democratic dialogue, and environmental justice.
Strengthening Civic Space and Security Dialogue: Austausch e.V. at the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference 2025
This year, Executive Directors Igor Mitchnik and Jacob Riemer took part in discussions that ranged from financial accountability to regional security and civic participation.
Instead of “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” we are now hearing “Nothing about Europe without Europe”
Austausch e.V.’s First Executive Director Igor Mitchnik gave an interview to Bulgarian media
