Themes by tag: Kyiv

On January 22, a training session using an adaptive sit ski for veterans will be held in Kyiv. Three veterans will take part in the session.

By prior arrangement, journalists are welcome to cover the event.

Background: Veterans, people with disabilities and their families can take advantage of the free “Active Parks” project until the end of February to train in skiing, snowboarding and using an adaptive sit ski at the Golosiyv Ski Park in Kyiv. Tempo Dualski is a safe and professional tool for skiing and snowboarding for people with disabilities. The sessions will be conducted by experienced instructors.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Colonels Monte and Chuck from the USA call themselves “Traveling Colonels”. They are retired U.S. Marine Corps officers and both veterans of the Iraq War. During the full-scale war, the Colonels collected and distributed over 9,000 first aid kits, hundreds of medic bag kits, tons of hospital surgical aid.

Currently, the Colonels are providing basic medical supplies for surgeons, pediatricians, ophthalmologists and others. Each month, medical supplies arrive from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and other European countries.

Since 2022, Monte has made 17 trips to Ukraine, while Chuck has visited 12 times.

Journalists can learn more and speak with “The Traveling Colonels” in Kyiv.

• volunteers
• Kyiv

Tetiana Hatsura-Yavorska, a citizen of Belarus, has been a human rights activist since 2006. Later she founded the human rights organization “Zvyano”. After the Belarusian protests in 2020, a criminal case was opened against Tetiana for her activism, which displeased the Belarusian authorities. She was arrested and threatened that her child would be sent to an orphanage. Her husband took the child and fled the country. After spending 10 days in a detention center, Tetiana was released but banned from leaving Belarus.

After russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Tetiana decided to leave Minsk illegally. Upon arriving in Kyiv, she immediately began volunteering and raising funds to purchase vacuum therapy devices for hospitals. During two years of war, she raised more than 100,000 euros for these devices. She later founded the “Lanka” rehabilitation center for wounded soldiers.

At “Lanka”, soldiers recover from injuries to their arms, legs and spine, and can also receive treatment for gastrointestinal and neurological problems. Since its inception, the center has rehabilitated 60 soldiers, including international volunteers.

You can contact Tetiana Hatsura-Yavorska online or in person in Kyiv by prior arrangement. 

• casualties
• military
• women
• Kyiv

Peaceful events are planned in 22 cities across Ukraine to raise awareness of the defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers still in enemy captivity.

On January 18, rallies will be held in Ochyrka, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, Bila Tserkva, Kolomyia and Pavlohrad.

On January 19, peaceful actions are scheduled in Kyiv, Pivdenoukrainsk, Krolevets, Ovruch, Korosten, Kremenchuk, Uzhhorod, Mykolaiv, Rivne, Berdychiv, Korostyshiv, Ternopil, Cherkasy and Kropyvnytskyi.

The events are organized by the families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison. The rallies are often attended by Ukrainians who have been released from captivity.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Pylyp Dukhliy is a veteran of the russo-Ukrainian war and the founder of a private school where children study programming, robotics, 2D and 3D modeling in addition to general education subjects.

After February 24, 2022, Pylyp evacuated his family to the West, while he joined the Defense Forces. His mission was to organize communication between positions. Pylyp says that during his service he faced several life-threatening situations and now counts four additional “birthdays”.

After being discharged, Pylyp returned to work at the school in Kyiv. Currently, high school students there are assembling and building FPV drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The students enjoy the process as it allows them to put their theoretical knowledge into practice. They have a modern workshop equipped for design, prototyping and soldering. The workshop also has a laser cutter and a 3D printer.

The students’ drones can carry up to two kilograms, travel at least five kilometers, and stay airborne for over twenty minutes.

• children
• Kyiv

On January 20, the Media Center Ukraine will host a discussion entitled “Trump 2.0: What Should Ukraine Do?”

Participants:

• Pavlo Sheremeta, Minister of Economic Development and Trade (2014), Founder of the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School (KMBS)
• Volodymyr Havrylov, Deputy Minister of Defense (2022-2023), Defense Attaché to the United States (2015-2018)
• Oleksii Antypovych, Director of the Rating Sociological Group
• Ihor Solovey, Center for Strategic Communications
• Yuliia Zabelina, NV Radio
• Yevhen Mahda,  Institute of World Policy
• Representatives of media, diplomatic missions, think tanks and civil society organizations.

Format: The event will include keynote presentations followed by a brainstorming session.

Key questions to be addressed:

– What should Ukrainian politics look like?

– What should Ukraine’s economy look like?

– What should Ukrainian security look like?

Registration is required for the event.

• Kyiv

The national Invictus Games team, which will take part in the international adaptive sports event in Whistler and Vancouver, Canada, this February, has gathered for its fifth training camp.

This time, the team is meeting at a ski resort, allowing participants to practice winter sports in natural conditions. The 2025 Invictus Games will be the first Hybrid Games to include adaptive winter sports. During previous training camps, the Ukrainian team trained on water and on simulators.

Some team members admit this is their first time trying skiing. Others have rediscovered the joy of winter sports after recovering from injuries, while some are skillfully descending slopes on one leg.

The team has also been visited by Olga Kharlan, Ukraine’s most decorated Olympic fencing champion.

The training in Bukovel is coming to an end. Journalists can speak with team members in Kyiv and have access to photo and video materials.

Background: The Invictus Games were founded in 2014 by His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex. The international competition is for veterans and service personnel who have been wounded or injured in the line of duty.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Ukraine has launched its first-ever all-women mobile air defense units, known as the “Bucha Witches,” in the Kyiv region’s Bucha community. Formed entirely by volunteers, the units operate as part of the Bucha Territorial Community’s military volunteer force.

The group unites women from varied backgrounds—spanning different ages, professions, and education levels—who juggle civilian responsibilities with combat duties, serving every three days. According to the formation’s headquarters, their mission includes defending Bucha and occasionally the neighboring Hostomel community. The units primarily intercept enemy drones and missiles, with additional counter-sabotage operations as needed.

This version retains all essential details but is slightly more concise and adheres to professional reporting standards.

• military
• women
• Kyiv

In 2023, Ukrainian Railways launched a dedicated dog training center to bolster the security of Ukraine’s railway transport infrastructure. These highly trained service dogs will work alongside experienced paramilitary security officers, enhancing the protection of critical infrastructure.  

The center focuses on preparing dogs from as young as three months old to detect substances and objects that could pose a threat to public safety. Professional dog handlers employ specialized training techniques to refine the animals’ sense of smell for security tasks.  

According to earlier announcements, the Kyiv-based facility aims to train approximately 30 service dogs annually, with plans to grow the four-legged security force to 1,000.

• animals
• Kyiv

On January 13, Kyiv initiated a series of mental health training sessions aimed at bolstering the well-being of critical infrastructure workers. The program stems from a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Kyiv City State Administration and the Ukrainian-Swiss project Mental Health for Ukraine (MH4U), according to Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration for Self-Government, Maryna Honda, as reported by the project’s press service.  

In the first quarter of 2025, MH4U plans to conduct 31 training sessions designed for police officers, social workers, and critical infrastructure personnel. More than 450 professionals are set to receive hands-on instruction in managing stress during crises and emergencies.  

About MH4U: Mental Health for Ukraine is an international development initiative supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, focusing on improving mental health systems in Ukraine.

• psychological support
• Kyiv