Themes by tag: Kyiv

On July 22, Kyiv will unveil the exhibition “The Will to Win: Warriors of Sport” to mark Ukraine’s participation in the Olympic Games. This exhibition showcases the rich history of Ukraine’s Olympic journey, spanning from the late nineteenth century to the present.

The display highlights the devastating impact of russia’s aggression on Ukraine’s sports infrastructure. Visitors will see fragments of trophies, sports equipment, and stadium seats, all damaged or destroyed by russian hostilities. These artifacts were salvaged from various sports venues wrecked by ongoing warfare.

A special section, featuring photographs by Mykola Synelnykov, celebrates the resilience of Ukrainian athletes who continue to train amidst the ruins of their facilities, exemplifying their unbreakable spirit.

For reference: This year, Ukraine is sending a delegation of 140 athletes to compete in 23 sports at the Olympics. Tragically, nearly 500 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have lost their lives since the large-scale russian invasion began.

• culture
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Anna Yaroshenko, a seasoned diver with over 20 years of experience, believes diving is accessible to everyone. She has dived with children, elderly individuals, and people with hearing and visual impairments, mental disorders, and various injuries. Underwater, the effects of gravity diminish, allowing everyone to experience a sense of “weightlessness.”

Following the onset of the full-scale war, Anna saw diving as a potential rehabilitation tool for injured military personnel. Recognizing its benefits for both physical and psychological recovery, she launched the project “Gravity? WTF?”. Her mother, a rehabilitation therapist, introduced her to the first volunteers—wounded defenders with injuries and amputations.

The project’s aim is to provide military veterans with a new and engaging hobby, teaching them the complete set of skills needed to become independent divers. Initially, the soldiers train in a shallow, barrier-free pool accessible by wheelchair. The next phase involves a 3.8-meter deep pool. Those who gain confidence in scuba diving progress to open water dives.

To date, 25 veterans with various injuries and amputations have participated in the project.

Journalists are invited to learn more about “Gravity? WTF?” and to cover the diving lessons held in Kyiv pools and open water sessions. 

• casualties
• military
• women
• Kyiv

“Ukrainian LGBT+ Military and Veterans for Equal Rights” NGO opened the first veteran hub for LGBT+ military personnel in Ukraine’s capital, which is also the first one in Eastern Europe. The goal of the hub is to create a safe space to assist LGBT+ military personnel and reintegrate queer veterans in the society. In particular, the hub will host events to help with the mental and physical health of defenders. Psychological and legal assistance as well as services by friendly sexologists will be available in the hub.

For reference: The association “Ukrainian LGBT+ Military and Veterans for Equal Rights” was created in 2018 after Anton Shebetko’s exhibition “We Were There.” During the exhibition, one of the soldiers, currently the Head of the organization, Viktor Pylypenko, came out as gay combat veteran.

The association includes hundreds of LGBT+ military personnel and veterans, some open about their identity and others keeping it private. The military is rallying to fight for the rights available to other citizens of Ukraine. Members of the association actively participate in both the defense of the Motherland against russian invaders and the protection of rights and freedoms.

• military
• Kyiv
• LGBT

In a landmark initiative spanning April to July 2024, Ukraine has established its inaugural Team of Cultural First Aiders under the flagship project “Enhancing Capacities in Ukraine for Cultural Heritage First Aid and Recovery Planning.” This team comprises 23 specialized professionals who underwent intensive training.

Throughout the comprehensive program, Ukrainian experts including museum curators, monument conservators, architects, engineers, legal advisors, restorers, and managers engaged in both online and in-person sessions. They drew insights from international and domestic mentors, examining strategies for safeguarding cultural assets during crises. 

Practical exercises, such as assessing the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Viazivka, Zhytomyr region—damaged during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2022—underscored their training. Participants learned to apply international standards in risk management, document damage, evaluate threats, and execute protective measures for endangered cultural sites.

Journalists seeking further details, including visual documentation from the Viazivka training, can obtain additional information about this pioneering effort.

• culture
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On July 16, Media Center Ukraine will host a presentation of the analytical report: “Ukraine’s Efforts in Searching for Missing Persons and Family Support.”

Participants:

– Aliona Luniova, Advocacy Manager at ZMINA Human Rights Center;

– Artur Dobroserdov, Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances;

– Olena Bieliachkova, Coordinator for Groups of Families of Prisoners of War at Media Initiative for Human Rights;

– Liubov Tkachenko, mother of Roman Tkachenko, a missing soldier of the military unit A7376. 

Topics of discussion:

– Has the government adequately safeguarded the rights of missing persons?

– How well are the needs of affected families met by state assurances?

– What improvements are necessary to enhance support for missing persons and their families?

Pre-registration is required.

• Kyiv

On July 18, the family of the fallen hero (the Berezov family) in Kyiv region will receive Ukraine’s first residential house, built using 3D construction technology. A house with an area of ​​130 m² was printed in 58 hours using a 3D printer of 3D UTU company.

On March 6, 2022, the Berezov family lost their home due to the russian aggression during the occupation of Irpin. And on November 6, 2022, the father of the family, Yaroslav, died in the battles for Bakhmut. This house will become a symbol of a new beginning for them as well as commemorate the fallen hero.

The special feature of this house is a dual-purpose room with an increased level of security, in which the Berezov family will be able to wait out air alarms.

Journalists will have the opportunity to talk with the Berezov family, Inna Furman, Head of the Hold the Nation Charity Foundation, and representatives of the authorities and partners.

The event requires accreditation. Accreditation will be open until 6:00 PM on July 17, 2024.

For reference: The house for the Berezovs was built as part of the “United for Help” project. This is an initiative of the Hold the Nation Charity Foundation, implemented with the support of the Irpin City Council and over 70 partners.

• casualties
• dead
• occupation
• reconstruction
• Kyiv

Iryna Vlasenko is a doctor specializing in dermatology and venereology who survived the russian occupation in Melitopol (Zaporizhia region). She knows the feeling when it seems that everyone has forgotten about you. These memories motivate her to volunteer at FRIDA (the Ukrainian-Israeli medical volunteer mission). Together with other doctors, Iryna attends to patients both in the front-line regions and in the borderlands, and shows by her example that people who live there are remembered.

The trips also help her deal with her fears about her husband, who is now on the front lines. While her husband has operated a Mavic drone on over 100 missions, Iryna has gone on more than 40 trips to the front-line territories.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with Iryna in Kyiv. There is also an opportunity to cover the volunteer trips made by FRIDA Ukraine.

For reference: FRIDA Ukraine is a Ukrainian-Israeli medical volunteer mission that aims to help the civilian population. Volunteer doctors provide Ukrainians affected by hostilities with high-quality healthcare.

• casualties
• doctors
• occupation
• women
• Kyiv

Peaceful gatherings are planned in at least 16 Ukrainian cities to highlight the plight of Azovstal defenders and other military personnel still in enemy captivity. 

On July 13, rallies will occur in Okhtyrka, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Pavlohrad, and Irpin. 

The following day, July 14, demonstrations are scheduled in Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kremenchuk, Krolevets, Ovruch, Kropyvnytskyi, Trostianets, Kryvyi Rih, and Chernivtsi. 

These events are organized by the families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv
• Odesa

Anastasiia Morozova serves as a pediatrician at the Okhmatdyt National Children’s Hospital and heads the Little Hearts program under FRIDA Ukraine, a Ukrainian-Israeli Medical Volunteer Mission. This program deploys multidisciplinary teams of volunteer doctors to orphanages to assess the children’s needs for medications, vaccinations, rehabilitation, and surgical interventions. Anastasiia has participated in over 20 FRIDA Ukraine missions.

On July 8, Anastasiia witnessed a russian missile attack on Okhmatdyt. She was unharmed and, along with FRIDA volunteers, helped evacuate the children, provided medical care to the victims, and assisted in clearing the rubble. The attack resulted in two fatalities and 32 injuries at the hospital.

Journalists can arrange interviews with Anastasiia and join FRIDA Ukraine missions by prior arrangement.

For reference: Since the full-scale invasion began, about 8,500 Ukrainian children have been left without parental care, over 1,500 have become orphans, and tens of thousands have lost their homes or been forced to relocate. Ukrainian children’s homes and orphanages are under immense pressure, with depleted resources and limited access to quality medical care. Through the Little Hearts project, FRIDA supports orphanages and boarding schools across Ukraine.

• children
• doctors
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv

On July 15, the ENDLESS HOPE photo exhibition by Nataliia Nesterkina will begin in Kyiv. It is dedicated to the families of Ukrainian soldiers from the 30th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who went missing during the battles with the Wagnerites along the Bakhmut axis. There are over 300 fighters from this brigade.

The photo project features wives, sisters, mothers and children of the missing soldiers.

For reference: Nataliia Nesterkina is a member of the National Society of Photo Artists of Ukraine. She has been accredited for photography by the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2022. She has been documenting the crimes committed by the aggressor in de-occupied territories.

• Kyiv