Media Center Ukraine Producer Department

Mykhailo Purin, 62, hails from Odesa but was in Kyiv when russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Before the war, he worked as a journalist, contributing articles to a Ukrainian media outlet. When the first explosions shook the capital, he volunteered for the army, drawing on his prior experience as a medical instructor in the Soviet military to serve in a similar role with the Navy’s river flotilla.

During his service, Purin patrolled rivers and participated in combat missions in the Kherson region, particularly around Krynky. After several years on the front lines, he retired in August 2024 upon reaching retirement age. Rather than settling into a quiet pensioned life, he sought a role that would give him purpose.

With guidance from Lobby X, an organization supporting veteran employment, Purin explored opportunities that aligned with his passions. He first took a position at Pethouse, a company specializing in pet food and shelter support, where he now manages supply chains. Beyond his day job, he volunteers with UAnimals, helping rescue and evacuate animals from conflict zones.

Purin is available for interviews both online and in person in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• animals
• military
• Kyiv

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

On September 17, Ukraine will witness a new attempt to set the national record for the “Most unsupported one-leg squats in one minute” near Odesa. The record attempt will be made by 34-year-old war veteran and assault pilot Oleksandr Revtiukh of the 47th Mechanized Brigade ‘Magura’, who has endured the loss of both an arm and a leg.

In 2023, during a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Zaporizhia region, Revtiukh and his unit entered a minefield. A mine first took his leg, and as he attempted to crawl to safety in a state of shock, another mine detonated just a meter away, claiming his arm and injuring his torso. Despite the field being heavily mined, his comrades were able to evacuate him.

Last year, Revtiukh set a national record by completing 34 unsupported sit-ups on one leg within a minute. This year, he is aiming to surpass his own achievement.

The event is open to accredited media only. For security reasons, the precise location will be shared exclusively with credentialed journalists.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Odesa

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

On September 17, the Media Center Ukraine will host a briefing titled “Where will the state’s additional 3 billion hryvnias for medical procurement actually end up?” examining how and where the extra funding is being directed within the healthcare system.

Participants:

– Oleg Klots, General Manager, State Enterprise Medical Procurement of Ukraine;

– Inna Ivanenko, Chief Executive Officer, Charitable Foundation “Patients of Ukraine”;

– Tetiana Kulesha, Head of the NGO “Orphan Diseases of Ukraine”.

Key topics:

– How the adopted Law will affect patient access to modern therapy;

– Which treatment and diagnostic areas will receive additional funding;

– What role did patient organizations and others play in the aforementioned decision?

For reference: Amendments to the 2025 State Budget have allowed for an increase in the reserve fund, directing additional resources to priority non-military spheres, namely healthcare, education, and support for veterans and internally displaced persons.

Specifically, Medical Procurement of Ukraine will receive over UAH 3 billion for the centralized procurement of medicines to treat oncology, rare diseases, viral hepatitis, hemophilia, cardiovascular diseases, multiple sclerosis, childhood mental disorders, and more.

This additional funding represents over a quarter of the annual budget for centralized procurements (UAH 11.2 billion). According to the Ministry of Health, the current level of funding was only sufficient to cover about 60% of hospitals’ needs for medical goods.

• Kyiv

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