Themes by tag: Kyiv
Media professionals are invited to take part in a clay modeling master class on November 14 in Kyiv, an evening dedicated to creativity and self-care.
Pottery is widely recognized as an effective form of art therapy, helping participants stay grounded in the present moment through tactile focus on texture, shape, and movement. During the session, participants will have the opportunity to craft their own clay piece and may return later at a convenient time to glaze it.
Advance registration is required. The event address will be provided individually upon confirmation. Space is limited.
The workshop is part of the Mental Health Evenings series within the Mental Support for Media program, a set of activities designed to foster recovery and meaningful conversation in a relaxed setting.The program is implemented by the Souspilnist Foundation in partnership with the BrainCult Development and Psychotherapy Center, with support from UNESCO Ukraine and the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine/在ウクライナ日本国大使館.
A multimedia exhibition titled Iron People will open at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II on November 13, spotlighting the courage and resilience of the country’s railway workers who have kept a network – a lifeline for people moving around Ukraine and out of the country – running amid the ongoing russian invasion.
The project, created by Dutch photographer and documentary filmmaker Jelle Krings, pays tribute to more than 200,000 Ukrainian railway employees who maintain some 20,000 kilometers of track across the country. Despite constant russian strikes, they continue to keep transport lines operational, sustain military logistics, and help civilians escape the front lines.
Through photographs, personal testimonies, and sound installations, the exhibition tells the story of ordinary men and women whose steadfast work has become a lifeline for Ukraine. The centerpiece of the show is Krings’ short documentary Lifeline, which follows Tetiana Vislohuzova, head of an evacuation train that has rescued thousands of people from war zones. Visitors will also hear field recordings capturing the distinctive sounds of trains and stations that pulse through Ukraine’s wartime landscape.
Speakers at the opening ceremony will include:
– Alle Dorhout, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ukraine;
– Yurii Savchuk, Director General of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II;
– Jelle Krings, the project’s author;
– Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, Chairman of the Board of Ukrzaliznytsia JSC;
– Tetiana Vislohuzova, featured in the documentary. Journalists planning to attend must register in advance.
For reference: Iron People marks the culmination of Krings’ long-term project about the daily lives of Ukraine’s railways in a time of war. Since the start of russia’s all-out attack, he has traveled extensively across Ukraine, documenting the perilous work and deeply human stories of those keeping the nation’s railway network running. His photos and videos, already acclaimed internationally, are being presented in Ukraine for the first time in a multimedia format.
The exhibition is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine.
A peaceful march titled “Our People Are Not Home Yet” will take place in Kyiv on November 8. The march is organized by the families of missing and captured military personnel from the 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The march aims to raise awareness about the fate of Ukrainian defenders who are missing or in captivity, and to draw attention to their situation among society, state institutions, and the international community.
Around 500 people, including family members of the missing and captured, government officials, fellow soldiers, volunteers, civic activists, and concerned citizens, will march through central Kyiv. They want to remind everyone that the fight for freedom continues not only on the front lines but also in the hearts of those waiting for their loved ones.
The march will go through the central streets of Kyiv.
Objectives of the event:
- To publicly acknowledge that thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are still in captivity and that tens of thousands are missing.
- To support families who have lived in uncertainty for years while waiting.
- To call for active state and international efforts to bring every defender home.
- The event will demonstrate society’s unity around the goal of ensuring that no hero is forgotten.
The organizers invite representatives of Ukrainian and international media outlets to cover the “Our People Are Not Home Yet” march.
Kyiv will host the next stage of the nationwide Sport and War Veterans (UBD) competition on November 7, bringing together Ukrainian defenders through athletic rivalry, recovery, and camaraderie.
This round will feature futsal matches among war veterans, a fast-paced and teamwork-driven sport that embodies the shared resilience and unity of those who have served on the front lines.
The Sport and War Veterans (Combatants) initiative, launched by the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine in partnership with several organizations, is a series of annual tournaments designed to promote rehabilitation, social integration, and adaptation of veterans through sports. Earlier stages held in October included table tennis, swimming, e-sports, and arm wrestling, drawing participants from across the country.
This upcoming event in Kyiv continues that mission, using futsal’s spirit of cooperation and quick decision-making to foster both competition and solidarity among veterans.
The tournament is organized by the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine and the university’s Educational and Rehabilitation Center, and the Kyiv Oblast Football Association. Partners supporting the development of veteran sports in Ukraine are also involved.
Overall, the Sport and War Veterans (UBD) cycle features nine disciplines, including swimming, table tennis, futsal, arm wrestling, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair rugby – all aimed at building a community of mutual support and helping veterans return to active, fulfilling lives. Ukrainian football players and officials are expected to attend the ceremony and present awards to the participants.
On November 12, special open Care Lessons themed “Stop Bullying: Where Did Rudyk Go?” will take place in Kyiv and Kharkiv, focusing on ways to combat bullying behaviors among young children. The events will feature Daria Herasymchuk, Presidential Advisor for Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation, who will lead the session in Kyiv, and Anastasia Svoboda, founder of the Academy of Care, who will host the class in an underground school in Kharkiv.
The interactive lessons, which begin rolling out in Ukrainian schools on November 10, are designed to provide simple, practical tools that help children aged 5 to 10 recognize and speak up about bullying rather than remain silent.
As Ukrainian children continue to live under conditions of prolonged stress and uncertainty caused by the war, cases of bullying have sharply increased. In the first four months of 2025 alone, police recorded 1.5 times more incidents than during the same period last year. Yet many adults still struggle to respond effectively, according to the Ministry of Education and Science, only 28 percent of teachers can confidently identify bullying.
The Academy of Care offers a systemic approach through its Care Lessons program, an interactive class built around the story of a missing character named Rudyk. Through this narrative, children learn to:
– recognize hidden forms of bullying such as insults and exclusion;
– establish personal boundaries and express emotions safely;
– develop a set of “Good Classroom Rules” to foster a culture of empathy and mutual support.
Media accreditation is required.
A memorial event titled “Wounds of Bucha’s Soil” will be held in Kyiv on November 7 to honor the tragedy of Ukraine’s hero cities, Bucha and Irpin, and the surrounding Bucha district, which endured some of the most brutal fighting in the spring of 2022. Once at the heart of russia’s assault on the Kyiv region, Bucha became a lasting symbol of the Ukrainian people’s strength and resilience. In the early weeks of the full-scale invasion, local defenders halted the enemy’s advance toward the capital, blocking armored columns on the outskirts of the city. After liberation, horrific images from Yablunska Street exposed the scale of atrocities committed by russian forces, turning Bucha into a global emblem of resistance and remembrance.
The event will revisit those events through the personal stories documented in journalist Olga Vorobyova’s books “Voices of Memory: Bucha – City of Heroes” and “Unconquered Irpin.” Attendees will hear first-hand accounts, testimonies from families of the fallen, and memories of witnesses who lived through the occupation. Organizers say the gathering will serve as a living memorial, a space for reflection, remembrance, and tribute to Ukrainians who sacrificed their lives for freedom.
Speakers will include:
– Nataliia Verbova, widow of Territorial Defense member Andrii Verbovyi, who was tortured to death by occupying forces;
– Olha Vorobiova, author of Voices of Memory: Bucha – City of Heroes and Unconquered Irpin;
– Kostiantyn Kukushkin, coordinator of the book publications;
– Liudmyla Humeniuk, mother of soldier Roman Shymanskyi, who died on February 25, 2022, during the demolition of the Hostomel Bridge over the Irpin River to stop an enemy convoy bound for Kyiv;
– Oleksandr Dubchak, the combat engineer who destroyed the Hostomel Bridge;
– Andrii Halavin, abbot of Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in Bucha, who oversaw the burial of the city’s victims;
– Dmytro Hapchenko, administrator of the Bucha City Council;– Yurii Savchuk, Director General of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II and head of the museum’s expedition to the liberated Kyiv region in April 2022.
The program will feature documentary footage and photographs depicting the aftermath of Bucha’s occupation and the surrounding communities.
Journalists are required to register in advance to attend the event.
Oleksandr Yarovyi, 22, worked as a salesman at a hardware store in Dymer, near the village of Kozarovychi. [Kozarovychi, located in the Kyiv oblast, was occupied by russian forces at the start of the full-scale invasion.] The young man lived with his grandparents. When the war began, Oleksandr used a work vehicle to evacuate construction and hardware goods from the store. He also delivered food and transported medicine to the hospital.
On March 2, 2022, Oleksandr was on a Viber call with his mother. According to her, Oleksandr was at home with friends. The next morning, a neighbor called the woman and reported that russian soldiers had arrived. The soldiers interrogated the young men, simulated executions, threw Oleksandr into a basement, and beat him in an attempt to extract a confession. They later took everyone’s phones and left. Fifteen minutes later, they returned, ordered Oleksandr to raise his hands. They took the young man with them and ransacked the house.
Oleksandr’s mother conducted her own investigation to find out where her son was taken. She discovered that he was first held in a warehouse in Kozarovychi and then in Dymer, where the russians held everyone they kidnapped from the surrounding villages. On March 10, Oleksandr was taken to Belarus and then to russia, specifically the city of Novozybkov. In 2023, he was transferred to the russian settlement of Pakino, where he remains detained to this day.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has confirmed that Oleksandr is being held captive. In total, the young man has been held for three years and eight months. During this time, he has only received one short letter: “I am alive, healthy, and fine.” His mother now participates in peaceful rallies with other families whose loved ones are in russian captivity.
By prior arrangement, journalists can speak with Oleksandr’s mother, Inna, in Kyiv or the Kyiv oblast.
On November 4, Kyiv will host a meeting with Swedish volunteers Caroline Nordengrip and Christopher Forsback, who took up arms to defend Ukraine against russia’s full-scale invasion. Caroline Nordengrip, a former member of the Swedish Parliament with a 15-year career in politics, joined Ukraine’s 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade “Magura.” Serving under the call sign “Alex,” she not only defended the country but also trained members of the Ukrainian Forces of Ukraine.
Christopher Forsback, who goes by the call sign “Chris,” previously worked in forestry before volunteering to fight with the same brigade. He took part in combat operations against russian forces, helped clear mines from Ukrainian territory, and sustained serious injuries during his service.
During the event, the two volunteers will share their stories, from their peaceful lives in Sweden to the realities of war on Ukraine’s front lines, and present several personal items to the War Museum’s collection.
For reference: The meeting is part of the For Freedom project, a joint initiative of the Kyiv War Museum and the Romulus T. Weatherman Foundation. The project honors international volunteers who have stood up alongside Ukrainians for the defense of the country’s independence and global freedom. It highlights the scope of international solidarity with Ukraine, from military and humanitarian support to the personal decisions of foreign citizens to join its armed forces.
Journalists are required to register to attend the event.
Is the Army ready for winter? In September, the supply of winter jackets for the Armed Forces of Ukraine was at risk. Manufacturers produced about 25,000 jackets from a new fabric that the Ministry of Defense did not approve due to a lack of feedback from the military. Fortunately, the army was not left without clothing; there was a stock of jackets in warehouses, and production of the old fabric resumed. This case, however, demonstrated the many logistical challenges the Ministry of Defense faces.
In the format of Defence Talks, the discussion will address seasonal difficulties in defense procurements and the pace of supplying the military with everything necessary for winter. The event will be held on November 3 in Kyiv.
Participants:
- Mykola Shevtsov, Deputy Minister of Defense;
- Oleh Blinov, Defense Procurement Expert at the Office for Support of Changes at the Ministry of Defense;
- Nikita Nikitenko, Director of Operations at the Defense Procurement Agency;
- Nadiia Bihun, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the State Logistics Operator;
- Yurii Hudymenko, Head of the Public Anti-Corruption Council at the Ministry of Defense;
- Nelli Stelmakh, Defense Procurement Reform Project Expert.
Moderator: Tetiana Nikolaienko, Senior Researcher at the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO); Deputy Head of the Public Anti-Corruption Council at the Ministry of Defense.
Registration is required to receive accreditation and the event address. The accreditation period ends on November 2 at 9:00 PM.
Background: “Defense Talks” are meetings organized by the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO) that bring together Ukrainian government officials, high-ranking representatives, civil society members, diplomats, and members of the media to discuss key trends and challenges in the security and defense sector.
NAKO is a civil society organization whose mission is to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience against internal and external threats in areas critical to national security through independent research, effective advocacy, and raising public awareness. NAKO provides institutional, legal, analytical, and communications support to the Public Anti-Corruption Council at the Ministry of Defense.
On November 6, 2025, the Museum of War will host an event dedicated to honoring the contribution of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada to the Allied victory in World War II and to the defense of Ukraine against the ongoing full-scale russian aggression.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Ukrainian War Veterans Association will posthumously present the Ukrainian Canadian Sacrifice Medal to the family of Hryhorii Tsekhmistrenko, a Canadian of Ukrainian descent who joined the Defense Forces of Ukraine and, while serving as a soldier of the International Legion of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, heroically gave his life rescuing his comrades in the battles for Bakhmut on January 15, 2023.
The Ukrainian Canadian Sacrifice Medal was established by a resolution of the XXVII Triennial Congress of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Winnipeg in the fall of 2022. It honors Canadian citizens who were killed or wounded in combat while serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and defending the freedom of our nation during the ongoing russian-Ukrainian war.
A screening of the documentary film “A Canadian War Story”, created by the Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Centre, will take place. Spanning continents and generations, the film weaves together first-person testimonies and archival materials, telling the story of the Ukrainian Canadian diaspora on the frontlines of the Second World War. The screening is held with the support of the Sectoral State Archive of the Security Service of Ukraine.
Journalists are required to register for the event.
