Themes by tag: Kyiv

Since the start of the full-scale war, russian aviation has dropped over 51,000 guided bombs on Ukraine – 40,000 of them in 2024 alone, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.

These bombs are primarily modernized Soviet munitions weighing 500 to 3,000 kg, equipped with a unified gliding and correction module (UMPK kit). This module includes folding wings that extend range and GPS navigation for accuracy.

In its new study, NAKO examined the remnants of UMPC kits. The researchers found that 71% of the microelectronics in UMPK kits are from Western-oriented manufacturers. Of the 22 manufacturers identified, 10 are in the U.S., six are in China, four are in Switzerland, and two are in Ireland and Japan.

On March 11 in Kyiv, during the presentation of the thematic report, we will discuss how Western components end up in russian weapons. Can this supply chain be disrupted? What are our options for countering guided bombs?

 Participants:
– Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Presidential Advisor on Sanctions Policy
– Heorhii Tykhyi, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
– Viktoriia Vyshnivska, Senior Researcher, Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO)
– Illia Kukharenko, Advisor on EW/ELINT, Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine

Accreditation required. Deadline: March 10, 5:00 PM

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, NAKO researchers have analyzed over 2,500 components from 30 russian weapons, including fighter jets, Ka-52 “Alligator” helicopters, Kalibr missiles, Iranian drones, and North Korean KN-23/24 missiles.

Background information: The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO) is a civil society organization focused on reducing corruption risks in Ukraine’s defense sector through research, advocacy, and public awareness. Since the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, NAKO has launched a project to monitor and strengthen sanctions against russia’s defense industry.

• russian crimes
• weapon
• Kyiv

Peaceful rallies will be held in 24 cities to remind the world of the defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers still held in enemy captivity.

On March 8, rallies will be held in Okhtyrka, Chernihiv, Arbuzynka, Vinnytsia, Irpin, Zaporizhia, Zhytomyr, Pavlohrad and Obukhiv.

On March 9, events are planned in Kyiv, Pivdennoukrainsk, Uman, Krolevets, Korop, Ovruch, Kremenchuk, Cherkasy, Korosten, Uzhhorod, Kharkiv, Lozova, Poltava, Berdychiv, and Kropyvnytskyi.

The rallies are organized by families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison, with former POWs often attending to share their experiences.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

The Drivers Project is open to veterans with musculoskeletal injuries or amputations. The goal of the initiative is to provide disabled veterans with the opportunity to learn driving skills so that they can be mobile. It also gives them the opportunity to find a job or use these skills in their own business or social activities. 

The project was launched in June 2024 and is implemented by the NGO “Free People Employment Center”. A total of 51 veterans have joined so far, with 21 currently taking the theoretical course and 17 undergoing practical driving training.

Journalists can cover the project’s work in Kyiv and the Kyiv oblast by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

A veteran of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and instructor of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, known by the call sign “Student,” joined the military in February 2022. Initially, as part of a territorial defense unit, he was involved in the evacuation of civilians from Irpin, Kyiv oblast. Later he was transferred to another unit and sent to Donetsk, where he was wounded and survived two clinical deaths.

His rehabilitation lasted a year. Realizing that he could no longer serve on the front lines, “Student” decided to use his combat experience to train those preparing to join the military. He joined the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade as an instructor, believing that proper training is the key to saving lives on the battlefield.

Journalists wishing to speak with “Student” can do so online or in person in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Valeriia Vershynina was born and raised in Donetsk. In 2014, when russia launched its first assault on Ukraine and occupied her hometown, she and her family fled to Kyiv.

After settling in the capital, Valeriia joined Stabilization Support Services, a charitable foundation focused on assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs). She became part of a working group responsible for developing legislation related to displaced populations. In 2024, Valeriia stepped into the role of executive director of the foundation.

“Stabilization Support Services received funding from American donors, with one of the foundation’s key programs dedicated to helping IDPs rebuild their homes. However, that funding was recently cut, putting several projects at risk,” Valeriia explained. Now, she is working to secure support from donors in other countries to keep the foundation’s initiatives moving forward.

Interviews with Valeriia Vershynina can be arranged both online and in person in Kyiv by appointment.

Background: Stabilization Support Services is a Ukrainian charitable foundation that has been operating since 2016, working to address the social impacts of the war and provide comprehensive support for internally displaced persons. The foundation offers humanitarian and legal assistance, helps repair damaged homes, strengthens Ukraine’s social protection system, and has built a national network of IDP Councils, launched between 2019 and 2020. Its programs span the entire country, with a focus on restoring war-affected communities and improving access to social services for Ukraine’s most vulnerable populations.

• casualties
• occupation
• reconstruction
• women
• Kyiv

Ideological pressure, torture, and politically motivated prosecutions—these are the realities Ukrainians face in russian detention facilities today. Yet these repressive tactics are far from new. They trace back more than a century to the Soviet Union and are now being revived by modern-day russia.

In its latest analytical report, the Media Initiative for Human Rights compares archival cases from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) with testimonies from today’s detainees. The document highlights the direct link between Soviet-era repression and current practices, demonstrating that russia’s actions are not isolated incidents but rather part of a deliberate, systemic policy by the aggressor state.

The presentation will explore which groups of Ukrainians have been targeted by russia for more than a century; the ideological indoctrination methods used both in the Soviet era and today; how the machinery of torture and coercion operates; and why these combined practices amount to crimes against humanity.

Advance registration is required to attend the event.

• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Participants:

– Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy;

– Yaroslava Lopatina, Country Program Director, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Ukraine;

– Olena Stryzhak, Chair of the Board, Charitable Organization “Positive women”;

– Yuliia Kalancha, Executive Director, TB Europe Coalition;

Discussion topics:

– Obstacles women face in accessing quality healthcare services amid the ongoing realities of the third year of full-blown war;

– Findings from the Positive Women NGO study on healthcare access for HIV-positive women;

– Insights from the TB European Coalition study on gender-sensitive healthcare services;

– Gender-specific challenges in combating tuberculosis—addressing the needs of women with TB and promoting gender equality among healthcare professionals.

• women
• Kyiv

Sarah, a U.S. citizen, has been living and working in Kyiv for the past year and a half. She joined the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation, which assists war-affected children. Sarah mainly focuses on humanitarian issues.

Sarah first visited Ukraine as a teenager, both as a tourist and as a humanitarian worker. During the full-scale war in 2022, she volunteered for two months across Ukraine, providing aid on the ground. After earning her university degree in 2023, she returned and chose to settle in Kyiv. She finds inspiration in exploring new cities, especially near the front lines, where she feels life’s meaning most deeply.

Journalists can meet and speak with Sarah in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• children
• women
• Kyiv

On March 6, a crucial roundtable discussion titled “Media of Occupied Territories: How to Stay Connected with the People” will take place. The media outlets relocated from temporarily occupied areas serve as one of the few reliable, trusted, and open communication channels for those who have been displaced across the front lines, in different countries, and on different continents due to the ongoing war.

However, these newsrooms are facing a perfect storm of challenges: cuts to grant programs, the ongoing war, and economic difficulties. According to a study by the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) in Kyiv, over half of regional media have experienced significant funding losses.

This roundtable, hosted at the Media Center Ukraine, will bring together editors, journalists, media experts, and government officials to discuss potential solutions and steps to help Ukrainian regional media emerge from this crisis.

Speakers:

– Oksana Romaniuk, Director of the Institute of Mass Information (IMI);

– Andrii Dikhtiarenko, Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Realna Gazeta;

– Anna Murlykina, Editor of Mariupol local news outlet 0629.com.ua, Project Manager of the Relocated Media Cluster;

– Yevheniia Virlych, Editor-in-Chief of Kherson online media Kavun.city;

– Hanna Bokova, Editor-in-Chief of Bakhmut IN.UA;

– Valeriia Melnyk, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tribun publication;

– Valeriia Krupoderia, Coordinator of the Eastern Variant hotline. 

This event promises to be a pivotal conversation about preserving the voice of Ukrainian regional media during these challenging times.

• occupation
• Kyiv

Launched in the summer of 2023, the rehabilitation program at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Historical and Cultural Reserve has already welcomed 1,438 military personnel. Starting in 2025, the program has been expanded to include the families of fallen soldiers, families of prisoners of war, and former prisoners themselves. The rehabilitation takes place within the expansive grounds of the Kyiv Cave Monastery, aiming to restore participants by immersing them in Ukraine’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage.

The program unfolds in two stages. The first, a 10-day initiative, includes activities such as archaeological digs at ancient walls, a glassmaking workshop from the 11th and 12th centuries, and visits to the National Museum of History’s Treasury and the Museum of Books and Printing. Participants also engage in an icon painting workshop, explore the Upper and Lower Lavra territories, and take part in worship services. The second stage, “A Day at the Lavra for Military,” allows groups of veterans, led by a lecturer-guide, to experience a full day at the monastery. During their visit, they explore the site, attend guided tours, join in the Reserve’s activities, and visit local shrines.

To enhance the program’s scope, the team partners with independent cultural institutions, public initiatives, and individual artists. Contemporary artists, restorers, musicians, and folk artisans lead master classes and interactive sessions, offering the military not just a chance to observe but also to participate in the creative process.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv