Themes by tag: casualties

Peaceful rallies will take place in 26 cities across Ukraine on November 23-24 to raise awareness about the plight of Azovstal defenders and other military personnel still held in enemy captivity. The events aim to remind the nation and the world of the ongoing struggle faced by prisoners of war and the missing.

On November 23, rallies will be held in Okhtyrka, Pivdennoukrainsk, Pavlohrad, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Irpin, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Obukhiv, and Zaporizhia. The following day, November 24, similar actions are planned in Kyiv, Pivdennoukrainsk, Mykolaiv, Uman, Cherkasy, Poltava, Uzhhorod, Korosten, Obukhiv, Brovary, Krolevets, Ovruch, Korostyshiv, Kovel, Kryvyi Rih, Ternopil, Kremenchuk, Odesa, Ostroh, and Chernivtsi.

These events are spearheaded by the families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison, with participation from Ukrainians who have been released from captivity. Their collective message seeks to emphasize the urgent need to secure the freedom of those still detained and highlight the resilience of Ukraine’s defenders.

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Ivan Lavreniuk, a native of Ukraine’s Vinnytsia region, answered the call to defend his country when russia launched its full-scale invasion. Volunteering for service, he joined the airborne assault troops and became part of the 71st Separate Jaeger Brigade. Stationed near Avdiivka, Ivan faced relentless combat. In March 2024, while returning from an assault, he was caught in a mortar strike. The blast left him permanently blind. Ivan recalls knowing instantly what had happened. He checked his arms and legs, confirmed they were intact, and began crawling back to safety.  

The road to recovery was far from easy. Psychological rehabilitation posed significant challenges, but the unwavering support of family and friends helped Ivan rebuild his life. His physical recovery progressed quickly, thanks to a lifelong passion for sports. It was this passion that led Ivan to try out for Ukraine’s national team at the Invictus Games. He is now preparing to compete in powerlifting, athletics, and swimming.

For those interested in meeting Ivan Lavreniuk, he is available for conversations in Vinnytsia, with prior arrangements possible either online or in person.

• casualties
• military
• Vinnytsia

The White Angels police unit operates in hot spots, evacuating civilians, providing emergency medical care, delivering humanitarian aid and transporting the bodies of the deceased. Currently, the team is working in Kurakhove, Donetsk oblast.

In one trip, the officers managed to evacuate 13 people and 7 animals. The White Angels loaded 10 residents with their belongings, along with six cats and a dog, into an armored vehicle. They also towed a car damaged by an enemy drone, carrying a woman and her son, while the father of the family followed in his own vehicle.

During one operation, while the crew was evacuating two children with their parents, the occupiers attacked with aerial bombs. The law enforcement officers waited out the attack and took the people to a safe place.

Interviews with the officers can be arranged both online and offline by prior arrangement, with the possibility of covering the crew’s work.

• casualties
• evacuation

In the village of Kolonshchyna, Kyiv oblast, the Miracle Village project is in operation. This project is being implemented by the charitable foundation “To Ukraine With Love” and Charity Hansen Ukrainian Mission for elderly people who lost their homes due to russian military aggression. Residence in the village is free and lifelong. Currently, 170 displaced elderly people have settled in the village, and by the end of December, the foundations aim to provide housing for around 200 more people.

The Miracle Village welcomes people who have lost their homes due to the full-scale invasion, those who have been living in shelters and hostels for a long time, and those who have recently been evacuated from the front line. Organizers say the vast majority of residents are vulnerable people with minimal incomes, tragic war experiences and disabilities.

The village offers two community centers that provide daily hot lunches in a social cafeteria, the services of a paramedic and massage therapist. There is also a gym, a library, a hairdresser’s salon and a full-fledged shelter.

Filming on the premises of the Miracle Village is possible by prior arrangement. 

• casualties
• Kyiv

Maryna Chernyshova, originally from Mariupol, a city currently under enemy control, lived through the early days of the full-scale invasion alongside her family. The family spent over a month under occupation, seeking shelter from relentless shelling in their basement. During this harrowing period, it was their cat, Marsi, who provided emotional support, offering comfort and helping the family navigate through an incredibly difficult time.

Once they were able to escape Mariupol, Marsi accompanied them as the family relocated to the Ternopil region. There, Maryna found herself inspired to create a space for others in need of emotional relief. Noticing the abundance of stray cats in Ternopil, she decided to open a cat café, a place for people to find solace and relaxation.

With a combination of personal savings and funding from the National Network of Local Philanthropy Development, Maryna launched the café, which is now home to two previously homeless cats. The café offers a variety of activities aimed at providing psychological support to its visitors, including stress-relief meditation sessions led by experts. In the future, Maryna hopes to channel a portion of the café’s profits into building an animal shelter to further help animals in need.

• animals
• casualties
• occupation
• women
• Mariupol
• Ternopil

On November 15, Kyiv will host the human rights action “Empty Chairs” in support of journalists, writers, cultural figures and human rights activists who have gone missing, have been imprisoned or are in captivity because of russia’s war against Ukraine. The event will feature a symbolic installation of empty chairs.

Lawyers, family members and friends of detained media workers will speak at the event. Among them are Oksana Mykhalevych, a lawyer for Dmytro Khyliuk, a journalist abducted by the russian military, and Olena Tsygipa, the wife of imprisoned journalist Serhii Tsygipa from Nova Kakhovka.

Media professionals returned from russian captivity will share their experiences – in particular, civil journalist and human rights activist Liudmyla Huseinova and journalist and Crimean politician Nariman Dzhelial.

The event aims to unite the efforts of all those who support Ukraine and fight for the release of civilians and prisoners of war unlawfully detained as a result of russia’s war against Ukraine.

For reference: The event is organized by PEN Ukraine and the Center for Civil Liberties.

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Oleksandr Tereshchenko, a veteran of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, is turning personal tragedy into a mission to assist others. In 2015, while defending Donetsk airport, Tereshchenko sustained critical injuries, losing his right arm and left hand. Today, he leads the International Charitable Foundation bearing his name and has launched a social project titled “I Did, So Can You” to help fellow veterans navigate life after amputation.

The initiative includes a series of 12 films featuring practical advice on everyday tasks for those with similar injuries. Drawing on his own experiences, Tereshchenko demonstrates how individuals with amputated arms can handle daily challenges. The project primarily targets military personnel who recently lost limbs and are struggling to adjust to their new reality.

Set for completion in 2025, the project aims to assist not only the veterans but also their families. According to Tereshchenko, the videos will provide loved ones with insights into supporting amputees on their journey toward independence.

Those interested can arrange in-person meetings with Tereshchenko in Kyiv or Lviv. Journalists are also welcome to observe the filming process by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv
• Lviv

Tetiana Tipakova, originally from Donetsk and a longtime resident of Berdiansk in Zaporizhia Oblast (now under occupation), spent nearly 30 years working in a travel agency. When russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she became an active voice in support of her country, organizing peaceful protests in Berdiansk.

For her efforts, Tetiana was abducted by russian forces. Blindfolded and taken to a detention center, she endured two days of interrogation and brutal torture, including electric shocks to her fingers and a mock execution. She was forced to record a video apology before being released. However, the next day, she was captured again, held for four more days, and subjected to further abuse.

After this harrowing experience, Tetiana made the decision to flee Berdiansk. She crossed more than 20 checkpoints to reach Zaporizhia, where she founded a women’s initiative group. This eventually led to the creation of the NGO “Ridna Stezhka” (Home Footpath), dedicated to helping displaced people and supporting fellow Ukrainians.

In the early stages, Tetiana’s organization provided food, medicine, and support for evacuees, helping them settle into their new lives in Zaporizhia. Within the first year, the NGO successfully applied for 24 grants, winning 3.

By 2024, Tetiana had secured financial backing to launch an educational space offering computer literacy classes, movie screenings, and psychological support. Her organization is now expanding its mission to empower women through education, training, and ongoing support in Zaporizhia.

• casualties
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Zaporizhzhia

Dr. Clemens Schiestl, a renowned plastic surgeon from the University Children’s Hospital Zurich, is scheduled to arrive in Lviv on November 8. He will participate in Ukraine’s inaugural international burn conference, which will unite leading experts in burn care from around the world.

Before the conference, Dr. Schiestl will visit the burn unit at St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital, part of the First Medical Union of Lviv, to meet the children whose lives he has helped save. Over the past year, several young patients with severe burns from Lviv have been sent to Zurich for treatment. Among them are 7-year-old Maksym, who suffered burns in a fire while studying by candlelight during a blackout, and 15-year-old Maksym, who endured 40% burns from an electric shock. Both will meet with Dr. Schiestl for follow-up care during his visit.

Dr. Schiestl will also assess current patients in the Lviv burn unit. The conference, taking place on November 8-9, will make Lviv the focal point of international burn medicine. Experts will gather to exchange knowledge and discuss the latest advancements in burn treatment, a critical area of care in wartime when blast and mine injuries frequently cause burns.

The event is open to those with proper accreditation.

For further details: The Christian Medical Association of Ukraine, as part of the Burn Care Alliance project, organizes the event with support from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the First Medical Union of Lviv.

• casualties
• children
• doctors
• Lviv

Oksana Starodub, a mother of two from Chernihiv, faced unthinkable challenges after deciding to stay in her hometown when the war began. Her husband, Mykola, joined the territorial defense forces on the second day of the all-out invasion, determined to protect his family and city. On March 6, 2022, russian mortars struck Oksana’s home, leaving her severely injured and unable to move. Her teenage son bandaged her wounds as they awaited help, but continued shelling prevented an ambulance from reaching them. Eventually, Mykola and his unit managed to return home, where a military medic applied a tactical tourniquet to Oksana’s leg before she was taken to a hospital. The hospital, overwhelmed with wounded, was operating under dire conditions. Power was down due to nearby shelling, staff was stretched thin, and resources were scarce. Drinking water arrived only once daily, and food for both patients and doctors was cooked outdoors over an open flame. Oksana later traveled to Vinnytsia for multiple surgeries and, by September 2022, was able to walk on her own again. 

Meanwhile, Mykola continued defending the Chernihiv region until his battalion was deployed to Donetsk. On June 17, 2024, during a combat mission, Mykola sustained fatal wounds, leaving Oksana a widow.

The Children of Heroes charity foundation is currently supporting the family. Dedicated to aiding children who have lost one or both parents due to russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the foundation offers financial assistance, psychological counseling, legal aid, and educational support to help these children grow and thrive until adulthood.

• casualties
• dead
• military
• women
• Chernihiv