Themes by tag: Ivano-Frankivsk
Nataliia Tarabalka, mother of the late Ukrainian Hero and renowned fighter pilot Stepan Tarabalka, has opened a rehabilitation center for service members in memory of her son, who was killed in an air battle in March 2022.
Working with a psychologist helped Nataliia process her grief. Inspired by this experience, she used the state compensation she received for her son’s death to establish the “Warmth of a Winged Soul” rehabilitation center in Prykarpattia. The facility offers both physical and psychological support for active-duty and former military personnel.
Nataliia Tarabalka is available for consultations—both in person in Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk region, and online—by appointment.
For reference: Captain Stepan Tarabalka, 29, was killed in an aerial battle on March 13, 2022, in the skies over Zhytomyr. On the first day of russia’s full-scale invasion alone, he reportedly shot down six enemy aircraft, including a Su-27, MiG-29, two Su-35s, and two Su-25s. Flying a MiG-29, he went on to destroy a total of 40 enemy aircraft. Tarabalka served with the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force, which in 2024 was awarded the honorary title “The Ghost of Kyiv.”
Serhii Hrytsiv, a native of Ukraine’s Ivano-Frankivsk region, endured two and a half years in captivity, marked by relentless torture, starvation, and interrogation. A member of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynskyi, he witnessed the start of russia’s full-scale invasion from the front lines.
Hrytsiv recalls that the fighting in the Mariupol sector, where he was stationed, began on February 17, 2022. Nearly two months later, on April 12, his commander presented a grim choice: either attempt a breakthrough or face capture. Each soldier had to decide for themselves. Hrytsiv and a group of comrades made a desperate bid to escape the russian encirclement but were ultimately unsuccessful. They were soon taken prisoner.
Over the course of his captivity, Hrytsiv was transferred 18 times, enduring detention in 12 different locations. According to him, not a single day passed without torture—Ukrainian prisoners were subjected to brutal beatings, electric shocks, and starvation.
On September 13, 2024, Hrytsiv was freed in a prisoner exchange and returned to Ukrainian territory. Following rehabilitation, he met his future wife, and the two soon married.
Serhii Hrytsiv is available for conversations both online and in person by appointment.
On February 11-12, the free military training program for civilians “Active Parks – Nation of the Resilient” will be held in Ivano-Frankivsk.
Trainers will provide participants with essential knowledge and practical skills for self-defense in extreme situations and during war.
Specialized training areas:
– Tactical medicine (first aid, casualty assessment)
– UAV operator (simulator training, flight training)
– Tactical and weapons training (weapons handling, changing shooting positions and stances)
– Bushcraft (wilderness survival), sports navigation, topography (orientation on the ground and coordinate mapping)
– Physical training and close combat (self-defense techniques and skills)
– Mine and explosives safety (classification of explosive devices, safety protocols)
Media must be accredited to attend.
Background: The event is part of the “Active Parks” program initiated by the President of Ukraine and is organized by the All-Ukrainian Center for Physical Health “Sport for All” with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, Maestro AirBro and Bro Corp.
From November 9-13, the Voices of Children Foundation is hosting a Writing Residency in Ukraine’s Carpathians, bringing together young writers under the guidance of Ukrainian author Olha Rusina. Among the participants is 17-year-old Sofiia from Odesa, who plans to write a book honoring her father, a police officer who died during the war.
After russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, Sofiia was forced to flee to Moldova, where she encountered challenges, such as enforced russian language use and a school curriculum focused on russian literature. An avid reader, Sofiia even started a reading club for her peers in Moldova. This fall, she enrolled at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv’s Faculty of Journalism, where she connected with Rusina, who now mentors her as she begins work on her father’s story.
Alongside Sofiia, teens from cities including Kharkiv, Dnipro, and the Chernihiv region—many from military families or displaced by the war—will join the residency. Participants will work to process their experiences and turn trauma into resilience through creative expression. Set in a mountain retreat, the program will offer writing workshops, as well as individual and group counseling sessions with psychologists.
Journalists seeking to cover the residency can arrange access in advance, and may also speak with Sofiia in Lviv.
Marta Kondrin, a trailblazing entrepreneur, is transforming the fashion world by producing leather alternatives from mushroom mycelium. After spending eight years in Malaysia, where she was introduced to a startup developing mushroom-based products, Kondrin decided to pursue her own vision.
Following russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Marta made the decision to fast-track her dream. She applied for a grant and successfully secured funding to establish Ukraine’s first eco-leather manufacturing facility. The innovative material she cultivates mimics natural leather, offering a more sustainable option compared to synthetic alternatives. Though Marta continues to enhance the durability of the fabric, she has already created her first line of products, which includes bags and accessories.
Now based in Ivano-Frankivsk, Marta offers both virtual and in-person consultations for those interested in her work, available by appointment.
Oksana Myronenko was a surgeon in her hometown of Luhansk. In 2014, following russia’s initial attack on Ukraine and the occupation of the city, Oksana and her husband relocated to Bucha in the Kyiv region.
In February 2022, during the Russian assault on Kyiv, reluctant to face occupation again and swiftly moved with her children from Bucha to Kyiv. Tragically, Oksana’s parents also attempted to flee Bucha, but her mother died and her father was injured en route.
In spring 2022, Oksana and her sister established the Nash Sokil (Our Falcon) charity foundation, dedicated to aiding internally displaced persons with limited mobility. They named the foundation in honor of their late mother, whose last name was Sokolovska. Despite her new responsibilities, Oksana continues her medical practice, performing at least 30 surgeries a month in Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv. As a peripheral nerve injuries expert, she helped many soldiers avoid disability and alleviate pain. Oksana offers all surgeries for military personnel at no charge.
Journalists can interview Oksana Myronenko in Ivano-Frankivsk or Kyiv.
Anatolii Mytskan joined the Defense Forces with the beginning of the full-scale invasion. And already in April 2022, together with his brothers in arms, he defended the Zaporizhia direction. The veteran was on the front line for more than a year. During this time, he got numerous concussions, which eventually led to a stroke. Anatolii explains that he was lucky, because the stroke did not happen at the frontline.
Currently, the man is in Ivano-Frankivsk and is rehabilitating with the help of drawing. The theme of his paintings is war. In mid-June, Anatolii will bring 15 of his works to Lviv to hold a personal exhibition. He plans to buy drones and EW equipment for the army with the money he will get from the sale of paintings.
Originally hailing from Berdiansk, a city in the southern Zaporizhia region, with around 15 years of experience as a welder, Oleksandr Shaposhnyk’s journey into blacksmithing began in 2013 during a visit to Donetsk, now held under occupation, for the International Blacksmithing Festival. By 2015, he honed his skills to become a master of industrial training in hand-forged blacksmithing at the Berdiansk Machine-Building Professional Lyceum, where he imparted his knowledge to aspiring young blacksmiths. In a bid to foster community and celebrate the craft, he established the Steel Wave campus-based festival, drawing 44 talented counterparts from across Ukraine. Additionally, he adorned Berdiansk with the “Blacksmith Alley,” a collection of his sculptures that stood until the onset of the full-scale russian invasion.
To escape the occupation, Shaposhnyk navigated 13 checkpoints before finding refuge in Zaporizhia for six months. Ultimately, he resettled in Ivano-Frankivsk, a city nestled in the western expanse of Ukraine.
In a gesture of solidarity, a volunteer from Kyiv approached the blacksmith with a proposition: craft a sculpture to be auctioned off, with proceeds benefiting the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After pondering the concept for a month, Oleksandr conceived the Kalyna (Viburnum) Girl, fashioned from wire salvaged from the wreckage of power grids destroyed by occupiers and fragments of shells. This poignant piece now resides in a museum in Kyiv, slated for auction in Europe.
Building on this momentum, the blacksmith fashioned three additional sculptures from similar materials—Mavka, Berehynia, and Metal Motanka. Hoteliers snapped up two of these creations for 200 thousand hryvnias each, while a bank acquired another for a hefty sum of 2 million hryvnias. Generous volunteers ensured the proceeds reached the hands of Ukraine’s defenders.
In a creative twist, the artist repurposed the gearbox of a downed enemy Mi-8 helicopter to fashion two lamps. One lamp ventured to a UK auction, while the other fetched 23 thousand hryvnias in a sale orchestrated by local volunteers, funding the procurement of drones.
Presently, the industrious blacksmith is hard at work crafting a collection of robots inspired by the American film Living Steel, set to debut at an exhibition in Zakarpattia.
Journalists eager to delve deeper into Oleksandr’s narrative can arrange interviews either in person in Ivano-Frankivsk or through online channels.
Anton Shelest developed an interest in 3D technologies while studying at the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University. While still a student, Anton assembled a 3D printer himself based on a project he found on the Internet. Later, he tried to make 3D copies of human bones on another printer. With the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Anton gathered a team of like-minded people in Ivano-Frankivsk who had 3D printers and set up the production of parts for weapons and drones for the military.
And recently, a doctor turned to Anton with a request to create a prosthesis for one of his patients: the soldier’s leg was amputated, and the bones on his other leg still hadn’t started to heal. In addition, a half of the soldier’s palm was amputated. Anton’s task was to create a temporary prosthesis that would facilitate recovery, as due to the palm injury, the patient could not use crutches. As a result, Anton came up with the idea for a patch for the soldier’s hand, with which the veteran could hold on to a walker, and later crutches. The manufacturing process took several months, and the soldier received this prosthesis for free.
Currently, Anton helps fighters who come in touch with him directly. However, in the future, if he can bring together a special team, he will start making such prostheses on a permanent basis.
Daria-Olha, a resident of Mariupol, was 15 when she tried boxing for the first time. The girl learnt fast: just 3 months after starting she participated in an all-Ukrainian competition. In 2022, 18-year-old Daria-Olha was supposed to go to the European Championship, but russia launched its full-scale invasion, and enemy troops surrounded Mariupol. At first, the athlete’s family was hoping to wait out the russian shelling in an apartment together with friends. Later they had to relocate to the basement. At this time, the city had already been cut from communication, gas and electricity. Even in such conditions, Daria continued training to keep herself in shape. The family managed to leave the besieged Mariupol in a truck with strangers, and the road to Zaporizhia took more than a day, because they had to go through russian checkpoints. Already in the Ukraine-controlled territory, Daria-Olha found out that her coach had left for Ivano-Frankivsk, so she went to him. There, the girl entered the Carpathian National University’s Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, because she dreams of becoming a trainer. In May 2022, Daria-Olha won bronze at the International Boxing Tournament in Sweden in the category of up to 52 kilograms. Currently, the Ukrainian boxer is training to win gold at the Olympics.
For reference: the defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days. On May 20, 2022, Mariupol was occupied by the russians. According to the estimates of the human rights organization Human Rights Watch at least 8,000 people were killed in russian shelling of civilians in Mariupol. Thousands of people were injured: they lost limbs, sight, hearing and memory, particularly, as a result of craniocerebral injuries caused by the explosions. Also, according to Human Rights Watch estimates, from the pre-war population of 540,000 people, about 400,000 residents had fled Mariupol by mid-May 2022.
