Themes by tag: Kyiv

On April 4, media representatives and bloggers are invited to the pre-opening of Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberovs’ “Contact Line” exhibition in Kyiv. In particular, there will be an opportunity to ask photographers some questions and receive comments from the first guests of the exhibition: media persons, military personnel and volunteers.

“Contact Line” will open on April 5. The exhibition includes more than 150 documentary photos and videos taken over the past two years in front-line areas and the front lines themselves.

Since the start of the full-scale war, the couple has traveled to the hottest areas of the front, documenting the consequences of russian shelling and the work of the Ukrainian military. So, Kostiantyn spent many hours with the infantry at “the ground zero” and accompanied assault groups on their missions. Some of the photos presented at “Contact Line” exhibition include: “Shell Cemetery in Kharkiv,” “Battle for Bakhmut,” “Winter at the Front. Silver Forest,” “30 Hours at Ground Zero,” “Da Vinci’s Last Assault” and other war series photos. The second part of the exhibition will depict the reality of the civilian population with footage from Marinka, Bakhmut, Soledar, Kherson, Lysychansk, Bucha, Mykolaiv and other Ukrainian cities that suffered as a result of the russian invasion.

Entry to the exhibition requires a donation of UAH 100 or more, and visitors can purchase any work if they wish. Funds collected during the exhibition will be used to purchase 1,000 FPV drones for the military.

The event requires registration. 

• culture
• Kyiv

The ‘Doctors for Heroes’ charity project is dedicated to assisting both military personnel and civilians who have suffered facial and head injuries, offering vital reconstruction services. To date, the project has aided 107 military individuals and one civilian.

Under this initiative, skilled surgeons and bioengineers generously provide their expertise pro bono, ensuring patients receive essential medical care. However, for the reconstruction of skull bones, specialized implants are required. Recognizing this need, the Eastern Star Charitable Foundation, the driving force behind the project, has committed to covering the costs of producing these implants for each participant. To fund this crucial aspect, the foundation relies on donations, carefully managing the allocation of resources to ensure targeted assistance. Moreover, it offers ongoing support to patients throughout their treatment journey.

Journalists seeking insights into this impactful endeavor can arrange interviews with project organizers, medical professionals, and beneficiaries in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

• casualties
• doctors
• military
• Kyiv

In a bid to prevent amputations among Ukrainians injured in Russia’s aggression, the “Save the Limb” national initiative is teaming up with artists. On March 31, Kyiv will host the “Sorrow and Love” charity dinners, with entry granted upon donation.

The evening’s lineup boasts performances by renowned Ukrainian musicians, stand-up comedy by Ramil Yangulov, a DJ set by Bodrov, and a charity auction featuring a photo draw by war documentary filmmakers Konstiantyn and Vladyslava Liberov, aka Libkos.

Attendees will groove to tunes by artists like Dima Libra, GEED (Hidayat Seyidov), and INSHAYA, whose spouse serves in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Headlining the event is HARNA, a talented multi-instrumentalist artist, Ukrainian musician, and former participant of “The Voice of Ukraine 11” and Eurovision 2020’s national selection.

All funds raised at the event will go towards surgeries for the wounded under the “Save the Limb” program of the Health of the Ukrainian People Foundation.

For context: “Save the Limb” stands as one of Ukraine’s premier programs, offering aid to war victims and funding costly limb-saving surgeries not covered by the state. Since its 2022 inception, the program has aided over a thousand Ukrainians.

• casualties
• culture
• doctors
• Kyiv

April 4th, showcasing the experiences of teenagers living through war. Produced by the savED Charitable Foundation in collaboration with the kinotonly filmmaking team, the documentary delves into the stories of teens from Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Kakhovka, and Lviv, along with their mentors. In the film, these resilient teenagers share firsthand accounts of surviving a full-scale war and offer insights into their efforts toward Ukraine’s development and reconstruction. (Watch the trailer here). 

The documentary has already premiered in venues like London, Oxford, and Cambridge, with Kyiv being the next stop on April 4th.

Ukrainian artist and illustrator Nikita Titov has been enlisted by the savED Foundation to craft posters for the film, adding a visually captivating element to its promotion.

Attendees of the screening will have the unique opportunity to engage with the film’s protagonists and mentors, with Ukrainian actor, screenwriter, and host of the YouTube show ’20:23′ Yevhen Yanovych moderating a discussion after the screening.

Beyond its educational aims, ‘We. The Future’ also serves a charitable purpose. As it travels the globe, the film’s creators and subjects raise funds to support the revival of the Mariupol Lyceum, which was forced to relocate from the occupied city to Kyiv. Today, the Lyceum provides education to hundreds of children from the occupied territories. 

Event registration is required. 

• children
• culture
• reconstruction
• Kyiv

The All-Ukrainian Forum entitled “Cultural and Informational Reintegration of the De-Occupied Territories” is a platform enabling development of joint systemic actions for the state, civil society, business and international partners in order to complete the cultural and informational restoration in de-occupied territories.

Panel discussions scheduled for the Forum include:

• State policy for restoring and developing the culture industry in the de-occupied territories;
• Preservation of cultural heritage and historical memory as a tool for restoring Ukrainian identity;
• Forming Ukrainian narratives: information policy in the de-occupied territories;
• Art amidst the war. Countering russian disinformation.

The event requires accreditation.

• culture
• Kyiv

The UAnimals team (the animal and environment protection movement) came across the story of Hanna Ivanivna on the Internet. Due to the war, the woman was forced to move from her native Mykolaiv to Kyiv. In the new city, she did not surrender to despair and started her own business selling hand-made mice plushies.

Representatives of UAnimals met the craftswoman near the exit from one of the Kyiv metro stations, where she was selling her products for a small price. They agreed on the collaboration “Animalism by UAnimals & Hanna Ivanivna.” Anyone can buy a handmade mouse for UAH 400. With every toy sold, UAH 200 will be used to save animals from war, and another UAH 200 will be paid to Hanna Ivanivna. UAnimals want to inspire and support women with this initiative.

All of Hanna Ivanivna’s mice are already sold out, but you can pre-order them on the website.

• casualties
• Kyiv

The Boychuk Academy of Decorative and Applied Arts and Design was damaged in russian shelling on March 25, 2024. The organizers of the cleanup invite everyone to join the first step in the revival of the cultural center. “Boychuk Cleanup” will be supported by Dobrobat NGO, which since the beginning of the full-scale invasion has been involved in clearing the rubble after enemy shelling, as well as the reconstruction in the regions that suffered from the occupation.

• reconstruction
• russian crimes
• volunteers
• Kyiv

On March 28, the Every Brick Matters event will be held in Irpin, Kyiv region.

To mark the second anniversary of the city’s de-occupation and the start of community reconstruction, the Irpin City Council is gathering all its Ukrainian and international friends and partners for a solemn event to thank them for their contribution to the revival of the hero city.

The invited guests include: officials of the Office of the President, the Cabinet of Ministers, Kyiv Oblast Military Administration, Bucha District State Administration, ambassadors of Irpin’s partner countries, representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, charitable foundations, volunteers, residents of Irpin.

Rostyslav Smirnov, Co-Founder of Dobrobat and a resident of the destroyed residential complex Irpinski Lypky will address the guests with an opening speech (photos of this building went viral in the whole world, and the complex itself became one of the main locations visited by foreign delegations, and is actively undergoing renovation).

In addition, Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn will present a detailed report on the reconstruction of the Irpin community within 2 years.

The guests of the event will receive gratitude from the Irpin City Council and special awards – pieces of original bricks from the destroyed residential complex Irpinski Lypky.

The event requires accreditation.

For reference: on March 28, 2022, Irpin was liberated from the russian invaders by joint actions of the Territorial Defense, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Army, and volunteers. The russian army was stopped while it was trying to approach the capital.

• occupation
• reconstruction
• Kyiv

During the very first days of russian full-scale invasion, Vitalii, a resident of Hostomel, Kyiv region, together with acquaintances organized a remote system for transmitting the coordinates of the russians occupying Hostomel, even though he was outside the city. He collected information on the location and movement of enemy troops online and helped to direct artillery at them. During the occupation of the city, Vitalii recognized the location of the Chechen unit in a video posted on Ramzan Kadyrov’s social media. He sent this information to the Armed Forces of Ukraine so they could destroy it. As a result, Vitalii received a state award.

Journalists can communicate with Vitalii only online.

• occupation
• Kyiv

Olha Kurtmallaieva, 24 years old, majored in finance. The russian federation’s full-scale invasion caught her in her native Berdiansk, Zaporizhia region (now the city is occupied). In the summer of 2022, she left the occupation.

Olha’s husband, Ruslan, has been defending the country since 2014 (he served in the Anti-Terrorist Operation and Joint Forces Operation zone). April 4, 2024 will mark two years since he got captured by the russians during the defense of Mariupol.

Olha is actively fighting for the release of her husband – she is trying to attend every demonstration calling on the release of the prisoners of war. She also co-founded an NGO that helps soldiers of the 501st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion to return home. (Together with other women, they organize rallies, arrange meetings and communicate with representatives of the Ukrainian authorities). And she does all this despite suffering from a serious illness: back in 2021, Olha was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer of the lymph tissue).

Already during the full-scale war, Olga found out that the disease had progressed from the second stage to the fourth. Doctors link it to great stress. Olha has now undergone 12 courses of chemotherapy. The treatment was very difficult (in particular, she was in the intensive care unit) and the woman had to go through it alone, without her beloved by her side.

Journalists can talk to Olha in Kyiv (in person) or online.

• military
• prisoners
• women
• Kyiv