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On August 29, the Day of Remembrance of the Defenders of Ukraine, the Illia Hrabar Charitable Foundation and the Memorial Platform will host the national event Table of Remembrance 2025.
The initiative calls on participants to set aside a single table in a public venue or institution and keep it unoccupied for the entire day, symbolically awaiting an honored guest who will never arrive. Last year, more than 800 establishments across Ukraine took part, along with venues abroad.
This year, organizers are inviting participation from a broad range of institutions, including:
– restaurants, cafés, coffee shops, and other dining establishments
– military units
– schools, universities, bookstores, and libraries
The Table of Remembrance campaign was first organized in 2023 by Mariia Hrabar, in memory of her partner, Illia Hrabar, who was killed in combat, and in tribute to all Ukrainians who have died defending their country. In 2024, the Illia Hrabar Foundation joined with the Memorial Platform to expand the project nationwide.
Journalists can arrange interviews in Kyiv with Mariia Hrabar, as well as with participants involved in this year’s commemoration.
The Illia Hrabar Charitable Foundation was established to honor the legacy of its namesake, a fallen defender of Ukraine. The foundation supports children’s development, sponsors sports organizations and competitions, and assists community groups caring for children with serious illnesses.
Illia Hrabar was born in the village of Kapulivka in the Dnipro region. He studied in Lithuania and graduated from the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts before building a career as a sound producer in the Kyiv region. At the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was killed in action near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, on December 24, 2022, at the age of 33.
The Memorial Platform, a non-governmental organization, works to foster a culture of remembrance in Ukraine by preserving the stories of fallen defenders and civilians killed in the war.
The Terentiev family lived a normal life in Chernihiv, northern Ukraine, until March 16, 2022, when a russian shelling attack claimed the life of Dmytro’s mother, Tetiana. Moments earlier, she had left her son in the care of her mother, Mariia, intending to return shortly after collecting a few belongings. She never came back.
Mariia became Dmytro’s guardian. Together, they fled the besieged city and, months later, returned to begin rebuilding their damaged home and resuming daily life.
In early 2023, Dmytro’s father, Roman, enlisted in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. By June, he was reported missing in action. A photograph later appeared on a russian website, showing a man with visible bruises, identified as Roman, in captivity.
Today, Mariia says her attention is focused entirely on her grandson. Dmytro is a capable and inquisitive student with strong skills in mathematics and computer science. He plays the piano, looks after his collection of cacti, and aspires to create content as a YouTuber. Above all, he hopes for peace and the chance to see his father again.
Interviews with Dmytro in Chernihiv can be arranged in advance.
For reference: The Children of Heroes charitable foundation is currently supporting the family. The organization assists children who have lost one or both parents due to russia’s full-scale invasion by providing financial aid, psychological and legal support, and resources for education and personal development until they reach adulthood.
Volodymyr Dubrovets, a soldier from Ukraine’s Zhytomyr region and former Azov Regiment fighter with the call sign “Wolf,” became the legal guardian of his brother’s eight children following a fatal car accident in December 2022.
The children’s parents died when their vehicle veered off a forest road and struck a mine. The explosion killed both adults, leaving behind eight children. At the time, the eldest was 14 years old; the youngest, a two-and-a-half-month-old infant.
Volodymyr, who was 24 at the time and unmarried, had not planned to raise a large family. After assuming custody of his nieces and nephews, he later married. He and his wife Diana are now also raising a young son together. The entire family lives in the house built by Volodymyr’s late brother.
Looking ahead, Dubrovets plans to revive his brother’s business.
He is available for interviews both online and in person in the Zhytomyr region, by prior arrangement.
Kateryna Iorhu is 16 years old. At the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, she and her family wanted to leave the Donetsk oblast for Vinnytsia, as their hometown of Druzhkivka had become unsafe. On April 8, 2022, Kateryna, her mother, and her younger sister travelled to the Kramatorsk railway station to wait for an evacuation train. That day, the russians struck the station with a “Tochka-U” missile, targeting civilians. The attack killed 61 people and injured 121.
Kateryna’s mother was killed instantly in the blast. Kateryna herself miraculously survived because a man, whose name she never learned, threw himself over her, absorbing the shrapnel and blast impact. He died, but his selfless act ensured the young girl’s survival. Kateryna suffered severe shrapnel wounds to both legs and still faces immense challenges walking, requiring ongoing rehabilitation and medical support.
Journalists may interview Kateryna in Kyiv by prior agreement.
Background: The Children of Heroes charitable foundation supports children who have lost one or both parents due to the war. The foundation provides immediate, personalized assistance, including humanitarian aid, psychological and medical support, and educational and developmental opportunities for children until they reach adulthood.
Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi Moshe Reuven Azman is constructing housing for victims of russian aggression – a project he dedicates to the memory of his son, who died in the war.
The residential building in Kyiv oblast will shelter families of fallen soldiers and large families left homeless by the war. The exterior work is complete, but the interior renovations (apartment finishes and utilities) are ongoing.
Rabbi Azman aims to open the building in time for Ukraine’s Independence Day.
Journalists can speak with the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine in Kyiv by prior agreement.
Background: In September 2024, a memorial service was held in Kyiv for Matityahu Samborsky, the adopted son of the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, who died in the war.
On August 2, the Code of the Nation Museum near Kyiv will host the first-ever Filizhanka Heroic Coffee Festival, held in memory of Ukrainian hero Artem Tieliebniev, call sign “Talib.” This unique event blends remembrance and resilience, aiming to honor late defenders, support injured soldiers, and craft a fresh flavor of Ukrainian identity through coffee. The musical headliner for the day is the acclaimed Kalush Orchestra.
The festival’s main goal is to raise UAH 2 million to fund the rehabilitation of wounded Ukrainian service members and veterans. The initiative is organized in partnership with the Revived Soldiers Ukraine, which provides specialized care for those recovering from neurotrauma, spinal cord injuries, and other complex conditions, including pre- and post-prosthetic rehabilitation.
Accreditation is required for entry and must be completed by July 31.
For reference: Junior Sergeant Artem Tieliebniev served as an external UAV operator in the 411th Separate Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A committed volunteer since 2014, Artem joined the front lines from the first days of russia’s full-scale invasion. He defended Zhuliany, took part in the liberation of Irpin in Kyiv Oblast, and fought in some of the country’s most challenging hotspots, including Kharkiv, Kherson, Donetsk, and Zaporizhia.
For his courage and selflessness, Artem was awarded the Order for Courage, 3rd Class, along with medals for the defense of Kyiv and Kharkiv. On July 3, 2024, while evacuating wounded comrades near Robotyne in the Zaporizhia region, he was killed in a tank strike.
The Filizhanka festival is the brainchild of Yana Berkut, a lawyer, barista, volunteer, and Artem’s widow. With support from the third President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, Vitalina Yushchenko, the NGO Kyivshchyna – That’s Us, and the head of the Hatne community, Oleksandr Palamarchuk, Yana has transformed personal grief into a powerful tribute.
Oleksandra Mazur, head of the Olenivka Community NGO, has spent more than two years searching for the truth about her loved one held in russian captivity. Since May 2022, she has been fighting to keep his memory, and the memory of others like him, alive.
Her partner, Azov Regiment combat engineer Yaroslav Otrok, was among the Ukrainian defenders captured at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. Following orders from his commanders, he and his fellow soldiers surrendered and were taken to a makeshift detention center in the occupied town of Olenivka, Donetsk region.
On July 29, 2022, Yaroslav was killed in a blast that tore through the prison. Ukrainian authorities have described the attack as a terrorist act, accusing russian forces of deliberately targeting prisoners of war.
In the days that followed, Oleksandra saw Yaroslav’s name on a list of the wounded. But hope soon gave way to devastating news. In September, a witness who survived the explosion told her Yaroslav’s injuries had been fatal. A month later, the Azov Patronage Service confirmed he was among the dead. His body had been returned by russia.
Since then, Oleksandra has dedicated herself to the Olenivka Community NGO, supporting other families of POWs and calling attention to the crimes committed in Olenivka. Her efforts helped pave the way for official recognition: on July 22, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution establishing July 28 as the Day of Remembrance for Ukrainian Defenders who were executed, tortured, or died in captivity.
Mazur remains committed to telling these stories. She is available for interviews online or in person, by prior arrangement, in Kamianets-Podilskyi or Kyiv.
Anastasiia Bolotova met Ivan Bolotov in 2014. What began as a love story would, a decade later, become a story of loss, remembrance.
When russia launched its full-scale invasion, the couple was living in Mykolaiv. As the war escalated, Ivan moved Anastasiia to his parents’ home in Kyiv for safety, while he remained behind to defend the capital as a military pilot.
On February 2, 2025, Captain Ivan Bolotov was killed in action while carrying out a combat mission. He was just 24 years old. A fighter pilot in Ukraine’s Air Force, Ivan died in the skies he had sworn to protect.
For Anastasiia, life was split into a before and after. The most precious gift he left her, she says, is their son.
In July, Anastasiia opened a coffee shop in Kyiv in Ivan’s memory. She named it Krylati (“The Winged”), paying homage to the life and legacy of her beloved. With the help of Ivan’s friends and family, she designed the space with care: the walls are painted in his favorite color, a mural anchors the room as its artistic heart, and his favorite music drifts softly through the café. Photos of fallen pilots, including Ivan, hang on the walls as a quiet reminder of the cost of war.
Anastasiia Bolotova is available for interviews, both online and in person in Kyiv, by appointment.
Olena Dovbenko met her future husband, Oleksandr, when she was just 18. Their love endured distance when Olena left for work in Poland, sustaining a long-distance relationship for a year and a half.
When the full-scale invasion began, Olena returned to Ukraine. After just a few more dates, Oleksandr proposed. In April 2023, as he turned 25, he prepared to enlist as a combat engineer — while Olena discovered she was pregnant. Oleksandr served on the front lines in the Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia sectors. But on July 4, 2023, tragedy struck: a shrapnel fragment hit him in the head as he evacuated his brothers-in-arms.
Now, Olena is raising their daughter, whom she named in honor of her fallen husband. She runs a small business and admits she only recently allowed herself to grieve — before, she feared her sorrow would harm her little girl.
You can speak with Olena Dovbenko online or in-person in Ternopil oblast, by prior arrangement.
Svitlana Sysoieva, a mother of two Ukrainian defenders from the Kharkiv region. Her eldest son, Serhii, was a seasoned fighter and a devoted patriot. At just 17, he joined the Revolution of Dignity, later fought in the Anti-Terrorist Operation/Joint Forces Operations (ATO/JFO), and from the early days of russia’s full-scale invasion, served in Ukraine’s Special Forces, often deployed to the front line’s most dangerous hotspots.
In the summer of 2022, Serhii was killed during a combat mission. Svitlana says he wasn’t supposed to be on that operation, but when the unit lacked a medic, he volunteered to go with his fellow soldiers. An enemy bullet struck him in the head. Although he was evacuated, doctors couldn’t save him. Serhii was posthumously awarded the Order “For Courage,” III degree.
Svitlana’s younger son, Maksym, signed a military contract in 2021. After Serhii’s death, he stayed on the front lines. In December 2022, he was seriously wounded, losing part of his leg, and was later discharged from service.
In the summer of 2023, Svitlana channeled her pain into purpose and launched a women’s clothing brand, one that also creates adaptive garments tailored to the needs of wounded veterans. Today, Maksym works alongside his mother, helping grow the business.
Svitlana is available for interviews both online and in person in the Kharkiv region, by appointment.
