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On August 2, the Code of the Nation Museum near Kyiv will host the first-ever Filizhanka Heroic Coffee Festival, held in memory of Ukrainian hero Artem Tieliebniev, call sign “Talib.” This unique event blends remembrance and resilience, aiming to honor late defenders, support injured soldiers, and craft a fresh flavor of Ukrainian identity through coffee. The musical headliner for the day is the acclaimed Kalush Orchestra.
The festival’s main goal is to raise UAH 2 million to fund the rehabilitation of wounded Ukrainian service members and veterans. The initiative is organized in partnership with the Revived Soldiers Ukraine, which provides specialized care for those recovering from neurotrauma, spinal cord injuries, and other complex conditions, including pre- and post-prosthetic rehabilitation.
Accreditation is required for entry and must be completed by July 31.
For reference: Junior Sergeant Artem Tieliebniev served as an external UAV operator in the 411th Separate Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A committed volunteer since 2014, Artem joined the front lines from the first days of russia’s full-scale invasion. He defended Zhuliany, took part in the liberation of Irpin in Kyiv Oblast, and fought in some of the country’s most challenging hotspots, including Kharkiv, Kherson, Donetsk, and Zaporizhia.
For his courage and selflessness, Artem was awarded the Order for Courage, 3rd Class, along with medals for the defense of Kyiv and Kharkiv. On July 3, 2024, while evacuating wounded comrades near Robotyne in the Zaporizhia region, he was killed in a tank strike.
The Filizhanka festival is the brainchild of Yana Berkut, a lawyer, barista, volunteer, and Artem’s widow. With support from the third President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, Vitalina Yushchenko, the NGO Kyivshchyna – That’s Us, and the head of the Hatne community, Oleksandr Palamarchuk, Yana has transformed personal grief into a powerful tribute.
Oleksandra Mazur, head of the Olenivka Community NGO, has spent more than two years searching for the truth about her loved one held in russian captivity. Since May 2022, she has been fighting to keep his memory, and the memory of others like him, alive.
Her partner, Azov Regiment combat engineer Yaroslav Otrok, was among the Ukrainian defenders captured at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. Following orders from his commanders, he and his fellow soldiers surrendered and were taken to a makeshift detention center in the occupied town of Olenivka, Donetsk region.
On July 29, 2022, Yaroslav was killed in a blast that tore through the prison. Ukrainian authorities have described the attack as a terrorist act, accusing russian forces of deliberately targeting prisoners of war.
In the days that followed, Oleksandra saw Yaroslav’s name on a list of the wounded. But hope soon gave way to devastating news. In September, a witness who survived the explosion told her Yaroslav’s injuries had been fatal. A month later, the Azov Patronage Service confirmed he was among the dead. His body had been returned by russia.
Since then, Oleksandra has dedicated herself to the Olenivka Community NGO, supporting other families of POWs and calling attention to the crimes committed in Olenivka. Her efforts helped pave the way for official recognition: on July 22, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution establishing July 28 as the Day of Remembrance for Ukrainian Defenders who were executed, tortured, or died in captivity.
Mazur remains committed to telling these stories. She is available for interviews online or in person, by prior arrangement, in Kamianets-Podilskyi or Kyiv.
Anastasiia Bolotova met Ivan Bolotov in 2014. What began as a love story would, a decade later, become a story of loss, remembrance.
When russia launched its full-scale invasion, the couple was living in Mykolaiv. As the war escalated, Ivan moved Anastasiia to his parents’ home in Kyiv for safety, while he remained behind to defend the capital as a military pilot.
On February 2, 2025, Captain Ivan Bolotov was killed in action while carrying out a combat mission. He was just 24 years old. A fighter pilot in Ukraine’s Air Force, Ivan died in the skies he had sworn to protect.
For Anastasiia, life was split into a before and after. The most precious gift he left her, she says, is their son.
In July, Anastasiia opened a coffee shop in Kyiv in Ivan’s memory. She named it Krylati (“The Winged”), paying homage to the life and legacy of her beloved. With the help of Ivan’s friends and family, she designed the space with care: the walls are painted in his favorite color, a mural anchors the room as its artistic heart, and his favorite music drifts softly through the café. Photos of fallen pilots, including Ivan, hang on the walls as a quiet reminder of the cost of war.
Anastasiia Bolotova is available for interviews, both online and in person in Kyiv, by appointment.
A Ukrainian defender who lost all sensation below the chest is creating striking artwork with the help of his wheelchair, and is inviting journalists to witness his creative process firsthand.
On July 24 in Lviv, media representatives will have the opportunity to meet Valentyn Oleksiienko, a 28-year-old patient of the UNBROKEN Center, and observe how he paints despite being paralyzed from the chest down. Attendees will also be able to speak with the veteran and learn more about his artistic journey.
Oleksiienko served as a tank crew member in the 3rd Separate Iron Brigade. While stationed at the front, he suffered a life-altering accident: after digging fortifications, he dove into a pond to rinse off and struck his head on the bottom, resulting in a complete spinal cord injury.
He discovered painting during his rehabilitation in Lviv. It began when he watched his wife take part in an art workshop at the UNBROKEN Center. Inspired, he decided to try it himself, even though his fingers no longer function. Using his wheelchair and a customized setup, he learned to create works of art without traditional motor control.
He credits artist Zirka Savka for helping bring his vision to life. With her support, Valentyn began producing emotionally resonant pieces and now hopes to organize a gallery exhibition. He also plans to donate part of the proceeds from his art sales to charity.
Media accreditation is required to attend the event.
Before the war, Olena worked as a fitness coach — a job that was both her passion and calling. Today, she serves as a tactical medicine instructor in the 114th Territorial Defense Brigade, under the callsign “Fury”.
From the first day of the full-scale invasion, Olena tried to enlist at the military recruitment office in her hometown of Fastiv, Kyiv oblast. Yet, she was turned away three times. Undeterred, she held onto her conviction: “If you keep knocking, the door will open.” And it did. She first joined the Territorial Defense Brigade as a combat medic, later rising to become an instructor training others in life-saving tactics.
Olena dreams of returning to the gym after the war — where her friends, colleagues, and students await her. At home, her son and parents are her anchor.
To arrange an interview with Olena, contact the brigade’s press officer in advance.
Olena Dovbenko met her future husband, Oleksandr, when she was just 18. Their love endured distance when Olena left for work in Poland, sustaining a long-distance relationship for a year and a half.
When the full-scale invasion began, Olena returned to Ukraine. After just a few more dates, Oleksandr proposed. In April 2023, as he turned 25, he prepared to enlist as a combat engineer — while Olena discovered she was pregnant. Oleksandr served on the front lines in the Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia sectors. But on July 4, 2023, tragedy struck: a shrapnel fragment hit him in the head as he evacuated his brothers-in-arms.
Now, Olena is raising their daughter, whom she named in honor of her fallen husband. She runs a small business and admits she only recently allowed herself to grieve — before, she feared her sorrow would harm her little girl.
You can speak with Olena Dovbenko online or in-person in Ternopil oblast, by prior arrangement.
At just 22 years old, a young woman serving under the call sign “Zhuika,” which means “Bubblegum” in Ukrainian, is already an aerial reconnaissance officer with Ukraine’s National Guard.
Since the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, Zhuika knew she wanted to serve. She spent months preparing, weighing her options, and choosing both the unit and position that felt right.
In November 2024, she joined the aerial reconnaissance unit of the 13th Khartiia Brigade of the National Guard. She laughs that part of her motivation came from her admiration for Ukrainian poet Serhiy Zhadan, who also serves in the same unit. But there was something else that drew her in: the brigade was among the first in Ukraine to actively recruit women into its ranks. That mattered to her.
Looking ahead, Zhuika hopes to pursue combat engineering, with a particular interest in explosive ordnance disposal. After her service, she dreams of seeing the world.
Interviews with Zhuika, either online or in person, are possible with prior approval from the brigade’s press officer.
For over three years, Oleksandra waited for her father, a soldier held in russian captivity. All that time, the young woman searched for any scraps of information — reaching out to relatives of freed POWs, making posts on social media — but mostly, she was met with silence.
On June 19, 2025, Oleksandra received the news she had longed for: her father had been freed from captivity and returned to Ukraine. After that, she decided to support others still searching for their loved ones and waiting for prisoner exchanges. With her father’s permission, she made a social media post asking people to send her photos of their relatives in captivity. She shows these pictures to her father, and he tries to recall whether he saw these people while imprisoned.
Oleksandra receives hundreds of messages with photos. The freed defender often asks for the person’s date of birth, as in captivity, everyone begins to look alike. In just two weeks, Oleksandra’s father managed to recognize three people. Of course, the information may not always be accurate.
Oleksandra helps others without expecting anything in return because she understands the pain of waiting for a loved one to return from captivity.
You can speak with Oleksandra online or in person in Kyiv, by prior arrangement.
Before the full-scale invasion began, Olena Ryzh worked in the restaurant business for over 20 years. She climbed her way up from being a waitress to a manager and also worked as a service and communications trainer.
When the full-scale war broke out, Olena joined the DonorUA team: she helped evacuate people from Irpin and delivered humanitarian aid to those who stayed behind. After the region was liberated, she returned to her normal life but didn’t feel like she was in the right place. The thought of trying herself in the military wouldn’t leave her.
Soon after, she joined the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade “Mahura”. Olena took on the role of an assault soldier and, after training, was sent to the front lines. She was wounded during combat but returned to service after treatment.
Olena has since transferred to the 412th Separate Nemesis Regiment, where she now serves as a senior combat medic. She also runs a blog where she offers advice on effective communication between civilians and military personnel.
You can talk to Olena Ryzh online or offline in the East, by prior arrangement.
The Tytanovi Arts and Culture Center for Veterans Rehabilitation has officially opened its doors in Kyiv, marking a significant step forward in support for Ukraine’s wounded defenders. Launched by the Tytanovi Foundation as part of its broader Tytanovi Rehab initiative, the new facility is the first of its kind in the country to offer psychological and social rehabilitation for veterans with amputations, uniquely located inside a shopping mall.
The Tytanovi Foundation emphasizes that war leaves scars beyond the physical. Psychological wounds often run deep, and creative therapy is proving to be one of the most effective ways to heal them. The center offers a variety of services, including a creative studio, sports and art therapy sessions, as well as educational, social, and integration programs tailored to veterans’ needs.
To secure the center’s long-term operation, the TYTANOVI Charitable Foundation has partnered with the U.S.-based Hansen Ukrainian Mission. Under a newly signed memorandum, the American organization will cover all operating costs of the rehab center and its cultural-arts space in the Respublika Park shopping mall for one year.
For reference: The Tytanovi Foundation was founded by Armed Forces veteran Viacheslav Zaporozhets and is dedicated to supporting military personnel and veterans in their recovery. One of its key missions is to provide titanium implants for soldiers who have experienced complex limb loss.
