Themes by tag: Kyiv

On March 4, the Media Center Ukraine will host a press conference titled “Volodymyr Ananiev – Ukrainian Political Prisoner of Crimea: Illicit Actions of the Aggressor Country.”

On February 5, 2024, the russian Federal Security Service claimed to have foiled a “terrorist plot” against Sergey Aksyonov, the pro-russian head of Crimea’s government serving as “Chairman of the Council of Ministers.” However, the reality is that 75-year-old Volodymyr Ananiev, a well-known Ukrainian public figure from Crimea, along with two other Ukrainian nationals, was detained as part of a fabricated case.

Ananiev is currently facing transportation to russia under guard and is at risk of a lengthy prison sentence for refusing to cooperate with the russian “investigation.”

The press conference will address the details of Ananiev’s imprisonment, the conditions of his detention, and his deteriorating health.

Speakers:

– Anna Sviatnenko, Wife of kremlin Political Prisoner Volodymyr Ananiev;

– Andriy Shchekun, Representative of the Regional Council of Ukrainians of Crimea;

– Olha Skrypnyk, Board Chairwoman of the Crimean Human Rights Group. 

• prisoners
• Kyiv

35-year-old Jason Hercula is from Jacksonville, North Carolina, USA. Back home, he tried many different jobs — he worked as a barber, a pizza delivery driver, and also has experience in construction. He had long dreamed of traveling and even started learning French to feel more confident in French-speaking countries.

However, his plans changed drastically in 2022 when he learned of russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Resolving to help those affected by the invasion, Jason shifted his focus from French to learning Ukrainian.

During his time in Ukraine, Jason has worked on rebuilding numerous sites — mostly residential homes in war-torn towns and villages in the Kyiv oblast — and even helped clear rubble in Kyiv after missile attacks. His favorite task is roof repair, where he has become an expert.

Background information: Dobrobat (short for “Dobrovolchyi Budivelnyi Batalion” — “Volunteer Construction Battalion”) is a volunteer construction initiative that helps war-affected communities with the urgent reconstruction of homes and social infrastructure in de-occupied areas.

• reconstruction
• volunteers
• Kyiv

On March 4, the Media Center Ukraine will host a press conference titled “Volodymyr Ananiev – Ukrainian Political Prisoner of Crimea: Illicit Actions of the Aggressor Country.”

On February 5, 2024, the russian Federal Security Service claimed to have foiled a “terrorist plot” against Sergey Aksyonov, the pro-russian head of Crimea’s government serving as “Chairman of the Council of Ministers.” However, the reality is that 75-year-old Volodymyr Ananiev, a well-known Ukrainian public figure from Crimea, along with two other Ukrainian nationals, was detained as part of a fabricated case.

Ananiev is currently facing transportation to russia under guard and is at risk of a lengthy prison sentence for refusing to cooperate with the russian “investigation.”

The press conference will address the details of Ananiev’s imprisonment, the conditions of his detention, and his deteriorating health.

Speakers:

– Anna Sviatnenko, Wife of kremlin Political Prisoner Volodymyr Ananiev;

– Andriy Shchekun, Representative of the Regional Council of Ukrainians of Crimea;

– Olha Skrypnyk, Board Chairwoman of the Crimean Human Rights Group. 

• prisoners
• Kyiv

On March 1, the Stations of the Cross, a religious processional will take place in Bucha, Kyiv Oblast, along Yablunska Street, to honor the memory of the victims tortured during the russian occupation. The procession will feature 14 stations, each marking a site where civilians were tragically killed. Among the stops, participants will pause to pray for and remember those who suffered at 144 Yablunska St., including the first boys to fall victim to the russians: Andrii Verbovyi, Andrii Matviichuk, Andrii Dvornikov, Vitalii Karpenko, Sviatoslav Turovskyi, Anatolii Prykhidko, Valerii Kotenko, and Denys Rudenko.

The procession will conclude at the chapel of St. Luke Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

For context: The Stations of the Cross is a prayer tradition centered on meditations about the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ for humanity’s salvation. Originating in Jerusalem, it is observed within the liturgical practices of both the Catholic and Greek Catholic Churches.

• dead
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On March 4, the Media Center Ukraine will host the presentation of the Amnesty International’s report: “Deafening Silence – Enforced Disappearances, Incommunicado Detention, and Torture of Ukrainian Prisoners by russia”.

Participants:

– Veronika Velch, Director of Amnesty International Ukraine;

– Olena Kozachenko, Research Project Assistant at Amnesty International Ukraine;

– Lera Burlakova, Media and Communications Officer at Amnesty International Ukraine;

– Nataliia Yepifanova, Head of the NGO Warriors Liberation;

– Maksym Kolesnikov, Veteran and Former Prisoner of War. 

Amnesty International’s report, “Deafening Silence – Enforced Disappearances, Incommunicado Detention, and Torture of Ukrainian Prisoners by russia,” draws on interviews with 104 individuals, including former prisoners of war, to document crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in russian captivity.

According to Amnesty International’s latest report, Ukrainian prisoners are deliberately kept in isolation, enabling ongoing torture and systematic human rights violations. Many detainees are officially classified as missing in action due to the complete absence of information regarding their whereabouts. russia’s consistent failure to confirm the detention of certain Ukrainian prisoners – despite credible evidence of their captivity – constitutes enforced disappearance under international law. Furthermore, the report indicates that russia has likely withheld information from the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the status of hundreds, possibly thousands, of prisoners of war. russia’s treatment of both Ukrainian military personnel and civilians in detention flagrantly violates the full spectrum of international legal standards.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

The Kyiv Hippodrome, in collaboration with the Kyiv Military Hub, invites combat veterans and service members to participate in free horseback riding lessons. The lessons take place outdoors or in an indoor arena and last 40 minutes. The initiative was launched last November. 74 veterans have already participated in the program.

Journalists can cover the session scheduled for March 4 in Kyiv, upon prior arrangement.

• animals
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

In 2019, Yevheniia Vyrych became the head of Kavun.City, a Kherson-based media outlet, that covered local news. She worked on developing the platform, securing grants, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, launched a project to debunk myths about the disease and vaccination.

After the russians occupied Kherson, Kavun.City continued its work, covering everything that happened in the city, from russian raids to the distribution of bread to the residents. The occupiers searched for Yevheniia, forcing her to constantly go into hiding — changing her residence, dyeing her hair, and taking extra precautions. She remained in occupied Kherson for four months before finally deciding to escape under a false name.

After reaching Kyiv, Yevheniia began working to revive Kavun.City. The media team launched projects focused on local governance, documenting russian war crimes, and, most recently, debunking fake news about the Kherson oblast and its still-occupied territories.

To support Kavun.City, the team launched an online store selling branded merchandise and handmade items from Kherson artisans.

Yevheniia Vyrych is available for interviews both online and in person in Kyiv, upon prior arrangement.

• occupation
• women
• Kyiv

The Unstoppable Adaptive Clubs were established to support veterans, their families, and individuals with disabilities affected by the war, offering them a path to recovery through physical activity. The clubs are fully equipped and staffed with experienced instructors.

Veterans, in particular, have the opportunity to participate in wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball.

Journalists can attend and report on wheelchair basketball or sitting volleyball training sessions in Kyiv upon prior arrangement.

Background: The Unstoppable Adaptive Clubs were founded by the state institution “Sport for All.”

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

On February 25, Media Center Ukraine will hold a presentation of Realna Gazeta’s investigation, followed by a discussion on “How China Invests in russian-Occupied Territories of Ukraine.”

Participants:

– Andrii Dikhtiarenko, editor-in-chief and founder of Realna Gazeta, author of the investigation;

– Maksym Savchuk, journalist and correspondent for the Schemes project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Ukrainian Service.

Despite Beijing’s official stance of neutrality, Chinese businesses are playing a key role in large-scale construction projects in russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. An investigation by Realna Gazeta has uncovered evidence that firms from China’s Henan Province have partnered in the development of an industrial complex in the occupied Donetsk region.

Between 2023 and 2024, two factories—one for concrete production and another for grinding—were rapidly built at the Karansky Quarry in the Volnovakha district with Chinese involvement. russian state media have hailed the project as the centerpiece of a so-called “major development” effort, with its materials used for road construction and infrastructure projects not only in the occupied ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic’ regions but also in Kherson and Zaporizhia. While moscow remains tight-lipped about foreign investment, the findings suggest China’s economic footprint in the region is deeper than publicly acknowledged.

• Kyiv

On February 27, Kyiv will host the opening of the exhibition project “For Freedom,” a tribute to the foreign defenders of Ukraine. The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the R. T. Weatherman Foundation and the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II (War Museum).

The “For Freedom” project highlights the scale of international support for Ukraine—ranging from humanitarian efforts to the personal decisions of foreign volunteers who joined the country’s armed forces. Through artifacts, personal accounts, photographs, and documentary materials, the exhibition tells the stories of foreign fighters, their journey to Ukraine, and their battle for freedom. Visitors will also learn about the international military units serving within the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the individuals who have become symbols of global solidarity.

The solemn part of the event will feature the following speakers:

– Yurii Savchuk, Director General of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II (War Museum);

– Meaghan Mobbs, President of the R. T. Weatherman Foundation;

– Elizabeth Weatherman, Co-founder of the R. T. Weatherman Foundation;

– Andrew Duncan, Co-founder of the R. T. Weatherman Foundation;

– Colonel Ruslan Myroshnychenko, initiator of the formation and former commander of the Second International Legion of Ukraine;

– Foreign soldiers featured in the exhibition—volunteers who took up arms to defend Ukraine. 

Attendance at the event is restricted to accredited guests.

Background: The R. T. Weatherman Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by Elizabeth H. Weatherman and Andrew P. Duncan that operates in crisis zones, undertaking missions where others cannot.

Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine in March 2022, the foundation has:

– Delivered more than 10,000 pallets of humanitarian aid to 70 Ukrainian organizations;

– Partnered with over 20 government agencies;

– Assisted in repatriating American volunteers killed or injured in Ukraine;

– Evacuated children and women from active war zones to Poland. 

On February 27, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on foreign citizens to join the fight for freedom. In the past three years, thousands of volunteers from over 55 countries have answered that call.

• culture
• Kyiv