Media Center Ukraine Producer Department

In Lviv, the UNBROKEN rehabilitation center has begun manufacturing prosthetic eyes, noses, and ears for patients who have lost part of their face in war, as a result of an accident, or due to illness. Exoprosthetist Taisiya Yarova creates special overlays that attach to the skin and mimic a natural appearance.

In total, the center has already made 20 eyeball prostheses, one exoprosthesis overlay for the face, and one exoprosthesis for a finger (a new direction).

A facial exoprosthesis is a prosthesis that attaches to the skin and mimics the natural appearance of lost parts. The process of manufacturing prostheses is extremely complex. First, the prosthetist takes a cast of the patient’s face, performs a 3D scan, and manually forms a prototype from plasticine based on the digital model. Then they make a wax model that reproduces the texture and color of the skin, wrinkles, and the smallest anatomical details. After that, the specialist casts the model from medical silicone and paints it by hand.

By prior arrangement, journalists can learn more about exoprosthetics at the UNBROKEN center in Lviv and talk to exoprosthetist Taisiya Yarova.

• casualties
• doctors
• Lviv

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

On March 13, an event dedicated to Ukrainian Volunteer Day, which Ukraine celebrates on March 14, will take place in Kyiv. This holiday honors the courage and self-sacrifice of those who consciously stood up to defend their country in the most difficult times. The date was not chosen at random: on this day in 2014, the first 500 volunteers left Independence Square for a training base in Novi Petrivtsi to form the first volunteer battalion. They were not professional soldiers, but they had a common desire — to defend their homeland.

During the meeting, they will talk about the mood and motivation of those who took up arms in 2014 and those who joined the defense of the country in 2022 from the very first days. They will try to understand what motivated people to make this decision then and what supports them today. They will discuss the challenges veterans face after returning to civilian life. Special attention will be paid to the issues of veteran employment and the role of the state and society in shaping a culture of support for people with military experience. They will also talk about the lives of families after the loss of a son or daughter — about memory, pain, and the need for sensitivity and solidarity.

Participants:

Dmytro Kraslyansky — combatant in eastern Ukraine, veteran, founder of the veteran business “Barbecue BBQ`72”;

Marianna Kuzmenko — mother of the deceased volunteer Daniel Kovalchuk “Francuz”;

Serhiy Mokrenyuk — veteran, community activist, representative of the Regional Council of Ukrainians of Crimea, deputy director for development of a Ukrainian UAV manufacturer,

Anastasia Rozlutska — head of the Nazustrich project at Work.ua, expert on veteran employment, head of the Ukrainian World NGO.

Advance registration is required.

For reference: In response to russian aggression in 2014, the volunteer movement quickly gained mass popularity. With the support of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, territorial battalions began to form, and under the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, volunteer units of the National Guard and special police forces were created. In addition, independent volunteer battalions appeared, which became the country’s shield in the first months of the war. Thanks to their dedication, it was possible to gain time for mobilization and save Ukrainian statehood.

In 2014-2015, nearly 40 volunteer battalions took part in combat operations in eastern Ukraine. Subsequently, most of them became units of the security forces, and many volunteers pursued military careers and became experienced commanders.

The volunteer movement was revived with renewed vigor after russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. From the very first hours of the war, thousands of Ukrainians joined the ranks of the Armed Forces, territorial defense, and volunteer formations. Many returned from abroad to defend their homeland.

• culture
• Kyiv

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

The sixth Face to Face humanitarian mission will take place in Ukraine from March 22 to 28. A team of American facial reconstructive surgeons will work in Lviv for a week.

The doctors will help those with facial paralysis, facial bone loss, eyelid and eye socket injuries, and facial tissue deformities. Military personnel and civilians who have been wounded in the war can apply — all operations will be free of charge.

You can communicate with the team of doctors both online and offline in Lviv, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• doctors
• Lviv

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

General military training for civilians at the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine “Charter” will begin in April. The training will last three days and will take place in Kyiv, Dnipro, Poltava, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk.

The training for civilians will be conducted by experienced veterans from various brigades. The program for recruits will include weapons training, tactical medicine, basic military training, terrain orientation, small group work, and planning.

Anyone interested in gaining new skills and understanding how the Ukrainian army functions can join the training.

Journalists can cover the training by prior arrangement and agreement with the press officer.

• military

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