Themes by tag: Kyiv

On January 23, the Fight For Right NGO, which advocates for the rights of people with disabilities in Ukraine, will present its latest research, titled “Not My Choice: Institutionalization and Restriction of Legal Capacity of Individuals with Disabilities in Ukraine.”

The presentation will highlight the organization’s findings from a year-long study into the institutionalization of people with disabilities across Ukraine, as well as the outlook for deinstitutionalization amid the government’s stated commitment to reforms that would enable everyone to exercise their right to independent living.

Fight For Right aims to spotlight the need for real progress in this area among Ukrainian policymakers, civil society, and the media. The new research includes three key sections:

– In the labyrinth of “care”: how the system channels people with disabilities into boarding schools in Ukraine.

– The legal capacity regime in Ukraine: a systemic failure in upholding the rights of people with disabilities.

– Ukraine’s deinstitutionalization strategy: caught between European integration demands and preserving the status quo.

In 2026, deinstitutionalization stands as both a major requirement for Ukraine’s European integration and a pressing domestic priority, especially as the war continues to drive up the number of people living with disabilities.

Registration is required to attend. Registered participants will receive the event address and a link to the online broadcast.

For reference: The event is organized by the NGO Fight For Right with support from the International Renaissance Foundation through the projects “Creating the preconditions for an independent and dignified life for all” and “Strengthening the community of people with disabilities for equal participation in the negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU,” as well as backing from the European Union under the joint initiative “Joining the EU Together” and the Norwegian-Swedish Askold and Dir Fund. It is administered by ISAR Ednannia as part of the project “Strong Civil Society of Ukraine – a Driver Towards Reforms and Democracy Project,” funded by Norway and Sweden.

• Kyiv

For the past three years, the InNikos canine therapy center in Kyiv has provided a unique form of support, bringing together therapy dogs, professional dog trainers, psychologists, and rehabilitation specialists to aid in the mental and physical recovery of those impacted by Russia’s war.

The center serves a wide range of clients, including active-duty military personnel, families of service members, internally displaced persons, children who endured occupation, and others affected by the conflict. All sessions are offered free of charge, available either in group settings or one-on-one.

Six therapy dogs currently work at the facility. The most experienced are Chelsea, a mixed breed, and Freya, a miniature schnauzer, both 11 years old. The youngest is Sunny, a two-year-old Australian shepherd. Two Belgian shepherds, set to turn one in February, are now in training and preparing for certification.

Similar canine therapy programs are also up and running in Rivne, Chernivtsi, and Myrhorod.

Journalists interested in covering the center’s work in the capital are welcome by prior arrangement.

The InNikos center operates with support from the Royal Canin Foundation.

• animals
• casualties
• psychological support
• Kyiv

Participants:

– Natalia Tabaka, Head of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine.

Key topics:

– Domestic travel trends: Which destinations are the most popular among Ukrainians amid the ongoing war?

– Foreign visitors: Despite persistent security risks, what continues to draw international visitors to Ukraine?

– Travel as a wartime necessity: Does it serve primarily as a recreation, psychological relief, or a way to cope with stress?

(The event will take place without simultaneous interpretation.)

• Kyiv

Mobile resilience centers, known as Mitzvah Tanks, are operating in the Ukrainian capital. People can warm up, drink hot tea, and charge their phones there. As explained by Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi, Moshe Reuven Azman, the word Mitzvah translates from Hebrew as “Commandment”, which is why the mobile centers are called Mitzvah Tanks.

“Our volunteers are constantly on duty with the Mitzvah Tanks so they can immediately go to help — whether to the site of a russian shelling (God forbid) to warm those who have lost their homes, or to an address where there has been no electricity or heat for over four days straight. They even assist when many liters of water need to be carried up 18 flights of stairs for elderly people who cannot do it themselves or ask someone else,” noted the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine.

Journalists have the opportunity to cover the work of the Mitzvah Tank Mobile Resilience Centers in Kyiv and speak with the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine by prior arrangement.

• blackout
• Kyiv

Prolonged power outages in the Ukrainian capital are putting the delicate collection of tropical and subtropical plants at the Hryshko National Botanical Garden under serious strain.

Winter marks the peak flowering season for many of these species, which require a steady minimum temperature of 20°C (68°F) to survive. With electricity unreliable, staff are turning to diesel generators to keep the greenhouses warm and the valuable plants alive.

The garden – home to roughly 4,000 tropical and subtropical specimens – is also supported by philanthropists through the longstanding “Heat for Greenhouses” initiative, which helps cover fuel and other emergency costs.

Journalists may visit and document the garden’s operations by prior arrangement.

• blackout
• Kyiv

The documentary “CAPTAIN. STORIES OF THE ‘AZOV’ TANK CREWS” will premiere in the capital on January 21. The event will include appearances by the creative team and the heroes featured in the film.

The film aims to showcase the characters and humanity of the men who honorably defended their country. It chronicles pivotal moments in the brigade’s history, including the Pavlopil-Shyrokyne operation, the defense of Mariupol and Azovstal, captivity, the return to service, and battles on the war’s most critical fronts. The story is told from the perspective of the tank crews who experienced it firsthand.

Directed and written by Kostiantyn Konovalov, director of the films Dovzhenko, The Story of Two Photographs, The Last Fortress: Hacibey, and screenwriter of Kruty 1918, and Firecrosser.

Produced by Maksym Movchan, producer of Blood Brothers and Operative on Call.

Background: The film was created with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.

• culture
• Kyiv

Amidst the energy state of emergency declared by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and persistent blackouts that have left thousands of Kyiv residents without heating in freezing weather, World Central Kitchen is deploying urgent support for the capital’s inhabitants.

WCK is opening Bograch stations in Kyiv — locations where people can receive a warm bowl of bograch, a hearty traditional dish especially important on cold days. These stations will operate in various city districts to ensure maximum accessibility.

Daily, WCK plans to provide thousands of hot meals and is ready to expand the program if the power supply situation does not improve. Meals are also being served in the Invincibility Carriages, which are currently operating in Fastiv, Brovary, Boryspil, and Vasylkiv.

Journalists are invited to cover this initiative and observe the Bograch stations in operation. The WCK team is available to answer questions and can help organize filming on location.

• blackout
• food
• Kyiv

Before the full-scale invasion, Ruslan Ivanov worked as a production designer in the film industry. On the first day of the full-scale war, he joined the Ukrainian military. Initially, he fought near Kyiv, later defending eastern Ukraine alongside his brothers-in-arms. In the fall of 2023, Ruslan was severely injured and lost his arm.

During evacuation, Ruslan lost a critical amount of blood. Medics could not find a pulse and presumed he had died. Ruslan was about to be taken to the morgue when he groaned. This is what saved him.

After receiving treatment and undergoing rehabilitation, the veteran was fitted with a prosthesis and adaptive training straps. He later returned to his work in film. Ruslan is currently employed and training for a new record: performing a one-armed push-up with 100 kilograms. He has already set another record: he and seven other amputees pulled two buses full of passengers.

You can contact Ruslan Ivanov online or in person in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

The session, titled “Guidelines for the General Public on Staying Safe in Record Low Temperatures from the State Emergency Service,” is scheduled for January 13 at the Media Center Ukraine in Kyiv.

Participants:

–  Viktor Vitovetskyi, Director of the Department for Organization of Civil Protection Measures at the State Emergency Service of Ukraine;

–  Nataliia Yashan, Head of the Medical Support Department at the State Emergency Service. 

Key topics:

–  Recommended behavior and precautions during dangerously low sub-zero temperatures;

–  Recognizing the signs of hypothermia and providing immediate first aid;

–  Safe operation of heaters, generators, electric heating devices, and other power equipment;

–  Proper use of ‘points of invincibility’ established to help residents cope with the cold.

• Kyiv

On January 14, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, working closely with the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine and the national mine action platform Demine Ukraine, will launch a countrywide public information campaign to highlight humanitarian demining as a key national priority.

The campaign opens with the debut of an interactive installation titled “The Earth – a Carrier of Memory,” featuring audiovisual narratives that symbolize the safe return of cleared lands to communities. The installation will be unveiled at the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater, renowned for its production of “The Land,” adapted from Olha Kobylianska’s novel and directed by David Petrosyan.

Invited speakers at the launch event include:

– Auke Lootsma, UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine. 

– Ihor Bezkaravainyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine;

– Yevhen Nyshchuk, General Director and Artistic Director of the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater. 

Journalists wishing to attend must complete accreditation by 4 p.m. on January 13, and should bring a passport or national ID along with an editorial certificate from their outlet.

For reference: The initiative is carried out by the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine in partnership with the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, with financial backing from the Ukraine Community Recovery Fund. More details on the effort are available on the UNDP website.

• culture
• Kyiv
• demining