Themes by tag: Kyiv

On October 24, Kyiv will open the exhibition Protest/Architecture. Barricades and Camps: The World and Ukraine at the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity. The event, organized in collaboration with the German Architectural Museum in Frankfurt, and supported by the Goethe-Institut, is also in partnership with the Museum of the History of Kyiv. This exhibition coincides with two significant anniversaries in Ukraine’s history: the 20th anniversary of the Orange Revolution and the 11th anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity.

The exhibit explores the architectural elements of protest movements worldwide, comparing them to those seen in Ukraine’s historic uprisings. Highlights include the barricades of the 1848 revolution in Western Europe, the 2013-2014 Maidan protests in Kyiv, tent cities from the Arab Spring, and the 2019 light laser demonstrations in Hong Kong.

The Maidan Museum team will also delve into how Kyiv’s urban space became integral to the protests. They’ll examine how the Orange Revolution of 2004 shaped the swift organization and spatial structure of the Euromaidan protests in 2013, which in turn drew on the lessons from the 1990 Revolution on Granite.

Accreditation is required to attend the event.

• culture
• Kyiv

Nadiia Zharkykh, a coffee art instructor, had long dreamed of opening her own barista school. In 2021, she relocated with her family from Mykolaiv to Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine. But just two months after settling in, her plans were shattered by russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Her barista school, tentatively set to open on February 26, 2022, never saw its grand debut as the war swept across the region.

Caught under occupation, Nadiia sought refuge by working at a friend’s coffee shop, where she also volunteered, cooking and helping however she could. But as threats from russian forces mounted, she knew she had to leave. The escape was grueling—she passed through 70 checkpoints to reach Zaporizhia, and from there, made her way to Kyiv.

On August 7, 2023, exactly a year after leaving occupied Kherson, Nadiia’s resilience paid off when she opened a coffee shop near Kyiv with the support of a government grant. The shop is more than just a business—it’s a place of learning. Nadiia and her team now teach young women the art of coffee-making, and some of her students have gone on to open their own cafes, both in Ukraine and abroad.

During the summer blackouts, the café also served as a co-working space, offering a sense of community during challenging times. In addition, Nadiia and her close friends established a charity foundation in Mykolaiv called “Welcome to Ukraine,” which supports both military personnel and civilians across the country.

For those interested, interviews with Nadiia can be arranged by appointment in the Kyiv region.

Background: Kherson fell to russian forces on March 1, 2022, in the early days of the invasion. Ukrainian troops liberated the city on November 11, 2022, but russian shelling continues to threaten the area.

• occupation
• volunteers
• women
• Kherson
• Kyiv

To support Ukraine, the Association of Sustainable Development Experts (ASDE) and its partners have joined forces to create an international sustainable business ecosystem for economic recovery and development of the economy based on sustainability principles. They are organizing the International Sustainability Forum (ISF’2024) for the fourth time.

The forum, which will take place on October 24 in Kyiv and October 25 in The Hague, aims to unite the business sectors of Ukraine and the EU, international investment banks and funds, as well as representatives from the executive and legislative branches of government. The goal is to foster effective and practical discussions on identifying mechanisms to attract investments for sustainable development and the green recovery of Ukraine.

The forum will feature interactive panel discussions, presentations of relevant research, and opportunities for expert networking.

The forum in Kyiv will be attended by:

– Oleksii Sobolev, First Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, 

– Victoria Kireeva, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, 

– Kateryna Rozhkova, First Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, 

– Volodymyr Mudryi, Chairman of the Board of the Independent Association of Banks of Ukraine, 

– Jaco Silier, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine, 

– Olena Voloshyna, Senior Country Director, IFC Ukraine, 

– Oleksii Povolotskyi, Head of the Department for Restoration and Development of Energy Infrastructure at DTEK, 

– Adomas Audickas, Deputy Chairman of the Board of MHP.

Journalists can access more detailed information about the full program and participants for the events in Kyiv and The Hague (Netherlands).

Accreditation is required for the event.

• Kyiv

On October 27, the charity race Run4Victory, organized in support of the 13th Khartiia Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, will take place in Kyiv. The event will bring together athletes, military personnel and concerned citizens united by a common goal – to help our defenders who protect Ukraine.

The program of the event includes

• participation of 100 soldiers of the National Guard, who will run in support of their comrades;
• for the first time in Ukraine – a 2 km race with a unique robotic dog of the Khartiia reconnaissance unit;
• participation of Andrii Hrechanov, a rescuer from Poltava, who set a Ukrainian record at the previous Run4Victory race in Cherkasy by running 21 km in full gear in memory of a fallen comrade;
• charity auction of unique items prepared by the Khartiia soldiers; 
• performance of Orchestra 59, a musical project of the Cultural Forces formed by soldiers and veterans
• reading of children’s fairy tales by Sashko Lirnyk, a renowned storyteller, scriptwriter, actor and TV presenter.

Journalists can access more detailed information about the event program. Accreditation is required. 

For reference: A robotic dog of the reconnaissance unit of the 13th Khartiia Brigade of the NGU has recently returned from a combat mission in the Kharkiv sector, where it helped scouts gather information. It can climb stairs, carry a load of up to 10 kg, move at a speed of up to 12.5 km/h, and its battery lasts for 4 hours. Its use reduces the risk to the lives of our military.

• Kyiv

Kyiv will host the “Festival of First Plays”  from October 18-20, showcasing works written by participants in the Veterans’ Theater project. This event focuses on the development of emerging playwrights, with every aspect—from the directors’ efforts to the actors’ performances and audience engagement—centered on helping military veterans learn the craft of drama, write their first plays, and quickly gain stage experience.

Audiences will have the chance to see 11 new plays written by veterans and active military personnel, along with four works from civilian participants in the project.

The Veterans’ Theater project was created by the Communications Department of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (TRO Media), in collaboration with the Theater of Playwrights. 

Journalists can access the full event program for the Festival, which runs from October 18 to 20.

• culture
• Kyiv

Irpin, a city in Kyiv Oblast, has introduced a free demolition program for owners of private homes destroyed during the war. Launched by the Irpin City Council, the initiative is being executed by local utility services, which have already cleared dozens of plots for residents. This effort is designed to help homeowners begin reconstruction more quickly, while also reducing costs related to the initial cleanup.

The Irpin Housing and Utilities Department is using heavy machinery provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, including excavators, loaders, and crushers, to carry out the demolitions.

Journalists, with prior arrangement, are welcome to report on the demolition efforts underway in Irpin.

Background: During russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 1,130 private homes in Irpin were damaged, and 1,483 were completely destroyed.

• casualties
• reconstruction
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

The Voices of Children Charitable Foundation is offering free training sessions in Kyiv for journalists, local producers, and communicators from civil society organizations. These workshops, titled “Ethical Approaches to Interviewing Children in Time of War,” aim to equip media professionals with the tools to conduct sensitive, responsible interviews with children affected by war.

Participants will:

• gain hands-on insights into creating a safe and trusting interview environment;
• navigate delicate questions without causing further trauma, and recognizing when to pause or end an interview;
• ethically report on child bereavement, suicide;
• share stories that both respect the child’s experience and inspire hope.

The training will be led by Yuliia Tukalenko, a psychologist from the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation, and Olena Lisova, PhD in Medical Psychology, also from the foundation.

Event details:

Location: Kyiv (in person)

Duration: 4 hours

Language: Ukrainian

Cost: Free (registration required)

For participants from other cities, tickets and accommodation can be arranged if needed.

Training dates:

November 2: National media journalists 

(Application deadline: October 28; Travel/accommodation deadline: October 23)

November 23: Local producers and foreign media representatives

(Application deadline: November 18; Travel/accommodation deadline: November 13)

• Kyiv

An analysis of a North Korean KN-23/24 missile, downed by Ukrainian forces in the Poltava region in September, reveals that it contains microelectronics manufactured by companies from the U.S., Switzerland, and the U.K. The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO), which examined the missile’s wreckage, found that most of the components were produced by American firms, with a total of seven manufacturers identified. Some parts were made as recently as 2021, 2022, and 2023.

On October 17 in Kyiv, NAKO will present a detailed analysis, shedding light on how Western-made components ended up in North Korean weaponry. The briefing will explore the origins of these components and address the challenges in regulating the flow of microelectronics across domestic and international markets.

Participants:

• Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukraine’s Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy;
• Agiya Zagrebelska, Director for Partnership Development, Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU);
• Olena Tregub, Executive Director of the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO);
• Victoria Vyshnivska, Senior Researcher at the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO). 

Journalists wishing to attend the event must be accredited by October 16 at 5:00 p.m.

Background: Since the start of russia’s all-out invasion, NAKO experts have examined over 2,500 components from 30 pieces of russian military equipment, including fighter jets, a Ka-52 “Alligator” attack helicopter, Kalibr missiles, and Iranian drones. The investigation found that 2,000 of these parts came from 22 countries, predominantly Western, with 64% sourced from U.S.-based companies.

• russian crimes
• weapon
• Kyiv

Save Ukraine has established Hope and Healing Centers to offer essential support to children and families displaced by the ongoing war. These centers serve as safe spaces for children returning from russia and families evacuated from combat zones, providing a comprehensive range of services including temporary housing, humanitarian aid, legal assistance, and psychological rehabilitation. Each family is given a personalized program designed to help them recover from the trauma of war and adapt to their new circumstances.

Journalists are invited to visit and report on the work of the Hope and Healing Centers in the Kyiv region.

For reference: russia’s full-scale invasion has displaced and traumatized millions of Ukrainian children, with many forcibly taken to russia. Save Ukraine is a charitable organization dedicated to helping vulnerable families with children through three key initiatives: facilitating the return of children from occupied territories and russia, evacuating families from war zones, and providing rehabilitation and reintegration services within local communities.

• casualties
• children
• psychological support
• Kyiv

For over a decade, Oleksandr Chaika taught acrobatics with parkour elements to children. But when russia launched its full-scale invasion, he joined the Defense Forces and was deployed to the frontlines in Luhansk. He first fought in Lysychansk and later in Popasna. On April 6, 2022, a tank shell hit the trench where Oleksandr was stationed, injuring both of his legs. The damage was severe, and doctors had no choice but to amputate one limb.

Oleksandr traveled to the United States for a prosthetic fitting, receiving a waist-level prosthesis that demands immense physical effort and control over his back and core muscles just to walk.

After completing rehabilitation, he returned to Kyiv, where the parents of his former students urged him to start teaching again. He opened his own acrobatics studio, but demand quickly outgrew the space. The veteran soon expanded, opening a second location. Oleksandr not only plans to continue training children but also hopes to support fellow veterans in adapting to life with prostheses.

Oleksandr Chaika is currently based in Kyiv and is available for interviews with journalists both online and in person, upon request.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv