Themes by tag: Kyiv
Serhii Ofitserov was born in Kherson, Ukraine, but his parents took him to russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula as a child. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, his father, Hennadii, returned to Ukraine, and Serhii followed in 1998. While in russia, Serhii received a russian passport and lived in Kherson with a residence permit. He had applied to renounce his russian citizenship to obtain Ukrainian citizenship, but he was unable to complete the process due to the start of the full-scale invasion.
russian forces kidnapped Serhii on August 3, 2022, while Kherson was under occupation. That autumn, his father, Hennadii, learned of his son’s fate: first, a former detainee who had been released from a torture chamber in Kherson reported seeing Serhii there. Later, Ofitserov appeared in a video filmed by russian propagandists about the detention of people allegedly “part of a terrorist group”.
Serhii is currently being held in a pretrial detention center (SIZO) in Rostov. He is one of nine Kherson residents kidnapped by the russians who have been accused of international terrorism under three articles of the criminal code. The trial is ongoing. According to his father, Serhii was held in a Kherson torture chamber for two or three months, where he was tortured and forced to sign everything demanded of him. Consequently, the fabricated case against Serhii is riddled with inconsistencies.
While in captivity, Serhii began drawing with simple pencils. His drawings depict Kherson landscapes, portraits, fantasy scenes, and life as a prisoner, including barred windows. Some of these drawings have been smuggled to Ukraine and are kept by his father who only receives about half of the letters his son sends.
By prior arrangement, journalists can speak with Serhii’s father, Hennadii Ofitserov, in Kyiv, Kherson, or online.
Background: Kherson was occupied by russian forces at the beginning of the full-scale invasion (March 1, 2022). The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the city from russian troops on November 11, 2022. The occupiers continue to shell the city regularly.
The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine will host a special event in Kyiv on October 29 to mark 100 days until the start of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games and unveil the country’s new Olympic uniform.
The program will feature an exclusive presentation of the official Olympic attire, with appearances by renowned Olympians from past games, future members of the 2026 national team, and well-known figures from the entertainment industry.
Highlights of the evening will include words of encouragement and the symbolic “fire of victory” passed on by athletes of previous generations, as well as a unity teleconference connecting attendees with national team members currently training abroad. Musician Vlad Darwin will also perform in support of Ukraine’s future Olympians.
Among the guests expected at the event are:
– Vadym Gutzeit, president of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine;
– Matvii Bidnyi, the Minister for Youth and Sports of Ukraine;
– decorated Olympians Olena Pidhrushna, Oleksandr Abramenko, Vita Semerenko, Olena Petrova, Valentyna Tserbe-Nessina, Mykhailo Kokhan, Yulia Bakastova; and athletes preparing for the 2026 Games.
Accreditation for journalists will remain open until October 28, 2025.
Viktoriia Kramarenko worked at a burn center in Kyiv from 2008. When russia first attacked Ukraine in 2014, she began volunteering, traveling to the east to help save and evacuate wounded soldiers from the front lines.
Starting in 2015, Viktoriia officially served as a medic with military units, deploying on rotations to the front lines. In 2018, she founded the Wings of Victory charitable foundation.
Following the start of the full-scale invasion, Viktoriia began teaching tactical medicine to new recruits immediately. Once she acquired an ambulance, she began evacuating the wounded from Irpin, Bucha, and Hostomel. Subsequently, she worked near Lysychansk in the Luhansk region, assisting Ukrainian fighters in hospitals.
Through her foundation, Viktoriia launched a rehabilitation and recovery program for military personnel, purchasing sports equipment and setting up a swimming pool. They even bought a horse for hippotherapy. Viktoriia is currently applying for grants to secure financial aid and continue her work with service members.
Viktoriia Kramarenko is available for interviews, both online and in person in Kyiv, by prior arrangement.
The project “Light of the Unbroken,” created by YARMICH and Azov.Support, was presented in Kyiv. The project launched a special service that adapts classic clothing for military personnel who have lost limbs. This initiative aims to provide veterans with comfort, style, dignity, and confidence — foundational elements for psychological recovery after war.
The classic menswear brand has partnered with the Azov.Support initiative, which helps veterans with their physical and social rehabilitation. Together, they have developed a format combining individual tailoring, deep empathy, and an engineering approach.
Thanks to this service, military personnel can receive a free personal consultation with specialists who consider all physiological particularities, including prosthetics, changes in body shape, and limited mobility. YARMICH designers then create a custom cut to ensure comfort and a natural fit. Suits, shirts, and coats are sewn from elegant yet functional fabrics that are soft yet hold their shape and classic yet practical. The result is clothing that allows you to look in the mirror with pride once again.
The first Light of the Unbroken ambassadors are Pavlo, whose call sign is “Pakhom,” and Stanislav “Morti” Ryzhenkov. Pavlo is a fighter in the 12th “Azov” Brigade, and Stanislav is an “Azov” veteran and the Commissioner for Veterans’ Affairs in Kyiv.
YARMICH and Azov.Support plan to expand the project to reach more veterans in various Ukrainian cities. Future plans include creating an open partnership program for brands that wish to contribute by providing fabrics, supporting adaptation services, or assisting with logistics.
By prior arrangement, journalists have the opportunity to cover the project and speak with brand representatives and veterans.
Rallies in support of Ukrainian prisoners of war and those still missing in action will take place across the country on October 25-26, aiming to remind the public of the defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers who remain in russian captivity. Peaceful gatherings are planned in 30 cities nationwide.
On October 25, events will be held in Arbuzynka, Okhtyrka, Vinnytsia, Chernihiv, Irpin, Shpola, Volochysk, Zhytomyr, Dnipro, Pavlohrad, and Lviv. The following day, similar rallies are scheduled in Kyiv, Krolevets, Pivdennoukrainsk, Kremenchuk, Mykolaiv, Obukhiv, Ovruch, Korostyshiv, Cherkasy, Uzhhorod, Lozova, Berdychiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Dolynska, Rivne, Poltava, Kovel, Odesa, and Chernivtsi.
The events are organized by the families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison. Former captives who have since been released often join the demonstrations, standing alongside families to call for the return of those still held by russia.
A peaceful action titled “Autumn of Captivity” will take place in Kyiv on October 25 to show solidarity with Ukrainian civilians unlawfully held in russian captivity. The event is organized by the non-governmental organization Civilians in Captivity.
The program will feature remarks from government officials, civil society representatives, and artists, as well as live performances, a moment of silence, and presentations highlighting the scale of civilian imprisonment. Iryna Shvets, a member of the NGO whose husband remains in captivity, will host the gathering.
Organizers say the rally aims to draw public and government attention to the ongoing suffering of Ukrainian civilians detained by russia and to press for immediate action to secure their release.
They are calling on media outlets, international organizations, and all concerned citizens to join the gathering and support efforts to bring the captives home.
On October 24, the Media Center Ukraine will host a briefing entitled “Launch of a training program for coaches on veterans rehabilitation through sports”.
Participants:
Part 1:
– Ruslan Prykhodko, Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs;
– Yana Voitovska, Head of the IREX Veteran Reintegration Program;
– Vira Pasishniuk, Head of Veteran Projects at StratCom Ukraine, Coordinator for the Invictus Games in Ukraine.
Part 2:
– Vira Pasishniuk, Head of Veteran Projects at StratCom Ukraine, Coordinator for the Invictus Games in Ukraine;
– Ilona Voloshyna, Military Service Member, National Coordinator for the Invictus Games 2023-2025, Training Program Developer;
– Oleksii Prokopenko, Endurance Sports Coach, Coach for the Ukrainian National Team at the 2025 Invictus Games, Founder of the Endurance School;
– Khrystyna Kravchenko, Program Participant, Personal Trainer;
– Nina Matsiuk, Expert on Inclusivity and Accessibility;
– Tetiana Huranska, Sitting Volleyball Coach for the Ukrainian National Team at the 2025 Invictus Games, International Master of Sports in Sitting Volleyball, Participant in the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games, Psychologist, Director of the Khmelnytskyi Municipal Institution “Veteran Space ‘Veteran PRO'” (online).
Key topics:
– The importance of the project for Ukraine in the context of veteran support.
– Project achievements: outcomes and opportunities for improvement.
– A multidisciplinary approach to veteran rehabilitation. The importance of a comprehensive strategy encompassing not only sport, but also mental health, physiotherapy, inclusivity, and accessibility.
– The role of coaches in the rehabilitation of veterans through sport. The importance of training coaches to work with veterans and the impact of veteran sports initiatives on communities;
– Opportunities for scaling the program after a successful pilot phase. Prospects for program development and integration in various regions of Ukraine.
Accreditation is required for the event.
Background: This program is a critical step towards building a community of trainers who can effectively support veterans in their transition back to civilian life or in their recovery before returning to service.
Olena Yahupova, a resident of the occupied town of Kamianka-Dniprovska in the Zaporizhzhia oblast, endured captivity and forced labor at the hands of russian forces due to her pro-Ukrainian stance. Olena worked in civil service for over 20 years and was known for her Ukrainian patriotic views. She was denounced for allegedly having a husband who served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In October 2022, occupiers seized her from her home.
During her detention, Olena was subjected to torture as the russians sought information on her husband’s whereabouts and details about other individuals with pro-Ukrainian views.
She was also forced into labor slavery, compelled by the occupiers to dig trenches alongside other hostages. Olena performed this grueling work while living in inhumane conditions. She managed to secure her release after more than six months in captivity.
Now that she is safe, Olena has filed a report with law enforcement and undergone forensic medical examinations. She has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, cerebral microangiopathy, deteriorating eyesight, and injuries to her hip and shoulder joints. She has been assigned a second-degree disability. As a result of the torture Olena endured, she is scheduled to have surgery to replace two cervical discs with implants.
Olena has been officially recognized as a person deprived of personal liberty as a result of Russian aggression, a victim of human trafficking, and a victim of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
Journalists have the opportunity to speak with Olena in the Kyiv oblast online or in person, by prior arrangement.
Folklorist Yaryna Sizyk, animation director Mariia Ozirna, and the Kherson Art Museum named after Oleksii Shovkunenko have launched a project dedicated to the paintings stolen by russians during the occupation of the city. According to the museum staff estimates, the occupiers looted approximately ten thousand works of art.
The project’s goal is to attempt to recreate what the Russians took away. To date, the team has managed to “reproduce” a painting by Mykhailo Bryansky (1830-1908), “Portrait of a Girl in an Embroidered Dress”. The painting was not simply repainted but was modernized and animated. Ukrainian model and singer Daria Astafieva helped “bring it to life”; the artists transformed her into the girl in the embroidered dress from the stolen canvas. For the animation, the team used a shirt that Inna Mykutska, a tour guide from Kherson, embroidered during the occupation.
The team has also recreated the oil painting “Cossacks in the Steppe” by Serhii Vasylkivsky (1854-1917). Servicemen Roman “Dobriak” Kolesnyk and Stanislav “Ref” Zorii of the Armed Forces of Ukraine participated in the reproduction of this artwork. Yaryna and Mariia added the Ukrainian folk song “Oh, There Beyond the Seas…” performed by the band Shchuka-Ryba to this animation.
The project founders are currently working on further recreations.
Yaryna Sizyk and Mariia Ozirna are available for interviews with journalists in Kyiv.
Background: Kherson was occupied by russian forces at the beginning of the full-scale invasion (March 1, 2022). The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the city from russian troops on November 11, 2022. The occupiers continue to shell the city regularly.
A press conference titled “A Dream That Unites” is going to be held by the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation in Kyiv on October 28. The event will highlight the unique initiative of 16-year-old Sofiia, a Ukrainian girl who built a model of the legendary An-225 Mriya aircraft and launched a charity fundraiser to provide psychological support to children affected by the war.
Three years ago, Sofiia was forced to leave Ukraine because of the war and moved to Switzerland. She faced many challenges, including adapting to a new environment, feeling lonely, and being bullied. However, with the help of psychologists from the Voices of Children Foundation, Sofiia was able to overcome these difficulties and integrate into her new environment. Inspired by her experience, she decided to help other children.
Sofiia meticulously built a detailed model of the An-225 Mriya aircraft. During a school presentation in Switzerland, she shared stories about Ukrainian children who have lost their homes and parents or who live in constant danger. She decided to raffle off the model in a charity lottery, directing the proceeds to the foundation’s psychologists, who provide critical support to children affected by war.
Representatives from SkyUp Airlines and the jewelry brand Kochut were inspired by Sofiia’s story and joined the initiative by adding valuable branded gifts to the charity raffle. The project also received support from the State Enterprise “Antonov” and Dmytro Antonov, the legendary pilot of the An-225 Mriya. Sofiia’s model was transported from Switzerland to Ukraine, where it will be exhibited for a month at the State Aviation Museum in Kyiv.
Participants:
- Sofiia, creator of the Mriya model (online);
- Olena Rozvadovska and Azad Safarov, co-founders of the Voices of Children Charity Foundation;
- Dmytro Antonov, pilot of the An-225 Mriya aircraft.
Media representatives and all interested parties are invited to attend the event.
