Themes by tag: Kyiv

Before russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, environmentalist and scientist Vladyslav Mykhailenko was dedicated to teaching at a university. But after February 2022, he felt his academic work no longer met the urgency of the moment. Determined to contribute to the war effort, Mykhailenko sought ways to merge his expertise in ecology with the needs of the Ukrainian military. The result was the creation of the Plastic Saves Lives initiative.

The project focuses on collecting plastic bottle caps. Vladyslav rallied a team of volunteers to sort through the donations, ensuring only plastic that could be sold for recycling made the cut. The funds raised are then directed toward purchasing essential equipment for Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

The math is staggering: it takes 1.5 tons of plastic caps to fund a single FPV drone. Yet, the impact has been remarkable. Since its inception, Vladyslav Mykhailenko and his team have purchased a range of equipment, including an ambulance, two Mavic 3T drones, and three FPV drones, among other critical supplies.

The initiative invites everyone to participate. Individuals can drop off caps in Odesa or ship them to the volunteers via mail. 

For those who wish to connect with Vladyslav Mykhailenko, appointments can be arranged for online or in-person meetings. 

• ecology
• volunteers
• Kyiv
• Odesa

Ilias Sheikhisliamov, a Crimean Tatar and volunteer from the Odesa oblast, was born and raised in Crimea. After the russian occupation of the peninsula in 2014, he stayed there for another four years. Since 2019, he only visited Crimea in the summer to see his family.  Ilias met the beginning of the full-scale invasion abroad: he was studying at a university in Turkey. However, he soon decided to return to Ukraine to volunteer and support the Ukrainian army.

His professors discouraged him from returning, but he insisted and later came to Odesa. He immediately started working there and joined the NGO “Crimean Tatars of Odesa Oblast”. On March 5, 2024, Ilias learned that his father, Ali Mamutov, who was living with his family in occupied Crimea, had been arrested by the russian authorities. He learned the news from his younger brother. The occupiers falsely accused Ali Mamutov of participating in or creating a terrorist organization.

While his father was being held in a detention center in Simferopol, Ilias managed to communicate with him through the russian app Zonatelecom. However, Ali Mamutov was transferred to the russian city of Rostov, and communication with him was cut off. After his father’s arrest, Ilias decided to pursue his teenage dream of becoming a lawyer. He enrolled at the Tavrida National University, which had relocated to Kyiv after Crimea’s occupation. Ilias sees this as one of the ways to keep in touch with Crimea.

Ilias Sheikhisliamov is available for interviews, both online and offline, by prior arrangement.

Background: As of May this year, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center recorded 331 cases of political imprisonment and criminal persecution since the annexation of Crimea. Of these, 217 were against members of the Crimean Tatar community.

• casualties
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• volunteers
• Kyiv
• Odesa

The “Blyzki” initiative provides a space where relatives of service members and veterans can receive career development support: identifying growth directions, completing training, creating updated resumes, and preparing for job interviews. In the process, participants can connect with a community of peers who understand their experiences.

Participants can receive 2-3 months of training in a new profession, learn English, get information on starting their own business, participate in creative workshops, sports classes, and sessions for physical and mental recovery. All activities will take place offline, as the organizers believe this will foster closer relationships and better communication.

The project was launched in early 2024, first in Kyiv and later in Lviv. It welcomes partners, close relatives of military personnel, veterans, and service members in recovery.

Journalists can cover the project in Kyiv or Lviv by prior arrangement.

Background:

The “Blyzki” initiative was created by Maryna Baturynets, founder of the Bazilik School of Communications. It was inspired by a joint project between Bazilik and Veteran Hub — a communication course for military families. This course highlighted the need for education and, more importantly, interaction with people who share similar experiences.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv
• Lviv

Andrii Smyk, a professional military sniper, dedicated many years to service, taking part in combat operations from 2014 to 2020. He rejoined active duty shortly before the full-scale invasion, defending the Kyiv oblast before moving to protect the Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts. During his service, he suffered several injuries and concussions. In 2023, he returned to his hometown of Irpin for health reasons.

Inspired by childhood memories of his grandfather Mykola, a skilled woodworker, Andrii founded the eco-friendly workshop “Funny Owls” in the summer of 2024.

Together with his team, they create kitchenware, children’s toys, phone stands, candle holders, puzzles, alphabet sets and custom-made items. Discounts are available on all orders for military personnel and their families.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

From December 2 to 4, Kyiv will host the National Forum on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, serving as a key platform to address pressing challenges and develop collaborative solutions to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Ukraine. This year’s event carries the theme “On the Way to the EU,” highlighting the critical reforms required to align with European standards of inclusivity and human rights.

The forum will focus on major issues such as deinstitutionalization, the overhaul of social and rehabilitation services, and expanding employment opportunities. These initiatives are seen as essential, though challenging, steps for Ukraine to meet European benchmarks for protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Activists, government officials, business leaders, and representatives from the public sector will convene to discuss strategies for advancing these reforms effectively and efficiently.

The program includes panel discussions, keynote speeches, working groups, and presentations, culminating in a set of concrete recommendations. These proposals, aimed at improving inclusivity in education, employment, accessibility, and infrastructure, will be presented to government agencies and local communities for implementation.

Additionally, a human rights action supporting the rights of people with disabilities is scheduled for December 2.

Participants must register by 6 p.m. on November 27. The forum’s exact location, details of the human rights action, and the full agenda will be shared following accreditation.

For reference: The forum is organized by the League of the Strong and Fight For Right NGOs, with support from international partners, and aims to foster meaningful change for people with disabilities in Ukraine.

• Kyiv

Peaceful rallies will take place in 26 cities across Ukraine on November 23-24 to raise awareness about the plight of Azovstal defenders and other military personnel still held in enemy captivity. The events aim to remind the nation and the world of the ongoing struggle faced by prisoners of war and the missing.

On November 23, rallies will be held in Okhtyrka, Pivdennoukrainsk, Pavlohrad, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Irpin, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Obukhiv, and Zaporizhia. The following day, November 24, similar actions are planned in Kyiv, Pivdennoukrainsk, Mykolaiv, Uman, Cherkasy, Poltava, Uzhhorod, Korosten, Obukhiv, Brovary, Krolevets, Ovruch, Korostyshiv, Kovel, Kryvyi Rih, Ternopil, Kremenchuk, Odesa, Ostroh, and Chernivtsi.

These events are spearheaded by the families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison, with participation from Ukrainians who have been released from captivity. Their collective message seeks to emphasize the urgent need to secure the freedom of those still detained and highlight the resilience of Ukraine’s defenders.

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On November 29, in Kyiv, the Ukrainian-Israeli volunteer medical mission “FRIDA Ukraine” will hold a blood drive to address various medical needs.

In order to meet the demand for blood, there should be 40 donors per 1,000 people. Currently, this number is less than 20 in Ukraine. The lack of donor blood results in postponed surgeries, deaths of accident victims, and the inability of cancer patients to undergo treatment. By donating blood, donors give these people a chance to live.

For reference: FRIDA Ukraine is a non-governmental, non-profit, charitable mission of volunteer doctors from Ukraine and Israel. Since the beginning of the invasion, the mission has been providing emergency and outpatient medical care to civilians affected by the hostilities.

• doctors
• volunteers
• Kyiv

On November 22, the Media Center of Ukraine will hold a press conference “Map of Valor and Memories: Honoring Ukraine’s Heritage”

Ukraine lacks prominent landmarks of national heroism and memorials marking significant achievements. Moreover, these historical sites remain largely unknown, as the roads leading to them are often not even paved.

The heroization of a nation and its people is an essential part of social development and education of younger generations. To address this need, NGO Ukraine Incognita, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, has created a comprehensive map of valor and memory. The initiative also includes the installation of informative stands at key locations to preserve and celebrate this heritage.

Participants: 

 – Roman Malenkov, Chairman of the Board, “Ukraine Incognita” NGO; 

 – Maksym Plakhotnyi, Executive Director of “Ukraine Incognita” NGO; 

 – Andriy Yarovyi, Technical Director of “Ukraine Incognita” NGO; 

 – Andrii Kobylianskyi, historian (online)

• culture
• Kyiv

Mariia Aleksieievych is the wife of Serhii Aleksieievych, a fighter of the Azov Brigade, which defended Mariupol from the beginning of the full-scale russian invasion until 16 May 2022. On that day, Serhii and his comrades left Azovstal on orders from their superiors and were captured by russians.

For more than two years, Mariia worked tirelessly to bring her beloved and other prisoners home. During this time, she traveled to Austria to attend an OSCE meeting on the Olenivka terrorist attack, met with Ukrainian officials, and attended weekly rallies dedicated to the defenders of Azovstal. On 18 October 2024, Serhii Aleksieievych returned to Ukraine as part of a prisoner exchange.

Mariia says she had a strong feeling that her beloved would finally come home that day. At 10.20 pm, she received a call from the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War with the long-awaited news. A few hours later, Serhii himself called her. Mariia says she still cannot believe it is not a dream and that her husband has really returned from captivity.

Serhii is currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation.

Serhii Aleksieievych is not yet ready for interviews. However, Mariia Aleksieievych is available to talk about her experiences, her work with Olenivka Community NGO and the emotional reunion with her husband after his captivity – online or in person in Kyiv or Vinnytsia by prior arrangement.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv
• Vinnytsia

On November 21 the Media Center Ukraine will hold a press conference: “russia’s Information Warfare Against the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria”.

Topics of focus:

– Mechanisms of influence of russian special services on journalists and bloggers;

– The policy of “denazification” through the media space;

– The role of Chechen and russian opposition journalists and bloggers in addressing the occupation of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.

Participants: 

– Akhmed Zakayev, Prime Minister of the Government-in-Exile of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria’s (online);

– Olena Sydorenko, Honorary Consul of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in Ukraine;

– Adam Mamut, General Representative of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in Ukraine;

– Rodion Krasnovyd, Public Relations Service, Ministry of Defense, Chechen Republic of Ichkeria;

– Inna Kurochkina, Special Representative of the Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria for Special Assignments (online). 

Background:

For years, the Ministry of Defense of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria has been analyzing the impact of hostile disinformation on media platforms, both in occupied Ichkeria and abroad. This initiative aims to share crucial insights and effective strategies with Ukrainian and international media professionals, fostering resilience against russian propaganda within the Ukrainian information space.

• Kyiv