Themes by tag: Kyiv

At just 24, Yevhen Hromadskyi is a seventh-generation soldier who earned the title of Hero of Ukraine for his extraordinary courage under fire. His first battle came on the very first day of russia’s full-scale invasion, as he defended the Kharkiv region while serving in the National Guard of Ukraine.

Then a platoon commander, Hromadskyi was ordered to hold the line. Among his unit, he was the only one trained to operate a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher (RPG). When a russian convoy advanced on their position, Hromadskyi acted alone, and managed to stop it.

His father, retired colonel Oleh Hromadskyi, fought in the same battle and was killed on February 24, 2022. The loss marked a turning point for Yevhen, making the war deeply personal.

In recognition of his bravery and steadfast defense of Kharkiv, Hromadskyi was awarded the Hero of Ukraine title at the age of 21. Since then, he has seen combat in some of the most intense areas along the front line. He now aspires to rise through the ranks and one day become a general.

Currently based in Kyiv, Yevhen Hromadskyi is available for interviews with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• military
• Kyiv

On May 28, the Media Center Ukraine will host a presentation of the Inferno project: Exposing the brutal conditions faced by Ukrainian prisoners of war

Participants:

– Yurii Kovbasa, Representative of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in the Security and Defense Sector;

– Andrii Yusov, Deputy Head of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War;

– Yevheniia Synelnyk, Representative of the Association of Azovstal Defenders’ Families;

– Nestor Barchuk, Representative of the International Cooperation Department, 1st Corps of the Azov National Guard;

– Tetyana Katrychenko, Executive Director of the Media Initiative for Human Rights.

For reference: Inferno is a collaborative initiative led by the Association of Azovstal Defenders’ Families and the International Cooperation Department of the 1st Corps of the Azov National Guard of Ukraine. The project compiles firsthand accounts from former detainees held in notorious facilities such as Olenivka and Taganrog, as well as multiple russian detention centers. Through survivor testimonies, Inferno seeks to ensure that these war crimes are not erased from public memory and that the international community remains vigilant in demanding accountability.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Veterans are invited to participate in the Kyiv City Para Powerlifting Championship, a competition for individuals with musculoskeletal and visual impairments. The event will take place on a weekend (exact date and time to be confirmed after registration).

Journalists can cover the event by prior arrangement. 

For reference: Para powerlifting is a form of powerlifting adapted for people with disabilities. It is an official Paralympic sport included in the Paralympic Games program.

• culture
• Kyiv

Before the full-scale invasion, Nelli Ernandes served as director and lecturer at Makariv medical college in the Kyiv oblast. During the occupation, russian forces destroyed much of the town, leaving the college dormitory roofless and its façade, internal floors, windows, and doors obliterated.

After the liberation of the Kyiv oblast, Nelli immediately sought ways to restore the dormitory. With support from the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine, reconstruction began in December 2022. By September 2024, the community celebrated the reopening of the renovated dormitory, which now houses 60 students, including internally displaced persons.

Nelli Ernandes is available for interviews online or in person in Makariv by prior arrangement.

• occupation
• reconstruction
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv

The “TOY THERAPY ROOM” stands as a nationwide charitable initiative established by a collective within the NGO The National Genofund amidst the full-scale invasion. Its primary aim is to mitigate the trauma endured by both children and adults impacted by russia’s invasion, achieved through the application of puppetry and play therapy techniques.

The TOY THERAPY ROOM offers a carefully designed environment where children and adults can navigate their emotions in a healthy and supportive manner. Within these spaces, carefully curated by dedicated hosts, individuals can explore their feelings, replenish their inner strength, and nurture a sense of confidence in their abilities and desires. Central to the experience are the hundreds of soft toys that inhabit each room. These toys serve not only as companions but also as conduits for understanding and healing. Participants are encouraged to select a toy at the outset of their session, which then becomes a steadfast ally throughout their journey. Beyond the confines of the therapy room, this toy becomes a transitional object through which psychologists gain insights into the person’s condition and provide assistance.

Today, the TOY THERAPY ROOM initiative operates in more than 70 locations across Ukraine, reaching nearly every region of the country, and organizing off-site therapy spaces at summer camps. Its team of psychologists also uses puppetry and play therapy techniques to support the mental health recovery of military personnel.

In 2024 alone, more than 20,000 people visited the therapy rooms, including 15,168 children and 1,400 servicemembers. The project held 5,449 therapy sessions, including mobile outreach events, and distributed over 14,000 therapeutic toys.

Spearheaded by Victoriia Nazarevich, a seasoned psychologist and the driving force behind the Nazarevich-Art psychology training portal, the project maintains a team of dedicated professionals comprising psychologists and art therapists.

For journalists seeking insight into this transformative endeavor, opportunities for interviews with project representatives and participants are available in Kyiv and other cities by prior arrangement. Additionally, online communication channels offer convenient access for those unable to attend in person. 

A reminder: June 1 marks the observance of International Children’s Day worldwide.

• casualties
• children
• psychological support
• Kyiv

Before russia’s full-scale invasion, Ruslan Zadorozhnyi worked as a manager for an online retailer. In November 2022, he enlisted in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, serving as a machine gunner in the Kupiansk sector. There, he was wounded by a shell explosion and lost his arm.

Following months of prosthetics and rehabilitation, Ruslan began searching for civilian employment. Despite receiving thanks for his service, every resume he submitted was met with rejection, until he came across a service station dedicated to veterans.

The Nesemos Fund, founded by Mariia Ksondzyk, the daughter of a fallen Anti-Terrorist Operation soldier, and serviceman Petro Shuklinov, later launched a veteran-run auto repair center. It was there that Ruslan was offered a position as an administrator. The team equipped a workstation for him, and he now manages incoming military vehicles and oversees their repairs. Ruslan hopes to build on this experience and eventually open a service station of his own.

Nesemos Veteran Auto Hub, in partnership with Reskilling Ukraine, is also running a program to train women in car mechanics. The repair bays at the facility serve as hands-on classrooms for those starting from scratch.

Ruslan Zadorozhnyi and the Nesemos team are available for meetings in Kyiv, both online and in person, by appointment.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

The Voices of Children charitable foundation invites the public to witness the symbolic start of construction for the Childhood Center, a pioneering space in Ukraine dedicated to the psychological recovery of children and parents traumatized by war.

On June 5, the construction of the Childhood Center will be symbolically launched in the Kyiv oblast. The event will showcase what the center looks like from the children’s perspective and how it will look in a year. A collective message to future generations of children will be sealed in a “time capsule”.

Afterwards, a panel discussion titled “How to Save Childhood in War?” will take place. The discussion will feature the foundation’s co-founders, Olena Rozvadovska and Azad Safarov; Kateryna Rashevska, a human rights activist and expert from the Regional Center for Human Rights; Oleksandra Romantsova, a human rights activist and the executive director of the Center for Civil Liberties; Iryna Tuliakova, head of the Coordination Center for the Development of Family Upbringing and Child Care; Nataliia Masiak, a leading psychologist and psychiatrist; and children and families who are living through the difficult experience of war and undergoing recovery with the foundation.

Registration is required for the event.

• children
• Kyiv

Media representatives are invited to a closed screening of the documentary “Home: Place of Power” on May 24 in Kyiv.

The film features heartbreaking yet heroic stories of individuals affected by russian aggression and portrays the daily efforts of volunteers from the Dobrobat construction battalion.

The heroes of the film and its creators will attend the screening. Journalists can arrange interviews with them in advance.

Accreditation is required to attend.

Background: The film was produced with support from 1+1 Media and the Kyivstar TV platform.

• casualties
• culture
• Kyiv

Since the beginning of this school year, schoolchildren in the village of Bohdanivka, Kyiv oblast, have been able to study in a modular Temporary Educational Space (TES).  The space is accessible, with a generator for uninterrupted power supply, comfortable furniture, modern tablets and multimedia panels. The TES has six classrooms and now serves 250 schoolchildren who previously had to travel to a neighboring village.

Bohdanivka was occupied in 2022. russian soldiers set up camp in the local school and burned it down when they withdrew. They also blew up the kindergarten, where they had stored ammunition, leaving the village without any educational facilities.

By prior arrangement, journalists can cover the work of the modular temporary educational space in Bohdanivka.

Background: This project is being implemented by IREX in partnership with the SavED Charitable Foundation and the GoGlobal NGO. They work in close cooperation with local communities who have lost their educational institutions due to russian aggression.

• children
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On May 23, Media Center Ukraine will host a panel discussion titled “Discussion: Ukraine-Africa relations – priorities, challenges, and the path forward,” bringing together experts and officials to examine the current landscape of Ukraine’s engagement with African nations.

Key topics:

– Defining Ukraine’s foreign policy priorities on the African continent;

– Countering russian disinformation and navigating China’s growing influence;

– Turning symbolic diplomacy into long-term strategic partnerships;

– What Ukraine can offer Africa, and what it stands to gain in return?

Participants:

– Hanna Hopko, Head of the Board of the National Interests Advocacy Network “ANTS”;

– Yurii Oliinyk, Non-Governmental Analytical Center “Ukrainian Studies of Strategic Discussions”;

– Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Parliamentary Committee on Integration of Ukraine to the EU;

– Dzvinka Kachur, Ukrainian World Congress in Africa (online);

– Yevhen Mahda, Institute of World Policy;

– Dariia Panova, expert of the National Interests Advocacy Network “ANTS”.

• Kyiv