Media Center Ukraine Producer Department

Volodymyr Ryzhenko, a combat medic with the 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov, was recognized as the best European medic of 2025 in the category of military medicine after performing a high-risk rescue operation in the field.

During the winter of 2025, in the Toretsk direction, an Azov shelter came under enemy fire. One soldier suffered a severe neck injury and life-threatening blood loss. To save precious time, the brigade’s medical service dispatched blood directly to the position via drone, pre-warmed for the transfusion, along with the instruments Ryzhenko needed.

The medic carried out the procedure inside an armored combat vehicle, which advanced toward the evacuation point despite the ongoing danger. Thanks to his swift action, the wounded soldier was successfully transported to a “stabilization point,” the medical posts closest to the front lines where wounded soldiers receive emergency first aid.

In August 2025, Ryzhenko received the award in the “Military Medicine” category at the Combat Medical Care Conference, Europe’s largest event of its kind, held in Germany.

Volodymyr Ryzhenko is available for interviews by prior arrangement with the press service, and journalists can also access video footage of the rescue operation.

• doctors
• military

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.

On April 1, 2022, Jay Rivera, a 38-year-old former account manager from Pennsylvania, boarded a plane from New York to Warsaw for his first trip to Europe. Leaving behind his family and job, he came with a mission: to support Ukrainians affected by the war.

Rivera began by coordinating foreign volunteers and managing logistics in Przemyśl, Poland. By October 2022, he had taken the helm of Hope Shelter refugee center for Ukrainians.

In November 2024, he moved to Ukraine’s Lviv region to start Phoenix, a reintegration center and shelter for displaced persons. It currently hosts up to 48 residents, providing housing, meals, professional and language courses, and psychological support. The center’s operations are funded through foreign donors, grants, and private contributions. Plans are underway to expand the facility to accommodate veterans and their families.

Jay Rivera is available to meet with visitors in the Lviv region, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• volunteers
• Lviv

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.

When Olha Valianyk’s husband enlisted at the outset of russia’s all-out attack, she quickly realized how isolating the experience could be. She longed for a space where she could share her fears and frustrations with people who truly understood – without judgment, unnecessary questions, or explanations.

Motivated by that need, Valianyk launched The Power of Waiting in April 2025 in Lutsk, under the auspices of the organization Nomad Live. The initiative is designed to support partners of military personnel, offering a safe environment where they can be heard, access professional guidance, and find pathways to emotional recovery amid ongoing uncertainty.

Since its inception, the project has hosted 17 events, ranging from psychological support groups and art therapy to bodywork and nature-based practices, engaging a total of 174 women.

Journalists interested in covering the program in Lutsk can arrange to attend meetings and speak with Valianyk in person or online. Participants are also available for interviews.

• culture
• women
• Lutsk

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.

Journalists are invited to cover a special “Lesson in Caring” on December 9 at an underground school in Zaporizhia, offering a safe space for children to learn the power of empathy even amid wartime conditions.

Organized by the Academy of Care in partnership with the Presidential Advisor on Children’s Rights and the Zagoriy Foundation, the lesson, titled “Create a Miracle for Someone Else: Giving Tuesday and the Culture of Charity,” aims to show that caring is a superpower accessible to everyone. It emphasizes that charity extends beyond financial support, encompassing time, attention, and meaningful action.

Tetiana Melnykova, communications manager at the Zagoriy Foundation, will lead the session, guiding children through practical exercises that illustrate the culture of giving. Students will play the “Kindness Meter” game to identify areas where they can help, ranging from animal welfare to supporting friends, and hear the story of A Little Carrot, a character who discovers that empathy can be more powerful than any magic.

The event offers journalists the opportunity to witness how interactive activities and games are shaping a generation for whom kindness and support are second nature.

The program includes:

– A tour of the underground school, showcasing learning conditions during the war.

– An “Lesson in Caring” public lecture for fourth-grade students.

– A press conference and interaction with speakers and organizers.

A separate press release detailing the lesson “Create a Miracle for Someone Else: Giving Tuesday and the Culture of Charity” will also be available for journalists.

• children
• Zaporizhzhia

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.