Themes by tag: Kyiv

The National Museum of the History of Ukraine in WW2, in collaboration with curator Maryna Lukianova, is unveiling an extraordinary exhibition of Ukrainian Christmas tree decorations spanning various historical periods. The exhibit opens on December 4 in Kyiv, offering visitors a rare glimpse into a rich collection of authentic artifacts.

The tradition of decorating Christmas trees in Ukraine dates back to the 19th century, intertwining European influences with a distinctly Ukrainian character. Early decorations included sweets, nuts, candies, candles, and handmade ornaments crafted from cardboard, paper, and glass.

Following the October Revolution and the establishment of Soviet rule, Christmas celebrations—and the decorated tree itself—were suppressed. Viewed as religious or bourgeois, the holiday was banned until 1935, when the New Year’s holiday was officially introduced. This marked a resurgence in ornament production, with artisanal workshops flourishing across the region.

The exhibition will feature an array of rare decorations, including early 19th- and 20th-century ornaments, toys from World War I, and the first glass figurines. Visitors can also explore diverse materials such as glass, cotton, wire, cardboard, and polyethylene terephthalate film, representing different eras, countries, and continents.

• culture
• Kyiv

On December 12-13, a two-day training session will be held in the Kyiv region for veterans with disabilities. Participants will be introduced to the GCS-200 remote-controlled mechanical demining platform with dedicated attachments and observe its operation. Additionally, the course includes practical exercises. The knowledge gained during the training will be beneficial for future employment opportunities.

The practical exercises are part of a course conducted by UNDP in Ukraine in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and with financial support from the Government of Sweden. The initiative aims to enhance employment opportunities for veterans with disabilities by promoting their engagement in humanitarian demining activities. This is one of many initiatives supporting Ukraine’s efforts to clear mines and other explosive remnants of war.

Journalists are welcome to cover the training event by prior arrangement. Accreditation is required to attend.

Background Information: The training is organized by GCS Ukraine LLC in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine.

GCS specializes in eliminating explosive threats and restoring safe environments. Combining innovative, proven technologies with field expertise, the company removes landmines and other explosive remnants of war. GCS is an independent company headquartered in Switzerland, with engineering and manufacturing facilities in Germany and regional offices worldwide.

• Kyiv
• demining

On December 6, the Neopolis amusement park, located in the Respublika Park shopping mall, will host a heartwarming charity event for 200 children impacted by the war. These children, rescued through the efforts of the Save Ukraine charity organization, will experience a day filled with joy, care, and festive cheer.  

The event’s program offers:  

– Interactive entertainment with animators dedicated to creating a joyful and supportive atmosphere;

– Gift distribution near the mall’s grand Christmas tree, marking the celebration’s bright conclusion.

Each child will receive a personalized gift, made possible by the NGO “Ukraine is a Mother” through its “Bridge of Support” project.  

This gathering is more than a festive celebration—it’s an opportunity for children who have endured unimaginable hardships to feel embraced by a community of support and hope, empowering them to dream again.  

Journalists wishing to cover the event must obtain accreditation.

• casualties
• children
• Kyiv

For over two decades, Anna Yaroshenko has been exploring the depths as a diver, firmly believing that diving is an experience everyone can enjoy. She’s guided children, seniors, and individuals with hearing and visual impairments, mental health challenges, and physical injuries into the underwater world. Beneath the surface, gravity fades, and the sensation of weightlessness becomes universal.  

When russia’s full-scale invasion began, Anna realized that diving could offer more than adventure—it could be a path to physical and psychological rehabilitation for wounded soldiers. Her first participants, veterans with injuries and amputations, were introduced by her mother, a rehabilitation therapist.  

Anna launched her initiative with a bold name: “Gravity? WTF?” The goal is to provide veterans with a challenging and rewarding new hobby—one that demands mastering the full range of skills needed to become independent divers.  

Training begins in a shallow, wheelchair-accessible pool free from barriers. Once comfortable, participants advance to a 3.8-meter-deep pool. For those who feel confident after several sessions, the final challenge is open water.  

So far, around 40 veterans, including three women, have taken part in the program.  

Journalists are invited to witness this unique rehabilitation effort firsthand at a Kyiv pool where the diving lessons take place.

• casualties
• military
• women
• Kyiv

Is humanitarian mine action possible in winter? How do snow and freezing temperatures affect the painstaking work of removing deadly explosives? These are the questions many are asking as winter sets in.  

Deminers face extreme challenges in cold weather, but the work doesn’t stop when the first snow falls. Can mines be detected beneath a blanket of snow? How do teams stay warm during long hours in the field? And is it true that some even heat the frozen ground to continue clearing land?  

Journalists now have the chance to witness these operations firsthand. Media visits can be arranged to key regions where HALO Ukraine is actively working, including Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Kherson.  

For context: HALO Ukraine is part of The HALO Trust, the world’s largest non-governmental organization dedicated to humanitarian demining. Since russia’s full-scale invasion, they’ve cleared over 6 million square meters of land, ensuring safer ground for thousands of Ukrainians.

• Chernihiv
• Kharkiv
• Kherson
• Kyiv
• Mykolaiv
• demining

On December 2, within the framework of the National Forum on the Rights of People with Disabilities, an action entitled “Is the Way to the EU Accessible?” will be held at Maidan Nezalezhnosti. This annual event, organized by Fight For Right, is being held for the fourth time. This year, over 100 participants of the National Forum on the Rights of People with Disabilities will take part in the action.

Society is often shocked by reports of appalling living conditions in institutions and the inhumane treatment of their residents. However, only recently, after years of advocacy by civil society organizations, has the state begun to discuss the deinstitutionalization process for adults.

Violations of the rights of persons with disabilities are widespread: from the lack of accessible information for people with visual or hearing impairments to the inability of wheelchair users to enter the nearest clinic or administrative service center. This issue is even more pressing now as communities welcome back veterans with disabilities from the front lines who face overwhelming inaccessibility in their daily lives.

Registration is required to attend the event.

• Kyiv

On December 2, Kyiv will host the presentation of the book “Prykhystok: A Startup That Saved a Million Lives” by MP Halyna Yanchenko.

The book details the eponymous initiative launched on the first day of the full-scale invasion, which helped over a million Ukrainian refugees find free temporary shelter. It is a poignant collection of the project team’s memories of the resilience, solidarity and innovation that Ukrainians demonstrated during the darkest days of the invasion.

The event will feature real-life heroes from the book – Ukrainians who endured the occupation and managed to relocate and start new lives in other cities, thanks in part to the Prykhystok (Shelter) initiative. They will tell their personal stories.

Program highlights:

– A conversation with the author about the creation of the initiative and the book.

– Stories from the book’s protagonists who were forced to find a new home and found shelter.

– A discussion about the power of social innovation and the ability of Ukrainians to unite for mutual aid.

– A book signing with the author.

Registration is required for this event.

• casualties
• culture
• occupation
• Kyiv

On December 2, during the fourth training camp of the Ukrainian national team for the 2025 Invictus Games, a friendly wheelchair basketball match will take place between this year’s team members and participants from previous years’ teams.

In addition to the basketball game, players from different years will connect, share their experiences, and reflect on their participation in the project. Former team members will once again experience the Invictus spirit and share their stories about being part of the initiative. The day will also feature an informal networking session between the national team members and project partners.

Speeches will be delivered by Ukraine’s Minister for Veterans Affairs, Nataliia Kalmykova, representatives from the Embassy of Canada, and NATO officials.

Media representatives will have the opportunity to interview current and former national team members, as well as guests, partners, and project organizers.

Registration is required for media attendance.

Background Information: The 2025 Invictus Games will be held in Canada from February 8-16, 2025 and will feature winter sports for the first time. The event is expected to attract over 500 participants from more than 20 countries.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Journalists are invited to attend the 33rd session of sound therapy and a master class on physical and SPA rehabilitation by Serhii Kapralov. The event will be held in Kyiv on 1 December.

This project is free for veterans, military personnel, their families and internally displaced persons. It combines several approaches: physical rehabilitation, sound healing and art therapy.

The project is implemented by Serhii Kapralov (Ph.D. in Physical Education and Sports, author of leading rehabilitation methods for severe injuries, and soldier of the 241st Territorial Defence Brigade) in collaboration with musicians and sound healing specialists – Oleksandr Vlasenko, Artur Nikolenko and Yevhen Rudychev. The initiative was made possible thanks to the patronage of Inessa Kravchenko (founder of the informal educational platform “Liudyna Dyvo Svit”, publisher of the “Wheel of Life” magazine and co-owner of Stan Invest Holding).

Special surprise: The thousandth visitor will receive a gift and all participants will have a chance to participate in a prize draw.

Registration is required to attend the event.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

An unusual operation called “HUR-CAT” was carried out by fighters of the Tymur special unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. The special forces evacuated 15 cats from Snake Island and successfully transported them to the Ukrainian mainland.

The soldiers placed the animals in special carriers and transported them by boat to a safe location. All 15 cats were then delivered to the Sirius shelter in the Kyiv oblast. The animals are now undergoing a period of adjustment and efforts are being made to find them new homes.

Comments from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence can be arranged by appointment. Journalists are also invited to visit the Sirius sanctuary, meet its founder and see the rescued animals.

Background information: The battle for Snake Island began on 24 February 2022 with a missile attack on the Ukrainian border guard garrison stationed there. The attack destroyed all structures on the island, but the Ukrainian border guards continued to resist. After several hours of fighting, russian forces captured Snake and took its defenders prisoner. The island was liberated on the 30th of June 2022, when powerful attacks by Ukrainian forces forced the russian occupiers to hastily evacuate the remnants of their garrison.

• animals
• military
• Kyiv
• evacuation