Themes by tag: Kyiv

On October 1, Kyiv will hold the annual “Surma” Military Music Festival, a cultural initiative started by the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in WW2 in 2023 under the recently restored Motherland monument, now featuring the Ukrainian Trident on its shield.

This year’s theme, “Song as a Weapon,” highlights the role of Ukrainian songs tied to the nation’s historic and ongoing fight for independence throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Solo performers and bands will gather under the towering monument to inspire unity among Ukrainians through music.

Due to security concerns, attendance at the festival will be restricted. However, with the help of media partner Suspilne Kultura, audiences will be able to watch the performances via broadcast.

Journalists are encouraged to attend and provide coverage of the event.

• culture
• Kyiv

Liza, 16, has remained in Kyiv since the onset of russia’s full-scale invasion. Recently, she completed the Sound Lab course, a program blending traditional Ukrainian music with art therapy. Drawing from that experience, Liza formed an ensemble composed of teenage girls.

Liza also co-launched an educational project alongside two members of the folk artists Shchuka Ryba. The initiative offers lectures on traditional Ukrainian singing, music, and dance, available to organizations or groups upon request.

Journalists can arrange interviews with Liza in Kyiv by prior appointment.

For reference: The Sound Lab course was organized by the Voices of Children charity foundation for teenagers affected by the war. Over several months, 15 participants from various regions, each with unique experiences of the war, learned traditional and electronic music from Shchuka Ryba band and DJ Chocollab. With support from a foundation psychologist, the teens used music to process their trauma and emotions caused by the war.

• children
• culture
• Kyiv

On September 24, at the Media Center Ukraine the Ministry of Veterans Affairs will announce the composition of the national team of Ukraine to participate in the international sports competition Arnold Classic Europe, which will take place on October 11-13, 2024 in Madrid (Spain). During the presentation, the 50 athletes who will represent Ukraine will be named.

Participants:

• Ruslana Velychko-Tryfoniuk, Deputy Minister of Veterans’ Affairs of Ukraine for European Integration;
• Serhii Koniushok, President of the NGO “Federation of Strongmen of Ukraine”;
• Vasyl Virastyuk, Member of the Parliament of Ukraine.

For reference: Arnold Classic Europe is an international sports festival founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2011. Each year, thousands of athletes from more than 50 countries participate in the competition. The Strong Spirit’s Games, an international competition for war veterans, is held as part of the sports festival. Participants include military personnel who have been involved in combat operations, as well as those who have been injured or disabled in the line of duty.

• Kyiv

Leda Kosmachevska lived in Crimea until 2014. After the russian occupation of the peninsula, she moved to the capital. Today, Leda is a leading communications specialist at the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, living in Kyiv and raising her three-month-old daughter, Radoslava. She is fighting to have her daughter bear the surname of her missing father, Valentyn Dobryi.

Leda’s partner, Valentyn Dobryi, volunteered for military service in September 2022. He did so of his own free will, despite having undergone heart surgery as a child. Leda told Valentyn that he would become a father two weeks before he went missing.

On October 21, 2023, Valentyn Dobryi went missing during an attack between Chasiv Yar and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. His comrades told Leda that they had seen Valentyn’s body, but due to heavy shelling they were unable to recover it. Now the area is occupied, and Leda is fighting to give her daughter the Dobra surname. To do so, she must prove paternity in court, as she and Valentyn were not officially married. Leda is raising her three-month-old daughter with the help of Valentyn’s mother, Svitlana Dobra.

Leda Kosmachevska is in Kyiv. She is ready to talk to journalists, both online and offline, by prior arrangement.

• children
• military
• women
• Kyiv

On September 22, a charity soccer match will be held in Kyiv to raise funds for the 1st Separate Assault Battalion, named in honor of the late Ukrainian hero, Dmytro “Da Vinci” Kotsiubailo. The match, timed to coincide with the International Day of Peace, will feature a friendly game between Ukraine’s national team of artists and soldiers from the “Da Vinci” battalion. Proceeds from the event will go toward the rehabilitation of wounded Ukrainian soldiers.

Oleksandra Kotsiubailo, Dmytro’s younger sister, will kick off the match, while Ukrainian singer Artem Nikitin is set to perform the national anthem.

• Kyiv

The Veteranka movement has launched the “Plan B Center of Strength” project, spearheaded by Tetiana Borys, whose husband, a soldier with the 58th Mechanized Brigade, was killed in action in February 2023. The initiative aims to reshape how Ukraine supports families of fallen soldiers, addressing their grief and guiding them toward healing.

The project’s key goal is to study the experiences of those coping with loss and use that insight to reform how government agencies work with bereaved families. As part of the initiative, families will receive a bereavement guide designed to help them re-engage with society and rebuild their lives.

Tetiana Borys also plans to share her personal story of loss in a series of articles that highlight the emotional journey of losing a loved one in war.

Journalists can arrange interviews with Tetiana in Kyiv to learn more about the “Plan B Center of Strength” project.

• dead
• military
• women
• Kyiv

On September 20, the Media Center Ukraine will host a briefing “Incredible success in Paris: Results of the 2024 Paralympics”.

Participants: 

– Valeriy Sushkevych, President of the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine;

– Ihor Tsvietov, two-time Paralympic champion in para athletics, 2024 Paralympic Games;

– Yaroslav Denysenko, two-time gold medalist and bronze medalist in para swimming, 2024 Paralympic Games;

– Iryna Poida, two-time gold medalist and two-time silver medalist in para swimming, 2024 Paralympic Games;

– Danylo Chufarov, two-time silver medalist and bronze medalist in para swimming, 2024 Paralympic Games;

– Marina Mazhula, silver medalist in para canoe, 2024 Paralympic Games. 

The event will focus on the following topics: in which sports Ukrainian Paralympic athletes achieved the best results; achievements of Ukrainian Paralimpians at the Paris Paralympics; challenges of training and preparation for the Paralympic Games 2024.

• Kyiv

On September 16, Ukraine’s RePower Ukraine charitable foundation launched a free training program named “Solar ReStart,” designed to help both male and female veterans transition into new careers. Developed in collaboration with leading solar energy experts, the course aims to equip participants with the skills needed for the burgeoning solar energy sector.

The inaugural session welcomed 46 male and 4 female veterans. Attendees can choose to specialize in one of two areas: 

• designing solar power plants, which involves developing projects and determining optimal configurations;
• installing these systems, covering installation, configuration, maintenance, and energy storage.

Upon completing the program, participants will receive a certificate and job placement assistance, along with psychological support to aid their transition. 

Practical classes will be held in Kyiv in the coming weeks, offering journalists a chance to cover this initiative firsthand.

• Kyiv

Feliks Rasko, a 36-year-old Ukrainian Armed Forces veteran, has a remarkable story of resilience. He enlisted in the military at 18, first serving through conscription before signing a contract to continue his service. After his military career, he worked as a conductor for Ukraine’s Railways, Ukrzaliznytsia.

When russia’s full-scale invasion began, Feliks promptly re-enlisted. For eight months, he fought in some of the most intense battle zones, including Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, Rubizhne, and Yampolivka. In October 2022, while stationed in Donetsk, enemy missiles struck the building where Feliks and his fellow soldiers were sheltering. Trapped under debris and engulfed by flames, Feliks put out the fire on his burning hands himself, while his comrades helped extinguish the fire on his head. Despite their injuries, the soldiers managed to escape and were evacuated by medics.

Feliks sustained serious injuries, which greatly impacted his mobility. His wife learned about the Unburned project, a free rehabilitation program, and applied on his behalf, submitting photos of his burns. A month later, Feliks began his treatment. Today, after completing rehabilitation, he has returned to work with Ukrzaliznytsia, now as a service center engineer in Kyiv, rather than his previous role as a conductor.

For reference: The Unburned project, supported by Ukraine’s Ministry of Health and partners, offers free, comprehensive treatment for military personnel, volunteers, civilians, and children affected by burns and scars caused by the war.

• casualties
• doctors
• military
• Kyiv

From September 20 to 22, Kyiv will welcome the “All Together” festival, an annual event organized by Mystetskyi Arsenal designed to engage children and teens in a variety of experiences through interaction, exploration, and creative play. The festival’s program features around 70 events, divided into two distinct sections. The first section, a long-standing part of the festival, caters to children under 12 with approximately 30 activities. New this year is a special program specifically designed for teenagers, marking its debut at Mystetskyi Arsenal’s educational festival. This teen-focused lineup includes 37 diverse events, such as film screenings, theater performances, discussions, and talks with psychologists, filmmakers, and artists. Festival-goers will also have the chance to participate in workshops led by artists, museum experts, book bloggers, and theater directors. Attendees can practice their English, take part in live podcast recordings, connect with peers, enjoy Odesa funk music, and engage in discussions on topics like movies, dreams, and subcultures. Teen participants can also explore career aspirations and join creative workshops led by their peers.

Journalists interested in covering the festival are invited to view the full program but must obtain accreditation in advance.

• children
• culture
• Kyiv