Themes by tag: Kyiv

On November 22 and 23, demonstrations will take place in 30 Ukrainian cities to draw attention to prisoners of war and those still missing in action, including defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers held in enemy captivity.

The events on November 22 are scheduled in Arbuzynka, Okhtyrka, Vinnytsia, Chernihiv, Irpin, Shpola, Volochysk, Dnipro, Pavlohrad, and Lviv. On November 23, gatherings are planned in Kyiv, Krolevets, Pivdennoukrainsk, Kremenchuk, Mykolaiv, Korop, Obukhiv, Ovruch, Poltava, Korostyshiv, Cherkasy, Uzhhorod, Lozova, Dolynska, Berdychiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Rivne, Kovel, Odesa, and Chernivtsi.

The initiatives are organized by the families of Mariupol garrison prisoners, together with Ukrainians recently released from captivity, to support ongoing advocacy efforts.

• prisoners
• Kyiv

Early this winter, Kyiv will host HART, Ukraine’s first national multisport event for military veterans recovering from injuries, wounds, or illnesses sustained in the defense of the country. From November 30 to December 7, participants from across Ukraine will compete in nine adaptive sports.

Team events will include wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, and sitting volleyball. Individual competitions will feature archery, indoor rowing on a simulator, laser run, powerlifting, cycling, and swimming.

Athletes are free to join.

Around the world, adaptive athletics have become a cornerstone of veteran rehabilitation. In the United States, the Warrior Games have spurred thousands of recovery programs. In the United Kingdom, the Invictus Games reshaped public attitudes toward wounded service members. Similar initiatives in Canada, the Netherlands, and Australia have helped build statewide “sport-based recovery” programs that integrate rehabilitation, mentorship, and social inclusion.

Ukraine is following suit. With support from Ukrgasbank, the Come Back Alive Initiative Center and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs have launched HART as a comprehensive sports-based rehabilitation effort for veterans.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

Journalists are invited to cover this year’s commemorations of Dignity and Freedom Day, observed annually in Ukraine on November 21.

The date marks two pivotal moments in the country’s modern history: the 21st anniversary of the Orange Revolution and the 12th anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity. The schedule features exhibitions, public gatherings, and a slate of academic and educational events, including a scientific forum titled “The Revolution of Dignity: Towards History.”

On November 21, official ceremonies will take place on the Alley of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred. The program includes a flower-laying ceremony, the tolling of bells in remembrance of those killed, and a prayer service. A joint prayer for Ukraine and for those who defended its freedom is also planned.

The day’s events will include the consecration of the Angels in White Lab Coats monument. The memorial was created in 2014 on the grounds of Kyiv City Hospital No. 17 by wounded participants of the Maidan protests. In 2025, the five-ton granite sculpture was transferred by hospital staff to the Maidan Museum, which is organizing this year’s program.

Journalists can access the full schedule of events.

For background: Dignity and Freedom Day is marked each year on November 21 to honor the start of the Orange Revolution in 2004 and the Revolution of Dignity in 2013.

• culture
• Kyiv

On November 25, the Human Rights Center for Military Personnel and Veterans, ‘Pryncyp’, will unveil its newly developed Legal Navigator for foreign service members in Kyiv. Representatives from units where international fighters serve will attend the event.

During the presentation, experts will introduce the Navigator, a tool designed to help foreign troops, veterans, and their families navigate legal issues and protect their rights. The resource will be available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. 

There will also be a discussion on the specific legal challenges faced by international service members in Ukraine.

Journalists must register to attend the event.

• military
• Kyiv

The Union of Wounded Military Personnel of Ukraine ‘Mitsni 300’ invites the media to the open bowling tournament, “Mitsni Shary”, which will take place on November 22 in Kyiv.

The competition will feature 30 participants, including wounded servicemen and veterans from various regions of Ukraine.

The media will have the opportunity to speak with the participants, organizers, and partners.

Accreditation is required for the event.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

The Teplokrovni donor hub – whose name means “warm-blooded” – is opening a mobile, interactive exhibition highlighting blood and the lifesaving impact of donation. The initiative, in partnership with its collaborators, invites the public to attend the exhibition and participate in blood donation.

The “Warm Weekend” event will run from November 20 to 23 in Kyiv, giving visitors the chance to explore the exhibition inside Teplokrovni’s 13-meter, two-story bus, a mobile hub designed to promote blood donation. The first floor features an interactive display where guests can discover surprising facts about blood, such as its trace gold content, and hear personal stories from donors and recipients whose lives have been saved. The second floor houses a comfortable donation area, open to donors from November 20 to 22.

Teplokrovni is a joint initiative of PUMB (First Ukrainian International Bank) and Mastercard aimed at encouraging a culture of blood donation in Ukraine. The mobile hub travels to different cities to attract donors and raise awareness about the importance of giving blood. Since the project’s launch, 225 donors have contributed 101 liters of blood, offering over 675 people a chance at life. The project is implemented in partnership with DonorUA, an automated system for recruiting and managing blood donors in Ukraine, and Blood Agents, a public organization promoting voluntary, unpaid, and regular blood donation.

• culture
• Kyiv

A briefing on November 19 at the Media Center Ukraine will showcase how technology is being used to create more inclusive and barrier-free environments across the country.

Participants:

– Nataliia Kozlovska, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine;

– Anna Denysenko, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at LUN Real Estate Company;

– Svitlana Hnatiuk, Accessibility Expert at the Barrier-Free NGO;

– Polad Khalilov, Project Manager of the Ukrzaliznytsia’s Barrier-Free Railway Program. 

All in person.

Key topics:

– Accessibility Map statistics from Monitoring-2025: national leaders in the field and plans for the next phase;

– What sets the map-based monitoring apart, and the new opportunities it creates for government officials and everyday users;

– How communities, businesses, and civil society groups can apply the findings to inform decision-making

For reference: More than 70,000 sites have been added to the interactive Accessibility Map following a nationwide assessment of community infrastructure. The monitoring effort, initiated by the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, ran from June 1 to August 31. For the first time, the results can be explored in detail and in real time thanks to the project’s technology partner, LUN. 

The collected data is now being reviewed to pinpoint systemic barriers, identify accessibility gaps, and set priorities for upcoming improvements. This approach enables communities, government agencies, and businesses to plan infrastructure upgrades more precisely, allocate resources more efficiently, and improve the quality of public spaces for all users.

• Kyiv

An exhibition titled Shot Down… has opened in Kyiv, showcasing fragments of russian aircraft and missiles that attacked Ukrainian cities but were intercepted before reaching their targets.

The collection includes parts of the experimental Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B (“Hunter-B”) stealth combat drone, remains of Shahed-136 kamikaze drones, Gerbera UAVs, downed strategic cruise and tactical guided missiles, a 9M79M ballistic missile from the Tochka-U tactical system, the fuselage of a Su-30SM fighter, a suspended ejection seat, and a parachute from a Su-35S aircraft. Recent additions include an almost intact Shahed, an upgraded Gerbera, and a fragment of a smart bomb.
The Oleg Antonov State Aviation Museum is hosting the exhibition, which is open to journalists for coverage.

• culture
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Children often ask direct questions such as: “Why did they attack us?” and “When will this end?” How can you answer honestly without causing unnecessary anxiety? How can parents maintain inner calm when the world around them is unstable?

An open meeting will be held on November 17 to discuss practical approaches to communicating with children during war:

• How to talk about complex topics in simple terms;
• Which words are calming, and which might be frightening;
• How to create a sense of safety at home.
• Why a parent’s calmness is key support for a child.
• How to explain the absence of a father or mother if they are serving on the front lines.
• Is it necessary to limit exposure to the news?

The discussion will cover the best times to talk and when to remain silent, how to tailor answers to a child’s age, and which communication principles will help you be a pillar of strength during difficult times.

Speakers:

• Yuliia Tukalenko, psychologist at the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation;
• Nataliia Obolenska, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisor; physical therapist; founder of the Navkolo Svoi NGO; and partner of a military service member.

Registration is required for the event.

• children
• Kyiv

On November 17, the Media Center Ukraine will host a briefing, “One-time visits and gifts: Risks for children in institutional care and what truly works”

Participants:

– Daria Herasymchuk, Advisor and Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation (in person);

– Maksym Rabtsun, Member of the DIiMO Office, a person with experience of institutional care (in person);

– Kyrylo Nevdokha, Head of the DIiMO Office, a person with experience of institutional care (in person);

– Olena Vydiuk, Foster Mother of a family-type children’s home (online);

– Sofiia Yudina, Mentor for a child from an institutional care facility, Mentorship Development Manager at the DIiMO Office (in person).

Key topics:

– The potential risks of one-time visits

– Why “good intentions” can sometimes be traumatic for children.

– Which forms of support are truly effective?

The event organizers are waiting for confirmation from journalists who wish to attend.

Ahead of the winter holidays, there is traditionally an increase in visits to care facilities for children. Companies, volunteers, and initiative groups bring gifts and organize “holiday events” for the children. But are these visits always helpful?

• children
• Kyiv