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Viktoriia Holovina served in the military for 33 years. She worked as a senior nurse at a military unit’s infirmary and later as the commandant of the Officers’ House in Vinnytsia, before the full-scale invasion. Her contract was set to expire on February 26, 2022, but following russia’s escalation into a full-scale war, retirement was no longer an option.
On July 14, 2022, a russian missile struck the Officers’ House. Viktoriia doesn’t recall the moment of impact, but remembers getting up from the ground while engulfed in flames. She began tearing off her burning clothes and tried to extinguish the fire using rainwater from a puddle. Using the last of her strength, she flagged down a car that rushed her to the hospital.
Viktoriia suffered burns covering 45% of her body. Miraculously, her face and hands were spared. The most severe injuries were on her lower back, and a shell fragment struck her temple. She spent two and a half months in intensive care. After being discharged, she struggled to come to terms with her new reality, until she took part in the Sculpted photo project, where she shared her story and revealed the physical aftermath of the explosion.
Following her injury, Viktoriia began making mochi, a traditional Japanese rice cake. She soon received her first orders, and now she teaches mochi-making professionally.
Viktoriia Holovina is available for interviews both online and in person in Vinnytsia, by appointment.
On June 12, Kyiv will host a screening of Generation, a film by director Marisa Nikitiuk and the Voices of Children Foundation, followed by a discussion exploring the lives of a generation shaped by war. The event is titled “A Generation Growing Up in War: What Challenges Do Children Face Today and How Can We Support Them?”
Generation is a collaborative project between Nikitiuk and the Voices of Children Foundation that seeks to view the war through the eyes of its youngest witnesses and give them a voice to share their experiences. The film was created with 14 teenagers who faced evacuation, forced relocation within Ukraine and abroad, the loss of social connections, and the struggle to adapt to unfamiliar surroundings, all while enduring life under russian occupation or on the frontlines.
Over five months, the teens participated in the “Storytelling in Film with Elements of Art Therapy” lab, working alongside a psychologist and learning scriptwriting under Nikitiuk’s guidance. Through this process, they processed their experiences and transformed them into personal stories on screen.
Speakers:
– Olena Rozvadovska, co-founder and Chair of the Board of the Voices of Children Foundation;
– Marysia Nikitiuk, screenwriter and director;
– Children featured in the film Generation.
Moderator: Olha Birzul, journalist, editor, cultural manager, film program developer and curator, writer.
Organizers: NGO Docudays and the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation.
The Voices of Children Charitable Foundation, with the support and cooperation of the Olena Zelenska Foundation, is launching a camp program for children affected by the war. This is the second joint initiative aimed at supporting children aged 10 to 15 who have experienced the traumatic effects of war. It specifically targets children from internally displaced families, military families, and those living in frontline or de-occupied regions.
The 2025 season includes four sessions throughout the summer, each designed for 56 children. The first session of the Voices Camp started on June 5.
The Voices Camp includes four key areas:
- Creative activities: workshops in drawing, music, theater, and other arts;
- Sports: team competitions, quests, and active outdoor games;
- Psychological training: workshops in self-awareness, emotional intelligence development, and psychological resilience;
- Intellectual training: financial simulations, intellectual games, and thematic quests.
Andrii Novosad is a physical therapist by profession, though he had never worked in the field. When the full-scale invasion began, he started volunteering by making Molotov cocktails and weaving camouflage nets for the military.
One day, a friend who worked at a rehabilitation center called Andrii to tell him about the shortage of specialists working with severely wounded soldiers. Without hesitation, Andrii began working as a physical therapist. While working, he saw a soldier who had lost both hands being fed by his wife. This inspired Andrii to start thinking about adaptive devices that could help the wounded eat independently.
He discussed the problem with his parents, who are engineers and manufacture rehabilitation equipment. Together, they developed a prototype of adaptive tableware and gave it to soldiers for testing. The design includes two types of special cuffs — one with a fork and one with a spoon. Soldiers can put on and take off these utensils without assistance.
Currently, Andrii and his family provide them free of charge to those with double amputations or anyone in need.
You can contact Andrii Novosad online or in person in Lviv by prior arrangement.
Before the full-scale invasion, Vladyslav Trotsiuk lived in Kherson and worked as an IT professional. On February 25, 2022, he evacuated his mother and sister from the city. While his family fled abroad, Vladyslav and a friend enlisted in the Defense Forces.
He served as a combat engineer, operating in the Kyiv and Donetsk regions. In the summer of 2023, he was wounded by a landmine. Vladyslav was transferred to Volyn for treatment. There, he met his future wife. Trotsiuk recalls seeing Maryna for the first time while lying on the operating table, she was working as a nurse. A month later, they met again, and have remained in contact since.
Following the injury, doctors were forced to amputate his leg. He later adapted to a prosthetic, proposed to Maryna, and in January 2025, the two were married.
Vladyslav Trotsiuk is available for interviews, both online and in person in Lutsk, by appointment.
The latest rescue operation has brought 11 more Ukrainian children back from russian-controlled areas, thanks to the continued efforts of the Save Ukraine team and the support of the President’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Among those brought home are two orphans, two children of Ukrainian service members, and a family torn apart by war for nearly four years.
Marharyta, a defender with the Azov Regiment, spent more than three years in russian captivity. Her eldest son, also a soldier, left the besieged Azovstal plant with her. They were sent to different penal colonies, and for a long time, Marharyta didn’t know if her son was still alive. By chance, she saw him during a prisoner exchange, on the same bus. But she still had one wish left: to reunite with her youngest daughter, who had remained an infant under occupation. That dream has now come true. The mother is finally with her children again, and still can’t believe it’s no longer just a dream.
Ostap hadn’t seen his father, a Ukrainian soldier, in three years. His older brother, who fought alongside their father, was captured and spent 1,111 days in detention. He is now undergoing rehabilitation. For the first time in three years, Ostap was able to embrace both of them.
Anatolii, an orphan, was abducted after discovering ammunition in the woods. He was taken straight from a classroom, soldiers burst into the principal’s office, put a bag over his head, tied his hands, and dragged him to a basement, where he was beaten. Just one week before his 18th birthday, he received a draft notice. No one even considered his right to education. The occupiers gave him only one choice: to join a specific military unit. Fortunately, he was able to contact Save Ukraine in time.
Interviews with Save Ukraine representatives are available upon prior arrangement.
The rescue operation was made possible through the support of partners #WeAreAllUkrainians, Humanity Foundation, Reload Love, and the Joint Center for the Coordination of the Search and Release of Prisoners of War and Persons Illegally Deprived of Liberty as a Result of Aggression Against Ukraine. To date, Save Ukraine has returned 659 children, including 145 orphans.
Ivan Soroka enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine after russia launched its full-scale invasion. On February 24, the military enlistment office was recruiting soldiers for the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, named after the Black Zaporozhians — the unit Ivan joined. He defended the village of Moshchun in the Kyiv oblast before his unit was redeployed to the eastern front.
In August 2022, an enemy mine exploded just steps away from him. His comrade was killed instantly, while Ivan lost his sight. “Who needs me blind?” was Ivan’s first thought when he regained consciousness. The answer came from his fiancée, Vladyslava, whom he had met online in April 2022. She visited the wounded soldier in the hospital. The couple had hoped that Ivan’s vision would return, but it never did. In September 2023, Ivan and Vladyslava were married.
Today, Ivan is confidently adapting to his new reality and striving for independence. He launched his own blog, where he explores unusual foods and drinks. He says he has discovered a new way to “see” — through taste, sound, and touch. Last year, Ivan joined the charity foundation “Let’s See The Victory”, where he supports fellow blind veterans and others who are adjusting to life without sight.
You can speak with Ivan Soroka online or meet him in person in Kyiv by prior arrangement.
The “TOY THERAPY ROOM” stands as a nationwide charitable initiative established by a collective within the NGO The National Genofund amidst the full-scale invasion. Its primary aim is to mitigate the trauma endured by both children and adults impacted by russia’s invasion, achieved through the application of puppetry and play therapy techniques.
The TOY THERAPY ROOM offers a carefully designed environment where children and adults can navigate their emotions in a healthy and supportive manner. Within these spaces, carefully curated by dedicated hosts, individuals can explore their feelings, replenish their inner strength, and nurture a sense of confidence in their abilities and desires. Central to the experience are the hundreds of soft toys that inhabit each room. These toys serve not only as companions but also as conduits for understanding and healing. Participants are encouraged to select a toy at the outset of their session, which then becomes a steadfast ally throughout their journey. Beyond the confines of the therapy room, this toy becomes a transitional object through which psychologists gain insights into the person’s condition and provide assistance.
Today, the TOY THERAPY ROOM initiative operates in more than 70 locations across Ukraine, reaching nearly every region of the country, and organizing off-site therapy spaces at summer camps. Its team of psychologists also uses puppetry and play therapy techniques to support the mental health recovery of military personnel.
In 2024 alone, more than 20,000 people visited the therapy rooms, including 15,168 children and 1,400 servicemembers. The project held 5,449 therapy sessions, including mobile outreach events, and distributed over 14,000 therapeutic toys.
Spearheaded by Victoriia Nazarevich, a seasoned psychologist and the driving force behind the Nazarevich-Art psychology training portal, the project maintains a team of dedicated professionals comprising psychologists and art therapists.
For journalists seeking insight into this transformative endeavor, opportunities for interviews with project representatives and participants are available in Kyiv and other cities by prior arrangement. Additionally, online communication channels offer convenient access for those unable to attend in person.
A reminder: June 1 marks the observance of International Children’s Day worldwide.
Before the full-blown war, Yevhen Korinets was passionate about sports and played volleyball professionally. When russia launched its invasion, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He initially served in a security unit, later transferring to the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade, which was deployed in the Bakhmut sector.
In March 2023, an enemy mine detonated near Yevhen’s trench. The explosion caused severe injuries to his leg and arm. His lower limb had to be amputated.
During his recovery, Yevhen was approached by the coach of a regional volleyball team, who encouraged him to try sitting volleyball. That invitation ultimately led him to the Ukrainian national Paralympic team. At the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, the team secured seventh place. Today, Yevhen remains committed to training.
Yevhen Korinets is available for meetings, both online and in person, in the Poltava region by prior arrangement.
Before russia’s full-scale invasion, Ruslan Zadorozhnyi worked as a manager for an online retailer. In November 2022, he enlisted in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, serving as a machine gunner in the Kupiansk sector. There, he was wounded by a shell explosion and lost his arm.
Following months of prosthetics and rehabilitation, Ruslan began searching for civilian employment. Despite receiving thanks for his service, every resume he submitted was met with rejection, until he came across a service station dedicated to veterans.
The Nesemos Fund, founded by Mariia Ksondzyk, the daughter of a fallen Anti-Terrorist Operation soldier, and serviceman Petro Shuklinov, later launched a veteran-run auto repair center. It was there that Ruslan was offered a position as an administrator. The team equipped a workstation for him, and he now manages incoming military vehicles and oversees their repairs. Ruslan hopes to build on this experience and eventually open a service station of his own.
Nesemos Veteran Auto Hub, in partnership with Reskilling Ukraine, is also running a program to train women in car mechanics. The repair bays at the facility serve as hands-on classrooms for those starting from scratch.
Ruslan Zadorozhnyi and the Nesemos team are available for meetings in Kyiv, both online and in person, by appointment.
