Themes by tag: casualties

On December 7, Lviv will witness the grand opening of Vrazhaye (“Amaze”) café, a heartfelt venture launched by veteran Serhii Petchenko and his wife, Anna. Their young son has become the symbolic face of the café, which aims to inspire resilience and hope.

Serhii’s military journey began during the ATO, where he sustained his first injury in 2015. When the full-scale invasion erupted, he volunteered again, defending Ukraine in high-risk areas. Tragedy struck on June 10, 2023, when Serhii boarded a train from Kyiv to Kharkiv. Hours later, he was discovered on the tracks, having been run over by the train. The incident left him without both arms and part of his foot. His family suspects he may have been drugged, as Serhii has no memory of the horrific events of that night.

Journalists can schedule interviews with Serhii and Anna by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Lviv

Volunteers with the St. Nicholas Reindeer Project have already received more than 2,000 letters from children all over Ukraine. Among other things, children are asking Saint Nicholas for toys, sweets and the popular “Cat Paw” stress-relief balls. This year, many children are also asking for peace and an end to the war. Some have asked for their fathers to return from the front lines, or for their relatives to be released from captivity. Among those who wrote to St. Nicholas were children whose homes were destroyed by the war.

As part of this charitable initiative, anyone can choose a child’s letter and fulfill a wish. The volunteers will then deliver the gifts, organize a celebration and provide a photo report. They plan to visit de-occupied areas of the Kharkiv oblast, as well as communities in the Kyiv and Donetsk oblasts, working in more than 50 localities across various regions.

Journalists can talk to the organizers in Kharkiv and, if possible, cover the distribution of gifts by volunteers in different regions.

For reference: The St. Nicholas Reindeer project was established in 2016 in Kharkiv to support children in frontline communities.

• casualties
• children
• Kharkiv

Highlighting the importance of creating a truly inclusive environment for people who have lost limbs due to landmine and explosive injuries, FRIDA Ukraine had the opportunity to meet Nataliia and help her get back on both feet.

Nataliia is a nurse from the town of Bakhmut in the Donetsk oblast. A russian shell hit her house and she lost a limb. In telling her story, she emphasized that in spite of everything, she continues to live life to the fullest and does not want to be pitied. After Nataliia became the face of the FRIDA Ukraine project, their German partners heard about her. A few months of logistical arrangements followed, and Nataliia returned with a prosthesis and an incredible determination to help others.

Her home clinic from Bakhmut has been relocated to Brovary in the Kyiv oblast, where Nataliia continues her lifelong mission.

For reference: FRIDA Ukraine is a non-governmental, non-profit humanitarian mission of volunteer doctors from Ukraine and Israel. It has been providing emergency and outpatient medical care to civilians affected by the hostilities since the beginning of the invasion.

• casualties
• doctors
• russian crimes
• volunteers
• women
• Kyiv

As part of the “St. Nicholas for Children in Need” campaign, the Maltese Relief Service has received more than 2,000 heartfelt letters from children across Ukraine. The letters come from children with disabilities, those who lost their parents to the war, whose parents are held in captivity, and children facing difficult life circumstances or without parental care.

In many of the letters, children ask St. Nicholas for peace and victory for Ukraine. Some requests are deeply personal—a child wishes for their father to receive a new leg, while another hopes their mother will return from captivity. Others even express concern for the saint’s safety, warning him to be careful amid the missile attacks. Alongside these touching pleas, children also ask for traditional gifts such as toys, scooters, and bicycles.

The letters are sorted by benefactors, who fulfill the children’s wishes by delivering gifts to the Maltese Relief Service’s office, which serves as St. Nicholas’ residence for the campaign’s duration.

Volunteers are now completing the final stages of gift packing. Deliveries have already begun, with gifts sent to locations in the Lviv and Kharkiv regions. The main distribution events will take place from December 2 to 7.

Journalists are invited to cover the gift distribution in Lviv and surrounding areas and can also meet with St. Nicholas’ helpers to learn more about the campaign.

• casualties
• children
• Lviv

Anastasiia Saksman, 32, took an unconventional path into the military. She prepared for service in the Armed Forces by attending paid military training courses, where she learned first aid and weapons handling. Meanwhile, she sent her resume to various units, determined to find her place.

Unexpectedly, her opportunity came through a dating app. A soldier she connected with reviewed her resume and forwarded it to his unit. After passing the interview, Saksman joined the army as a UAV operator in early 2023.

Tragedy struck in September 2024 when Saksman’s vehicle hit an enemy mine. The doctors had to amputate her left limb, while the battle to save the right one continues. Waking up in intensive care, “Ada” made a remarkable request: she asked not to be discharged, vowing to return to the front lines with a prosthetic leg.

Currently, Saksman is undergoing rehabilitation in the Lviv region as she awaits prosthetics.

Those wishing to speak with Anastasiia Saksman, either online or in person, can do so by arranging approval through the unit’s press officer.

• casualties
• military
• women
• Lviv

On December 6, the Neopolis amusement park, located in the Respublika Park shopping mall, will host a heartwarming charity event for 200 children impacted by the war. These children, rescued through the efforts of the Save Ukraine charity organization, will experience a day filled with joy, care, and festive cheer.  

The event’s program offers:  

– Interactive entertainment with animators dedicated to creating a joyful and supportive atmosphere;

– Gift distribution near the mall’s grand Christmas tree, marking the celebration’s bright conclusion.

Each child will receive a personalized gift, made possible by the NGO “Ukraine is a Mother” through its “Bridge of Support” project.  

This gathering is more than a festive celebration—it’s an opportunity for children who have endured unimaginable hardships to feel embraced by a community of support and hope, empowering them to dream again.  

Journalists wishing to cover the event must obtain accreditation.

• casualties
• children
• Kyiv

For over two decades, Anna Yaroshenko has been exploring the depths as a diver, firmly believing that diving is an experience everyone can enjoy. She’s guided children, seniors, and individuals with hearing and visual impairments, mental health challenges, and physical injuries into the underwater world. Beneath the surface, gravity fades, and the sensation of weightlessness becomes universal.  

When russia’s full-scale invasion began, Anna realized that diving could offer more than adventure—it could be a path to physical and psychological rehabilitation for wounded soldiers. Her first participants, veterans with injuries and amputations, were introduced by her mother, a rehabilitation therapist.  

Anna launched her initiative with a bold name: “Gravity? WTF?” The goal is to provide veterans with a challenging and rewarding new hobby—one that demands mastering the full range of skills needed to become independent divers.  

Training begins in a shallow, wheelchair-accessible pool free from barriers. Once comfortable, participants advance to a 3.8-meter-deep pool. For those who feel confident after several sessions, the final challenge is open water.  

So far, around 40 veterans, including three women, have taken part in the program.  

Journalists are invited to witness this unique rehabilitation effort firsthand at a Kyiv pool where the diving lessons take place.

• casualties
• military
• women
• Kyiv

On December 2, Kyiv will host the presentation of the book “Prykhystok: A Startup That Saved a Million Lives” by MP Halyna Yanchenko.

The book details the eponymous initiative launched on the first day of the full-scale invasion, which helped over a million Ukrainian refugees find free temporary shelter. It is a poignant collection of the project team’s memories of the resilience, solidarity and innovation that Ukrainians demonstrated during the darkest days of the invasion.

The event will feature real-life heroes from the book – Ukrainians who endured the occupation and managed to relocate and start new lives in other cities, thanks in part to the Prykhystok (Shelter) initiative. They will tell their personal stories.

Program highlights:

– A conversation with the author about the creation of the initiative and the book.

– Stories from the book’s protagonists who were forced to find a new home and found shelter.

– A discussion about the power of social innovation and the ability of Ukrainians to unite for mutual aid.

– A book signing with the author.

Registration is required for this event.

• casualties
• culture
• occupation
• Kyiv

On December 2, during the fourth training camp of the Ukrainian national team for the 2025 Invictus Games, a friendly wheelchair basketball match will take place between this year’s team members and participants from previous years’ teams.

In addition to the basketball game, players from different years will connect, share their experiences, and reflect on their participation in the project. Former team members will once again experience the Invictus spirit and share their stories about being part of the initiative. The day will also feature an informal networking session between the national team members and project partners.

Speeches will be delivered by Ukraine’s Minister for Veterans Affairs, Nataliia Kalmykova, representatives from the Embassy of Canada, and NATO officials.

Media representatives will have the opportunity to interview current and former national team members, as well as guests, partners, and project organizers.

Registration is required for media attendance.

Background Information: The 2025 Invictus Games will be held in Canada from February 8-16, 2025 and will feature winter sports for the first time. The event is expected to attract over 500 participants from more than 20 countries.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

In Kyiv, a unique rehabilitation project is helping military personnel recover through archery, including those who have lost limbs. The initiative welcomes veterans, active-duty soldiers, and their families, offering free daily training sessions.  

Leading the effort is Dmytro Lvovskyi, an international master of sports and founder and Board Chair of the “Ukrainian Archery Space” NGO. Since 2014, he has funded archery training for wounded soldiers, including veterans of the ATO service, using his own resources. His work expanded with support from the Kyiv City Center for Physical Culture and Sports for Persons with Disabilities “Invasport” and the All-Ukrainian Center for Physical Health “Sport for All,” as part of the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ “Active Parks — Unstoppable” program.  

Archery is accessible to all, even those with severe injuries. Participants missing legs train from wheelchairs, while those without arms can draw the bowstring with their teeth. Even individuals who are completely blind can take part, using specialized techniques tailored for visually impaired archers.  

Journalists can arrange to visit and cover the training sessions in Kyiv by appointment.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv