Themes by tag: military

Illia, call sign “Lieshyi”, joined Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade in September 2023, just after turning 19. Despite suffering multiple injuries in combat — any of which could have ended his service — he chose to keep fighting on the war’s most dangerous frontlines.

In March 2025, his life changed forever when a russian kamikaze drone dropped an explosive directly on his position, inflicting wounds so severe that both his legs had to be amputated above the knee. The armored vehicle evacuating him was also hit by an FPV drone, but against all odds, Illia survived. After emergency surgery, he reached out to the “Angels” patronage service of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, who took him from the hospital and arranged his long-term rehabilitation.

Now, Illia is preparing for advanced prosthetics treatment in the U.S. — and dreams of returning to military duty once recovered.

You can contact Illia online or offline in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Adaptive wakesurfing, a water sport where the rider glides on the wake behind a boat without being directly towed, is helping Ukrainian military veterans stay active despite physical injuries.

Since the initiative launched in the summer of 2024, 25 service members and veterans have tried wakesurfing, with five continuing to train regularly. 

Weekly sessions are held in Kyiv, where experienced coaches and adaptive equipment allow participants, including those who have lost lower limbs, to participate.

For reference: The project is a collaboration between One Team Forces, an NGO supporting service members injured or psychologically affected by the war, and the STAV14 Wake Park team. It is implemented with the support of the BreakWater Club, the official training base for Ukraine’s national wakesurfing team.

One Team Forces works with service members who served before or after russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. STAV14, a network of wakeparks, promotes adaptive wakeboarding not only in Kyiv but across Ukraine.

Journalists can cover the training sessions in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

A peaceful march titled “Ours Are Not Home Yet” is scheduled to take place in Kyiv on August 2 in solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers who are missing or held in captivity.

The event is intended to raise public and international awareness about the fate of service members who have yet to return home. Organizers say the march will call attention to the urgent need for action and accountability regarding those still unaccounted for.

The march is organized by the community of relatives of the 32nd Separate Motorized Brigade.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

Kyiv Hippodrome has pioneered a first-of-its-kind adaptive equestrian discipline for veterans — harness racing in lightweight, two-wheeled carts called “kachalkas.” Launched just over a month ago, this innovative program already has five participants and recently held its first demonstration race. This discipline is not yet officially recognized in Ukraine.

Harness racing sessions for veterans take place three times a week and are free of charge.

Journalists can cover training sessions in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

Background: The Kyiv Hippodrome also offers horseback riding sessions for veterans twice a week.

• animals
• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

In 2022, 21-year-old Oleksandr Karpovych signed a contract with the Defense Forces and became a marksman in the 25th Air Assault Brigade. The veteran fought in the Kharkiv, Luhansk, and Donetsk oblasts, participating in battles for Izium, Terny, and Chervonopopivka. At the end of December 2022, Oleksandr sustained his first injury — a shrapnel hit his head, but his helmet saved his life. He suffered a second injury on January 2, 2023, when his right arm was shredded by an enemy tank shell. By April of that same year, he returned to the front, where he received a third injury within a few weeks. Shrapnel tore through Oleksandr’s legs, he suffered a concussion and remained unconscious for a day and a half. Doctors concluded that he could no longer continue his service, and in August 2023, he was discharged.

Using a grant, Oleksandr opened a tire service center in his hometown of Ovruch (Zhytomyr oblast). Under the grant terms, he hired an administrator and a cleaner. Despite his arm injury, he handles all car repairs himself. Now, Oleksandr plans to apply for another grant to expand his business.

You can speak with Oleksandr Karpovych online or in person by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Zhytomyr

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.

• dead
• military
• Kyiv

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.

• dead
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Khmelnytskyi
• 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.

• dead
• military
• women
• Kyiv

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.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Lviv

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.

• military
• women