Themes by tag: casualties

Ihor Velko is a veteran of the russo-Ukrainian war. He had a civilian job when the full-scale invasion started, and within a few days Ihor came to the Military Enlistment Office and joined the Defense Forces. During service, Ihor was wounded and lost his leg. After the surgery, treatment and rehabilitation, the veteran faced his most difficult challenge: accepting the new reality.

Ihor found an ad about an opportunity for people with disabilities to get a driver’s license at the Dnipro inclusive driving school. Ihor got interested and applied for category C1. The training took place on a truck (3.5-7.5 tons) with manual gearbox specially equipped for the needs of persons with disabilities. Ihor successfully passed the exams, became the first graduate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ service center in Dnipro and received a C1 category driver’s license.

• casualties
• military

Mariana Mamonova, a military medic serving in Ukraine’s Armed Forces, was taken captive while pregnant by enemy forces. Despite her ordeal, she has since established a charity foundation to aid women who have survived russian captivity.

Aged 32, Mariana, a captain in the Medical Service, had been deployed to Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO)/Joint Force Operation (JFO) zones since 2018. 

Initially stationed in Mariupol, she discovered her pregnancy amidst the full-scale invasion in mid-March 2022. Undeterred, she continued her life-saving work and was among those held at the Illich Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol, under Ukrainian military control, before being captured by occupiers on April 4th. An expectant mother endured nearly six months of captivity in a Donetsk region colony, finally being released during a prisoner exchange on September 21, 2022. Just four days later, she welcomed her daughter into the world.

Mariana is now available for interviews in Lviv or online, offering insights into her remarkable journey.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• women
• Lviv

The Lavka Deokupatsii (De-occupation Shop) is a volunteer initiative in Kharkiv that markets vegetables and other produce grown by residents of the recently de-occupied Kharkiv region. 

The project’s primary aim is to revitalize agriculture and foster economic independence for the residents of Studenok village in the Izium district. This village, situated on the border of Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, was under russian occupation for three months starting May 31, 2022. The initiative also assists locals with acquiring seeds, and greenhouses, and facilitating the sale of their produce in Kharkiv.

On its first day of operation, the De-occupation Shop offered cucumbers, green onions, young garlic, carrots, zucchini, new potatoes, and fresh honey from farmers in the reclaimed Kharkiv region. 

For reference: The De-occupation Shop is a project of the Volonterska Charitable Fund.

• casualties
• occupation
• volunteers
• Kharkiv

Before the full-scale invasion, the couple Viktoriia and Bohdan Popov ran their own workshop in Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast, where they worked together with their parents. The family kneaded clay, molded products, fired, polished, decorated, and painted them. 

At the outbreak of the full-blown war, the front line had emerged right next to Sloviansk, and enemy shells began to destroy the city. In April 2022, the Popovs evacuated to western Ukraine, returning only nine months later. At that time, their workshop was damaged by russian shelling, and after another explosion nearby, it became unsafe to stay in the building, so the couple had to find a new place to work. 

Today, in addition to ceramics, Viktoriia and Bohdan paint tubes from hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers and shell casings used by the military. The couple auction off war items to support a friend who worked as a teacher before the invasion and now assembles FPV drones for the army. 

The Popovs are ready to talk to journalists, both in Sloviansk and online.

• casualties
• culture

“Swimming from 0 to 1,000 Meters in 2 Months” is a rehabilitation initiative designed to help injured military personnel regain physical and mental confidence. This program, based in Kyiv, focuses on intensive swimming training, specifically catering to soldiers who have lost limbs. Over two months, participants engage in rigorous pool sessions aimed at building strength and endurance.

Training occurs three times a week, with rehabilitation and massage therapists providing additional support twice a week. Since October 2023, the program has seen over 100 participants.

The current cohort is preparing for the Oceanman open water competition, scheduled for June 28-30 in Kyiv. This weekend, they will be practicing at a local lake.

Journalists interested in covering the “Swimming from 0 to 1,000 Meters in 2 Months” project can do so by prior arrangement.

For reference: The program is an initiative of ONE TEAM FORCES, a public organization committed to offering personalized, comprehensive recovery opportunities for wounded soldiers. Its community supports combatants who served before and/or after February 24, 2022, and were injured or traumatized due to the armed aggression of russia.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Oleksandra Knyha and her brother Andrii, hailing from the now-occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region, have shown remarkable resilience and dedication. When Russian tanks entered Oleshky and Kherson at the beginning of the invasion, the siblings stayed to help their community. Oleksandra’s friends from abroad sent several trucks of humanitarian aid, which she and Andrii sorted, distributed, and handed out. However, as volunteers strongly involved in civic engagement began to be abducted, the pair had to relocate to Ukrainian-controlled territory

After the de-occupation of Kherson on November 11, 2022, Oleksandra and Andrii returned to help rebuild the city. They organized creative workshops for children in shelters, addressing the urgent need for education and engagement amidst the destruction. This initiative led to the creation of the Kryla Foundation (KRYLA).

The foundation supports families on the right bank of the Dnipro River and carries out humanitarian missions in the town of Oleshky on the occupied left bank. The area suffered significant damage after the Russians blew up the Kakhovka dam. The foundation organizes events and holidays for children in the Kherson region and has arranged trips for Kherson children to camps in Poland and western Ukraine.

Currently, with the support of partners, they are developing a new project called Multispace “KRYLA” (WINGS). This shelter location provides Kherson residents with opportunities to socialize or learn new skills despite the ongoing security concerns.

Journalists can learn more and speak with Oleksandra and Andrii either offline or online.

For reference: Before the full-scale war, Oleksandra Knyha and her friends organized various events and transported supplies for children from an orphanage in Kakhovka. Since 2016, she has worked with children with mental disabilities, designing a collection of casual clothes featuring their drawings. Andrii managed a family business in Oleshky, developing green tourism at a local recreation center with his wife.

• casualties
• children
• occupation
• volunteers
• Kherson

On May 23, 2024, a Russian missile attack struck the Factor-Druk printing house in Kharkiv. The assault resulted in the destruction of more than 50,000 books, including those published by Vivat Publishing House. Despite numerous offers to purchase the damaged books, Vivat’s CEO, Yulia Orlova, declined and decided to send the salvaged books for exhibition at the Library of Congress and various foreign museums.

The printing house is currently assessing the damage and planning its restoration. Orlova mentioned that the Howard G. Buffett Foundation has expressed willingness to fund the purchase of new equipment for the facility.

Yulia Orlova, who is currently abroad, is available for online interviews with journalists.

For reference: Factor-Druk is one of Europe’s largest printing houses, producing books for nearly all Ukrainian publishers. The missile strike resulted in the deaths of 7 people and injuries to 21 others.

• casualties
• dead
• russian crimes
• Kharkiv

The Hospitails project is a team of veterinarians and volunteers who have come together to help and evacuate animals in the frontline areas.

A year ago, when the occupiers blew up the Kakhovka dam, the team set out to rescue four-legged friends from the disaster zone, which marked the day when the initiative started working systematically. Hospitals equipped a full-fledged mobile operating room, which allows treating and vaccinating animals as well as performing surgeries in field conditions.

Within the year of operation, the team evacuated and found homes for about 200 animals. During their trips, 243 animals were vaccinated and treated. 168 “tails” were operated on and sterilized. They also distributed 10 tons of humanitarian aid.

For reference: The Hospitails project is a joint initiative of the Hospitallers medical volunteer battalion and Hvostati Charitable Foundation, which helps and finds homes for animals.

• animals
• casualties
• volunteers
• evacuation

The Sercevir Veterans’ Space has been operating remotely for over a year without a physical location. This April, the founders and participants, including military personnel, veterans, and their families, began renovating a former women’s clinic. Once completed, “Sercevir” will offer its services in-person. Currently, dismantling work is in progress. Injured soldiers, some using prostheses, are personally contributing to the renovation efforts to expedite the opening. Plans include a modern, inclusive gym, an entire floor dedicated to psychological counseling and support, legal assistance, and a children’s playroom for families to use while attending the gym or training sessions.

• casualties
• military
• psychological support
• reconstruction
• Chernihiv

Oleksandr Shvachka first mobilized to the Defense Forces in 2015 when russia initially attacked Ukraine. He served in the 79th Air Assault Brigade and was transferred to the operational reserve after demobilization. Oleksandr voluntarily rejoined the military during the full-scale invasion, serving with the 95th Brigade.

In March 2022, while in the Kyiv region, Oleksandr was struck by a tank shell, resulting in the loss of his leg. Initially, he was determined to quickly adapt to a prosthetic and return to his unit. However, his recovery required extensive treatment and rehabilitation. To maintain muscle strength, Oleksandr began exercising and was later contacted by the Strongman Federation of Ukraine.

Driven by a mission to support fellow veterans in their training and recovery, Oleksandr co-founded TRENVET, a mobile app designed to help military personnel locate nearby training facilities or connect with trainers, rehabilitation therapists, and massage therapists, all at no cost.

Currently based in Kyiv, Oleksandr is available for interviews with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

For reference: The TRENVET app was developed with support from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, as part of a project by the NGO Association for the Promotion of Physical Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities “Zvytiaha Neskorenykh” (Victory of the Invictus).

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv