Themes by tag: Kyiv

Stepan Korobkin, 25, is from the town of Myrnohrad in the Donetsk oblast, which is currently on the front line. In November 2020, Stepan joined the Defense Forces on contract and served in an assault mortar battery. He was on active duty when the full-scale invasion began.

In June 2022, Stepan suffered his first injury, but soon returned to the front. In 2023, he lost his right arm in an artillery attack.

The amputation and 32 surgeries did not prevent Stepan from returning to civilian life. During his rehabilitation, the veteran received and mastered a prosthetic right arm and found a new passion – soccer. He also volunteered to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, to prove that amputation is not the end of life and that there is always a way to move forward. After his successful climb, Stepan was entered into the National Register of Records of Ukraine.

You can speak with Stepan Korobkin online or in person in Kyiv by prior arrangement. The veteran is ready to share photos and videos of his Kilimanjaro climb with journalists.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Crimean Tatar Musa is the developer of the “Dracarys” buggies, which he and his team produce for the military. After the occupation of Crimea, Musa left the peninsula and started a business in the capital. After the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, he designed an all-terrain buggy for front-line use with enhanced off-road capabilities.

The first buggies had four passenger seats, could evacuate one wounded soldier, and ran on either gasoline or diesel fuel. After receiving positive feedback from the military, Musa’s team increased production and improved the vehicles.

Today, only the name “Dracarys” remains from the original buggies. The upgraded all-terrain vehicles have more powerful diesel engines and can carry two to three wounded. Musa’s team has also improved the vehicles’ off-road capabilities.

It takes volunteers up to four weeks to build a buggy, and two can be built at a time. Funding for parts comes from donors or military units.

You can connect with Musa online or in person, and visit the buggy production site in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• military
• Kyiv

On January 22, Kyiv will host a Walk of Remembrance to pay tribute to the first Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred who lost their lives during the Revolution of Dignity. Participants will light candles and lay flowers at memorial plaques along the route, reflecting on the sacrifices made for Ukraine’s freedom.  

The annual procession brings together families of the fallen, Maidan activists, and others who wish to honor their memory. The walk follows a solemn path from the Lach Gates to Mykhaila Hrushevskoho Street, retracing the steps of those who stood on the frontlines of the 2014 protests.  

On this day in 2014, 20-year-old Serhiy Nigoyan from the Dnipropetrovsk region and 25-year-old Belarusian Mikhail Zhiznevsky were fatally shot. Nearby, the tortured body of Yurii Verbytskyi, a Lviv resident kidnapped a day earlier, was discovered outside Kyiv. Roman Senyk, a 45-year-old from Lviv, succumbed to his injuries days later, while activists Oleksandr Badera and Bohdan Kalyniak also lost their lives during the protests.  

3 Sotnia Samooborony Maidanu (Third Hundred of Maidan Self-Defense), which Serhiy Nigoyan belonged to, initiated the event. Nigoyan, the first victim of the Maidan uprising, was stationed at the 3rd barricade checkpoint near the Lach Gates, a poignant location for the gathering.  

Accreditation is required to attend.

For reference: The remembrance walk is organized by the NGO “3 Sotnia Samooborony Maidanu” (Third Hundred of Maidan Self-Defense), NGO “Families of the Heavenly Hundred,” the Kyiv Three Saints Theological Seminary of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), and the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity.  

• dead
• Kyiv

Yuliia Buniak, originally from Crimea, has called Kyiv home since her university days. Now a widow raising her 14-year-old son, Tymofii, she is navigating life after her husband was killed in action on August 3, 2023, while serving on the frontlines.  

For Yuliia, the russian-Ukrainian conflict began in 2014 with the annexation of her homeland. Her husband joined the military shortly after the invasion, fought for over a year, and then returned to civilian life. But the full-scale russian assault in February 2022 marked a turning point. On the evening of February 23, as the couple shared a quiet moment at home, a call from the territorial recruitment office changed their lives. Her husband reported for duty the next morning, initially serving in Kyiv before being deployed to the eastern front. As a mortar operator, he carried out missions near Bakhmut, one of the most fiercely contested areas of the war. After completing his first rotation in December 2022, he returned home briefly, allowing the family to celebrate the New Year together. But during his second deployment, tragedy struck. On August 3, 2023, he was killed during an artillery strike near Pivnichnyi, in Donetsk’s Bakhmut district.  

Yuliia reflects on the close bond her husband shared with Tymofii. From teaching him to drive to bonding over their shared love of boxing, their relationship was filled with cherished moments. Last year, Tymofii had the chance to meet his idol, Oleksandr Usyk, and even attended his fight in Riyadh with his mother.  

For reference: The Children of Heroes Foundation is now providing essential support to Yuliia and Tymofii. The organization, dedicated to aiding children who have lost one or both parents due to russia’s invasion, offers financial assistance, psychological counseling, legal aid, and educational resources to help them thrive despite their loss.

• dead
• military
• women
• Kyiv

On February 1, Dutch volunteers Franky and Coen, widely recognized for their unwavering support for Ukraine, will embark on their 30th humanitarian mission to the war-torn region. The duo plans to continue their signature effort of distributing fries and Dutch snacks to those affected by the conflict in Donbas, having already served over 200,000 portions. However, their mission extends beyond food aid—they will once again assist in evacuating individuals from frontline areas who are unable to escape on their own. These evacuees will find refuge at “The Holland House,” a shelter run by the volunteers in Dnipro.  

Franky and Coen are no strangers to the dangers of their work. In a previous mission, they narrowly survived a deadly rocket attack in Kramatorsk that claimed 13 lives and left both of them with minor injuries.  

Journalists interested in speaking with Franky and Coen can arrange interviews with them in Kyiv or Dnipro.  

The duo’s volunteer journey began at the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Franky, who owns a snack bar in the Netherlands and operates food trucks at events, was struck by images of refugees lining up at the Polish-Ukrainian border. What started as a one-time plan to hand out fries at the border soon turned into a full-scale humanitarian mission, with support from his friend Coen. Their efforts quickly expanded beyond the border. They initially worked in the Lviv region, then moved to areas in the Kyiv region that had just been liberated. Their subsequent missions took them to Kharkiv, Donbas, and eventually to Kherson and Zaporizhia. Over the past two years, Franky and Coen have consistently returned to some of the most dangerous regions in Ukraine, providing both aid and hope to those in need.

• casualties
• food
• russian crimes
• volunteers
• Dnipro
• Kyiv
• evacuation

On January 22, a training session using an adaptive sit ski for veterans will be held in Kyiv. Three veterans will take part in the session.

By prior arrangement, journalists are welcome to cover the event.

Background: Veterans, people with disabilities and their families can take advantage of the free “Active Parks” project until the end of February to train in skiing, snowboarding and using an adaptive sit ski at the Golosiyv Ski Park in Kyiv. Tempo Dualski is a safe and professional tool for skiing and snowboarding for people with disabilities. The sessions will be conducted by experienced instructors.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Colonels Monte and Chuck from the USA call themselves “Traveling Colonels”. They are retired U.S. Marine Corps officers and both veterans of the Iraq War. During the full-scale war, the Colonels collected and distributed over 9,000 first aid kits, hundreds of medic bag kits, tons of hospital surgical aid.

Currently, the Colonels are providing basic medical supplies for surgeons, pediatricians, ophthalmologists and others. Each month, medical supplies arrive from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and other European countries.

Since 2022, Monte has made 17 trips to Ukraine, while Chuck has visited 12 times.

Journalists can learn more and speak with “The Traveling Colonels” in Kyiv.

• volunteers
• Kyiv

Tetiana Hatsura-Yavorska, a citizen of Belarus, has been a human rights activist since 2006. Later she founded the human rights organization “Zvyano”. After the Belarusian protests in 2020, a criminal case was opened against Tetiana for her activism, which displeased the Belarusian authorities. She was arrested and threatened that her child would be sent to an orphanage. Her husband took the child and fled the country. After spending 10 days in a detention center, Tetiana was released but banned from leaving Belarus.

After russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Tetiana decided to leave Minsk illegally. Upon arriving in Kyiv, she immediately began volunteering and raising funds to purchase vacuum therapy devices for hospitals. During two years of war, she raised more than 100,000 euros for these devices. She later founded the “Lanka” rehabilitation center for wounded soldiers.

At “Lanka”, soldiers recover from injuries to their arms, legs and spine, and can also receive treatment for gastrointestinal and neurological problems. Since its inception, the center has rehabilitated 60 soldiers, including international volunteers.

You can contact Tetiana Hatsura-Yavorska online or in person in Kyiv by prior arrangement. 

• casualties
• military
• women
• Kyiv

Peaceful events are planned in 22 cities across Ukraine to raise awareness of the defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers still in enemy captivity.

On January 18, rallies will be held in Ochyrka, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, Bila Tserkva, Kolomyia and Pavlohrad.

On January 19, peaceful actions are scheduled in Kyiv, Pivdenoukrainsk, Krolevets, Ovruch, Korosten, Kremenchuk, Uzhhorod, Mykolaiv, Rivne, Berdychiv, Korostyshiv, Ternopil, Cherkasy and Kropyvnytskyi.

The events are organized by the families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison. The rallies are often attended by Ukrainians who have been released from captivity.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Pylyp Dukhliy is a veteran of the russo-Ukrainian war and the founder of a private school where children study programming, robotics, 2D and 3D modeling in addition to general education subjects.

After February 24, 2022, Pylyp evacuated his family to the West, while he joined the Defense Forces. His mission was to organize communication between positions. Pylyp says that during his service he faced several life-threatening situations and now counts four additional “birthdays”.

After being discharged, Pylyp returned to work at the school in Kyiv. Currently, high school students there are assembling and building FPV drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The students enjoy the process as it allows them to put their theoretical knowledge into practice. They have a modern workshop equipped for design, prototyping and soldering. The workshop also has a laser cutter and a 3D printer.

The students’ drones can carry up to two kilograms, travel at least five kilometers, and stay airborne for over twenty minutes.

• children
• Kyiv