Themes by tag: Dnipro

The charitable foundation “Volunteer Association ‘Poruch'” was founded by a couple from Avdiivka (a city in Donetsk, now destroyed and occupied by russians). Before the full-scale invasion, Rusana and Bohdan were not involved in charity work, but the war changed their lives. At first, they began helping elderly people and abandoned animals near the front lines. Soon they managed to form a team of like-minded people and establish a charitable foundation.

Today, most of the members of the “Volunteer Association ‘Poruch'” are displaced persons from the war zone or from the territories occupied by russia. Among other initiatives, Rusana and Bohdan create safe spaces for children near the front lines. These spaces offer children a place to study, engage in creative activities, and receive psychological support from specialists.

One of these spaces was created by the “Poruch” team in a modular city in Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk oblast. The team renovated one of the modules, repaired the roof, and brought in furniture, school supplies, art materials, and qualified teachers. Since August 2024, 47 children have been attending this space on a regular basis. The team has set up similar spaces for children in Izium and Kramatorsk.

• casualties
• children
• occupation
• volunteers
• Dnipro

Hlib, 7, a boy from Sievierodonetsk in Luhansk Oblast—now under russian occupation—faced profound challenges after being displaced by the war. His father, serving in the military, remained behind as Hlib and his mother fled their hometown when the full-scale invasion began. After spending time in Europe, they returned to Ukraine and settled in Dnipro.

The impact of the war took a heavy toll on Hlib’s well-being. He became increasingly emotional, often crying uncontrollably, and struggled to focus, making traditional schooling impossible. His mother decided to have him study at home.

It was during a visit to the Voices of Children Charity Foundation that a psychologist suggested further examinations. As a result, Hlib was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a diagnosis that provided crucial insight into managing his behavior and improving his condition.

Journalists can arrange interviews with Hlib and his mother in Dnipro by appointment.

For reference: October is ADHD Awareness Month. Between 5-8% of children globally are affected by ADHD, which was declared the leading issue in child psychiatry in 2000.

• children
• psychological support
• Dnipro

10 years ago, Hanna lived and worked in Horlivka, Donetsk region. She was the head of a first-aid post in a mine. After the occupation of Horlivka by the Russians in 2014, she could not live under the enemy flag and moved with her family to Toretsk (Donetsk region), where she started her own business. The Horbachov family opened a shop serving pancakes and coffee, and soon began baking bread. The locals liked the bakery, and in 2022 the family opened another place, this time in Siverskodonetsk, Luhansk region. Hanna managed to bake bread there only once. When the full-scale war began, enemy shells destroyed the bakery. The one in Toretsk lasted longer, but it was also destroyed by the enemy.

The Horbachovs then had to move again, this time to Dnipro. In the new location, Hanna has been able to rebuild the family business from the ground up. Many of the bakery’s customers are from Toretsk: they were also forced to evacuate. Today, the Horbachov bakery employs internally displaced people, including those from Toretsk and Mariupol.

You can meet the Horbachov family in Dnipro. Hanna Horbachova is available for interviews with journalists, both online and offline.

• occupation
• women
• Dnipro

The Children’s Voices Charitable Foundation launched the “Children Dream” campaign and asked children from different regions about their dreams. The aim is to show that despite difficult circumstances, children continue to dream and need the support of adults. Moreover, children’s dreams are a source of strength for adults as well.

“I hope that when the war is over, we will have a very beautiful sea that will be very popular with tourists. (…) Let our music flourish all over the world…”

This is an excerpt from a letter written by 12-year-old Eva, who shares her dreams. Three months after the outbreak of the full-scale war, she was forced to leave her native village in the Zaporizhia region (now occupied) and moved to the city of Zaporizhia, where she participates in the activities of the Center of the Children’s Voices Charitable Foundation.

Among the dreams shared by other children is the desire to attend school in person instead of studying online. And, of course, the children dream of Ukraine’s victory and the liberation of the occupied territories.

Journalists can learn more about the “Children Dream” campaign and, with prior agreement, speak with the children (whose parents consent), particularly in the Zaporizhia, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, and in Kyiv.

• children
• Dnipro
• Kharkiv
• Kyiv
• Zaporizhzhia

Since childhood, Dmytro Stepnov has been passionate about rowing yawls—small boats with multiple pairs of oars. In 2018, he began sharing his love for the sport with others in Mariupol, where he formed a team and even led them to compete in local events.

With the onset of the full-scale invasion, Dmytro and his team narrowly escaped russian-occupied Mariupol, seeking refuge in Dnipro. Undeterred by the upheaval, Dmytro started anew. He constructed a modern yawl and resumed training sessions.

In a heartening twist, a rehabilitation center from Odesa partnered with him, proposing a unique initiative: offering rowing classes to soldiers who had lost limbs on the front lines. Today, this inspiring program is available at no cost in Dnipro, Odesa, and Kyiv. The initiative has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with soldiers not only finding a physical outlet but also competing in rowing competitions as part of their rehabilitation journey.

Currently based in Dnipro, Dmytro Stepnov is open to sharing his story with journalists, whether in person or via virtual interviews, upon request.

• casualties
• military
• Dnipro
• Kyiv
• Odesa

Tamara Koriahina and her husband, Serhii Mykhailenko, both hail from Mariupol. In 2019, Serhii enlisted in the Azov unit, which has since been absorbed into Ukraine’s National Guard.

When the full-scale invasion began, Serhii, who had been training in the Lviv region, returned to Mariupol to defend their home. Meanwhile, Tamara endured the relentless russian shelling, struggling to survive in the besieged city.

On March 18, 2022, Tamara managed to escape. She later discovered that, in early April, Serhii had suffered a shrapnel wound. Tragically, he was unable to undergo surgery due to a shortage of medical supplies.

Tamara last heard from her husband on May 16, 2022: he informed her that he had received orders to surrender and added, “See you soon, get ready for the wedding.” Tamara says this message has sustained her for the past three years. During this period, she has not received any letters from him and has only seen him in russian propaganda videos. She is convinced that her husband is being tortured in the Polar Wolf penal colony in Siberia, where he is currently held. Before being transferred there, Serhii underwent an illegal trial in occupied Donetsk and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In June 2024, Tamara joined a delegation of POWs’ wives who appealed to the Pope for assistance in securing the release of Ukrainians unlawfully detained in russia. 

Tamara Koriahina resides in Dnipro. Serhii Mykhailenkos’s wife is willing to speak with journalists, both online and offline, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• women
• Dnipro

Dmytro Kutsenko joined the army in 2014. And in 2015, he planted the first cherries in the family garden. For 9 years, Dmytro and his father were working on their own business with his garden expanding to 450 trees.

However, with the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Dmytro returned to the front line. He joined the 93rd brigade and fought with the occupiers in Sumy, Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. Dmytro was defending Bakhmut from August 2022 until March 2023 when the soldier found himself in the basement of a high-rise building, which was attacked with two enemy aerial bombs. Five floors of the building collapsed over Dmytro, who had to fight for his life under tons of concrete for 33 hours. Dmytro’s brothers in arms cleared the rubble with their own hands, pulled the man out and evacuated him to the hospital.

Dmytro lost both legs, underwent a number of surgeries as well as rehabilitation and mastered prostheses. In 2024, the President of Ukraine awarded the veteran with the Order of the Gold Star and the title of Hero of Ukraine. Nowadays, Dmytro has returned to the family business, bought a wheelchair and an electric scooter, which he uses to take care of his garden.

Dmytro Kutsenko lives in the Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovsk region. The veteran is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Dnipro

Peaceful demonstrations are planned in at least 20 cities to remind about the Azovstal defenders and other soldiers who are still held captive by the enemy.

On June 29, events will take place in Dnipro, Lviv, Chernihiv, Okhtyrka, Pavlohrad, Vinnytsia and Bila Tserkva.

On June 30, rallies are planned in Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Kremenchuk, Krolevka, Korosten, Ovruch, Obikhov, Sumy, Uzhhorod, Kryvyi Rih, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Odesa.

The events are organized by the families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison.

• military
• prisoners
• Dnipro
• Kyiv
• Lviv
• Odesa

On June 14, in Dnipro, representatives of the National Register of Records of Ukraine will record another record – 78-year-old Volodymyr Nikolaiev will make his 794th blood donation. He is the first to receive the highest title of Hero of Ukraine for donating blood.

Volodymyr is convinced that his blood is especially needed now, because it saves our wounded soldiers. Volodymyr Nikolaiev has been a donor for 47 years and 11 months, and this was recognized as an absolute record of Ukraine. The honored donor of Ukraine donated a total of 650.5 liters of blood.

For reference: World Blood Donor Day is commemorated on June 14.

• volunteers
• Dnipro

Inna Sorokina is from Toretsk, Donetsk region. The woman saw the war with her own eyes in 2014, when russia attacked Ukraine for the first time, and her hometown was temporarily occupied by the enemy. Inna didn’t want to leave her native region, so she moved to Sloviansk, which is also in Donetsk region. At that time, Ukraine had already regained control over the settlement. On February 24, 2022, the Kramatorsk District State Administration, where the Inna worked, decided to order an evacuation of its employees to Dnipro. Soon the woman came up with an idea to create a place in Dnipro where refugees from Eastern Ukraine could meet and communicate. Together with her supervisors, Inna founded and headed “We Are Together” IDP Support Center in Dnipro. Soon the Center began to organize thematic festivities and pajama parties for children. And for adults, the Center held a master class on pysanky painting. In the Center, displaced persons can also receive legal, psychological, informational, educational and healthcare services. The Support Center has been operating for 18 months with over 7,000 people addressing the center for help.

• casualties
• women
• Dnipro