Themes by tag: casualties

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

The Lviv region has launched its first inclusive retreat, Veteran Camp, designed for veterans and their families. This initiative is part of the League of the Unconquered sports rehabilitation project for veterans, offering free training and entertainment for the defenders.

So far, 47 veterans undergoing rehabilitation in local medical facilities have participated. The heroes engaged in various activities, including rope park challenges, fishing, swimming, and Nordic walking.

These camps will be held at the end of each summer month. 

Journalists can cover the camp tentatively set for July by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Lviv

Serhii Krasnov, a master of sports in cycling from Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region, has embarked on a 3,500-kilometer charity bike ride across Ukraine. His hometown has been under russian occupation since the full-scale invasion began, and some of his relatives and friends remain there.

Serhii’s ride aims to raise funds to support displaced people from the Kherson region. He plans to complete the journey in 23 days.

Starting his route in Odesa on June 29, the cyclist will arrive in the capital on July 14, passing through Mykolaiv, Kryvyi Rih, Zhytomyr, Uman, and Cherkasy. Serhii plans to conclude his ride in Odesa on July 21.

Serhii Krasnov is available for interviews with journalists, both online and offline.

• casualties
• occupation
• Kherson
• Kyiv

Alina and Vadym Gaburych are soldiers of the Azov Regiment. They had defended Ukraine even before the full-scale invasion. After February 24, 2022, they defended Mariupol. Vadym was seriously injured in April 2022 and died in the bunker of the Azovstal plant. Alina, along with thousands of Mariupol defenders, was captured.

The couple’s son Yehor (now 8 years old) was raised by his grandparents. However, the boy looked at the pictures of his parents above his bed every day and believed that they would return. He even wrote a song for his mother.

In April 2023, Alina was released from captivity, and she and her son finally met. The woman still cannot bury her husband, because the russians did not hand over his body.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with Alina in Cherkasy region.

For reference: the Children of Heroes Fund helps the family by providing material and humanitarian aid (medicines, food products, hygiene kits). Yehor also received a long-awaited tablet.

• casualties
• prisoners
• women
• Cherkasy

Mykhailo Tsybulka’s passion for beekeeping was inspired by his father and grandfather, who maintained apiaries. In 2018, Mykhailo established his own apiary in Kharkiv.

Following the onset of the full-scale invasion, his family relocated to Ivano-Frankivsk. However, in January 2023, Mykhailo returned to Kharkiv with his wife, and they opened a shop selling their apiary products. They also applied for a grant to secure financial support for essential equipment.

In February 2024, a russian drone strike on a nearby oil depot devastated their home with oil contamination, destroying everything except the beehives that were still in hibernation.

Currently, the couple resides in a small apartment in Kharkiv, continuing to expand their apiary and experiment with new honey flavors.

Mykhailo Tsybulka is available for interviews in Kharkiv or via online communication.

• casualties
• Kharkiv

Oksana Myronenko was a surgeon in her hometown of Luhansk. In 2014, following russia’s initial attack on Ukraine and the occupation of the city, Oksana and her husband relocated to Bucha in the Kyiv region.

In February 2022, during the Russian assault on Kyiv, reluctant to face occupation again and swiftly moved with her children from Bucha to Kyiv. Tragically, Oksana’s parents also attempted to flee Bucha, but her mother died and her father was injured en route.

In spring 2022, Oksana and her sister established the Nash Sokil (Our Falcon) charity foundation, dedicated to aiding internally displaced persons with limited mobility. They named the foundation in honor of their late mother, whose last name was Sokolovska. Despite her new responsibilities, Oksana continues her medical practice, performing at least 30 surgeries a month in Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv. As a peripheral nerve injuries expert, she helped many soldiers avoid disability and alleviate pain. Oksana offers all surgeries for military personnel at no charge. 

Journalists can interview Oksana Myronenko in Ivano-Frankivsk or Kyiv.

• casualties
• dead
• doctors
• occupation
• women
• Ivano-Frankivsk
• Kyiv

Before the full-scale war, 27-year-old Vadym Bartashchuk from Vinnytsia region worked in construction. On the second day of the invasion, he voluntarily joined the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade and fought with them for nearly two years. Vadym participated in battles in the Kherson and Donetsk regions, including the defense of Avdiivka. He was injured on February 16, 2024, just before Ukrainian forces withdrew from the city. A bullet struck his right leg, and he couldn’t be evacuated for hours. With a tourniquet on for 11 hours, doctors at the nearest medical center had no choice but to amputate to save his life. After multiple hospital stays, Vadym arrived at the UNBROKEN Center in Lviv for prosthetics and rehabilitation. By his third week at the center, he had fully adapted to his artificial limb and now moves without crutches.

Vadym’s foremost wish is to return to his comrades in the 3rd Assault Brigade, confident he can still contribute effectively with his prosthesis.

Journalists can arrange to speak with Vadym in Lviv, though no filming is allowed.

• casualties
• military
• Lviv

In Kyiv, Ukrainian defenders, including veterans who have lost limbs during the war, now have the opportunity to rehabilitate through water sports such as paddleboarding, wakesurfing, and wakeboarding. These activities utilize special inclusive seats for training.

The training sessions are free and take place 2-3 times a week, depending on the sport, with professional instructors on hand. Journalists can arrange in advance to cover these sessions and speak with participants and organizers.

For reference: These lessons are organized with support from the Ukrainian Wake Federation (UWF) and X-Park. 

X-Park has been providing comprehensive support for veterans, participants of the Revolution of Dignity, the russian-Ukrainian war, and their families for six years. The park offers inclusive sports facilities, including basketball courts, stand-up paddle boards, and surfing locations, aimed at post-frontline rehabilitation. This support is crucial for soldiers with severe injuries and physical limitations, as it helps improve their psychological well-being, prevent depression, and demonstrate possibilities for a vibrant, active life.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Jennifer is a German citizen. She first learned about Dobrobat in the summer of 2023. Working on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Ukraine was not enough for her, so she also started restoring Ukrainian houses ruined by the occupiers.

During her first volunteer trip in June 2023, Jennifer worked in Kharkiv. After that she came to Kyiv and fell in love with this city. Since then, she has been constantly involved in Dobrobat’s work in Kyiv region. Mostly, this involves cleaning up construction rubble and debris, but Jennifer has a favorite job – repairing roofs.

The woman combines volunteering with work as a German language teacher in Kyiv. She supports Ukrainians in learning German in every possible way.

Tomorrow (July 2), Jennifer, together with other Dobrobat volunteers, will work in Horenka, Kyiv region. The roof of a house belonging to a large family was completely burnt out as a result of the russian attacks in the spring of 2022.

For reference: Dobrobat is a volunteer building division that helps those affected to urgently rebuild their houses and social infrastructure facilities in the de-occupied territories.

• casualties
• occupation
• reconstruction
• volunteers
• Kyiv