Themes by tag: casualties

On July 24, Media Center Ukraine will hold a press conference entitled: “Missing 16 Sailors: The Fate of the Crews from the Sunken ‘Sloviansk’ and ‘Stanislav’ Boats.” Two Ukrainian ships sank in the spring of 2022 following missile strikes by the russian forces in the Black Sea. Some of the sailors were saved. The fate of 16 remains unknown. For two years, the United by the Sea NGO, founded by the families of missing sailors, has been collecting information about how the ships went down. However, there is still no information about what happened to the 16 sailors. At the same time, some unofficial reports have started circulating claiming that the sailors were captured by the russians.

During the press conference, representatives of the families of the missing sailors, the Navy Command and the Media Initiative for Human Rights will talk about the search for the crews, attempts to reach the boats, cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Maritime Coalition led by the UK and Norway.

Participants:

– Olesia Aulina, Head of the United by the Sea NGO, wife of the missing Damir Aulina, commander of the patrol boat “Sloviansk”;

– Tetiana Sherishorina, mother of the missing Nikita Sherishorin, sailor of the patrol boat “Sloviansk”;

– Olena Bieliachkova, Coordinator for Groups of Families of Prisoners of War at Media Initiative for Human Rights;

– Andrii Ursol, Captain (First Rank), Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Navy for Moral and Psychological Support, Department Head. 

For reference: The Sloviansk sank on March 3, 2022, in the area between the Kinburn and Tendra spits, 2 km from the coast. The vessel was the first combat casualty of the Ukrainian Navy during russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Stanislav sank on May 7, 2022, 20 meters from Snake Island, it now lies at a depth of about 20 meters.

Pre-registration is required.

• casualties
• military
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On July 28, Kyiv will host a requiem event entitled “Olenivka – pain that will not go away.” The organizers invite everyone to commemorate the brave and loyal heroes of Ukraine who went through the defense of Mariupol with dignity. The enemy could not defeat all of them on the battlefield, and on the night of July 29, 2022, the adversary made a despicable act and blew up almost 200 Azov soldiers in the colony in occupied Olenivka.

For reference: the defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days, 82 of them – completely besieged. From May 16 to 20, 2022, the Mariupol garrison carried out the order to stop the defense of the city and go into captivity.

On the night of July 29, 2022, the russian federation committed a terrorist attack, setting off an explosion in the barracks of the penal colony in Olenivka, which housed Ukrainian prisoners of war. At least 50 defenders of Azovstal were killed in the act.

• casualties
• dead
• military
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Accessible Wakeboard is an initiative for participants of projects by ONE TEAM FORCES NGO. Its goal is to show that even extreme sports like wakeboarding are accessible to warriors recovering from injuries, as well as to give veterans an opportunity to test their own strength and help regain confidence in themselves and their bodies.

Training sessions take place once a week. Project participants include defenders who have lost their upper and/or lower limbs.

By prior agreement, journalists can cover classes in Kyiv.

For reference: ONE TEAM FORCES is a community that helps combatants who were in service BEFORE and/or AFTER February 24, 2022 and were injured or psychologically traumatized as a result of russia’s armed aggression.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

In Kyiv, wounded defenders take part in free clay sculpting and pottery master classes organized by the Azov’s Angels Patronage Service together with Kust ceramics studio. Creative activities are part of the rehabilitation of the military.

During the class, defenders make dishes or other objects – by hand or with a potter’s wheel. Soldiers often donate completed works for various charity events.

By prior agreement, journalists have the opportunity to cover a clay sculpting master class.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

Anna Yaroshenko, a seasoned diver with over 20 years of experience, believes diving is accessible to everyone. She has dived with children, elderly individuals, and people with hearing and visual impairments, mental disorders, and various injuries. Underwater, the effects of gravity diminish, allowing everyone to experience a sense of “weightlessness.”

Following the onset of the full-scale war, Anna saw diving as a potential rehabilitation tool for injured military personnel. Recognizing its benefits for both physical and psychological recovery, she launched the project “Gravity? WTF?”. Her mother, a rehabilitation therapist, introduced her to the first volunteers—wounded defenders with injuries and amputations.

The project’s aim is to provide military veterans with a new and engaging hobby, teaching them the complete set of skills needed to become independent divers. Initially, the soldiers train in a shallow, barrier-free pool accessible by wheelchair. The next phase involves a 3.8-meter deep pool. Those who gain confidence in scuba diving progress to open water dives.

To date, 25 veterans with various injuries and amputations have participated in the project.

Journalists are invited to learn more about “Gravity? WTF?” and to cover the diving lessons held in Kyiv pools and open water sessions. 

• casualties
• military
• women
• Kyiv

The apiary near Mykolaiv (a city in the south of Ukraine) was founded by Yakiv Fedosov’s father. After his father’s death, Yakiv continued the family business. Before the full-scale invasion, Yakiv had bought new equipment and increased the number of bee colonies. Over time, he began making honey infused with medicinal herbs.

However, with the beginning of the Big War, the village in which the farm was located became the epicenter of the russian offensive. Heavy shelling destroyed the house, some of the beehives burned down, and the occupiers stole the already produced honey.

However, this did not stop Yakiv. He distributed the remaining honey to the military. Then he bought more honey from beekeepers he knew, and based on it, he created a honey paste for the soldiers, which quickly replenishes their energy.

Now Yakiv is waiting for compensation for the destroyed property from the state. He plans to rebuild the house and continue to work on the apiary.

Yakiv Fedosov is in Mykolaiv oblast. He is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and offline.

• casualties
• reconstruction
• russian crimes
• Mykolaiv

For Hennadii Azzheurov, the war began back in 2014, when russia occupied Crimea and attacked Ukraine in the East. That’s when the man’s native village of Hranitne (Donetsk region) turned into a battlefield. Hennadii had worked in Mariupol’s patrol police for about 30 years. In February 2022, he planned to retire from service. However, on the evening of February 23, heavy shelling began: the russians surrounded Hranitne. A few days later, armed enemy soldiers came to Hennadii’s house and arrested the man without any explanation.

Later, the former policeman, along with other Ukrainian civilian and military prisoners, ended up in temporarily occupied Donetsk. There, according to Hennadii, the prisoners were interrogated and tortured by being deprived of food and water. A few months later, the man ended up in a colony in occupied Olenivka in Donetsk region, where he stayed for another 40 days. After that, the occupiers released Hennadii without explaining why they had detained him. He managed to get to Ukraine-controlled territory on his own.

The 55-year-old man had no idea what he would do after captivity. Due to age and health, he couldn’t return to police work. In Odesa, he turned to Heart of Azovstal NGO, where he was offered to master HR management in the IT industry for free. After half a year of study, Hennadii started working as a career mentor at the Heart of Azovstal. Currently, he helps the military defenders of Mariupol to choose a direction for training and retraining, and also provides them with comprehensive support in employment.

For reference: Hennadii Azzheurov is in Odesa. The man is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Odesa

On July 18, the family of the fallen hero (the Berezov family) in Kyiv region will receive Ukraine’s first residential house, built using 3D construction technology. A house with an area of ​​130 m² was printed in 58 hours using a 3D printer of 3D UTU company.

On March 6, 2022, the Berezov family lost their home due to the russian aggression during the occupation of Irpin. And on November 6, 2022, the father of the family, Yaroslav, died in the battles for Bakhmut. This house will become a symbol of a new beginning for them as well as commemorate the fallen hero.

The special feature of this house is a dual-purpose room with an increased level of security, in which the Berezov family will be able to wait out air alarms.

Journalists will have the opportunity to talk with the Berezov family, Inna Furman, Head of the Hold the Nation Charity Foundation, and representatives of the authorities and partners.

The event requires accreditation. Accreditation will be open until 6:00 PM on July 17, 2024.

For reference: The house for the Berezovs was built as part of the “United for Help” project. This is an initiative of the Hold the Nation Charity Foundation, implemented with the support of the Irpin City Council and over 70 partners.

• casualties
• dead
• occupation
• reconstruction
• Kyiv

Iryna Vlasenko is a doctor specializing in dermatology and venereology who survived the russian occupation in Melitopol (Zaporizhia region). She knows the feeling when it seems that everyone has forgotten about you. These memories motivate her to volunteer at FRIDA (the Ukrainian-Israeli medical volunteer mission). Together with other doctors, Iryna attends to patients both in the front-line regions and in the borderlands, and shows by her example that people who live there are remembered.

The trips also help her deal with her fears about her husband, who is now on the front lines. While her husband has operated a Mavic drone on over 100 missions, Iryna has gone on more than 40 trips to the front-line territories.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with Iryna in Kyiv. There is also an opportunity to cover the volunteer trips made by FRIDA Ukraine.

For reference: FRIDA Ukraine is a Ukrainian-Israeli medical volunteer mission that aims to help the civilian population. Volunteer doctors provide Ukrainians affected by hostilities with high-quality healthcare.

• casualties
• doctors
• occupation
• women
• Kyiv

Artem Hondiul has held numerous roles, including fire rescuer and security guard for merchant ships against Somali pirates in the Gulf of Guinea and Oman. Eventually, he joined the National Guard and later transferred to the Azov Regiment, now part of the National Guard of Ukraine’s Azov Brigade. Artem and his wife Anastasiia moved to Mariupol.

On February 23, 2022, Artem was on duty and convinced Anastasiia to leave Mariupol, despite her reluctance. She managed to escape in late February.

Anastasiia later discovered that Artem was at “Zaliziaka” (“Piece of Iron”), an improvised hospital at the Azovstal plant, suffering from a shrapnel injury to his pelvis. In May 2022, under orders from higher command, Artem and his comrades entered honorable captivity. On the night of July 29, 2022, Artem was seriously injured in the Olenivka massacre. 

Following the explosion in the colony’s barracks, Anastasiia saw her husband several times in videos released by the russians. Since September 2022, she has had no news of Artem’s whereabouts or condition.

In May 2023, Anastasiia and the relatives of other Olenivka victims traveled to Geneva to meet with representatives of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. It was only after this visit, 16 months into Artem’s captivity, that Russia officially confirmed his status as a prisoner of war.

Journalists can learn more and speak with Anastasiia in Kryvyi Rih, with online communication also available.

For reference: On the night of July 29, 2022, russia carried out a terrorist attack by detonating a barracks in the Olenivka penal colony, where Ukrainian prisoners of war were detained. At least 50 Azovstal defenders were killed, and over 100 were injured.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women