Themes by tag: military

Mariia Volia was born and raised in Mariupol, a city in the south of Ukraine that was destroyed and occupied by the russians in spring 2022. She joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2015. She wanted to defend the country after the first russian attacks on Mariupol. Mariia Volia used to be a mortar commander at the front, and now she is a communications unit commander.

Before the occupation of her hometown, she had been hiding her orientation. However, after she was wounded in Mariupol, and later escaped from the russian encirclement, Mariia opened up to her brothers in arms. Currently, the commander of the communications unit hopes that civil partnerships will be legalized in Ukraine, because in the future she wants to get married with her partner.

Currently, Mariia Volia is along the Donetsk axis. The military woman is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and offline.

For reference: the defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days. On May 20, 2022, Mariupol was occupied by the russians.

• military
• occupation
• women
• Mariupol
• LGBT

The “Rehabilitation in the Carpathians” project was created as a part of the “Psychological support for women defenders” project of the Zemliachky NGO. Its purpose is to restore the mental and emotional health of military women. The initiative is open to all female defenders.

According to the organizers, the project gives women the opportunity to reboot, rest and spend time in a safe place surrounded by their people (“tribe” effect). It is also an opportunity to spend time alone with nature.

Preference in the formation of the group is given to military women who were held in captivity, as well as defenders who have worked in the combat zone for a long time, because they are the ones who need support and the opportunity to recover the most.

As part of the project, 5 groups have already undergone rehabilitation in the Carpathians, and the sixth group is set to start in the near future as well.

Journalists are welcome to learn more about the peculiarities of covering the initiative.

• military
• psychological support
• women

Ismail Kurt-Umer is a singer and member of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2013 and 2014, Ismail studied at the capital conservatory. During the Revolution of Dignity, Ismail went to Crimea on vacation and saw with his own eyes how russia occupied the peninsula. After returning to Kyiv, Ismail decided to join the Armed Forces. Together with the Ensemble, the man often visited the military in the East of Ukraine, but after the start of the full-scale invasion, the concerts stopped, as it became dangerous for a large crowd of people to gather in one place.

Since then, the Ensemble has begun working on music videos congratulating the soldiers with various holidays to support the spirits and morale of the military. The Ensemble dedicated one of the videos to the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr: the musicians congratulated Muslims both in Ukraine and abroad. The clip was very positively received in Muslim countries, and Saudi Arabia even allocated USD 100 million for humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Ismail believes that after Ukraine’s victory, the Ukrainian flag will fly over Crimea again, and there will be Crimean Tatar autonomy on the peninsula.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with the serviceman in Kyiv.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

Before russia’s full-scale invasion, Viktor Litovchenko served in the special forces. At the beginning of the big war, Viktor was drafted into the military. His unit operated in Kharkiv region, and together with his brothers in arms, the man searched for enemy positions. On May 7, 2022, Viktor was seriously injured. Then he was evacuated, and later Viktor underwent his first surgery in Kharkiv. At that moment, the doctors told Viktor that it was unlikely that he would restore his walking ability. Relatives helped the veteran to come to terms with the new reality: within two months of rehabilitation, he managed to master a wheelchair and began to take care of himself without help. Later, Viktor joined the “Group of Active Rehabilitation” NGO in Volyn region and became an instructor for those who are just learning to use a wheelchair – both civilians and military personnel.

• casualties
• military
• Lutsk

Svitlana Trubachova is from Luhansk region. She is the mother of two children: 11-year-old Ihor and 5-year-old Polina. Svitlana’s husband, Volodymyr, served in Ukraine’s Border Guard Service for 18 years. The last time the woman saw her beloved was on February 24, 2022, when he left for work. And at the beginning of March, Troitske village, where the family lived, was occupied by russian troops. The russian soldiers started coming to Svitlana’s house, took the woman away for questioning, and even searched her. They also burned down all the clothes of her husband.

On April 13, 2022, Volodymyr died near Lysychansk. He was buried in Dnipro, and Svitlana could not even go to the funeral, because she was in the occupied territory. She managed to leave Luhansk region only in the summer, and the first thing she did was visit her husband’s grave. And then she went to Kyiv with her children.

Currently, Svitlana works at a center that helps children with autism spectrum disorders. She entered the university and is studying to become a psychologist. Svitlana also runs fundraisers for the Border Guard Service, because she wants other parents to return to their children.

By prior agreement, journalists have the opportunity to talk with Svitlana in Kyiv.

For reference: The Children of Heroes Charity Fund takes care of this family. The fund helps children who lost one or both parents as a result of russia’s full-scale invasion. The fund also provides financial assistance, psychological and legal support, facilitates education and development of children until they reach adulthood.

• dead
• military
• occupation
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv

Before the full-scale invasion, Andrii Pentsak worked as a physical therapist. He headed the rehabilitation department in the network of medical centers in Kyiv and helped Ukrainian defenders recover. With the beginning of the big war, Andrii joined the Hospitallers Medical Battalion (a volunteer organization of paramedics), but later he was mobilized to the 38th separate marine infantry brigade as a combat medic.

In October 2023, Andrii and his brothers in arms came under mortar fire in Kherson region. In the enemy shelling the soldier’s leg got crushed, and his Achilles tendon was damaged. In total, the man underwent 10 operations, was treated in 3 cities of Ukraine, and is currently in Lviv’s Unbroken center. Doctors predict that Andrii will be able to fully restore his walking ability. The veteran himself dreams of returning to work as a physical therapist to help people.

• casualties
• doctors
• military
• Lviv

Soldier Karma, withholding her identity for safety, fled Luhansk in 2014 with her young daughter amidst militant occupation. A routine visit to her parents in 2016 turned into over three years of enemy detainment after she was accused of associating with detained football ultras. Despite her captivity, Karma’s daughter remained with her parents.

Finally, on December 29, 2019, Karma, alongside 75 others, was freed and returned home. Following rehabilitation, she resumed her studies, earning her diploma. A year later, she resolved to enlist in the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

While Karma maintains contact with her family, who still reside in the occupied territory with her daughter, she remains committed to her military service. 

Furthermore, she is stationed on the front lines and open to engaging with journalists online.

• doctors
• military
• prisoners
• women

Kyiv has recently kicked off an equine therapy program catered to both female and male veterans, including those in wheelchairs. 

This holistic approach, known as hippotherapy, utilizes interactions with horses to enhance both physical and psychological well-being.

The initiative, titled “Equine Assisted Therapy for Veterans and Wounded,” aims to accommodate 30 participants over a three-month period from April to June 2024. Notably, participation in the program is free of charge.

For reference: This project is spearheaded by the NGO “Union of Wounded Military of Ukraine ‘Strong 300’,” in collaboration with the Veterans Reintegration Program supported by IREX and the US Department of State.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Peaceful demonstrations are slated across at least 15 cities to advocate for the Azovstal defenders in Mariupol and other military personnel still held captive by the enemy.

On April 13, gatherings will occur in Dnipro, Okhtyrka, Pavlohrad, Vinnytsia, and Krolevets.

On April 14, rallies are scheduled in Kyiv, Kremenchuk, Ovruch, Chernivtsi, Kryvyi Rih, Ternopil, Odesa, Rivne, and Truskavets.

These events are spearheaded by the families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison.

• military
• prisoners

Maryna and Mykola are both military; they met in 2019 in the army. The woman had two daughters from a previous marriage — Olena and Oleksandra. Mykola also has a daughter named Milana. At first, the family lived in Mariupol, Donetsk region (now the city is occupied), then they moved to Berdiansk, Zaporizhia region (now the city is occupied).

The couple served in the Azov brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. In 2020, Mykola resigned from the Azov and joined the Marines. Maryna’s contract ended in November 2021, but she did not want to leave her brothers in arms.

When the full-scale invasion began, Maryna, along with other Azov defenders of Mariupol ended up at the Azovstal plant (i.e. Iron and Steel Works where fierce battles with the enemy took place in the spring of 2022). Mykola wanted to switch with Marina and go to Azovstal instead of her. The woman persuaded him not to do this because at the checkpoint, the russians shot three guys who were on their way to meet their girlfriends, and many others who broke through to the plant went missing. Even then, Maryna understood that she and other military personnel were unlikely to get out of the Azovstal alive. And she asked her husband to take care of her daughters. On May 8, 2022, the woman died in a fire at the Azovstal.

Now Mykola is fighting for the right to adopt his deceased wife’s daughters and give them a happy future. He is purchasing a three-room apartment for the girls in the Kyiv region so they can live together as a family.

With the help of the Children of Heroes Fund, Maryna’s daughters received gifts and visited a rehabilitation camp, which helped them to distract themselves from terrible memories and disturbing thoughts.

For reference: the defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days. Following the order of the command, the Ukrainian defenders stopped putting up the defense, left Azovstal, and surrendered to the enemy. On May 20, 2022, Mariupol was occupied by russia.

The Children of Heroes Charity Fund supports children who have lost one or both parents due to russia’s full-scale invasion. The fund offers financial aid as well as psychological and legal support. The organization helps these children with education and development until they reach adulthood.

As of the beginning of February, 7,889 wards are under the care of the Fund. Of them, 1,062 are IDPs, 151 children have lost their mother and father, 177 are children with disabilities, and 970 are children from large families. Every week, about 80 children are included in the list of recipients of the fund’s help. Among the fund’s children, 88% are kids of military personnel, while the remaining 12% are civilians.

• casualties
• children
• dead
• military
• women
• Kyiv
• Mariupol