Themes by tag: Kyiv
Rallies in support of Ukrainian prisoners of war and those still missing in action will take place across the country on October 25-26, aiming to remind the public of the defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers who remain in russian captivity. Peaceful gatherings are planned in 30 cities nationwide.
On October 25, events will be held in Arbuzynka, Okhtyrka, Vinnytsia, Chernihiv, Irpin, Shpola, Volochysk, Zhytomyr, Dnipro, Pavlohrad, and Lviv. The following day, similar rallies are scheduled in Kyiv, Krolevets, Pivdennoukrainsk, Kremenchuk, Mykolaiv, Obukhiv, Ovruch, Korostyshiv, Cherkasy, Uzhhorod, Lozova, Berdychiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Dolynska, Rivne, Poltava, Kovel, Odesa, and Chernivtsi.
The events are organized by the families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison. Former captives who have since been released often join the demonstrations, standing alongside families to call for the return of those still held by russia.
A peaceful action titled “Autumn of Captivity” will take place in Kyiv on October 25 to show solidarity with Ukrainian civilians unlawfully held in russian captivity. The event is organized by the non-governmental organization Civilians in Captivity.
The program will feature remarks from government officials, civil society representatives, and artists, as well as live performances, a moment of silence, and presentations highlighting the scale of civilian imprisonment. Iryna Shvets, a member of the NGO whose husband remains in captivity, will host the gathering.
Organizers say the rally aims to draw public and government attention to the ongoing suffering of Ukrainian civilians detained by russia and to press for immediate action to secure their release.
They are calling on media outlets, international organizations, and all concerned citizens to join the gathering and support efforts to bring the captives home.
On October 24, the Media Center Ukraine will host a briefing entitled “Launch of a training program for coaches on veterans rehabilitation through sports”.
Participants:
Part 1:
– Ruslan Prykhodko, Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs;
– Yana Voitovska, Head of the IREX Veteran Reintegration Program;
– Vira Pasishniuk, Head of Veteran Projects at StratCom Ukraine, Coordinator for the Invictus Games in Ukraine.
Part 2:
– Vira Pasishniuk, Head of Veteran Projects at StratCom Ukraine, Coordinator for the Invictus Games in Ukraine;
– Ilona Voloshyna, Military Service Member, National Coordinator for the Invictus Games 2023-2025, Training Program Developer;
– Oleksii Prokopenko, Endurance Sports Coach, Coach for the Ukrainian National Team at the 2025 Invictus Games, Founder of the Endurance School;
– Khrystyna Kravchenko, Program Participant, Personal Trainer;
– Nina Matsiuk, Expert on Inclusivity and Accessibility;
– Tetiana Huranska, Sitting Volleyball Coach for the Ukrainian National Team at the 2025 Invictus Games, International Master of Sports in Sitting Volleyball, Participant in the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games, Psychologist, Director of the Khmelnytskyi Municipal Institution “Veteran Space ‘Veteran PRO'” (online).
Key topics:
– The importance of the project for Ukraine in the context of veteran support.
– Project achievements: outcomes and opportunities for improvement.
– A multidisciplinary approach to veteran rehabilitation. The importance of a comprehensive strategy encompassing not only sport, but also mental health, physiotherapy, inclusivity, and accessibility.
– The role of coaches in the rehabilitation of veterans through sport. The importance of training coaches to work with veterans and the impact of veteran sports initiatives on communities;
– Opportunities for scaling the program after a successful pilot phase. Prospects for program development and integration in various regions of Ukraine.
Accreditation is required for the event.
Background: This program is a critical step towards building a community of trainers who can effectively support veterans in their transition back to civilian life or in their recovery before returning to service.
Olena Yahupova, a resident of the occupied town of Kamianka-Dniprovska in the Zaporizhzhia oblast, endured captivity and forced labor at the hands of russian forces due to her pro-Ukrainian stance. Olena worked in civil service for over 20 years and was known for her Ukrainian patriotic views. She was denounced for allegedly having a husband who served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In October 2022, occupiers seized her from her home.
During her detention, Olena was subjected to torture as the russians sought information on her husband’s whereabouts and details about other individuals with pro-Ukrainian views.
She was also forced into labor slavery, compelled by the occupiers to dig trenches alongside other hostages. Olena performed this grueling work while living in inhumane conditions. She managed to secure her release after more than six months in captivity.
Now that she is safe, Olena has filed a report with law enforcement and undergone forensic medical examinations. She has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, cerebral microangiopathy, deteriorating eyesight, and injuries to her hip and shoulder joints. She has been assigned a second-degree disability. As a result of the torture Olena endured, she is scheduled to have surgery to replace two cervical discs with implants.
Olena has been officially recognized as a person deprived of personal liberty as a result of Russian aggression, a victim of human trafficking, and a victim of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
Journalists have the opportunity to speak with Olena in the Kyiv oblast online or in person, by prior arrangement.
Folklorist Yaryna Sizyk, animation director Mariia Ozirna, and the Kherson Art Museum named after Oleksii Shovkunenko have launched a project dedicated to the paintings stolen by russians during the occupation of the city. According to the museum staff estimates, the occupiers looted approximately ten thousand works of art.
The project’s goal is to attempt to recreate what the Russians took away. To date, the team has managed to “reproduce” a painting by Mykhailo Bryansky (1830-1908), “Portrait of a Girl in an Embroidered Dress”. The painting was not simply repainted but was modernized and animated. Ukrainian model and singer Daria Astafieva helped “bring it to life”; the artists transformed her into the girl in the embroidered dress from the stolen canvas. For the animation, the team used a shirt that Inna Mykutska, a tour guide from Kherson, embroidered during the occupation.
The team has also recreated the oil painting “Cossacks in the Steppe” by Serhii Vasylkivsky (1854-1917). Servicemen Roman “Dobriak” Kolesnyk and Stanislav “Ref” Zorii of the Armed Forces of Ukraine participated in the reproduction of this artwork. Yaryna and Mariia added the Ukrainian folk song “Oh, There Beyond the Seas…” performed by the band Shchuka-Ryba to this animation.
The project founders are currently working on further recreations.
Yaryna Sizyk and Mariia Ozirna are available for interviews with journalists in Kyiv.
Background: Kherson was occupied by russian forces at the beginning of the full-scale invasion (March 1, 2022). The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the city from russian troops on November 11, 2022. The occupiers continue to shell the city regularly.
A press conference titled “A Dream That Unites” is going to be held by the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation in Kyiv on October 28. The event will highlight the unique initiative of 16-year-old Sofiia, a Ukrainian girl who built a model of the legendary An-225 Mriya aircraft and launched a charity fundraiser to provide psychological support to children affected by the war.
Three years ago, Sofiia was forced to leave Ukraine because of the war and moved to Switzerland. She faced many challenges, including adapting to a new environment, feeling lonely, and being bullied. However, with the help of psychologists from the Voices of Children Foundation, Sofiia was able to overcome these difficulties and integrate into her new environment. Inspired by her experience, she decided to help other children.
Sofiia meticulously built a detailed model of the An-225 Mriya aircraft. During a school presentation in Switzerland, she shared stories about Ukrainian children who have lost their homes and parents or who live in constant danger. She decided to raffle off the model in a charity lottery, directing the proceeds to the foundation’s psychologists, who provide critical support to children affected by war.
Representatives from SkyUp Airlines and the jewelry brand Kochut were inspired by Sofiia’s story and joined the initiative by adding valuable branded gifts to the charity raffle. The project also received support from the State Enterprise “Antonov” and Dmytro Antonov, the legendary pilot of the An-225 Mriya. Sofiia’s model was transported from Switzerland to Ukraine, where it will be exhibited for a month at the State Aviation Museum in Kyiv.
Participants:
- Sofiia, creator of the Mriya model (online);
- Olena Rozvadovska and Azad Safarov, co-founders of the Voices of Children Charity Foundation;
- Dmytro Antonov, pilot of the An-225 Mriya aircraft.
Media representatives and all interested parties are invited to attend the event.
The NGO Building Ukraine Together (BUR) is launching a two-week volunteer camp in the village of Byshiv, Kyiv region, where volunteers from Ukraine and abroad will collaborate with local youth to create a new community space. The initiative aims to provide a safe, welcoming, and inspiring environment to replace what was lost during the early days of the full-scale war.
In 2022, the community found itself on the front line – some nearby villages were occupied, and Byshiv suffered extensive destruction due to its proximity to heavy fighting. The community lost many key institutions, including the House of Culture. Since then, young people have had no dedicated place to gather, learn, or socialize outside of school.
To respond to this need, BUR and the Byshiv community will convert a room into a proper youth space. This will become a hub for learning, creativity, and community life.
The youth space is being created during two BUR camp sessions, with the second running from October 26 to November 2, 2025.
For reference: Building Ukraine Together (BUR) is an all-Ukrainian non-governmental organization that engages young people in volunteer activities and non-formal education, empowering them to take part in building a democratic Ukraine.
The Center for Civil Liberties invites you to discuss what lessons Ukraine can draw from the Nuremberg Trials in its pursuit of justice. The event will occur on October 23, in Kyiv.
Eighty years ago, one of the most significant trials in international criminal justice began. In Nuremberg, the leaders of Nazi Germany were prosecuted – a process that laid the foundation for the modern system of international justice.
Ukraine should not wait until the war’s end to begin its path toward justice. It is already moving in this direction: on June 25, 2025, Ukraine and the Council of Europe signed an Agreement on establishing the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
During the discussion, we will address what a “Ukrainian Nuremberg” could look like and how it might differ from the historical one; whether justice during war is possible; what powers the Special Tribunal should have; how to coordinate the work of national courts and international institutions; and what role society, the media, and international partners will play in ensuring justice.
The event will also feature the presentation of the book “The Nuremberg Principles and Ukraine: Contemporary Challenges of Peace, Security, and Justice” – a collection that reinterprets the legacy of the Nuremberg Trials in the context of russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The authors analyze the concepts of “crime of aggression” and “crimes against humanity,” examine the effectiveness of international justice in modern warfare, and explore issues such as the deportation of Ukrainian children, the destruction of cultural heritage, and the experience of tribunals after Nuremberg – from Yugoslavia to Rwanda.
Speakers:
- Anton Korynevych – Director of the Department of International Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Second Class; Agent of Ukraine before the International Court of Justice.
- Dr. Herbert R. Reginbogin – co-author of the book “The Nuremberg Principles and Ukraine: Contemporary Challenges of Peace, Security, and Justice”; Research Fellow at the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
Moderator: Oleksandra Romantsova, Executive Director, Center for Civil Liberties.
Note: The event will be held in English only (no interpretation will be provided). No livestream is planned. Event registration is required.
On October 21, a briefing in Kyiv will showcase the ongoing efforts to preserve the artistic heritage of the Mykhailo Boichuk Kyiv State Academy of Decorative and Applied Arts and Design, which was partially destroyed by a russian missile strike earlier this year.
The briefing will focus on the work carried out to stabilize, unblock, and safeguard the artworks rescued from the damaged building. Journalists will have a rare opportunity to visit the site, observe the restoration process, and view the recovered pieces.
The Academy suffered significant damage on March 25, 2024, when the central part of the building – home to a collection of unique works – was hit by a missile. The strike caused partial destruction, threatening the survival of invaluable art pieces.
Participants in the briefing will include:
- Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of UNESCO Desk in Ukraine;
- Ihor Poshyvailo, Coordinator of the Agency for Cultural Resilience (ACURE) and, General Director of the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity;
- Svitlana Strelnikova, Director of the National Research and Restoration Center of Ukraine;
- Olena Osadcha, Rector of the Mykhailo Boichuk Kyiv State Academy of Decorative and Applied Arts and Design.
Representatives from the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, as well as the Ministry of Education, have also been invited to attend.
Following the briefing, participants will be guided through an exhibition of the surviving artworks, led by Academy Rector Olena Osadcha.
Registration is required to attend the event.
For reference: The rescue operation was carried out with the support of UNESCO and implemented by Agency for Cultural Resilience (ACURE) in collaboration with the National Research and Restoration Center of Ukraine and the National Memorial Complex of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes – Museum of the Revolution of Dignity, alongside the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine. The operation also featured a specialized workshop, “Saving Cultural Heritage during War: Stabilizing Damaged Collections,” and two one-day intensive training sessions for museum staff and heritage conservationists.
Media are invited to the second annual presentation of three development scenarios for the drone industry, hosted by the Tech Force in UA. This key event will address critical questions shaping the future of defense technology:
- What factors influence the development of the drone industry?
- Is international cooperation one of these factors?
- How did legislative and political changes in 2025 impact the industry?
- What is needed for a positive scenario?
- What scenario awaits the drone industry in 2026?
These questions are at the heart of a new public event by the association of private arms manufacturers, Tech Force in UA. The presentation will also feature new data on the forced relocation of defense industry manufacturers as of October 2025.
For the second time, TFUA is inviting defense manufacturers, government representatives, experts, analysts, and international partners to jointly assess the industry’s state and the challenges facing private defense technology producers.
The event will take place on October 24 in Kyiv. The organizers will announce the location and time one day prior to the event. Journalists are required to register and obtain accreditation for the event.
