Themes by tag: Kyiv

On February 21, Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform will host a presentation of the analytical report entitled: “Rescue mission: what is happening in russian captivity and how to prevent captured Ukrainian soldiers from dying.”

During the presentation, the Media Initiative for Human Rights will present the analytical report on the testimonies of prisoners released in prisoner exchanges, who claim that Ukrainian soldiers died in russian captivity as a result of beatings or torture. They also claim that some prisoners committed suicides due to psychological, sexual or other types of violence in captivity. In response to the MIHR’s inquiry about the number of Ukrainians who died in russian captivity from February 24, 2022 to November 16, 2023, the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine stated 49 people.

Participants:

– Tetiana Katrychenko, Executive Director of the Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR);

– Maria Klymyk, MIHR journalist;

– Anastasiia Hondiul, wife of an Azov regiment soldier who was heavily injured in the Olenivka barrack, Olenivka Families Community NGO;

– Bohdan Slobodian, witness to a Ukrainian serviceman’s death in russian captivity;

– Andrii Yakovlev, lawyer, MIHR international law expert;

The event requires registration.

• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On February 21, an interactive presentation of the photo project entitled “Stronger than the Elements” will take place in Kyiv. The event will include a presentation of an art calendar featuring servicewomen (including those released from captivity), veterans, doctors, volunteers and more.

Twelve Ukrainian women who took part in “Stronger than the Elements” photo project are depicted as various natural phenomena. In addition to the four main elements — water, fire, earth, and air — the women personify lava, downpour, avalanche, thunder, lightning, wind, and other formidable natural phenomena.

For example, some of the participants of the photo project include: “Lava” — Valeria “Nava” Subotina, defender of Mariupol, writer; “Lightning” — Dzvenyslava Sira, medical curator of the “Azov” Patronage Service, soldier of the 12th Special Forces Brigade “Azov” of the National Guard of Ukraine; “Hurricane” — Natalia Nahorna, military correspondent of TSN, 1+1 TV channel and others.

The initiative to bring these women together for a joint project belongs to Anna Murashenko, Founder of the YOUkraine Charitable Foundation.

The women who took part in the photo project, volunteers, soldiers and representatives of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War will take part in the event.

Funds from the sale of the charity calendar will be spent to purchase drones for the 72nd Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians.

The event requires accreditation.

• culture
• military
• volunteers
• women
• Kyiv

In Mezhyhirya, Kyiv region, Anteus canine center has been training guide dogs as well as preparing dogs to work in combat zones for more than 10 years. Until 2014, the center had been an elite kennel club located on the grounds of the mansion belonging to fugitive president Viktor Yanukovych.

After the Revolution of Dignity, the Ukrainian military began to turn to the center’s canine experts, as the servicemen needed dogs who could work at the front. In particular, to help clear mines, as well as participate in search and rescue operations. Such requests kept on coming during the full-scale invasion as well. In addition to training four-legged friends to work in combat zones, specialists train guide dogs to care for civilians and soldiers who have lost their sight. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the canine center has raised 5 guide dogs, all of whom received the necessary certification abroad and went on to take care of their owners.

“Let’s See the Victory” charity foundation, which was founded by the veteran of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Vladyslav Yeshchenko, pledged to support the canine center to enable training of more guide dogs. Employees of the center say that it is not easy to maintain such an organization, in particular, without state funding. After all, it takes more than UAH 200,000 to raise and train one dog that can work with the wounded.

• animals
• casualties
• Kyiv

On February 21, Civil Network OPORA will hold a reflective discussion entitled “russians’ cultural policy in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine” in Kyiv. Everyone is invited to discuss the consequences of the deliberate policies aimed at destruction of Ukrainian culture and the forced imposition of russian culture.

During the event, Civil Network OPORA will present a report, which is the first to attempt the best possible assessment of the cultural policy of the occupation authorities in the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions occupied since 2014. The report also describes the “Crimean scenario” of cultural occupation, which is currently being implemented in the occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhia regions.

Participants of the discussion:

• Anasatasia Romaniuk, digital platforms analyst at Civil Network OPORA;
• Olga Snopok, digital platforms analyst at Civil Network OPORA;
• Mariam Naiem, cultural studies expert and postcolonialism researcher (online);
• Anton Liagusha, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Dean of the Graduate Department of Social Sciences and Humanities of the Kyiv School of Economics;
• Oksana Sarzhevska-Kravchenko, Director at IZOLYATSIA Platform for Cultural Initiatives.

The event requires accreditation.

For reference: the russian federation pursues a deliberate policy of changing the identity of Ukrainians in the occupied territories. In parallel with the active hostilities, the russians have been destroying Ukrainian culture under occupation since 2014.

• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Starting from February 19 to May 19, 2024, the Letters to a Free Crimea initiative will kick off in Ukraine and abroad, rallying Ukrainians and global citizens to pen letters of solidarity to Crimean political prisoners unlawfully held by Russia.

On February 19, the campaign will be officially unveiled at a press conference hosted at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform.

The Letters to a Free Crimea initiative aims to be a reminder of the plight of Ukrainian prisoners in Kremlin custody and to provide them with much-needed words of encouragement during their confinement. Additionally, these letters serve as a poignant message to prison authorities that each Ukrainian citizen is valued, and society is closely monitoring their treatment.

During the event, organizers will delve into the initiative’s specifics, detailing how both Ukrainians and individuals from abroad can actively participate. They will also reveal the staggering number of Crimean hostages detained by Russia, outlining their present circumstances and emphasizing the critical assistance they desperately need.

Speakers:

• Larysa Denysenko, Ukrainian writer, lawyer, human rights activist, ambassador of political prisoner Remzi Bekirov, member of the Executive Board of PEN Ukraine;
• Anna Sytnikova, Chief Consultant of Crimean Platform Support Service at the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the AR of Crimea;
• Viktoria Nesterenko, Project Manager at ZMINA Human Rights Center.

For reference: As February 24, 2024, marks the grim two-year anniversary of Russia’s criminal incursion into Ukraine. It stands as the apex of a decade-long war of aggression, which actually dates back to February 20, 2014, beginning with the annexation of Crimea. Russian forces invaded Ukrainian Crimea without any identifying markings and, after that, seized control of the peninsula back then. Subsequently, these events escalated into war in eastern Ukraine.

• russian crimes
• Kyiv

The Center for Civil Liberties cordially welcomes everybody to join an event in Kyiv on February 20, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The action will feature a gripping theatrical performance infused with elements of grotesque storytelling. Actors will vividly portray the atrocities of most heinous international crimes perpetrated by Russia, past and present.

Following the performance, a press conference will be held with Oleksandra Matviichuk, the head of the Center for Civil Liberties.

This event serves as a cornerstone of a global campaign spanning from February 20 to 24, with similar events taking place in cities worldwide. 

Event accreditation is required.

For reference: Oleksandra Matviichuk is a distinguished Ukrainian human rights activist, head of the Center for Civil Liberties, and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

For reference: As February 24, 2024, marks the grim two-year anniversary of Russia’s criminal incursion into Ukraine. It stands as the apex of a decade-long war of aggression, which actually dates back to February 20, 2014, beginning with the annexation of Crimea. Russian forces invaded Ukrainian Crimea without any identifying markings and, after that, seized control of the peninsula back then. Subsequently, these events escalated into war in eastern Ukraine.

• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Teaming up with partners, the Maidan Museum has put together a series of events to honor the Day of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes.

On February 18, Kyiv will host a solemn gathering at Mariinsky Park to remember those who lost their lives on February 18, 2014. Additionally, a poignant Memory Walk will traverse the Kyiv city center, paying tribute to the Heavenly Hundred with the laying of flowers and lighting of candles.

February 20 will see the Ecumenical Church of the Archangel Michael and the Ukrainian New Martyrs in the capital hosting a ceremony to commemorate the Heavenly Hundred Heroes and participants of the Revolution of Dignity. Concurrently, the annual silent tribute “Angels of Memory” will unfold nearby, honoring those who fell during the Revolution of Dignity.

February 22 will feature a themed evening titled “Plyve Kacha (A Duckling Swims): A Song that Became a Requiem” at the Maidan Museum’s Information and Exhibition Center.

Furthermore, the Maidan Museum will organize exhibitions, documentary screenings, and guided tours throughout the week in Kyiv.

Journalists seeking further information about the events in Kyiv and insights from representatives of the Maidan Museum can access the full schedule of events.

For reference: On February 20, 2014, the Revolution of Dignity saw its highest toll with 48 participants losing their lives in the heart of the Ukrainian capital. These individuals, along with 54 others killed or fatally wounded during the peaceful protests of the winter of 2013-2014, and five Maidan activists who perished in the spring of 2014 defending democratic values and Ukraine’s territorial integrity, collectively became known as the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred.

• dead
• Kyiv

A new hub for the military freed from captivity has been inaugurated in Kyiv. The brainchild of Mariupol’s defenders, the “YOUkraine hub” serves as a haven for safe communication, mutual assistance, and rehabilitation, made possible by the YOUkraine charitable foundation.

Operating under the ethos of “our own for our own,” the hub recognizes the unique challenges faced by former prisoners of war upon their return. From physical rehabilitation to social reintegration amidst wartime conditions, along with legal and domestic matters, the hub aims to provide comprehensive support to these returning defenders.

Key services offered include legal and psychological aid, as well as social support tailored to the needs of the soldiers. 

Valeriia “Nava” Subotina, an Azovstal defender, journalist, and poet has been appointed as the director of the YOUkraine hub.

For reference: A recent prisoner exchange on February 8th, brought back to Ukraine 100 defenders being kept in Russian custody. Among those exchanged the majority were defenders of Azovstal. Since the full-scale invasion outbreak, a total of 3,135 Ukrainian defenders have been liberated from Russian captivity.

• prisoners
• Kyiv

Ukrzaliznytsia is set to roll out the “Train to You” for the second time on February 14, 16, and 18, aligning with Valentine’s Day and Unity Day celebrations. This year, the romantic trains will not only grace the tracks of Kyiv but will also make their way through Lviv.

Passengers aboard these special journeys will be treated to an enchanting experience in cozy compartments designed for two, serenaded by romantic melodies, all while being pulled by an authentic steam locomotive. To enhance the ambiance, passengers will have the option to indulge in a special menu crafted by renowned Ukrainian chef Yevhen Klopotenko. 

Half of the seats have been reserved free of charge for wounded soldiers undergoing rehabilitation, providing them an opportunity to share precious moments with their loved ones. 

Adding to the charm, defenders of Ukraine will receive an additional poetic surprise courtesy of writer Serhiy Zhadan. 

With a travel time of just over 2 hours, these journeys promise to be a delightful escape for passengers bound for Kyiv and Lviv.

• Kyiv
• Lviv

On February 13, the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform will hold a press conference presenting this year’s program of events and social campaign dedicated to the Day of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes, marked on February 20.

Participants:

– Rostyslav Karandieiev, acting First Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy;

– Ihor Hordiichuk, Major General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine, Deputy Head of the National Defense University of Ukraine;

– Volodymyr Tylishchak, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance;

– Ihor Poshyvailo, General Director at the National Memorial Complex of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred — Museum of the Revolution of Dignity.

The event is held offline. Journalists will be able to ask questions.

For reference: On February 20 this year, Ukraine will commemorate the Day of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes for the tenth time. The Maidan massacre that took place on February 20, 2014, claimed the lives of the largest number of protesters — 48 casualties in the center of Kyiv. They, along with 54 others gunned down and fatally wounded participants of peaceful protests during the winter of 2013-2014 and five Maidan uprising activists who died in the spring of 2014 defending democratic values and the territorial integrity of Ukraine, became known as the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred.

• dead
• Kyiv