Themes by tag: Kyiv

Journalists are invited to cover this year’s commemorations of Dignity and Freedom Day, observed annually in Ukraine on November 21.

The date marks two pivotal moments in the country’s modern history: the 21st anniversary of the Orange Revolution and the 12th anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity. The schedule features exhibitions, public gatherings, and a slate of academic and educational events, including a scientific forum titled “The Revolution of Dignity: Towards History.”

On November 21, official ceremonies will take place on the Alley of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred. The program includes a flower-laying ceremony, the tolling of bells in remembrance of those killed, and a prayer service. A joint prayer for Ukraine and for those who defended its freedom is also planned.

The day’s events will include the consecration of the Angels in White Lab Coats monument. The memorial was created in 2014 on the grounds of Kyiv City Hospital No. 17 by wounded participants of the Maidan protests. In 2025, the five-ton granite sculpture was transferred by hospital staff to the Maidan Museum, which is organizing this year’s program.

Journalists can access the full schedule of events.

For background: Dignity and Freedom Day is marked each year on November 21 to honor the start of the Orange Revolution in 2004 and the Revolution of Dignity in 2013.

• culture
• Kyiv

On November 25, the Human Rights Center for Military Personnel and Veterans, ‘Pryncyp’, will unveil its newly developed Legal Navigator for foreign service members in Kyiv. Representatives from units where international fighters serve will attend the event.

During the presentation, experts will introduce the Navigator, a tool designed to help foreign troops, veterans, and their families navigate legal issues and protect their rights. The resource will be available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. 

There will also be a discussion on the specific legal challenges faced by international service members in Ukraine.

Journalists must register to attend the event.

• military
• Kyiv

The Union of Wounded Military Personnel of Ukraine ‘Mitsni 300’ invites the media to the open bowling tournament, “Mitsni Shary”, which will take place on November 22 in Kyiv.

The competition will feature 30 participants, including wounded servicemen and veterans from various regions of Ukraine.

The media will have the opportunity to speak with the participants, organizers, and partners.

Accreditation is required for the event.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

The Teplokrovni donor hub – whose name means “warm-blooded” – is opening a mobile, interactive exhibition highlighting blood and the lifesaving impact of donation. The initiative, in partnership with its collaborators, invites the public to attend the exhibition and participate in blood donation.

The “Warm Weekend” event will run from November 20 to 23 in Kyiv, giving visitors the chance to explore the exhibition inside Teplokrovni’s 13-meter, two-story bus, a mobile hub designed to promote blood donation. The first floor features an interactive display where guests can discover surprising facts about blood, such as its trace gold content, and hear personal stories from donors and recipients whose lives have been saved. The second floor houses a comfortable donation area, open to donors from November 20 to 22.

Teplokrovni is a joint initiative of PUMB (First Ukrainian International Bank) and Mastercard aimed at encouraging a culture of blood donation in Ukraine. The mobile hub travels to different cities to attract donors and raise awareness about the importance of giving blood. Since the project’s launch, 225 donors have contributed 101 liters of blood, offering over 675 people a chance at life. The project is implemented in partnership with DonorUA, an automated system for recruiting and managing blood donors in Ukraine, and Blood Agents, a public organization promoting voluntary, unpaid, and regular blood donation.

• culture
• Kyiv

A briefing on November 19 at the Media Center Ukraine will showcase how technology is being used to create more inclusive and barrier-free environments across the country.

Participants:

– Nataliia Kozlovska, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine;

– Anna Denysenko, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at LUN Real Estate Company;

– Svitlana Hnatiuk, Accessibility Expert at the Barrier-Free NGO;

– Polad Khalilov, Project Manager of the Ukrzaliznytsia’s Barrier-Free Railway Program. 

All in person.

Key topics:

– Accessibility Map statistics from Monitoring-2025: national leaders in the field and plans for the next phase;

– What sets the map-based monitoring apart, and the new opportunities it creates for government officials and everyday users;

– How communities, businesses, and civil society groups can apply the findings to inform decision-making

For reference: More than 70,000 sites have been added to the interactive Accessibility Map following a nationwide assessment of community infrastructure. The monitoring effort, initiated by the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, ran from June 1 to August 31. For the first time, the results can be explored in detail and in real time thanks to the project’s technology partner, LUN. 

The collected data is now being reviewed to pinpoint systemic barriers, identify accessibility gaps, and set priorities for upcoming improvements. This approach enables communities, government agencies, and businesses to plan infrastructure upgrades more precisely, allocate resources more efficiently, and improve the quality of public spaces for all users.

• Kyiv

An exhibition titled Shot Down… has opened in Kyiv, showcasing fragments of russian aircraft and missiles that attacked Ukrainian cities but were intercepted before reaching their targets.

The collection includes parts of the experimental Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B (“Hunter-B”) stealth combat drone, remains of Shahed-136 kamikaze drones, Gerbera UAVs, downed strategic cruise and tactical guided missiles, a 9M79M ballistic missile from the Tochka-U tactical system, the fuselage of a Su-30SM fighter, a suspended ejection seat, and a parachute from a Su-35S aircraft. Recent additions include an almost intact Shahed, an upgraded Gerbera, and a fragment of a smart bomb.
The Oleg Antonov State Aviation Museum is hosting the exhibition, which is open to journalists for coverage.

• culture
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Children often ask direct questions such as: “Why did they attack us?” and “When will this end?” How can you answer honestly without causing unnecessary anxiety? How can parents maintain inner calm when the world around them is unstable?

An open meeting will be held on November 17 to discuss practical approaches to communicating with children during war:

• How to talk about complex topics in simple terms;
• Which words are calming, and which might be frightening;
• How to create a sense of safety at home.
• Why a parent’s calmness is key support for a child.
• How to explain the absence of a father or mother if they are serving on the front lines.
• Is it necessary to limit exposure to the news?

The discussion will cover the best times to talk and when to remain silent, how to tailor answers to a child’s age, and which communication principles will help you be a pillar of strength during difficult times.

Speakers:

• Yuliia Tukalenko, psychologist at the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation;
• Nataliia Obolenska, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisor; physical therapist; founder of the Navkolo Svoi NGO; and partner of a military service member.

Registration is required for the event.

• children
• Kyiv

On November 17, the Media Center Ukraine will host a briefing, “One-time visits and gifts: Risks for children in institutional care and what truly works”

Participants:

– Daria Herasymchuk, Advisor and Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation (in person);

– Maksym Rabtsun, Member of the DIiMO Office, a person with experience of institutional care (in person);

– Kyrylo Nevdokha, Head of the DIiMO Office, a person with experience of institutional care (in person);

– Olena Vydiuk, Foster Mother of a family-type children’s home (online);

– Sofiia Yudina, Mentor for a child from an institutional care facility, Mentorship Development Manager at the DIiMO Office (in person).

Key topics:

– The potential risks of one-time visits

– Why “good intentions” can sometimes be traumatic for children.

– Which forms of support are truly effective?

The event organizers are waiting for confirmation from journalists who wish to attend.

Ahead of the winter holidays, there is traditionally an increase in visits to care facilities for children. Companies, volunteers, and initiative groups bring gifts and organize “holiday events” for the children. But are these visits always helpful?

• children
• Kyiv

Ivan Zabavskyi, 29, was born in Tavilzhanka, a village in the Kharkiv oblast located just 20 kilometers from the russian border. Before the full-scale invasion, he moved to Kharkiv for work.

When russian forces seized part of the Kharkiv oblast, Tavilzhanka, where Ivan’s mother, Maryna, remained, was occupied. In September 2022, Ukrainian troops liberated the Kharkiv oblast, placing the village on the front line. Ivan lost contact with his mother. Despite his relatives’ pleas, he cycled back to Tavilzhanka to rescue her. During the occupation, Maryna was forced to bury her older sister, who was killed by shelling. Just one day before Ivan set out to save her, Maryna moved to another village, causing them to miss each other.

Maryna later learned that russian soldiers had kidnapped her son and taken him to russia. Ivan was accused of spying for Ukraine. In January 2025, a court in St. Petersburg sentenced Ivan to 11 years in a strict-regime penal colony. In June 2025, the Second Court of Appeal in St. Petersburg upheld the sentence, leaving it unchanged.

Ivan’s mother now frequently attends peaceful rallies organized by the NGO “Civilians in Captivity”.

Journalists can speak with Maryna in the Kharkiv oblast, in Kyiv, or online by prior arrangement.

• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kharkiv
• Kyiv

Before russia’s full-scale invasion, Maryna Sadykova worked in event management. But after February 24, 2022, her focus shifted entirely — she and her team began volunteering to support Ukrainian troops. The intense pace of that work soon took a toll. Struggling with burnout and anxiety, Sadykova sought peace in the Carpathian Mountains. That personal recovery experience inspired her to launch a mental health initiative for others facing the same strain.

Her organization, the Repower Charity Fund, now runs a psychological support program specifically for military medics and doctors who serve on the front lines. Based in Kyiv, the program offers a 10-day retreat in Sweden designed to help participants restore their emotional resilience and mental well-being.

Since 2022, Repower has organized 17 recovery programs, 16 abroad and one pilot retreat in Ukraine, reaching 1,244 combat medics who have since returned to duty. The foundation continues to expand its retreats and provide ongoing support for those who save lives under fire.

Media representatives and visitors can arrange to meet with Maryna Sadykova, her team, and program participants both online and in person in Kyiv by appointment.

• doctors
• psychological support
• volunteers
• women
• Kyiv