Themes by tag: Kyiv

On March 28, the Every Brick Matters event will be held in Irpin, Kyiv region.

To mark the second anniversary of the city’s de-occupation and the start of community reconstruction, the Irpin City Council is gathering all its Ukrainian and international friends and partners for a solemn event to thank them for their contribution to the revival of the hero city.

The invited guests include: officials of the Office of the President, the Cabinet of Ministers, Kyiv Oblast Military Administration, Bucha District State Administration, ambassadors of Irpin’s partner countries, representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, charitable foundations, volunteers, residents of Irpin.

Rostyslav Smirnov, Co-Founder of Dobrobat and a resident of the destroyed residential complex Irpinski Lypky will address the guests with an opening speech (photos of this building went viral in the whole world, and the complex itself became one of the main locations visited by foreign delegations, and is actively undergoing renovation).

In addition, Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn will present a detailed report on the reconstruction of the Irpin community within 2 years.

The guests of the event will receive gratitude from the Irpin City Council and special awards – pieces of original bricks from the destroyed residential complex Irpinski Lypky.

The event requires accreditation.

For reference: on March 28, 2022, Irpin was liberated from the russian invaders by joint actions of the Territorial Defense, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Army, and volunteers. The russian army was stopped while it was trying to approach the capital.

• occupation
• reconstruction
• Kyiv

During the very first days of russian full-scale invasion, Vitalii, a resident of Hostomel, Kyiv region, together with acquaintances organized a remote system for transmitting the coordinates of the russians occupying Hostomel, even though he was outside the city. He collected information on the location and movement of enemy troops online and helped to direct artillery at them. During the occupation of the city, Vitalii recognized the location of the Chechen unit in a video posted on Ramzan Kadyrov’s social media. He sent this information to the Armed Forces of Ukraine so they could destroy it. As a result, Vitalii received a state award.

Journalists can communicate with Vitalii only online.

• occupation
• Kyiv

Olha Kurtmallaieva, 24 years old, majored in finance. The russian federation’s full-scale invasion caught her in her native Berdiansk, Zaporizhia region (now the city is occupied). In the summer of 2022, she left the occupation.

Olha’s husband, Ruslan, has been defending the country since 2014 (he served in the Anti-Terrorist Operation and Joint Forces Operation zone). April 4, 2024 will mark two years since he got captured by the russians during the defense of Mariupol.

Olha is actively fighting for the release of her husband – she is trying to attend every demonstration calling on the release of the prisoners of war. She also co-founded an NGO that helps soldiers of the 501st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion to return home. (Together with other women, they organize rallies, arrange meetings and communicate with representatives of the Ukrainian authorities). And she does all this despite suffering from a serious illness: back in 2021, Olha was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer of the lymph tissue).

Already during the full-scale war, Olga found out that the disease had progressed from the second stage to the fourth. Doctors link it to great stress. Olha has now undergone 12 courses of chemotherapy. The treatment was very difficult (in particular, she was in the intensive care unit) and the woman had to go through it alone, without her beloved by her side.

Journalists can talk to Olha in Kyiv (in person) or online.

• military
• prisoners
• women
• Kyiv

A press briefing titled “Stolen Childhood: russia’s Preparation of Ukrainian Children for War Amid Occupation and Deportation” is set to take place on March 26 at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform.

Participants:

– Iryna Suslova, Representative of the Ombudsperson for Children’s Rights in the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine; 

– Representative of the Prosecutor General’s Office;

– Olha Skrypnyk, Head of the Board of the Crimean Human Rights Group;

– Mariia Sulialina, Head of the Center for Civil Education “Almenda”;

– Khrystyna Shkudor, “Where Are Our People?” campaign advocacy manager, PR Army NGO.

– Vladyslav Havrylov, research historian at the ‘Where Are Our People?’ PR Army NGO project;

For context: russia is accused of systematically perpetrating war crimes in Ukraine’s temporarily occupied regions. Notably, occupiers are allegedly intentionally militarizing children residing in these areas or forcibly relocating them to russia and belarus territories. Such actions are purportedly part of a calculated strategy by the aggressor nation. Critics argue that russian occupiers are eroding Ukrainian identity among children and assimilating them to address russia’s demographic challenges. This purportedly serves to groom a future “mobilization reserve” for the russian military’s potential involvement in the war against Ukraine.

• children
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Yevhen Andrukhov, once a bakery owner in his hometown of Sievierodonetsk (now under occupation), relocated his family to Lviv when full-blown war erupted.

In May 2022, they settled in Bucha, Kyiv region, where the idea to revive their business took shape. Facing financial constraints, Andrukhov applied for a state grant, securing UAH 250,000 to kickstart the venture.

In October 2022, Yevhen Andrukhov and his family, including parents and brother, inaugurated House of Boulangerie, a confectionery and bakery establishment in Bucha. Presently, their offerings include croissants, puffs, cakes, pastries, craft bread, and baguettes. Additionally, Andrukhov has contributed to job creation by hiring two IDPs originating from Sievierodonetsk, his hometown. Reflecting on past challenges, Andrukhov reveals that his bakery in Sievierodonetsk fell victim to theft of expensive Italian equipment during the occupation, with the premises subsequently left in disrepair. 

For reference: The Russian military’s occupation of Sievierodonetsk in Luhansk Oblast on June 25, 2022 left the city, according to then-head of the Luhansk Oblast Military Administration, Serhiy Haidai, devastated, with an estimated 90% destruction rate.

• occupation
• Kyiv

On March 21, Kyiv is set to host a press briefing regarding what one termed the “limited military operation” in Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions areas. The event is organized by three armed groups: the Russian Volunteer Corps, the Siberian Battalion, and the Freedom of Russia Legion. 

Pre-registration is mandatory, and details regarding the conference location and schedule will follow registration confirmation.

• Kyiv

On March 21, Kyiv will host the official handover of two mobile gynecological clinics of the UNFPA Ukraine, which will operate in the de-occupied territories of Donetsk and Kherson regions. (The purchase of vehicles was made possible with the support of the governments of Sweden and Norway).

In the mobile gynecological clinic, women can have a free and full gynecological examination, get an ultrasound scan, receive free contraceptives and anti-infection, HIV and AIDS medicine. Mobile gynecological clinics are also equipped with everything necessary for childbirth.

During the event, journalists will be able to cover the work of mobile gynecological clinics, as well as talk with representatives of UNFPA Ukraine, First Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine Serhii Dubrov, Head of the Health Care Department in Kherson region Tetiana Karchevych and Deputy Head of the Health Care Department in Donetsk region Nataliia Filipova.

The event requires accreditation. The address of the event will be provided after accreditation is confirmed.

For reference: 28 mobile gynecological teams are already working in 23 regions of Ukraine as part of the UNFPA Ukraine project.

• Kyiv

On March 21, the test run event for the military with sports prosthetics will be held in Kyiv. The event is organized by the U+ System rehabilitation center together with the Danish company Levitate.

Two types of sports prostheses will be available — Running Blade and Forever Foot. Running Blade — sports prostheses for running. Forever Foot is a prosthetic foot for military personnel to use in their everyday life.

The sports event will also feature men who have already received prostheses from U+ System and Levitate to help the military adapt to their new feet.

The event will take place with the participation of the FC Dynamo Kyiv. The servicemen will be able to test the functionality of the new prostheses and play with football players.

The event requires accreditation.

For reference: U+ System and Levitate will hold a large-scale test run event for the fourth time in the past six months. The main goal is to install sports prostheses for people who lost their limbs due to the war in Ukraine. In total, U+ System and Levitate have successfully provided prosthesis to more than 60 people.

• Kyiv

On March 28-29, Irpin, Kyiv region, will host events to mark the second anniversary of the liberation of the city from the russian occupiers. In particular, there will be a memorial service for the fallen Heroes, the presentation of the Book of Memory of the Irpin City Territorial Community, and an awards ceremony to express gratitude to the benefactors for their help in rebuilding the hero city of Irpin “Every Brick Matters.”

In addition, there will be an unveiling ceremony for the “VOLIA” monument.

Journalists can learn more about the time and place of events. Accreditation is required.

For reference: on April 2, 2022, Kyiv region was completely liberated from the russian occupation. By April 6, 2022, the Defense Forces completely liberated Chernihiv region. On April 11, 2022, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi announced that full control over the state border in Sumy region had been restored.

• casualties
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Hailing from Mariupol, 21-year-old Illia, attended a maritime lyceum before enlisting in the 23rd Sea Guard Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. As the all-out invasion loomed, Illia and his fellow servicemen valiantly defended against the enemy’s incursion from the sea. During a pivotal moment when his vessel docked in Mariupol, Illia eagerly volunteered to reinforce the frontline positions. Transitioning from a marine machine to a machine gunner on land, Illia showcased his adaptability and commitment to his duty. Subsequently, he received orders to deploy to Azovstal, where he found himself ensnared in a harrowing special operation, trapped within encircling enemy forces. In May 2022, Illia, alongside other defenders of Azovstal, was captured by the enemy following a strategic decision to surrender per the directives of Ukrainian military leadership. Initially detained in the infamous Olenivka facility in Donetsk, Illia was subsequently transferred to Taganrog in Russia, where he “celebrated” his birthday under captivity. Enduring 10 grueling months in enemy hands, Illia’s hope flickered to life upon hearing Ukrainian spoken among fellow prisoners during a bus transport on February 16, 2023, signaling his imminent release as part of a prisoner exchange. Following his liberation, Illia embarked on a journey of rehabilitation while concurrently penning a memoir chronicling the defense of Mariupol.

For reference: Illia Iliashenko is currently available for interviews in Kyiv, extending his willingness to engage with journalists both online and offline with prior arrangement.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv