Themes by tag: Kyiv

Before the full-scale invasion, Kostiantyn Frolov worked as an international trainer for a cosmetics company and taught in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine.

Kostiantyn planned to join the army in 2022. He finally went through with his decision after his mother, who lives in occupied Crimea, sided with the aggressor country. Nowadays, Kostiantyn does not communicate with his mother.

The man is undergoing training in the capital and is preparing to become a UAV operator. Kostiantyn’s brothers in arms know about his orientation and treat him with respect.

Kostiantyn Frolov is undergoing training in the capital. The man is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person.

• military
• Kyiv
• LGBT

On August 10, “You Are Not Alone” event will be held in Bucha, Kyiv region. Girls and women who have survived the occupation and feel anxiety during the shelling, or have husbands on the front lines are invited to participate in activities aimed at supporting inner healing and strengthening their sense of security.

Event program:

1. Self-defense for women (1 hour). Professional instructors will teach the participants the self-defense basics so that they could feel more confident and protected in everyday life.

2. Training to deal with anxiety and stress amidst the war (2-3 hours). The psychologist will speak about techniques for overcoming anxiety, stress, and panic attacks.

3. Meditation for internal healing (1 hour). Participants will learn meditation techniques that will help them find inner peace and healing.

Journalists require accreditation.

For your information: The event is organized by the Security Police of Kyiv region, the Security Police of Kherson region and the Bucha City Council.

• casualties
• occupation
• women
• Kyiv

On August 7, Kyiv will host the inauguration of the “Alley of Unbreakable Cities,” an exhibition organized by Dobrobat. Sculptor Jan-Pavlo Roman, the exhibition’s creator, describes it as a tribute to the remarkable strength and resilience of Ukrainian cities subjected to russian missile attacks over the past two and a half years.

The exhibition will showcase columns, each dedicated to a different Ukrainian city that has endured the aggressor’s strikes. These columns are adorned with fragments of missiles that have struck buildings, transforming deadly remnants into symbols of defiance, resistance, and renewal. The notches on the columns represent the number of missiles that have targeted each city.

This exhibition serves not only as a memorial to the war’s victims but also as an expression of solidarity and gratitude toward cities that have steadfastly resisted occupation and continue to fight back.

For reference: Dobrobat is a volunteer building division focused on the urgent restoration of housing and infrastructure in areas recently liberated from occupation.

• culture
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

The BuhurtSich project is leveraging the medieval sport of buhurt to bolster the psychological well-being of Ukrainian military personnel. Buhurt, a team sport that simulates knightly combat in full armor or protective gear, has proven to be not only visually striking but also therapeutically beneficial, as evidenced by its impact in other countries.

In the U.S., many participants in buhurt have been former military members who credit the sport with helping them manage PTSD, overcome substance abuse, and even stave off suicidal tendencies. Beyond its physical demands, buhurt fosters a strong sense of community.

The BuhurtSich project has been active for over 10 months, attracting 171 participants to its training sessions. Among them, one veteran has even taken up blacksmithing to learn the craft of armor-making.

Journalists are invited to explore and report on this innovative initiative in Kyiv.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• psychological support
• Kyiv

On August 7, a peaceful rally titled “russia Kills in Captivity” will take place in Kyiv. 

The event seeks to remind the public of the tragic reality that russia is responsible for the deaths of both civilians and prisoners of war from Ukraine. 

Over the past two and a half years, more than 160 bodies of Ukrainian defenders, showing signs of torture, have been returned from captivity.

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War has been invited to participate in the event.

For reference: The march is organized by the Association “Strength of the Marine Corps,” the NGO “Faithful Always 2022,” the NGO “Union of Prisoner of War Families of the 501,” and the NGO “Condemned but not Forgotten.”

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Since childhood, Dmytro Stepnov has been passionate about rowing yawls—small boats with multiple pairs of oars. In 2018, he began sharing his love for the sport with others in Mariupol, where he formed a team and even led them to compete in local events.

With the onset of the full-scale invasion, Dmytro and his team narrowly escaped russian-occupied Mariupol, seeking refuge in Dnipro. Undeterred by the upheaval, Dmytro started anew. He constructed a modern yawl and resumed training sessions.

In a heartening twist, a rehabilitation center from Odesa partnered with him, proposing a unique initiative: offering rowing classes to soldiers who had lost limbs on the front lines. Today, this inspiring program is available at no cost in Dnipro, Odesa, and Kyiv. The initiative has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with soldiers not only finding a physical outlet but also competing in rowing competitions as part of their rehabilitation journey.

Currently based in Dnipro, Dmytro Stepnov is open to sharing his story with journalists, whether in person or via virtual interviews, upon request.

• casualties
• military
• Dnipro
• Kyiv
• Odesa

Greenpeace in Ukraine together with Atmosfera company invite Ukrainian women to learn the skills of a solar installer.

Ten female candidates who pass the preliminary selection will receive free access to the professional course entitled “Solar Installer.” The winners of the competition will have the opportunity to work with Greenpeace on the installation of new renewable energy facilities in Ukraine. (To participate in the competition, one must have a technical education or work experience in technical fields).

Training will start on August 1 in Kyiv: first in an online format, and later — in person.

By prior agreement, journalists will be able to cover the training process.

• women
• Kyiv

On August 5, an open training session by Ukraine’s National Team for the Invictus Games 2025 team will take place in Kyiv.

The program includes:

• The formal part of the event with the participation of Oleksandr Porkhun, acting Minister of Veteran Affairs of Ukraine; team members; co-organizers of the Invictus Games project in Ukraine,
• Time for media to communicate with the National Team and project organizers
• Transfer to locations where training sessions will take place.

Open training session will feature winter water sports, swimming, wheelchair basketball, and sitting volleyball.

Journalists must register for the event by 7:00 PM on August 4.

For reference: Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 will be the first ever hybrid Winter Games. Participants will compete in swimming, indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby, including the new winter sports of alpine skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, Nordic skiing, skeleton and wheelchair curling.

The Ukrainian National Team trains for winter sports in the summer — this is what makes these training sessions unique.

• Kyiv

The Institute of Peace and Common Ground (IPCG) extends an invitation to representatives from civil society organizations, local activists, international partners, and all interested parties to attend the presentation of the research titled “Some Challenges Related to the Reintegration of the De-occupied Territories and Memorialization.”

This event will showcase findings from a series of in-depth interviews conducted in the de-occupied regions, alongside the outcomes of a national survey carried out by the Sociological Group “Rating” between July 5 and 12, 2024.

The primary aim of the presentation is to highlight the obstacles faced in reintegrating these territories and to discuss the potential for conflict during such processes.

Participants:

• Maksym Yelihulashvili, Member of the Board of the Institute for Peace and Common Ground, expert on transitional justice;
• Daria Svyrydova, Member of the Advisory Council on De-occupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol under the President of Ukraine. 

• Kyiv

On August 3, the Hurkit Charitable Foundation, in collaboration with the Pasya Team sports team, will hold a charity swim in the Kyiv region. The event aims to raise UAH 4 million to purchase four Ukrainian-made mortars for the mortar battery of the Da Vinci Wolves Battalion (59th Brigade).

The entry fee for participants is set at UAH 2,000. Each swimmer will receive a special prize: a shell casing from a UAG-40 grenade launcher, with the funds for these grenade launchers having been raised during last year’s swim.

Notably, the event will feature the Ferum Will, a team of veteran swimmers, alongside dozens of active military personnel and veterans participating in the swim.

• Kyiv