Themes by tag: casualties

Vira Biriuk, originally from the village of Bakhmutivka in Ukraine’s Luhansk region, endured a year as her village fell under russian occupation, followed by another year in enemy captivity. When russian forces seized her village at the start of the full-scale invasion, she decided to stay in her home despite the growing danger.

A year later, in the middle of the night, occupation forces broke into her house and took her away. The russians accused her of murder, but Vira believes the real reason was her Ukrainian passport, and the fact that her late brother had served in the Ukrainian military defending the Luhansk region.

Under torture, she says, she was forced to sign a confession. For the first month, she was held in a temporary detention facility, then transferred to a pre-trial detention center in Luhansk, where she spent nearly a year in harsh conditions.

In September 2024, Vira was released as part of a prisoner exchange. After a brief rehabilitation period, she settled at a social center’s temporary housing facility. Today, she works with a charitable foundation in Chernihiv that assists families of prisoners of war.

Vira Biriuk is available for interviews both online and in person in Chernihiv, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Chernihiv

Olena Yahupova, a resident of the occupied town of Kamianka-Dniprovska in the Zaporizhzhia oblast, endured captivity and forced labor at the hands of russian forces due to her pro-Ukrainian stance. Olena worked in civil service for over 20 years and was known for her Ukrainian patriotic views. She was denounced for allegedly having a husband who served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In October 2022, occupiers seized her from her home.

During her detention, Olena was subjected to torture as the russians sought information on her husband’s whereabouts and details about other individuals with pro-Ukrainian views.

She was also forced into labor slavery, compelled by the occupiers to dig trenches alongside other hostages. Olena performed this grueling work while living in inhumane conditions. She managed to secure her release after more than six months in captivity.

Now that she is safe, Olena has filed a report with law enforcement and undergone forensic medical examinations. She has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, cerebral microangiopathy, deteriorating eyesight, and injuries to her hip and shoulder joints. She has been assigned a second-degree disability. As a result of the torture Olena endured, she is scheduled to have surgery to replace two cervical discs with implants.

Olena has been officially recognized as a person deprived of personal liberty as a result of Russian aggression, a victim of human trafficking, and a victim of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).

Journalists have the opportunity to speak with Olena in the Kyiv oblast online or in person, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv

Oleksandr Zhavnenko is 36 years old. When the full-scale invasion began, he supported the Ukrainian army as a volunteer. In 2023, he was mobilized and joined the ranks of the 12th Special Forces Brigade “Azov”, serving as a drone operator.

In October 2024, Oleksandr sustained severe injuries that resulted in the loss of both his legs. After undergoing rehabilitation, he dreamed of dancing with his wife again, this time with prosthetic legs. The couple had first fallen in love in a dance studio years earlier.

While recovering, Oleksandr participated in a business course for patients of the UNBROKEN Center in Lviv, organized by the ReStart project: “From an Idea to a Veteran-Owned Business”. After completing the course, he developed a business plan, applied for a state grant, and secured funding to open his own dance studio. Named Yavir Dance Space, the studio officially opened in Lviv on October 18.

Oleksandr is available for interviews, both online and in person in Lviv, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Lviv

Roman Didera is a veteran of the russian-Ukrainian war who served as a paratrooper and machine gunner. In 2015, he was drafted into the 95th Separate Airborne Brigade. By the end of the year, however, Roman began to experience severe knee pain. He gradually lost the ability to walk, and faced the threat of amputation. Timely prosthetic surgeries provided him with two hip replacements and set him on a new path.

Following the start of the full-scale invasion, Roman discovered a passion for embroidery, inspired by his wife, Mariana. His first piece was a beaded image of Jesus Christ. He also created a Bayraktar shirt. Since then, Roman has mastered approximately 40 traditional stitches to create authentic vyshyvankas, traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirts.

In three years, he has created 33 unique shirts, each a one-of-a-kind piece. In recognition of his skill, he was granted special permission to recreate a copy of Taras Shevchenko’s personal vyshyvanka. His expertise has earned him the title of Folk Master of Ukraine in Vyshyvanka and membership in the National Union of Folk Art Masters.

A dedicated online page, “Sorochka z rodu v rid” (A Shirt from Generation to Generation), now showcases and sells the embroidered works created by Roman and his wife.

Journalists can speak with Roman and his wife Mariana in Lviv or online, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Lviv

Oleksii Sivak, a 42-year-old former sailor from Kherson, saw his life upended by russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Remaining in the city with his wife and disabled mother-in-law, he engaged in acts of peaceful resistance, posting anti-russian leaflets and creating effigies of “dead russians” with like-minded people to make the occupiers feel unwelcome on Ukrainian soil.

On August 24, 2022 — Ukraine’s Independence Day — Oleksii and a fellow resident displayed a Ukrainian flag in the city. The next day, Russian forces captured them both. Oleksii was beaten in front of his wife and held captive for 59 days, during which he was tortured and sexually assaulted (CRSV — conflict-related sexual violence).

After being released, Oleksii started looking for his former cellmates. This effort evolved into the creation of the Alumni Network, which unites men who have survived captivity and torture. He now heads the Alumni NGO, which was established to support Ukrainians affected by russian aggression, including torture and CRSV. The organization provides legal and psychological aid and organizes retreats for its several hundred members, ranging in age from 20 to 76.

Journalists can speak with Oleksii in Kyiv, Kherson, or online by prior arrangement.

Background: russian forces occupied Kherson at the start of the full-scale invasion on March 1, 2022. The Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated the city on November 11, 2022. However, it continues to endure regular shelling by russian forces.

• casualties
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kherson
• Kyiv

A hands-on training session for coaches working with injured veterans will be held on October 19 in the Kyiv region as part of a pilot program aimed at supporting rehabilitation through sports. The initiative is designed to help sports coaches gain practical skills to work with veterans recovering from injuries, wounds, or illnesses.

The pilot program, the first of its kind in Ukraine, takes a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on the expertise of specialists in sports, psychology, accessibility, and physical rehabilitation. Organizers say the project is intended to set a new standard for how coaches work with veterans.

So far, 34 coaches have completed 11 theoretical training modules. The upcoming session will focus on putting that knowledge into practice, including how to tailor exercises for different types of injuries, track progress, and adjust training plans to individual needs.

Trainers will also demonstrate specialized equipment such as basketball and rugby wheelchairs, recumbent bikes for people with musculoskeletal injuries or amputations, and handcycles for those with upper limb impairments.

The session will wrap up with a certificate presentation for participants, with officials from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine expected to attend.

• casualties
• Kyiv

Dmytro Khilyuk, a Ukrainian journalist with 20 years of experience and a correspondent for the UNIAN news agency, has endured over three years of captivity at the hands of the russians as a civilian hostage.

In early March 2022, russian occupiers abducted Khilyuk and his father from a street in Kozarovychi, a village in the Kyiv oblast where the family lived. His father was later released, but Dmytro was taken first to Belarus and then to russia.

He was initially held in SIZO-2 (Pre-Trial Detention Center No. 2) in Novozybkov in the Bryansk region. In an interview, Dmytro recounted that, during the so-called “intake process”, detainees were severely beaten with batons and fists, thrown to the ground, and attacked by dogs. In May 2023, he was transferred to a prison in Pakino in the Vladimir region, where he remained until his liberation.

In total, Dmytro Khilyuk spent 3 years, 5 months, and 21 days in russian captivity. He finally returned home on August 24, 2025, during a prisoner exchange coinciding with Ukraine’s Independence Day.

By prior arrangement, journalists have the opportunity to speak with Dmytro in Kyiv or in online format.

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On October 11, media representatives are invited to witness a remarkable display of resilience and creativity in Lviv, where a Ukrainian veteran will set a new national record by creating a painting from his wheelchair.

Valentyn Oleksiienko, 28, a patient at the UNBROKEN Center, was a tank driver in Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Tank Iron Brigade. His life changed dramatically on the front lines when, after digging fortifications, he dove into a pond to wash off the dirt, struck his head on the bottom, and sustained a complete spinal cord injury, leaving him with no feeling from the chest down.

Once indifferent to art, Valentyn discovered a passion for painting during his rehabilitation. With the guidance of Lviv-based artist Zirka Savka, he developed a unique technique that allows him to create expressive, one-of-a-kind works with his wheelchair.

The upcoming event will offer journalists a rare opportunity to observe Valentyn’s creative process and document the moment he officially sets a new national record. 

Journalists are required to be accredited to attend.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Lviv

The project “War Crimes in Crimea” aims to explain in simple terms what war crimes are, which actions by the occupiers fall under this category, and how victims can protect their rights.

Key topics:

– Main types of crimes recorded in the temporarily occupied territory (deportation, violations of property rights, forced mobilization);

– Action algorithm for citizens who have faced persecution: where to apply, how to preserve evidence, and what compensation possibilities exist;

– Activities of the autonomous republic’s law enforcement agencies in documenting crimes committed by the occupation authorities and responding to citizens’ appeals;

– Information dissemination formats: video clips, social advertising, informational materials, and public reception offices;

– The role of applicants in international processes to hold perpetrators accountable.

Participants:

– Olha Kuryshko, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea;

– Vitalii Sekretar, First Deputy Head of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol;

– Akhtem Seitablayev, Director of the State Enterprise “Crimean House”.

• casualties
• russian crimes

In collaboration with the Invictus Games, the Ukrainian fitness app MadMuscles has created an adaptive training program for people with amputated limbs or limited mobility. The program focuses primarily on wounded veterans and those recovering from surgeries or other injuries.

The MadMuscles program provides everything necessary for safe, convenient, and effective training:

• Six training categories for different physical abilities.
• Exercises from professional adaptive sports trainers;
• Free video workouts that can be done at home.

The program was created by Oleksii Prokopenko, an endurance, mountain running, skyrunning, and cross-country skiing coach, and Nataliia Meleshchuk, a rehabilitation specialist, yoga instructor, and massage therapist. They were both involved in preparing the national team for the 2025 Invictus Games in Canada.

Veterans from the Invictus Games community also contributed to the project’s development.

Journalists can speak with the course creators in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv