Themes by tag: Kharkiv

Efforts are underway to rebuild the National Literary and Memorial Museum of Hryhorii Skovoroda in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast, after it was devastated by a russian missile strike. Recently, the “301 Skovoroda’s True Friend” campaign succeeded in raising 1.4 million Ukrainian hryvnias to support the museum’s restoration.

On May 6, 2022, a russian missile obliterated the Skovoroda Museum’s main building in Kharkiv Oblast. The explosion also caused significant damage to the 19th-century barn and the Manager’s House, both key elements of the museum complex. A large-scale fire erupted in the wake of the blast, scorching 280 square meters of the structure. Remarkably, a statue of Hryhorii Skovoroda survived the attack.

Journalists have documented the extensive damage left in the aftermath of the strike.

For reference: The museum is situated within the Memorial Complex dedicated to the renowned philosopher and poet Hryhorii Skovoroda, a site recognized as a national historical monument. The grounds also include Skovoroda’s gravesite, further cementing its cultural significance.

It’s worth noting that September 6, 2024, will mark two years since the start of the Slobozhanske counteroffensive by Ukrainian Defense Forces, a campaign that nearly liberated the entire Kharkiv region from russian occupation.

• reconstruction
• russian crimes
• Kharkiv

Ofeliia Yershova was 2 years old when her family left Azerbaijan due to the outbreak of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. The family moved to Kharkiv, where Ofeliia lived ever since. As an adult, the woman started her own sewing business in the city.

When russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Ofeliia persuaded her mother to leave their apartment in Saltivka (the area most affected by the russian shelling). Two days after that, the occupiers destroyed the high-rise building in which Ofeliia’s parents lived. All the sewing equipment that the woman kept in the apartment burned down.

Ofeliia could no longer get back to sewing, so she took up cooking. She made jams and canned meat according to the family recipe. Eventually, the hobby turned into a business. Together with her beloved, she wrote a business plan, applied for a grant from the state, received funds and set up production workshops. Canned meat and jams under the brand “Pani Chef” (lady chef) are produced in Kharkiv. And Ofeliia plans to open a branded store in her hometown soon.

Ofeliia Yershova is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• women
• Kharkiv

EOD specialist Anastasiia Kuzminych, who works for the international organization the Halo Trust, met her future husband right on a minefield. Anastasiia and Illia worked on neighboring lines, and during the breaks, Illia helped her to carry heavy objects. Later, they kept in touch and finally got married.

Today, Anastasiia’s husband, Illia Khomiak, is the Head of the Non-Technical Examination Groups, and recently he brought his 22-year-old brother Andrii to the Halo Trust. Andrii works as a paramedic in an EOD unit and is glad that demining has become a family business.

Journalists are welcome to learn more and talk with Anastasiia and Illia in Kharkiv region.

For reference: the Halo Trust is the largest international non-profit organization that has been clearing mines and explosive ordnance in 30 countries and territories around the world for 35 years.

• Kharkiv
• demining

Before the outbreak of full-blown war, Liubov Popova thrived as a landscape designer in her hometown of Kharkiv. When war escalated, she relocated to central Ukraine with her child, later returning to her parents’ village of Koziivka in the Kharkiv region. It was there that childhood memories resurfaced, recalling her grandmother’s teachings on foraging herbs and homemade tea crafting.

Initially a pastime, her passion for herbalism soon blossomed into a lucrative endeavor. Today, enthusiasts eagerly await the teas she meticulously crafts, with demand extending beyond Ukraine’s borders. Beyond her herbal pursuits, Liubov actively engages in community development initiatives, organizing workshops for local children on creating tea bouquets.

Based in the Kharkiv region, Liubov Popova is available for media inquiries, both in-person and online.

• culture
• women
• Kharkiv

Mykhailo Tsybulka’s passion for beekeeping was inspired by his father and grandfather, who maintained apiaries. In 2018, Mykhailo established his own apiary in Kharkiv.

Following the onset of the full-scale invasion, his family relocated to Ivano-Frankivsk. However, in January 2023, Mykhailo returned to Kharkiv with his wife, and they opened a shop selling their apiary products. They also applied for a grant to secure financial support for essential equipment.

In February 2024, a russian drone strike on a nearby oil depot devastated their home with oil contamination, destroying everything except the beehives that were still in hibernation.

Currently, the couple resides in a small apartment in Kharkiv, continuing to expand their apiary and experiment with new honey flavors.

Mykhailo Tsybulka is available for interviews in Kharkiv or via online communication.

• casualties
• Kharkiv

Anna Gin, a journalist and writer hailing from Kharkiv, has embarked on a remarkable endeavor—creating one-of-a-kind jewelry using local flowers and minute fragments of rockets and bombs.

This initiative, dubbed “Flowers from Unbreakable,” was born unexpectedly. While leading foreign journalists through Northern Saltivka—an area deeply scarred by russia’s full-scale invasion—Anna was captivated by the resilience of poppies amidst the devastation. Despite the looming danger of sirens and explosions, she couldn’t resist gathering these blooms, determined to preserve their beauty. Turning to online resources, Anna learned the art of working with epoxy resin, transforming her floral finds into exquisite pieces of jewelry.

In a bold move, Anna also began incorporating small shards of enemy missiles—gathered during walks with her dog amidst the wreckage of the Epicenter home improvement store demolished by occupants’ hands—into her creations, ensuring every piece carries a profound story of survival.

Through three charity auctions, Anna has already channeled proceeds to support a hospital in Kharkiv. 

For further insights, journalists can engage with Anna Gin in Kharkiv or online.

• culture
• volunteers
• women
• Kharkiv

The Lavka Deokupatsii (De-occupation Shop) is a volunteer initiative in Kharkiv that markets vegetables and other produce grown by residents of the recently de-occupied Kharkiv region. 

The project’s primary aim is to revitalize agriculture and foster economic independence for the residents of Studenok village in the Izium district. This village, situated on the border of Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, was under russian occupation for three months starting May 31, 2022. The initiative also assists locals with acquiring seeds, and greenhouses, and facilitating the sale of their produce in Kharkiv.

On its first day of operation, the De-occupation Shop offered cucumbers, green onions, young garlic, carrots, zucchini, new potatoes, and fresh honey from farmers in the reclaimed Kharkiv region. 

For reference: The De-occupation Shop is a project of the Volonterska Charitable Fund.

• casualties
• occupation
• volunteers
• Kharkiv

On May 23, 2024, a Russian missile attack struck the Factor-Druk printing house in Kharkiv. The assault resulted in the destruction of more than 50,000 books, including those published by Vivat Publishing House. Despite numerous offers to purchase the damaged books, Vivat’s CEO, Yulia Orlova, declined and decided to send the salvaged books for exhibition at the Library of Congress and various foreign museums.

The printing house is currently assessing the damage and planning its restoration. Orlova mentioned that the Howard G. Buffett Foundation has expressed willingness to fund the purchase of new equipment for the facility.

Yulia Orlova, who is currently abroad, is available for online interviews with journalists.

For reference: Factor-Druk is one of Europe’s largest printing houses, producing books for nearly all Ukrainian publishers. The missile strike resulted in the deaths of 7 people and injuries to 21 others.

• casualties
• dead
• russian crimes
• Kharkiv

Kharkiv-based cheerleading team Nice Ladies was created back in 2016. It is also referred to as the most mature cheerleading team, because all the participants are over 50 years old. Women were even listed in the National Register of Records of Ukraine. At the beginning of the full-scale war, the team suspended training, which resumed in September 2022 (5 participants remain abroad).

Currently, there are 8 women in the team. The youngest is 53 years old, and the oldest is 77. The women train despite the shelling of their hometown and despite the power cuts. They also had to change their practice space to a safer one.

Nice Ladies became the champions of Kharkiv, Ukraine, and now they would like to prepare for the European Championship, however, the team, which consists mostly of the retired citizens, lacks funding for this.

Journalists have the opportunity to communicate with the Kharkiv team in person.

• culture
• women
• Kharkiv

The emergency response team from the international non-profit organization World Central Kitchen (WCK) is actively aiding large-scale evacuations in the Vovchansk and Lipetsk communities of Kharkiv Oblast. From the outset, WCK has been on the ground providing hot meals, beverages, and emotional support to those impacted by the war.

Since May 10, WCK has distributed thousands of hot meals and sandwiches to approximately 10,000 evacuees. The team has also recently extended their assistance to evacuees from the Sumy region, aiding their relocation to the city of Sumy.

WCK welcomes all media inquiries and encourages coverage of their ongoing efforts.

For context, in Ukraine, WCK delivers hot meals, vegetable kits, grocery kits, and seeds to frontline areas. They also provide hot drinks and food in large cities affected by missile strikes, supporting both victims and rescue workers. Since initiating operations in February 2022, WCK has prepared more than 260 million meals for Ukrainians.

• casualties
• food
• Kharkiv
• Sumy