Themes by tag: evacuation

Oleksii Yukov leads the search squad for the “Platsdarm” Association of Military and Historical Heritage Researchers. Since 2014, Yukov and his team have been dedicated to locating and recovering the remains of fallen Ukrainians, whether they be military personnel or civilians. Yukov’s commitment to this mission is unwavering, as evidenced by his near-death encounter with occupiers in 2014 while carrying out his duties.

Operating amidst gunfire and facing the danger of the enemy frequently booby-traping the corpses of fallen, Yukov and his team encounter grim scenes, often discovering bodies that have been subjected to torture or mangled by passing vehicles and enemy tanks. 

Notably, the team undertook a search for bodies underneath rubble at the Kramatorsk tragedy site, where a Russian Tochka-U missile struck the city’s railway station on April 8, 2022. This devastating attack claimed the lives of 61 individuals and left 121 others injured.

Currently, the search team remains active in the eastern region of the country.

For reference: As February 24, 2024, marks the grim two-year anniversary of Russia’s criminal incursion into Ukraine. It stands as the apex of a decade-long war of aggression, which actually dates back to February 20, 2014, beginning with the annexation of Crimea. Russian forces invaded Ukrainian Crimea without any identifying markings and, after that, seized control of the peninsula back then. Subsequently, these events escalated into war in eastern Ukraine.

• dead
• military
• volunteers
• evacuation

Since February 24, 2022, the White Angels police team has managed to rescue and bring more than 9,000 people from the frontline areas to safety. Law enforcement crews go to the most remote corners that are out of reach for volunteer missions, evacuating those who are ready to leave for a safe zone, and delivering humanitarian aid to those who won’t flee the areas. White Angels employs 81 policemen, particularly in the Kherson, Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Luhansk regions. The officers are truly selfless when it comes to saving people despite risking their own lives. Getting out civilians from Avdiivka in Donetsk region, a site of fierce fighting, is among the most recent operations of the White Angels. 

For reference: the White Angels crew in the Donetsk region is willing to give both online and offline interviews, by prior arrangement with the press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Donetsk Oblast.

• casualties
• evacuation

A 54-year-old Yevhen Tkachov has been evacuating people from the frontline cities and towns of Donetsk Oblast for more than 9 years. In particular, after February 24, 2022, Yevhen traveled to Bakhmut, Siversk, and Soledar. The man also delivers humanitarian aid to people in hot spots. He also takes care of animals, as he is a veterinary specialist. 

A few years before the full-blown war, he founded a hospice for older adults in Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region. This hospice care was destroyed by the invaders at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Patients had to be placed in the Khmelnytskyi region. The hospice for the elderly seniors is supported by Yevhen’s family, including his son.

• animals
• casualties
• volunteers
• evacuation

Volunteers of the Save Ukraine charitable foundation evacuate people from areas near the front line. Since early November this year, more than 105 thousand Ukrainians have been provided with help. Most of them are families with children.

By prior arrangement, journalists are welcome to talk to families rescued from frontlines. 

As a reminder, volunteers of the Save Ukraine charitable foundation also organize rescue missions to return Ukrainian children illicitly transferred to Russia and Russian-controlled territories. The first mission took place a year ago, on November 8, 2022. In total, as of November 2023, the charity workers have brought 200 children back.

• casualties
• children
• russian crimes
• volunteers
• evacuation

Since the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion into Ukraine, Fight For Right NGO has gone on more than 1,500 evacuation trips (including medical evacuations by ambulances). They transported people with disabilities and their family members away from hostilities.

Evacuation is carried out mostly from areas near the front line. One of the biggest difficulties is that sometimes it is very hard for people to find courage to leave their homes, even when it is dangerous to stay there.

The organization also provides psychological assistance, particularly, individual consultations for people with disabilities and for mothers of children with disabilities.

In addition, psychological support groups for IDP women with disabilities are currently operating in Dnipro. The organization plans to create such groups in other cities as well. First of all, in Kyiv.

By prior agreement, journalists are welcome to cover the evacuation process or the work of the organization on psychological support for people.  

• casualties
• psychological support
• evacuation

In Kharkiv region, the Kharlamov family (mother Halyna, father Serhii, and son Yevhen) were evacuating people from under shelling since the beginning of the full-scale war. They became the founders of “Volunteer-68 Humanitarian Aid Center” NGO.

In particular, the volunteer family helped evacuate people across the Pechenihy dam in 2022, when part of Kharkiv region was still under occupation. Halyna recalls that it took people 5-6 hours to get to this dam alone, getting through more than 20 enemy checkpoints. Women with children, elderly people were completely exhausted. Almost every woman cried after reaching a safe place. And after the liberation of the region, “Volunteer-68” team drove into populated areas in ambulances and picked up people with limited mobility as well as everyone else who wanted to evacuate.

Recently, “Volunteer-68 Humanitarian Aid Center” NGO and Vostok-SOS Charitable Foundation initiated the opening of a temporary shelter in Kharkiv for low-mobility population groups and people with disabilities who are being evacuated from front-line communities.

For reference: on September 6, 2022, Ukrainian troops launched a major counteroffensive in Kharkiv region. Subsequently, Kharkiv region was completely de-occupied.

• casualties
• occupation
• volunteers
• Kharkiv
• evacuation

Volunteers of the Rapid Response Units are among the first to arrive at the scene of emergencies. They evacuate people with limited mobility from under fire and provide humanitarian aid to those remaining in the hot spots. The meeting on August 18 will bring together 90 volunteers from emergency response teams from across the country. In addition, to experience exchange, the meeting will include mine safety training programs conducted by the State Emergency Service and chemical, biological, radiation, and nuclear threats from international partners. Volunteers will also practice one of the emergency scenarios.

Kyiv to venue transfer is organized for journalists.

For reference: Since the beginning of the all-out invasion, rapid response volunteer units have evacuated more than 309 thousand people from the war zone.

• casualties
• volunteers
• evacuation

At the end of July, a temporary shelter was opened in Kharkiv for representatives of low mobility groups and people with disabilities who are being evacuated from frontline communities. They, for example, take care of bedridden people, people in wheelchairs or on crutches. The shelter is designed for 30 people. One can stay there for up to three weeks. But, if necessary, the period of stay can be extended.

For reference: This shelter has been created as a result of a joint initiative of Vostok SOS Charitable Foundation and Volunteer-68 Center for Humanitarian Aid.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, representatives of “Volunteer-68” have been taking care of people with disabilities and physical disorders. Among other things, volunteers take people out of shelled areas and provide humanitarian aid.

• casualties
• volunteers
• Kharkiv
• evacuation

Mykola Mohylevskyi, a 24-year-old volunteer from Fastiv, has been to the most dangerous places on the frontline during the full-scale invasion: Chasiv Yar, Bakhmut, Lyman, Soledar and Siversk. He took everyone he could persuade to evacuate to safe places. In addition to people, Mohylevskyi had to take out animals: dogs and even cows. Mykola goes to the front line every month. Now journalists can visit him in Fastiv, Kyiv region for conversation.

• animals
• casualties
• volunteers
• Kyiv
• evacuation

The White Angels police unit works in hot spots. They evacuate the population, provide emergency medical aid, deliver humanitarian aid, and transport the bodies of the dead. Police officers save people, despite the risk to their own lives.

Journalists are invited to learn more about the work of law enforcement officers involved in the evacuation effort by talking to Pavlo Dyachenko, Communications Officer of the Bakhmut district police department, a member of the White Angels police unit.

• evacuation