Themes by tag: Dnipro

At 39 years old, Victoriia Prokhorenko resides in Kryvyi Rih with her son and daughter. Her husband, Anton, swiftly mobilized upon the commencement of the full-blown invasion, rising to the rank of squad leader in a Special Forces battalion of the National Guard within months. However, upon his return home a year and a half ago, Victoriia noticed a stark transformation in Anton’s demeanor. Afflicted with PTSD, he struggled to reintegrate into family life despite her efforts and the assistance of a psychologist. Anton’s sleeplessness and subsequent alcohol consumption culminated in hospitalization due to a micro-stroke, instilling fear even in their children. Consequently, the couple made the difficult decision to part ways, navigating the challenges of PTSD recovery and family dynamics.

In the midst of adversity, Victoriia hit the ground running, taking up educational training and delving into the field of psychology. Determined to sustain her relationship with her beloved, she faithfully communicated with him daily. After several months, Anton reconnected and began applying the psychological techniques imparted by his wife. Within a month, Victoriia won her husband back home. 

Presently, Victoriia is on the cusp of completing her studies and is already strategizing her approach to support military spouses and children. She is eager for her experiences to resonate with women who may feel isolated in their struggles amid the backdrop of war.

Victoriia Prokhorenko is available for interviews, both in-person in Kryvyi Rih and online. 

• casualties
• military
• psychological support
• women
• Dnipro

In Dnipro on May 19th, families of prisoners of war, missing, and fallen heroes will host an exhibition titled “HELD CAPTIVE FOR THE SECOND YEAR” as part of the “DON’T BE SILENT! CAPTIVITY KILLS!” campaign. This event commemorates the release of the defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, who were expected to enter honorable captivity but instead endured two years of torment and imprisonment, including the Mariupol garrison soldiers.

The exhibition aims to recount the defense of Mariupol, showcasing the bravery of its soldiers and the tragic events in occupied Olenivka, Donetsk region, where many were wounded or killed. Visitors will have the opportunity to view photos of those who have spent two years in Russian captivity and honor the fallen heroes.

Throughout the exhibition, flags representing the units that defended Mariupol will be displayed prominently.

• casualties
• dead
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Dnipro

Maryna Shazhko began taking care of homeless animals more than 10 years ago. When city services started shooting stray dogs and cats in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, a woman brought a stray animal home for the first time to save it. Later, together with a team of volunteers, Maryna started the Bakhmut Animal Protection Society “Lada” NGO. On February 24, 2022, Maryna, shelter volunteers and 160 dogs were in Bakhmut. At first, the woman did not even think about moving, she hoped that the war would bypass the city. However, in August 2022, after the second explosion near the shelter and the death of one of her dogs, Maryna started the evacuation. All the animals had to be transported at once, the cages barely fit in the cars. They decided to take the dogs to Dnipropetrovsk region, where they had to pay a huge rent for a new place.

Meanwhile, animals from hotspots are still being brought to the shelter. The number of rescued pets has already reached 200, including dogs from Chasiv Yar, Krasnohorivka and Marinka. Every day, Maryna has to wake up at 5 in the morning, walk her own dogs, buy food for the animals of the shelter and go there to take care of the animals in the shelter. In addition, the woman did stop working as a teacher.

• animals
• casualties
• occupation
• volunteers
• Dnipro

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

Peaceful demonstrations are planned in at least 15 cities to remind the public of the Ukrainian defenders of Mariupol’s “Azovstal” and other military personnel who are still held captive by the enemy.

On April 6, events will be held in Dnipro, Okhtyrka, Bila Tserkva, Pavlohrad, Vinnytsia, Krolevets and Lviv.

On April 7, rallies are planned in Kyiv, Cherkasy, Kremenchuk, Ovruch, Chernivtsi, Kryvyi Rih, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Odesa.

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

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

On March 10 Dnipro gears up to host the poignant performance, “The Third Spring in Captivity.” This nationwide initiative, titled “Don’t be silent! Captivity kills!”, aims to highlight the dire predicament faced by Ukrainian prisoners of war, particularly those hailing from the embattled city of Mariupol and the Azovstal region, who have languished in enemy captivity for nearly two years.

For context: The defense of Mariupol endured for 86 grueling days, with soldiers enduring complete encirclement for 82 of those days. In May 2022, following orders from the command, Ukrainian defenders ceased resistance, vacated Azovstal, and surrendered to enemy forces.

• military
• prisoners
• Dnipro

Iryna Kulbach has been the chair of the University Hospital Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Dnipro for 23 years. At the beginning of the all-out invasion, the doctors there had to deliver babies in a shelter.

On December 29, 2023, a Russian missile struck the maternity ward. A fire broke out there, and the blast wave smashed about 900 windows in the hospital. That day, Iryna and other doctors were on duty. The team responded quickly to the situation: women in labor with newborns, pregnant women, and the patients’ families were moved to shelters in advance. As a result of the attack, the maternity hospital building caught fire producing smoke, so Iryna and other specialists evacuated all the people to save their lives.

Recently, the President of Ukraine awarded Iryna Kulbach with the Honored Doctor of Ukraine award. In addition, she received the medal “For Merit to the City”.

For reference: The damage caused by the enemy shelling is still being assessed. 30 employees of the maternity ward were transferred to other departments of the hospital, and 20 are currently unemployed.

For reference: February 24, 2024, Ukraine marks 2 years since Russia commenced its unprovoked criminal full-scale invasion. This attack was the culmination of the initial war of aggression that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for 10 years. This armed conflict was ignited on February 20, 2014. Back then, Russians invaded the territory of Ukrainian Crimea giving no obvious sign of its covert military operation in the now-occupied peninsula. After that, Russia started a war in Ukraine’s east.

• children
• doctors
• russian crimes
• women
• Dnipro

Dog handlers from Denmark, who came to Ukraine to join the Antares search and rescue team, are currently training at the Pavlohrad dog training center in the Dnipro region. The foreign specialists plan to join dog-and-handler teams in its mission. For Antares, it’s the first experience working with foreign dog handlers planning to join the canine search team. Soon, specialists from Poland will also arrive at the dog training and fielding center.

For reference: The Antares Search and Rescue Dog Team was founded in 2008. Until 2014, the team was getting the dogs training in a search profile for missing civilians, who were still alive, and the dogs weren’t trained specifically to find dead bodies, so finding human remains rather than a live person wasn’t their forte. But in 2017, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine began to involve Antares unit SAR dogs and canine handlers sprung into action assisting the search for the dead. Now highly trained search resources are also used by the National Police, the State Emergency Service, and the Security Service of Ukraine. In March 2023, Larysa Borysenko, the head of the professional canine SAR team, was injured due to an explosion triggered by a trip wire during a search in the Kharkiv region. She has already undergone treatment and returned to work.

• animals
• dead
• 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