Themes by tag: Kyiv

On July 28, Kyiv will host a requiem event entitled “Olenivka – pain that will not go away.” The organizers invite everyone to commemorate the brave and loyal heroes of Ukraine who went through the defense of Mariupol with dignity. The enemy could not defeat all of them on the battlefield, and on the night of July 29, 2022, the adversary made a despicable act and blew up almost 200 Azov soldiers in the colony in occupied Olenivka.

For reference: the defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days, 82 of them – completely besieged. From May 16 to 20, 2022, the Mariupol garrison carried out the order to stop the defense of the city and go into captivity.

On the night of July 29, 2022, the russian federation committed a terrorist attack, setting off an explosion in the barracks of the penal colony in Olenivka, which housed Ukrainian prisoners of war. At least 50 defenders of Azovstal were killed in the act.

• casualties
• dead
• military
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

The Center for Civil Liberties invites journalists to cover the important topic entitled “Ukrainian prisoners who were forcibly taken to the russian federation: problems of returning them.”

According to Olena Vysotska, Deputy Minister of Justice, within the first days of the full-scale invasion, 11 penal institutions with almost 3,000 prisoners and staff found themselves in the occupation. According to the Protection for Prisoners of Ukraine NGO, about 2,000 people who were serving sentences in places of deprivation of liberty were deported from Kherson region alone. On the territory of the russian federation and temporarily occupied territories, prisoners are tortured and subjected to abuse. russians passports are forced on imprisoned Ukrainians while they are in captivity.

The organizers are ready to help journalists with getting in touch with:

– Experts for interviews and comments,

– People who went through this experience.

Also, on July 31, journalists can take part in the human rights club on this topic, where they will have an opportunity to talk with experts, representatives of the Ministry of Justice and former prisoners. (The event requires registration).

• occupation
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Artem Sylko is an entrepreneur from Kyiv region. Artem has always been concerned about environmental pollution, so he decided to start a business that would be friendly to nature. At first, he made pencils that can be planted in a pot and grown as a plant.

After the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Artem decided to use recycled paper for postcards and business cards, and then tried to add seeds to this paper. The businessman experimented with plants, observed what grew best. In the end, he created a company called Paperiya. This is a printing house that produces “blooming paper” from the waste of several factories. If this paper is thrown away out in the open, it will decompose in two weeks, and it will also grow shoots of various plants. Currently, 80% of printing house’s customers are Ukrainians.

Artem Sylko is in Kyiv region. He is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person.

• ecology
• Kyiv

Accessible Wakeboard is an initiative for participants of projects by ONE TEAM FORCES NGO. Its goal is to show that even extreme sports like wakeboarding are accessible to warriors recovering from injuries, as well as to give veterans an opportunity to test their own strength and help regain confidence in themselves and their bodies.

Training sessions take place once a week. Project participants include defenders who have lost their upper and/or lower limbs.

By prior agreement, journalists can cover classes in Kyiv.

For reference: ONE TEAM FORCES is a community that helps combatants who were in service BEFORE and/or AFTER February 24, 2022 and were injured or psychologically traumatized as a result of russia’s armed aggression.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

In Kyiv, wounded defenders take part in free clay sculpting and pottery master classes organized by the Azov’s Angels Patronage Service together with Kust ceramics studio. Creative activities are part of the rehabilitation of the military.

During the class, defenders make dishes or other objects – by hand or with a potter’s wheel. Soldiers often donate completed works for various charity events.

By prior agreement, journalists have the opportunity to cover a clay sculpting master class.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

On July 22, Kyiv will unveil the exhibition “The Will to Win: Warriors of Sport” to mark Ukraine’s participation in the Olympic Games. This exhibition showcases the rich history of Ukraine’s Olympic journey, spanning from the late nineteenth century to the present.

The display highlights the devastating impact of russia’s aggression on Ukraine’s sports infrastructure. Visitors will see fragments of trophies, sports equipment, and stadium seats, all damaged or destroyed by russian hostilities. These artifacts were salvaged from various sports venues wrecked by ongoing warfare.

A special section, featuring photographs by Mykola Synelnykov, celebrates the resilience of Ukrainian athletes who continue to train amidst the ruins of their facilities, exemplifying their unbreakable spirit.

For reference: This year, Ukraine is sending a delegation of 140 athletes to compete in 23 sports at the Olympics. Tragically, nearly 500 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have lost their lives since the large-scale russian invasion began.

• culture
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Anna Yaroshenko, a seasoned diver with over 20 years of experience, believes diving is accessible to everyone. She has dived with children, elderly individuals, and people with hearing and visual impairments, mental disorders, and various injuries. Underwater, the effects of gravity diminish, allowing everyone to experience a sense of “weightlessness.”

Following the onset of the full-scale war, Anna saw diving as a potential rehabilitation tool for injured military personnel. Recognizing its benefits for both physical and psychological recovery, she launched the project “Gravity? WTF?”. Her mother, a rehabilitation therapist, introduced her to the first volunteers—wounded defenders with injuries and amputations.

The project’s aim is to provide military veterans with a new and engaging hobby, teaching them the complete set of skills needed to become independent divers. Initially, the soldiers train in a shallow, barrier-free pool accessible by wheelchair. The next phase involves a 3.8-meter deep pool. Those who gain confidence in scuba diving progress to open water dives.

To date, 25 veterans with various injuries and amputations have participated in the project.

Journalists are invited to learn more about “Gravity? WTF?” and to cover the diving lessons held in Kyiv pools and open water sessions. 

• casualties
• military
• women
• Kyiv

“Ukrainian LGBT+ Military and Veterans for Equal Rights” NGO opened the first veteran hub for LGBT+ military personnel in Ukraine’s capital, which is also the first one in Eastern Europe. The goal of the hub is to create a safe space to assist LGBT+ military personnel and reintegrate queer veterans in the society. In particular, the hub will host events to help with the mental and physical health of defenders. Psychological and legal assistance as well as services by friendly sexologists will be available in the hub.

For reference: The association “Ukrainian LGBT+ Military and Veterans for Equal Rights” was created in 2018 after Anton Shebetko’s exhibition “We Were There.” During the exhibition, one of the soldiers, currently the Head of the organization, Viktor Pylypenko, came out as gay combat veteran.

The association includes hundreds of LGBT+ military personnel and veterans, some open about their identity and others keeping it private. The military is rallying to fight for the rights available to other citizens of Ukraine. Members of the association actively participate in both the defense of the Motherland against russian invaders and the protection of rights and freedoms.

• military
• Kyiv
• LGBT

In a landmark initiative spanning April to July 2024, Ukraine has established its inaugural Team of Cultural First Aiders under the flagship project “Enhancing Capacities in Ukraine for Cultural Heritage First Aid and Recovery Planning.” This team comprises 23 specialized professionals who underwent intensive training.

Throughout the comprehensive program, Ukrainian experts including museum curators, monument conservators, architects, engineers, legal advisors, restorers, and managers engaged in both online and in-person sessions. They drew insights from international and domestic mentors, examining strategies for safeguarding cultural assets during crises. 

Practical exercises, such as assessing the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Viazivka, Zhytomyr region—damaged during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2022—underscored their training. Participants learned to apply international standards in risk management, document damage, evaluate threats, and execute protective measures for endangered cultural sites.

Journalists seeking further details, including visual documentation from the Viazivka training, can obtain additional information about this pioneering effort.

• culture
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On July 16, Media Center Ukraine will host a presentation of the analytical report: “Ukraine’s Efforts in Searching for Missing Persons and Family Support.”

Participants:

– Aliona Luniova, Advocacy Manager at ZMINA Human Rights Center;

– Artur Dobroserdov, Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances;

– Olena Bieliachkova, Coordinator for Groups of Families of Prisoners of War at Media Initiative for Human Rights;

– Liubov Tkachenko, mother of Roman Tkachenko, a missing soldier of the military unit A7376. 

Topics of discussion:

– Has the government adequately safeguarded the rights of missing persons?

– How well are the needs of affected families met by state assurances?

– What improvements are necessary to enhance support for missing persons and their families?

Pre-registration is required.

• Kyiv