Sofiia Kuchynska is from Kyiv. She has a background in marketing. While putting together a puzzle amidst the war, Sofiia realized that this activity helped her cope with anxiety and distracted from bad thoughts. Later, while buying new puzzles, she came to the conclusion that this was an expensive hobby. In addition, a person usually buys an expensive puzzle, puts it together once, and then it just lies there. That’s when Sofiia came up with the idea to create an online puzzle rental service.

Currently, Sofiia’s collection numbers more than 250 puzzles, including those depicting landscapes, still life and art objects. She also has unusual jigsaw puzzles and even rare puzzles, which are 10-20 years old.

The girl received many good reviews from users. After all, renting a puzzle can be five times cheaper than buying a new one. Sofiia’s clients can also purchase a puzzle subscription (similar to subscriptions for streaming services).

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with Sofiia in Kyiv.

• culture
• Kyiv

Originally slated to celebrate its 50th anniversary in Mariupol in 2022, the Arkhip Kuindzhi Art School faced a setback due to Russia’s full-scale invasion. The institution’s building suffered significant damage, including the destruction of equipment, prompting a relocation to Lviv in April 2022.

Despite the upheaval, the school has resumed operations at its new location, welcoming 40 children for both in-person and online fine arts classes. These students, hailing from Mariupol but dispersed across Ukraine and beyond. Moreover, adults are finding solace and expression through art therapy sessions offered in Lviv, Kropyvnytskyi, and Dnipro. These sessions include oil painting sessions and the exploration of traditional Ukrainian murals. Additionally, the art school remains active in organizing various exhibitions.

For reference: The battle for Mariupol raged on for 86 harrowing days until May 20, 2022, when russian forces seized control of the city. Human Rights Watch’s grim assessment puts the civilian death toll from russian shelling at a staggering 8,000, with thousands more left maimed and traumatized. Many suffered life-altering injuries, including loss of limbs, sight, hearing, or memory, often due to traumatic brain injuries inflicted by relentless explosions. By mid-May 2022, an estimated 400,000 residents, out of a pre-war population of 540,000, had fled Mariupol in search of safety.

• children
• culture
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Lviv
• Mariupol

For Vyshyvanka Day, one of the capital’s shopping malls together with SVARGA, Ukrainian embroidered clothing brand, and Zemliachky NGO initiated a charity photo exhibition “Embroidered Ukraine.” The official opening of the exhibition will take place on May 2. The event will include introductory speech from the organizers and participants of the photo project.

Defenders, paramedics, veterans, and military volunteers took part in the project. The women dressed in embroidered shirts from the “Embroidered Ukraine” collection, which includes ornaments from all regions of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

The goal of the project is to once again remind that there is no eastern and western Ukraine, there is only one whole and unified country, as well as to emphasize that regardless of whether we are at the front lines or in the rear, this is our joint struggle for freedom.

Each photo has a QR code with the account of Zemliachky NGO. All funds raised during the exhibition will be directed to sewing women’s tactical uniforms for the military.

The exhibition project will last up until May 16.

• culture
• Kyiv

Anatolii Levchenko, a prominent figure in Mariupol’s theater scene, who in 2015 spearheaded a new era of contemporary Ukrainian theater at the city’s renowned theater, previously labeled as a “russian” theater. Levchenko, along with his wife Hanna, cared for their non-verbal autistic son and his wife’s 90-year-old mother. When russian forces launched an offensive on Mariupol, the Levchenko family found themselves unable to evacuate promptly. While they successfully arranged their release in May 2022, Anatolii’s freedom was short-lived. He was apprehended by russian authorities the day prior, following betrayal by former colleagues turned collaborators.

Initially left in the dark about her husband’s whereabouts, Hanna later discovered he had been charged with extremism and transferred to occupied Donetsk. Over more than 10 grueling months, she tirelessly sent clothing, medications, and messages to the detention center. Occasionally, Anatolii would manage to call her, often in the dead of night. Throughout this ordeal, Hanna single-handedly cared for their autistic son, scrounging for food and water, and cooking meals over an open fire with the help of neighbors.

On March 9, 2023, Hanna’s phone finally rang with news of Anatolii’s impending release. However, his nearly year-long confinement had taken a toll on his health. In the summer of 2023, the family seized the opportunity to flee to Ukrainian-controlled territory, finding refuge in Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad region. Despite the hardships, Anatolii resumed his theater work.

For reference: The battle for Mariupol raged on for 86 harrowing days until May 20, 2022, when russian forces seized control of the city. Human Rights Watch’s grim assessment puts the civilian death toll from russian shelling at a staggering 8,000, with thousands more left maimed and traumatized. Many suffered life-altering injuries, including loss of limbs, sight, hearing, or memory, often due to traumatic brain injuries inflicted by relentless explosions. By mid-May 2022, an estimated 400,000 residents, out of a pre-war population of 540,000, had fled Mariupol in search of safety.

• casualties
• culture
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Mariupol

Yakiv Tkachenko is a professional theater and film actor. He acted in the most expensive film in Ukraine’s history Dovbush, as well as in a number of films, such as Escape From Stalin’s Death Camp, Once Upon a Time in Ukraine and the Strayed.

On March 1, 2022, Yakiv signed up for the army. At first, he joined the Dnipro Territorial Defense Forces, and later he served in Vuhledar as a member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In August 2022, an enemy sniper shot Yakiv, the bullet hit the soldier in the neck and mouth. At that time, doctors assumed that Yakiv could completely lose his voice, however, within a month of treatment, the soldier returned to the front line. Yakiv received his next wound when he came under the fire of an enemy tank. The soldier was taken to Dnipro for treatment and rehabilitation. Already after the injury, Yakiv acted in the Ukrainian TV series In Her Car, but he plans to return to the service again.

For reference: Yakiv Tkachenko is in Dnipro. The serviceman is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and offline, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Dnipro

Oleksandr Tkachuk, a former counterintelligence officer with the Security Service of Ukraine, has a compelling tale. Since 2014, amidst russia’s initial assault on Ukraine, Tkachuk dedicated himself to service in the war-torn regions. However, after four years, he made the decision to depart from his government role, going into the civilian sector. Tkachuk found himself immersed in the realm of IT, while his wife, Yana, pursued a career as a 3D designer.

As the full-blown invasion unfolded, the couple relocated their son to the western part of the country before returning to the capital to join the city’s defense efforts as volunteers. Following the expulsion of russian forces from the Kyiv region, Oleksandr and Yana embarked on a new venture: crafting ethnic clothing. With minimal savings, the pair resettled in Ivano-Frankivsk and launched their business from the ground up. Securing essential equipment required Oleksandr to seek assistance from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, where he successfully obtained a grant to kickstart their undertaking. Simultaneously, Yana also pursued a government grant to support their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Embroidered shirt production hit full stride in 2023. Since then, the couple has upgraded from their modest space to a larger facility and expanded with two stores in Kyiv and another in Lviv. Presently, the company boasts a staff of ten, which includes demobilized soldiers.

• culture
• Ivano-Frankivsk

American playwright Richard Nelson came to the capital’s Theater on Podil to support the Ukrainian theater and its fans. The director and screenwriter will work in Kyiv for over two months. During this time, he plans to create a play based on his own script with the actors of the Theater on Podil, hold master classes for Ukrainian artists, and learn more about Ukraine. His Ukrainian diary will be published in The Guardian.

Also, during his stay in Ukraine, the playwright will present his own play “Conversations in Tusculum”.

At the press conference on April 22, Richard Nelson will announce his master classes at the Theater on Podil and share his impressions of working in Ukraine during the war.

Participants:

• Richard Nelson, American playwright and director;
• Bohdan Beniuk, Artistic Director of the Kyiv Academic Drama Theater in Podil;
• Roman Halaimov, an actor of the Kyiv Academic Drama Theater in Podil, who plays the main role in Richard Nelson’s play;

All in person.

For reference: Richard Nelson is an American playwright, writer, screenwriter, director and teacher, winner of the Tony Awards and a number of other theater awards. His works include about 50 productions, 10 film scripts and radio plays. He staged some of the most famous plays in London (Royal Shakespeare Company), Paris (Theater du Soleil), New York (Playwrights Horizons, Old Globe, The Public Theater), Chicago (Goodman Theater).

• culture
• Kyiv

Ismail Kurt-Umer is a singer and member of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2013 and 2014, Ismail studied at the capital conservatory. During the Revolution of Dignity, Ismail went to Crimea on vacation and saw with his own eyes how russia occupied the peninsula. After returning to Kyiv, Ismail decided to join the Armed Forces. Together with the Ensemble, the man often visited the military in the East of Ukraine, but after the start of the full-scale invasion, the concerts stopped, as it became dangerous for a large crowd of people to gather in one place.

Since then, the Ensemble has begun working on music videos congratulating the soldiers with various holidays to support the spirits and morale of the military. The Ensemble dedicated one of the videos to the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr: the musicians congratulated Muslims both in Ukraine and abroad. The clip was very positively received in Muslim countries, and Saudi Arabia even allocated USD 100 million for humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Ismail believes that after Ukraine’s victory, the Ukrainian flag will fly over Crimea again, and there will be Crimean Tatar autonomy on the peninsula.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with the serviceman in Kyiv.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

Hailing from Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in western Ukraine, the 11th grader delved into directing at the tender age of 10. His journey began when his grandmother sent him an old camera from overseas, and his older brother imparted basic shooting skills. Establishing his presence on YouTube, Oleksandr launched his own channel to showcase his creations, including his debut short film, “The Adventures of St. Nicholas,” a collaborative effort with fellow villagers

Driven by a desire to spotlight Ukrainian defenders, Oleksandr, and his team sought financial backing from city officials to produce their latest venture, “Decision Day.” The film chronicles the story of a volunteer confronting a foreign invasion, only to return home to defend his homeland. With funding secured, the teenage filmmaker and his crew embarked on an intensive month-long shooting schedule.

Following relentless dedication, Oleksandr orchestrated a successful screening of “Decision Day.” Despite the demands of school, the young filmmaker persists in balancing his academic pursuits with his cinematic endeavors.

• children
• culture
• Ivano-Frankivsk

The initiative, spearheaded by the philanthropic organization Cultural Forces of Ukraine, serves as a nexus for cultural and educational endeavors, catering to residents who endured the tumultuous Russian occupation. Within the House of Imagination, patrons can engage in a spectrum of activities fostering creativity and focus, including workshops and meditation sessions, with a primary focus on enriching the youth. “Our mission is twofold: to provide psychological support to those affected by the occupation and to promote Ukrainian culture. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to revitalizing Ukrainian arts, music, and culture,” stated Serhii Martyniuk, co-coordinator of the Cultural Forces of Ukraine Charity Foundation.

• casualties
• culture
• occupation
• psychological support
• Kharkiv