Themes by tag: Kyiv

During the one-day intensive training, the organizers invite those interested to test their skills in conditions as close to combat as possible.

At the event, participants will also have the opportunity to interact with soldiers of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade and learn more about serving in the unit.

Registration is required to attend.

• Kyiv

Before the full-scale invasion, Dariia and her husband were planning to buy their own home in the Kyiv oblast. Just as the couple was about to receive the keys to their new home, the great war began and an enemy shell landed near their house. The explosion damaged their new home, blowing out windows and shattering the roof and walls.

Dariia and her husband were forced back into renting. In addition, the woman lost her job, so she devoted all of her free time to decorating her temporary home. One day, she stumbled upon a video of crystal ornaments online. Inspired, she made her first piece and hung it in her window. As the sunlight danced through its prisms, the artisan came up with the name “sontselov” (meaning “sun catcher”). Soon after setting up a social media page, she received her first order. Today, Daria creates these luminous pieces with symbols of temporarily occupied cities — Mariupol, Berdiansk, Melitopol, Enerhodar. In three years, she’s made and sold more than 5,000 home decorations, eventually earning enough to buy a house with her husband.

You can speak with Dariia Terekhova both online and offline in the Kyiv oblast by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• culture
• women
• Kyiv

For 12 years, Viktoriia Zakharenkova worked in a jewelry factory in Kramatorsk, Donetsk oblast, making wax models for future gold ornaments. But when russia launched its full-scale invasion, her hometown became too dangerous to stay in. Forced to flee with her son, she set out on a new path. Viktoriia underwent training with the HALO Trust and has been working as a deminer for almost three years.

Journalists can speak with Viktoriia in Kyiv oblast by prior arrangement.

Background: The HALO Trust is the world’s largest humanitarian demining organization, with 35 years of experience removing landmines and unexploded ordnance in 30 countries and territories worldwide.

• women
• Kyiv
• demining

On May 9, the War Museum in Kyiv will open the exhibition project Memory. Dialogues, developed in partnership with the Berlin Karlshorst Museum and supported by the German Embassy in Ukraine. The event is timed to coincide with Europe Day.

The project is built around the family histories of three artists: Polina Kuznetsova (Ukraine), Eva Neidlinger (Germany), and Jenny Alten (Germany). The lives of their ancestors intersected in Ukraine during the Nazi occupation. Notably, the great-grandfather of director Eva Neidlinger, a Wehrmacht soldier, was stationed in Kharkiv, where artist Polina Kuznetsova’s grandmother lived through the war as a child.

Drawing on diaries, photographs, oral testimonies, and contemporary artistic reflections, the exhibition explores themes of personal and collective memory, the process of healing historical trauma, and reconciliation between nations. It invites dialogue across generations and cultures while encouraging new ways of preserving memory.

The exhibition culminates in the art installation Voices, part of Kuznetsova’s Black Earth project, created in collaboration with artist Andrii Skrypka.

Scheduled speakers at the opening ceremony include:

– Yurii Savchuk, Director General of the War Museum in Kyiv;

– Lisa Heike, First Secretary and Head of the Cultural Section, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine;

– Project curators: Yurii Horpynych and Maryna Bohush;

Project participants: Polina Kuznetsova (Ukraine), Eva Neidlinger (Germany), and Jenny Alten (Germany)

Accreditation is required to attend the event.

• culture
• Kyiv

On May 8, the Museum of War will host the opening of the exhibition project Our Victory, which explores Ukraine’s role in World War II. As part of the ceremony, the Flame of Glory will be lit to honor the memory of Ukrainians who fought against Nazism.

Participants include:

– Mykola Tochytskyi, Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine;

– Yurii Savchuk, Director General of the War Museum in Kyiv;

– Mykhailo Vynnytskyi, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine;

– Dimitris Sotiropoulos, Chairman of the Board and Bureau of the Observatory for the Teaching of History in Europe, Council of Europe

Musical program: Honored Academic Orchestra of Ukraine and the Exemplary Orchestra of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Accreditation is required to attend the event.

Background: The exhibition is located on the site of the former Alley of Hero Cities, a space originally designed to reinforce the Soviet narrative of the “Great Patriotic War.” In December 2024, the area was renovated, with Golden Stars and inscriptions removed. Now, Our Victory reclaims this space – challenging the propaganda myths of the Soviet totalitarian regime and transforming the alley into a place of historical reflection and tribute to the Ukrainians who fought in the ranks of the anti-Hitler coalition.

• culture
• Kyiv

Danger, a white Toy Poodle from Israel, is more than just a companion, he’s a vital part of the FRIDA Ukraine medical volunteer mission, supporting efforts to save lives across the war-torn regions of Ukraine. Since the outset of the all-out invasion, Danger has joined volunteer teams on the ground, traveling extensively from Bakhmut to the Kharkiv and Kherson regions. and has even come under fire multiple times. Outfitted in a branded hoodie bearing the word “Volunteer,” he also has an Instagram account that offers a glimpse into his work on field missions.

His owner, Mark Neviazhskyi, a volunteer from Israel and later a co-founder of FRIDA Ukraine, named the dog during his energetic puppyhood. To keep him out of harm’s way, Mark would often say, “No, it’s dangerous,” – a phrase that eventually inspired the name “Danger.”

Now serving as a true emotional support animal, Danger plays a key role in helping patients open up and easing anxiety among those affected by the war. He is especially impactful during visits to orphanages, where his presence brings comfort and joy.

Journalists can meet Danger in Kyiv or accompany him during scheduled field missions, with prior arrangements. Interviews with his owner, Mark Neviazhskyi, are also available, along with access to photos and videos documenting Danger’s involvement in humanitarian efforts.

For reference: The organization is a volunteer medical mission composed of doctors from both Ukraine and abroad. The team operates in frontline and heavily affected areas, setting up mobile outpatient clinics to provide free medical care to civilians. Their services include pediatric care, particularly for orphans, the evacuation of critically ill patients, and mental health support.

• animals
• doctors
• volunteers
• Kyiv

The “Come Back Alive” Initiatives Center, in cooperation with the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, is launching a new initiative — the first All-Ukrainian Wheelchair Basketball Championships for veterans and active military personnel. The event will be held on May 10-11 in Kyiv.

The format will combine wheelchair basketball competitions with festival entertainment. The event will last two days. On the first day, there will be eight preliminary games between veteran teams from different regions of Ukraine. The winners will advance to the playoffs, which will take place on the second day.

A large recreation area will be available throughout the event, featuring a food court, VR and PlayStation gaming stations, as well as a recovery area and a kids zone with master classes, relay races, board games and other activities. There will also be a special area where attendees can learn more about adaptive sports, including archery, rowing, table tennis, and more.

The purpose of the championships is to highlight the role of adaptive sports (specifically wheelchair basketball) in the rehabilitation of veterans and military personnel and to raise public awareness of this effective recovery tool.

Media accreditation is required to attend.

Background: The “Come Back Alive” Initiatives Center is a public organization dedicated to strengthening Ukraine’s security and defense. It focuses on researching veterans and security policy, developing effective solutions, and advocating for their implementation in public policy. Currently, the Center operates two main programs: analytical and veteran-focused, promoting a culture of rehabilitation for veterans and military personnel through adaptive sports after injury, trauma, or illness.

• culture
• Kyiv

Amnesty International Ukraine, in cooperation with the Museum of the Revolution of Dignity, is launching an open-air photo exhibition entitled “Deafening Silence”, dedicated to the stories of Ukrainian prisoners of war and their families. The exhibition is based on extensive research into the rights abuses of POWs held by russia. The opening will be on May 9.

This project is part of an international campaign to raise awareness of violations of international humanitarian law and to strengthen the protection of prisoners of war by mobilizing civil society.

The purpose of the event is to highlight systematic violations of the rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war by the russian federation, to support initiatives aimed at protecting their rights, and to raise global awareness of these humanitarian challenges.

Media accreditation is required to attend.

• culture
• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

On May 5, the Media Center Ukraine will host a Panel discussion: “China. Europe. Ukraine. What to expect from Trump’s next 100 days?”

Participants:
– Vadym Denysenko, Political Expert;
– Ihar Tyshkevich, Political Analyst;
– Iliya Kusa, International Affairs Expert.

Key topics:
– The U.S. position on the war in Ukraine: What should we fear now, and what can we hope for?
– Trump and China: New trade challenges or a repeat of the conflict?
– What else can Europe expect from Trump?
– The first 100 days: What Trump decisions could shift the global balance?
– Risks and opportunities for Ukraine: What conclusions must we draw now to maintain agency in the new geopolitical game?

Registration for the event is required.

• Kyiv

At the beginning of the full-scale war, members of the Kyiv Municipal Cruising Yacht Club made trench candles and wove camouflage nets. Later, together with warfighters, they designed special medical stretchers using sailcloth as a material, which is durable, waterproof and resistant to friction. The stretchers are now manufactured on a regular basis: they are lightweight and compact.  

Many club members joined this initiative. Sailcloth is provided by sailors from yacht clubs all over Ukraine. Sailors from Poland and Slovenia have also sent their sails for the production of stretchers.

By prior arrangement, journalists can speak with club members and cover their work in Kyiv.

For reference: Kyiv Municipal Cruising Yacht Club is the oldest active yacht club in the capital (a non-profit sailing organization).

As a reminder, the club has launched a free sailing course for military personnel and veterans. Journalists can cover the practical training.

• culture
• volunteers
• Kyiv