Themes by tag: military

The Union of Wounded Military Personnel of Ukraine ‘Mitsni 300’ invites the media to the open bowling tournament, “Mitsni Shary”, which will take place on November 22 in Kyiv.

The competition will feature 30 participants, including wounded servicemen and veterans from various regions of Ukraine.

The media will have the opportunity to speak with the participants, organizers, and partners.

Accreditation is required for the event.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

Yaroslava Shevtsova is from Svatove, in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. She owned a fitness studio there. On March 8, 2022, she and her young son were forced to flee their home when enemy troops captured Svatove. The city is now under russian occupation.

She relocated to France, where she found work, and her son started kindergarten. In October 2022, Yaroslava met Oleksandr Kolomiiets, a Ukrainian soldier who had served since 2015. The couple communicated online and dreamed of meeting in person. They met for the first time on January 2, 2023, and spent a month together. They decided that Yaroslava would return to Ukraine in June to get married.

However, on March 27, 2023, Yaroslava was informed that Oleksandr had been caught in a mortar attack and died in the hospital. Yaroslava decided to return to Vinnytsia, a city that Oleksandr considered the best in Ukraine, and live there. There, she planned to open a café in his memory.

Yaroslava lacked the necessary funds, but she was supported by a friend and Oleksandr’s brothers-in-arms. Thus, the family-friendly café “Simba” was born in Vinnytsia. The café holds charity fundraisers and supports Oleksandr’s fellow soldiers.

Yaroslava Shevtsova is available for interviews online and in person in Vinnytsia by prior arrangement.

• dead
• military
• women
• Vinnytsia

A Ukrainian Armed Forces veteran who lost three limbs in combat has set a national record for climbing the country’s highest peak. The official announcement will take place in the Lviv region on November 17, recognizing Zakhar Biriukov for the first ascent to the summit of Hoverla by a person with three amputated limbs.

Biriukov, 35, sustained devastating injuries in 2022 while serving on the front lines – losing both arms, one leg, an eye, and part of his hearing, along with severe facial wounds. Despite the trauma, he has dedicated his recovery to helping other service members find purpose after injury.

With his mission focused on supporting fellow service members to rebuild their lives, this climb up Hoverla, Ukraine’s 6,762-foot mountain, became a testament that physical loss is no match for inner strength and determination. “Life is not over, it’s just beginning,” Biriukov said, reflecting on his achievement and his determination to inspire others facing similar challenges.

Journalists are invited to attend the record announcement. Media accreditation is required.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Lviv

A project by Lviv-based reproductive specialist and four-time Fertility Award winner Liubov Mykhailyshyn, “Preserve Your DNA for the Future,” offers free egg cryopreservation to 20 women in the military who risk their lives every day. The program is open to women between the ages of 21 and 41.

More than 80 women submitted their applications. The program will run until the end of 2025.

Journalists can arrange interviews with Liubov Mykhailyshyn in Lviv or online, and, if possible, with program participants.

Background: The “Preserve Your DNA for the Future” project is funded by a grant from L’Oréal Paris and UNFPA Ukraine (the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine).

Similar programs have been successfully implemented in the United States (Fertility Preservation Program) and Israel. According to American researchers, service members experience a significant decline in reproductive potential compared to control groups, even without physical injury. Chronic stress is a major contributing factor.

While sperm cryopreservation is a relatively quick and simple process for military personnel, egg freezing is more complex and requires an initial consultation with a reproductive specialist; controlled ovarian stimulation with specific medications; egg retrieval from the ovaries; cryopreservation and long-term storage of the oocytes.

• doctors
• military
• women
• Lviv

Before russia’s full-scale invasion, Roman Chernenko worked as a bartender in Kharkiv, leading an ordinary civilian life. But in the summer of 2022, he enlisted in Ukraine’s Defense Forces and was later deployed to the embattled Bakhmut area.

Two years later, in 2024, Chernenko’s life changed in an instant when he stepped on an anti-personnel mine and lost his leg. After undergoing extensive treatment, he began rehabilitation at the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center in Lviv, where he learned to walk again using his first prosthesis.

Determined to help others facing the same challenges, Chernenko stayed on at the center – this time as a member of its team. Drawing from his own experience, he now supports fellow veterans on their path to physical and emotional recovery.

Looking ahead, Chernenko plans to introduce golf therapy for wounded soldiers, saying the sport helps alleviate phantom pain and restore confidence.

Those who wish to meet or speak with Roman Chernenko can do so by prior arrangement, either online or in person in Lviv.

• casualties
• military
• Lviv

Maksym Maksymenko is a veteran of the russo-Ukrainian War and a participant in the Revolution of Dignity. While still a student in 2014, Maksym and his friends traveled to Maidan Square and joined the protests. He served as a “sotnyk”, or unit commander, on the Maidan. With the start of the russian occupation of Crimea and attack on eastern Ukraine, he joined the Azov unit.

In 2016, Maksym returned to civilian life. He recalls this period as a time of self-discovery, during which he volunteered, engaged in civic activism, and started a small business.

When the full-scale invasion began, Maksym immediately returned to the military. Several months later, he was wounded and had to leave the army again. However, he adapted more quickly this time, as he had his beloved wife to support him.

While shopping for gifts, Maksym and his wife noticed a lack of websites in Ukraine dedicated exclusively to handmade products. This inspired the idea for Create4Me, an online marketplace that connects Ukrainian artisans, including veterans and volunteers. The Ukrainian Veteran Fund helped bring the project to life. Maksym believes that Ukrainian artisans create items that can captivate the entire world.

Maksym Maksymenko is available for interviews, both online and in person in Ternopil, by prior arrangement.

• culture
• military
• Ternopil

Ukrainian veteran and public advocate Andrii Madzharov has completed a 1,500-kilometer trek from Ukraine to Brussels, a symbolic journey meant to remind Europe of the price Ukrainians continue to pay in their fight for freedom.

Madzharov, a longtime member of a veterans’ union, has served in Ukraine’s defense since 2015. After russia launched its full-scale invasion, he joined the Safari special forces unit of the National Police and took part in operations across the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Donetsk regions.

In August 2025, he set out on foot toward the Belgian capital, determined to share the voices of his fellow soldiers and draw attention to the cost of Ukraine’s ongoing resistance. During his journey, Madzharov met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, presenting him with the chevron he had worn in combat as a token of respect and solidarity.

After three months on the road, the veteran arrived in Brussels in early November, where he plans to stay for several days. 

Those wishing to speak with Andrii Madzharov about his mission and experiences can arrange an online conversation in advance.

• military

Maksym was 11 years old when russia first attacked Ukraine in 2014. His most vivid memories from that time are of people fleeing the war to his hometown of Berdiansk, in southern Ukraine. In 2019, his older brother joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

After the full-scale invasion began and Berdiansk was occupied, Maksym enlisted through the “18-24” mobilization program. Maksym joined the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade “Edelweiss”, serving as an infantryman for the past seven months.

His achievements during this time include capturing an enemy soldier, holding a position single-handedly for several days, and sustaining a combat injury.

In recognition of his accomplishments, the brigade command has nominated the 21-year-old Korshun for the “For Courage” award.

Maksym is available for interviews online and in person in the Donetsk oblast by prior arrangement with the press officer.

• military

On November 4, Kyiv will host a meeting with Swedish volunteers Caroline Nordengrip and Christopher Forsback, who took up arms to defend Ukraine against russia’s full-scale invasion. Caroline Nordengrip, a former member of the Swedish Parliament with a 15-year career in politics, joined Ukraine’s 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade “Magura.” Serving under the call sign “Alex,” she not only defended the country but also trained members of the Ukrainian Forces of Ukraine. 

Christopher Forsback, who goes by the call sign “Chris,” previously worked in forestry before volunteering to fight with the same brigade. He took part in combat operations against russian forces, helped clear mines from Ukrainian territory, and sustained serious injuries during his service.

During the event, the two volunteers will share their stories, from their peaceful lives in Sweden to the realities of war on Ukraine’s front lines, and present several personal items to the War Museum’s collection.

For reference: The meeting is part of the For Freedom project, a joint initiative of the Kyiv War Museum and the Romulus T. Weatherman Foundation. The project honors international volunteers who have stood up alongside Ukrainians for the defense of the country’s independence and global freedom. It highlights the scope of international solidarity with Ukraine, from military and humanitarian support to the personal decisions of foreign citizens to join its armed forces.

Journalists are required to register to attend the event.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

When russia’s full-scale invasion broke out, Maksym Levchenko, known by his callsign “Roger,” didn’t think twice about joining the Ukrainian army. In the early days of the war, he and his comrades defended the Kyiv region. Later, when he learned there was a chance to reach the besieged city of Mariupol by helicopter, Maksym volunteered without hesitation. 

He says his decision was simple, his friends were fighting there, and he wanted to stand by them. Maksym went on to defend Mariupol until May 2022, when, acting on his commander’s orders, he surrendered to russian forces and was taken into captivity. 

He spent the next 13 months in captivity. During that time, he and a fellow soldier often talked about what they would do once they returned home. Their shared dream was to open an airsoft club, a place for camaraderie, training, and purpose beyond the battlefield.

In June 2023, Maksym was finally freed in a prisoner exchange. While waiting for his comrade’s release, he decided to bring their idea to life. He launched an airsoft club in Lviv, turning their wartime dream into a reality. Part of the club’s mission, he says, is to support Ukraine’s Armed Forces by raising funds for the military.

Maksym Levchenko is available for interviews online or in person in Lviv, by prior arrangement.

• military
• prisoners
• Lviv