Themes by tag: military

Since April 2023, the Cultural Forces—a group of military personnel with backgrounds in creative fields—has spearheaded the “Books to the Frontline” project, bringing a touch of home to soldiers stationed at the front. The initiative invites every Ukrainian to participate. At any bookstore displaying the “Gift a Book to the Front” poster, customers can purchase a book to be sent directly to the front lines. The bookstores then pass the books to the project team, which ensures their delivery. To date, more than 30,000 books have reached Ukrainian soldiers.  

Leading this effort is Andrii Ovcharuk, a sergeant in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Before the war, Ovcharuk headed the Kyiv office of the Old Lion Publishing House. On February 24, 2022, he volunteered for military service despite having poor eyesight, joining the 101st Separate Brigade of the General Staff. Ovcharuk served in this role for two years before dedicating his efforts to this cultural initiative.  

Journalists interested in covering the project can meet with Ovcharuk and his team either online or in person in Kyiv. With prior arrangement, they can also witness the book sorting and shipment process firsthand.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

The officer goes by the call sign Kupol (Dome) is a former soldier of the Azov Brigade and a symbol of resilience and determination. When russia mounted its full-scale invasion, Kupol volunteered to defend his country once again. Starting as an infantryman, he worked his way up to become an officer with an impressive record of combat achievements.  

In 2022, while fighting in the Donetsk region, tragedy struck. The vehicle carrying Kupol and his comrades hit an anti-tank mine, leaving him severely injured and costing him a leg. Despite the life-altering injury, Kupol refused to give up. After a lengthy period of treatment and rehabilitation, he rejoined his unit, vowing to stand with his comrades until victory.  

Recognizing his determination and skill, Kupol’s commanders assigned him to a UAV unit, where he quickly excelled. He now ranks among the brigade’s top specialists, participating in critical combat missions. His contributions have yielded significant results, including the capture of russian tanks, self-propelled artillery systems, and anti-aircraft missile systems.  

Kupol’s bravery and service have earned him numerous honors, including the Order of the Knight’s Cross of the Volunteer, the “To the Unbreakable Defender” medal, the “Bravery in Battle” medal, the “Medal for Military Service to Ukraine,” and the “Steel Cross.”  

For those seeking an interview, Kupol is available by prior arrangement in the Zaporizhia direction.

• casualties
• military

The Ukrainian Veterans Foundation operates a 24/7 crisis support hotline offering free psychological assistance. Staffed by 14 trained psychologists, the hotline averages 200-300 calls per week, according to one of its counselors.

The service primarily supports defenders, veterans, and their families, but anyone who needs help is encouraged to call.

The project is run by Oleksandr Chamorsov, a veteran and psychologist.

Journalists interested in covering the work of the hotline can coordinate visits or interviews by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• psychological support

Denys, a defender of Irpin and founder of a furniture production company, has a lifelong passion for woodworking. His journey began in his childhood when he lived in Crimea. After the russian occupation of Crimea, he left his home, joined the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO), and later relocated to Irpin in the Kyiv oblast.

In the Irpin community, Denys turned his dream into reality. He completed business courses, secured a grant, and opened his own furniture workshop in 2021.

In February and March 2022, when russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Denys took up arms to defend Irpin. He participated in the battles for the town and helped evacuate civilians. During this time, the occupiers destroyed and looted his workshop.

Despite these losses, Denys managed to rebuild his business in a new location.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

Taras Stolyar was a bandurist in the National Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments for 20 years. His musical career was put on hold on February 24, 2022, when he joined Kyiv’s territorial defense. By March, he was defending the Kyiv oblast from russian occupiers, earning the nickname “Bandura”. Later, his unit was deployed to the eastern front, where he fought near Kreminna and Bakhmut, first as a rifleman and later as a drone operator.

In November 2023, Taras joined the “Cultural Forces,” a group of Ukrainian artists who perform for soldiers on the front lines, in hospitals, and in liberated cities. His bandura performances are meant to inspire and boost the morale of the military.

In the fall of 2024, Taras and other members of “Cultural Forces” project embarked on a tour of the United States, performing 170 benefit concerts. One of his performances was attended by the English musician Sting. According to Taras, the unique sound of his bandura and a cover of one of Sting’s songs captivated the legendary artist. As a result, Stoliar accompanied Sting at a concert in Los Angeles. The military musicians also recorded a video with Sting, which quickly gained popularity on the Internet.

Taras Stoliar is available for interviews with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement. He is either in Kyiv or deployed to the front lines.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

On January 8, the Media Initiative for Human Rights and the Association “Marine Corps Strength” will host a major press conference in Kyiv to mark 1,000 days since Ukrainian marines were taken captive. The event aims to draw attention to the conditions faced by marines in russian captivity and the urgent need for international access to detention facilities. Participants will receive the event’s location via email upon registration.  

Key topics to be addressed:

– The number of marines detained, their health, and the conditions of their captivity in russia;

– The role of mixed medical commissions, as mandated by the Geneva Convention, in assessing the status of injured and seriously ill prisoners of war;

– Diplomatic avenues to secure access to detention sites in russia, with a focus on the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties;

During the press conference, families of the prisoners of war will unveil a symbolic pin to express solidarity with the marines who defended Mariupol. 

Featured speakers:

– Family representatives of the detained marines;

– Olena Belyachkova, coordinator for families of prisoners and missing persons with the Media Initiative for Human Rights;

– A representative from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

– Dmytro Usov, Secretary of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. 

Registration is required to attend the event.

For reference: In April and May 2022, following the protracted defense of Mariupol, marine units and other defenders of the city were captured by russian forces. A significant number were taken prisoner on April 12, 2022, during a breakout attempt from the russian-occupied Illich plant as they sought to join forces with the Azov Regiment at Azovstal.  

Families report that many of the captured marines are in critical condition, with some suffering from advanced tuberculosis, cancer, or other severe health issues requiring specialized medical equipment. Reports also indicate that some prisoners are permanently connected to artificial lung ventilation systems. Despite their dire state, russia continues to detain these individuals without adequate medical care. 

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Vitalii “Sarmat” Kozhokar, a war veteran from Irpin, has found a remarkable way to transform remnants of conflict into symbols of resilience. Kozhokar crafts one-of-a-kind writing pens from shell casings, with notable recipients including Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, and prominent journalist Tamar Jacoby.  

Kozhokar’s journey began in 2014 when he first took up arms to defend Ukraine during russia’s incursion into eastern Ukraine. In February 2022, he joined the Volunteer Formation of the Irpin Territorial Community, where, as a platoon commander, he led successful efforts to repel enemy advances on his hometown.  

Today, alongside fellow veteran Volodymyr, Kozhokar creates pens from shell casings recovered from battlefields of the russian-Ukrainian war, as well as relics from the First and Second World Wars. 

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

Dmytro Kanupier, a soldier with the 12th Brigade of the Azov Ukraine’s National Guard, faced the onset of russia’s full-blown invasion in Mariupol. In April 2022, while defending the Azovstal steel plant, Dmytro sustained two shrapnel injuries. As the situation deteriorated, he and his fellow soldiers debated their grim options, including suicide, before ultimately obeying an order to surrender in late May 2022.  

Initially detained at a colony in Olenivka, within the russian-occupied Donetsk region, Dmytro endured harrowing conditions until he was transferred to Taganrog, russia, on September 26, 2022. There, he and other prisoners were subjected to relentless beatings and torture, aimed at extracting false confessions to fabricated crimes. While held captive, Dmytro was unjustly sentenced to 29 years in a strict-regime penal colony for a war crime he did not commit.  

On October 18, 2024, Dmytro was finally released as part of a prisoner exchange and returned to Ukraine. He is now undergoing rehabilitation and working to recover from his ordeal.  

Interviews with Dmytro Kanupier, either in person or online, can be arranged through his press service with prior notice.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes

To raise awareness about the defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers still held in enemy captivity, a performance entitled “Third Christmas in Captivity” will be held in Lviv, accompanied by peaceful rallies in 24 cities across Ukraine.

Scheduled events:

December 21: Peaceful rallies in Okhtyrka, Pivdennoukrainsk, Chernihiv, Irpin, Vinnytsia, Kolomyia, Zhytomyr, Obukhiv, Poltava, Pavlohrad, and Zaporizhia.

December 22: Peaceful rallies in Kyiv, Uman, Krolevets, Korosten, Ovruch, Cherkasy, Uzhhorod, Mykolaiv, Korostyshiv, Kovel, Kropyvnytskyi, Odesa, Ostroh, and Lviv.

The events are organized by the families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison. The rallies are often attended by Ukrainians who have been released from captivity.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv
• Lviv
• Odesa

At 72 years old, Tetiana Tepliuk’s resilience is nothing short of extraordinary. A soldier in the Azov Regiment, she serves alongside her son, continuing a lifelong dedication to Ukraine. russia’s war against Ukraine isn’t her first brush with conflict—Tetiana’s story began decades ago.  

In 1980, she volunteered as a nurse in Afghanistan, tending to the wounded amid the chaos of war. Years later, during Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity in 2013, Tetiana was on the frontlines again, volunteering at the medical center in Kyiv’s October Palace.  

By 2015, her path led her to Mariupol, where she joined the Azov Regiment’s medical center. She was there when russia launched its full-scale invasion. Though a civilian at the time, wearing a uniform marked her as a target. Following her commander’s orders, Tetiana and her comrades were captured.  

Tetiana spent eight months in captivity. While she was spared physical torture, she endured the harrowing sounds of Ukrainian soldiers suffering nearby. Despite these horrors, her spirit remained unbroken.  

After her release, a military medical evaluation deemed her fit for duty. In September 2023, Tetiana rejoined the army, now handling administrative tasks at the medical center. However, her resolve is unwavering—she intends to wear her uniform until Ukraine achieves victory.  

Tetiana is available for interviews, both online and in person, with arrangements coordinated through her press officer.

• military
• prisoners
• women