Themes by tag: casualties

The Kyiv Regional Mental Health Center was captured by the occupiers at the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The russian military lived in the facility and stole valuable equipment from the center, which was badly damaged.

After the de-occupation, the restoration of the medical facility began: in particular, a medical and psychological rehabilitation department was opened at the end of last year. It was created on the basis of one of the branches of the center, which suffered the most during the full-scale invasion. Here, the experts will help military personnel, their relatives and civilians who suffered from the aggression of the russian federation. In total, more than 20 types of rehabilitation services will be provided to patients, including those making use of VR glasses.

Recently, Dobrobat volunteers worked in one of the center’s departments: they removed all the flooring, dismantled old doors and door frames. Thus, they prepared the place for further high-quality restoration works.

Journalists can learn more about the operation and restoration of the center, hold interviews with the management of the institution, talk with doctors and, if possible, patients.

For reference: Kyiv Regional Mental Health Center is a specialized medical institution that provides qualified inpatient medical examination, treatment and both social and labor rehabilitation for patients with mental disorders.

• casualties
• doctors
• reconstruction
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Hennadii Stukalo is an anesthesiologist, Head of the Anesthesiology Department of the Chernihiv Regional Hospital. When russia started its full-scale invasion, he was in the hospital around the clock.

In the most difficult days of the russian advancement, over 50 wounded people in need of surgery were once brought to the hospital within an hour. Hennadii, together with other doctors and medical personnel, saved patients and even performed extremely complex operations in the conditions of power, heat and water supply outages and under artillery fire as well as during shelling.

When performing surgery, they had to use improvised means to illuminate the operating room (head torches, ordinary flashlights and mobile phones), because there were constant power cuts. In order to warm the wounded, they even had to cover them with plastic bottles with heated water.

Journalists have the opportunity to communicate with the doctor both online and in person.

For reference: on April 2, 2022, Kyiv region was completely liberated from russian occupation. By April 6, 2022, the Defense Forces completely liberated Chernihiv region. On April 11, 2022, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi announced that full control over the state border had been restored in Sumy region.

• casualties
• doctors
• russian crimes
• Chernihiv

The Center for Civil Liberties cordially extends an invitation to the forthcoming presentation entitled “Strategy for the Release of Illegally Detained Civilians and Find Missing Persons as a Result of Russian Aggression.” Scheduled for March 14, this event will take place at the Media Center Ukraine — Ukrinform in Kyiv. 

Speakers of the event:

– Mykhailo Savva, member of the expert council Center for Civil Liberties;

– Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Center for Civil Liberties;

– Viktoriya Petruk, representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (KSHPPV). 

Event accreditation is required.

For context: Russia is currently holding more than 7,000 civilians in the occupied territories and within the Russian Federation without legal basis. Many individuals have been detained under vague charges of “resistance to a special military operation” without formal accusations, and the majority lack access to legal representation. Reports indicate widespread instances of mistreatment and torture against these detainees. 

Since the commencement of Russia’s comprehensive aggression against Ukraine, only 160 civilians have been released in prisoner exchanges, as reported on January 4, 2024.

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Under the banner of the “City Healing” initiative, Ukrainian servicemembers undergoing treatment or rehabilitation in Lviv’s medical facilities are being offered complimentary tours of the historic city. These tours, available both individually and in groups, serve as a rejuvenating respite for those in need.

Covering a diverse array of topics, the tours showcase the city’s myriad attractions, from its iconic landmarks and bustling downtown to its serene parks. Knowledgeable guides provide insights into Lviv’s rich history spanning princely and medieval eras, its architectural marvels, artistic heritage, and cherished traditions.

Since its inception, the “City Healing” program has extended its healing touch to 552 military personnel and their families. 

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Lviv

Volodymyr Mamalyha is a psychologist by profession. In 2014, when russia attacked Ukraine for the first time, he volunteered to join the army. Volodymyr served as a sniper in the East. After returning to civilian life, the veteran began to help the military by providing psychological support to the defenders and creating veteran communities in Cherkasy.

The day after the big war started, the man was already in the ranks of the Armed Forces. Volodymyr fought near Popasna and Lysychansk in Luhansk region, later he was hospitalized and discharged from active duty by the decision of the military medical commission.

The veteran says that it was not easy to return to normal life, so he decided to create a hub of psychological support for servicemen and veterans of the Armed Forces. Volodymyr applied for a grant from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, won and received funding. And then he started a hub in Cherkasy. Besides psychologists, lawyers work there too. In addition, various training events for veterans are held in the hub. Currently, Volodymyr has applied for another grant to purchase a special car to transport servicemen with disabilities to the hub.

• casualties
• military
• psychological support

Before the full-scale invasion, Tetiana Khomenko was a fourth-year university student majoring in tourism. On February 24, 2022, Tetiana was in the capital. With the first explosions, the girl moved to her native village of Nebelytsia in Kyiv region. On February 28, the girl came out of the basement of her house when she heard an explosion. Fragments of an enemy shell flew straight into her face.

Ukrainian defenders arrived at the site and evacuated Tetiana to the hospital. There, the woman was given first aid, and later transferred to a plastic surgery department. For the first time after the injury, Tetiana saw her face in a photo that she took by herself, because doctors and relatives wouldn’t let Tetiana look in the mirror.

Even though the surgeons managed to almost completely remove the consequences of the explosion, Tetiana took a long time to recover psychologically. Later, she decided to change her profession and began to study psychology instead of tourism. In the future, Tetiana plans to work with those who have also received mine and explosive injuries, in particular, with military personnel.

• casualties
• women

Scientists of the V. V. Tarnovskyi Chernihiv Regional Historical Museum continue to make records of historical artifacts in the village of Yahidne in Chernihiv oblast. (In the spring of 2022, the occupiers kept more than 300 local residents in inhumane conditions for almost a month in the basement of the school).

Specialists have been making trips to the school in Yahidne since September of last year. During this time, they examined and described more than 1,000 artifacts, which include: clothes, shoes, personal belongings, backpacks, books, boxes from enemy dry rations, tubes of antiseptics, russian newspapers, wooden pallets that the prisoners had to sit and sleep on and even plastic water bottles, which people had to use as a toilet. Experts have already finished describing all the rooms in the basement. And now they are still documenting (photographing and making records) artifacts on the territory of the settlement, including: remnants of enemy equipment, uniforms and ammunition boxes. They are also in communication with local residents.

All items studied by the scientists will remain in place. The authorities plan to create a memorial complex in Yahidne, and the school basement, where the prisoners were kept, will be a part of it.

Journalists have the opportunity to learn more and join the trip of the museum’s scientific staff to cover their work.

For reference: The village of Yahidne is located near Chernihiv. At the start of the full-scale invasion, the russians set up a command point in a local school. In its basement, they kept local residents — 299 adults and 67 children — for almost a month. (Almost the entire population of the village). The area of the basement is 197 square meters. Due to the lack of space, people had to sleep sitting up, and they also had trouble breathing. Ten people died then.

In February, the famous American TIME magazine released a cover with the Yahidne village basement.

• casualties
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Chernihiv

In March 2024, the Seeds of Victory project by World Central Kitchen will resume its work. The organization provides seed kits to those who have land to grow vegetables but cannot purchase seeds. This program aims to help communities reach food self-sufficiency, especially in the regions most affected by the war.

This year, the project operates in Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions. Seed kits include peas, corn, cucumbers, beets, cabbage, radishes, parsley, sorrel, squash and carrots.

For reference: In 2023, more than 165,000 seed kits were distributed throughout Ukraine as part of the Seeds of Victory project. World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides food to victims of natural disasters. WCK was founded in 2010 by celebrity chef José Andres, who along with his team cooked food in Haiti after the devastating earthquake. World Central Kitchen works by responding and collaborating with local chefs to address the food crisis caused by disasters.

• casualties

Before the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, Maksym Shevchenko worked in car repairs. On February 24, 2022, he was in Irpin. Despite the shelling, he evacuated residents from Bucha, Vorzel, the outskirts of Hostomel and Irpin. Later, the situation got more complicated and hostilities intensified, so he could only evacuate Irpin residents. (He took them to the Romanivka Bridge, which sustained so much damage to the structure that people could only cross it on foot).

Maksym evacuated people with reduced mobility, the elderly and the wounded. Sometimes he had to carry people on his shoulders. During the evacuations, the volunteer saw corpses of the residents who died due to russian shelling. And the volunteer himself came under enemy fire several times.

Maksym filmed what was happening around him on his phone. On March 21, 2022, his own house was destroyed by an enemy strike. Before that, one of his cars had been damaged by an enemy shell. In order to take people out, he had to use the cars of his relatives, friends and ordinary residents.

Maksym continues to volunteer even now. He delivers humanitarian aid to the frontline regions.

Journalists have the opportunity to learn more and communicate with the volunteer in Kyiv region (either in person or online).

For reference: on April 2, 2022, Kyiv region was completely liberated from russian occupation. By April 6, 2022, the Defense Forces fully liberated Chernihiv region. On April 11, 2022, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi announced that full control over the state border in Sumy region was restored.

• casualties
• occupation
• volunteers
• Kyiv
• evacuation

Olena Yuzvak found herself under the occupation immediately after the beginning of the big war. Hostomel, a town in Kyiv region, where a doctor was staying, was captured by the russians. Olena stayed there to continue working and helping people who could not leave. Olena distributed medicine and cared for the wounded until the occupiers captured her. The doctor was released a day later, and 10 days later, the Ukrainian military liberated Hostomel. Olena immediately returned to work and began working to restore the medical institutions she managed. One of these facilities is located in Moshchun village, Kyiv region, which was destroyed by a direct hit in the shelling. With the support of international funds, Olena managed to build a new Health Center and turn it into an energy-independent Invincibility Center. The Health Center in Moshchun has been successfully operating since its opening. Currently, the doctor continues to work on the restoration and opening of modern medical facilities.

For reference: on April 2, 2022, Kyiv region was completely liberated from russian occupation. By April 6, 2022, the Defense Forces fully liberated Chernihiv region. On April 11, 2022, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi announced that full control over the state border in Sumy region was restored.

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