Themes by tag: casualties
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.
Media representatives are invited to a closed screening of the documentary “Home: Place of Power” on May 24 in Kyiv.
The film features heartbreaking yet heroic stories of individuals affected by russian aggression and portrays the daily efforts of volunteers from the Dobrobat construction battalion.
The heroes of the film and its creators will attend the screening. Journalists can arrange interviews with them in advance.
Accreditation is required to attend.
Background: The film was produced with support from 1+1 Media and the Kyivstar TV platform.
Oleksandr Kunhurov voluntarily joined the Ukrainian military in 2015. Since then, he has served on the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia fronts.
In July 2023, he sustained a severe injury and had to wear a tourniquet on his leg for over nine hours, which ultimately led to amputation. His rehabilitation lasted one and a half years. Unable to access a prosthetic for his above-the-knee amputation in Ukraine, Kunhurov traveled to the United States for specialized care funded by donors.
After becoming proficient with his prosthetic, Oleksandr took up dancing and learned the rumba, tango, and waltz. In February 2025, he became a model at Ukrainian Fashion Week.
Oleksandr has since returned to military service. He also fundraises for prosthetics for wounded soldiers and civilians, and plans to train as a psychologist to support veterans.
Journalists may interview Oleksandr Kunhurov online or in person by prior arrangement.
Anatolii Levchenko is a theater professional from Mariupol who, in 2015, spearheaded a new chapter in the city’s cultural life by launching contemporary Ukrainian productions at a theater once designated as “russian.”
He and his wife, Hanna, were caregivers for their nonverbal autistic son and Hanna’s 90-year-old mother. Because of these responsibilities, the Levchenkos were unable to evacuate Mariupol quickly after the russian invasion began. They managed to leave only in May 2022. But just one day before their departure, Anatolii was detained by russian forces, following a denunciation from former colleagues in the theater who had aligned themselves with the occupying authorities.
At first, Hanna had no idea where her husband had been taken. She later learned that he had been accused of extremism and transferred to russian-occupied Donetsk. For more than 10 months, she sent him clothing, medication, and letters to the detention center. Occasionally, Anatolii was allowed to call her late at night. During this time, Hanna managed life on her own, caring for their son, sourcing food and water, and cooking over an open fire alongside neighbors.
On March 9, 2023, she received a phone call: Anatolii was being released. His health had significantly deteriorated after nearly a year in detention. That summer, the family reached Ukrainian-controlled territory, first relocating to Kropyvnytskyi. A year later, they moved to Kyiv. Today, Anatolii has resumed his work in theater.
He is available for conversations both online and in person in the capital, with prior arrangement.
For reference: The defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days. On May 20, 2022, the city fell under russian occupation. According to Human Rights Watch, at least 8,000 civilians were killed during the siege. Thousands more were injured, many lost limbs, vision, hearing, or memory, often due to blast-related head trauma. Of Mariupol’s pre-war population of 540,000, approximately 400,000 had fled by mid-May 2022.
This week, the international humanitarian organization World Central Kitchen (WCK) launched a new initiative aimed at supporting families in frontline regions of Ukraine: the Chicken Kit project.
As part of the program, families receive 10 vaccinated laying hens along with high-quality poultry feed, offering a simple yet effective solution to ensure access to food where supply remains limited.
The first deliveries have already reached residents in Donetsk Oblast. In the coming weeks, WCK plans to extend support to frontline communities in the Zaporizhia, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Khmelnytskyi, and Sumy regions.
Journalists may cover the project by prior arrangement. Upcoming deliveries will be open to photo and video coverage, including opportunities for interviews with WCK team members and participants. In addition, WCK is working with professional photo and video crews and will provide access to all visual materials.
For reference: World Central Kitchen is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides meals to people affected by natural disasters and other crises. Founded in 2010 by renowned chef José Andrés, the organization began its work by preparing food in Haiti following the devastating earthquake.
