Themes by tag: Dnipro

On January 27, an exhibition titled “UKRAINE WAITS FOR ITS HEROES” dedicated to sharing the stories of Mariupol defenders will open in Dnipro. This first-ever exhibition recounts the heroic deeds of the soldiers of the ‘Mariupol’ garrison, aiming to draw attention to the abhorrent detention conditions of Ukrainian prisoners of war who have been held in enemy dungeons for over 1.5 years, will open its doors in Dnipro. 

At the exhibition opening, journalists will have the opportunity to talk to family members and friends of the prisoners of war.

For reference: Every week, families of POWs, those dead or missing and veterans who have survived the hell of captivity themselves gather at peaceful rallies all across Ukraine cities to remind and raise awareness of Ukrainian service members who are in Russian prisons.

The defense of Mariupol lasted for 86 days. A military command order has been given to Ukrainian defenders to “stop defending” the city, leave the Azovstal steel plant, and surrender to the enemy. On May 20, 2022, Mariupol came under Russian occupation.

• military
• prisoners
• Dnipro

The main goal of the project focused on driving schools for people with disabilities is to enable people with musculoskeletal disorders to get a driver’s license. Driving schools employ instructors who have received additional education to work with people with disabilities, and students learn on specially equipped cars and trucks with manual controls.

The driving school’s program is based on the curriculum of Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs, and it was the first in Ukraine to start teaching students to drive so they could obtain a C1 driver’s license. One of the students of the institution has already completed the theoretical part of the course to obtain the C1 license and is preparing for the practical exam.

For reference: Journalists need to send an information request to receive permission to film the students of the driving school in Dnipro, as well as the learning process.

• Dnipro

Olena Zinova is an entrepreneur from Kherson. For more than 20 years, the woman has run her own shop and sold embroidered Ukrainian shirts, towels, jewelry and souvenirs with Petrykivka painting. When the enemy occupied Olena’s hometown in 2022, she had to carefully hide all things with Ukrainian symbols and close the store, because the russians were looking for and destroying everything that was even remotely connected to Ukraine. Olena had lived under the occupation for three months, when she finally decided to leave and take a collection of embroidered shirts and the Ukrainian flag with her. Together with her family, the woman managed to pass through 33 russian roadblocks, even though each one could be the last, Olena says.

The entrepreneur’s family settled in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, where she immediately began to rebuild her business. Olena made another shop from scratch, had renovations done there and bought equipment to replace what she had had to leave in Kherson. Nowadays, clothes from Olena’s shop aren’t worn only in Kryvyi Rih, as she also receives orders from abroad. The woman dreams that soon she will be able to return to her hometown and once again please customers with Ukrainian embroidered shirts.

For reference: on November 11, 2022, the Defense Forces of Ukraine liberated Kherson from the occupiers. Since then russia has been constantly shelling the city and killing Kherson civilians. 

• culture
• occupation
• reconstruction
• women
• Dnipro

Chujo Hideto is a 42-year-old businessman from Japan. He came to Ukraine in the spring of 2022 and has been volunteering ever since. In particular, in Dnipro, Chudjo contributed financially to the creation of a shelter for forcibly displaced persons. The Japanese man lives in this facility, and helps adults and children staying there.

The volunteer also took part in rescue operations in Kherson region after the occupiers blew up the Kakhovka HPP dam. And recently he bought power generators, power banks and boats for the local rescuers.

Chujo is the founder of the “Smile” charitable foundation, which supports children traumatized by the war. Wearing a Pikachu outfit, the Japanese man gives positive emotions to children and brings them gifts.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk to the volunteer (online or in person). Chujo Hideto does not speak English, he communicates with the help of translation software.

• casualties
• children
• volunteers
• Dnipro

Olha Pometun, a resident of Kamianka, Dnipropetrovsk oblast, is 37 years old. She was born with brittle bone disease. This is a congenital disease, when the bones are very fragile and break easily. In addition, in childhood, the woman suffered an injury that stopped her growth. Despite all the difficulties, Olha did not lose her passion for living. She took driving courses, bought a car and converted it to her own needs. In addition, she learned to swim and even wrote a motivational book.

With the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Olha took up volunteering. In her native Kamianka, the woman founded the United by Good Charitable Foundation. Currently, Olha’s team consists of seven people, all of whom are IDPs. They help the military, as well as civilians who need support. Since it was founded, the team has managed to help more than 10,000 Ukrainian families.

• volunteers
• women
• Dnipro

Student Azad Mamedov founded the “FrontPower” project: along with other volunteers they make power banks for the military out of used disposable e-cigarettes.

About 25 batteries from disposable e-cigarettes are needed to make one such power bank. The case for the power bank is printed on a 3D printer. The final product is a 20,000 mAh power bank.

People send single-use e-cigarettes by mail or drop them off at special collection points.

The team has already managed to produce a total of 20 power banks and send them to the front.

For reference: The project is implemented by volunteers in partnership with the Department of Youth Policy and National Patriotic Education, the Dnipro Youth Council, and “Department of Good Affairs” Charitable Foundation.

• volunteers
• Dnipro

Yevheniia Molchanova and her husband founded the family farm “Green Grove” in Dnipropetrovsk region. With the beginning of the big war, Yevheniia opened their farm for those fleeing from shelling: she took in displaced people and animals rescued from hot spots. “Green Grove” became a shelter for a total of 311 people fleeing from the war with their pets. More than 1,500 animals in need of evacuation, treatment and rehabilitation also received help at the farm. Some of them include: donkeys, horses, pigs and sheep. Animals were brought from the hottest spots, in particular, Mariupol and Bakhmut.

Over time, the farm was reformatted into a rehabilitation center. Nowadays, families of fallen servicemen and children with disabilities come here. Psychologists work on the territory, and people can undergo treatment via equine- and dog- assisted therapy programs.

• animals
• casualties
• children
• psychological support
• women
• Dnipro

Alina Skrypnyk together with her husband Serhii founded their own agricultural enterprise over 20 years ago. At first, they worked on the parents’ land, then they rented fields, and later they were able to register their own company. With the beginning of the russian invasion, the company shut down for several weeks, the fields in the front-line Dnipropetrovsk region became dangerous due to fragments of enemy shells.

However, soon they decided to resume work: to sow the fields again and gather their harvest. Howere, they can do it only during the day, because at night it is extremely difficult to see fragments from dangerous enemy shells. In addition, Alina and Serhii support their employees, whose relatives have joined the ranks of the Armed Forces, particularly by buying the necessary gear.

• Dnipro

On September 28, training for future volunteer medics will take place in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast to last for more than a week. In October, the training will be held in Kyiv.

The Hospitallers medical volunteer battalion organizes such training sessions regularly across the country.

Journalists are welcomed to cover the training process.

• doctors
• Dnipro
• Kyiv

Serhii Karnaukhov first joined the defense of Ukraine in 2014: he fought at the Donetsk airport, and later served in the east of Ukraine. Alina and Serhii met during the war: the woman came to the front as a volunteer. They later married, and when Serhii’s contract expired, he returned to civilian life. However, for a short time, with the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, the man took up arms again. And in May 2022, Serhii Karnaukhov died. Alina joined the army to continue what her husband started. However, with her disability, the woman wasn’t allowed to fight at the front itself: she became a military financier and founded “Zhyva” NGO, which supports women who lost their loved ones in the war.

Important notice: Alina Karnaukhova is ready to speak to journalists online and, by prior arrangement, to meet in Dnipro in person.

• dead
• military
• women
• Dnipro