Themes by tag: military

Peaceful gatherings will be held in 28 cities to raise awareness for the defenders of Azovstal and other military personnel still held in enemy captivity.

On April 26, events will take place in Vinnytsia, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Bila Tserkva, and Mykolaiv. On April 27, additional events are planned for Kyiv, Krolevets, Korop, Ovruch, Uzhhorod, Berdychiv, Dolyna, Kropyvnytskyi, Shostka, and Chernivtsi.

These actions are organized by the families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison. Former prisoners of war who have been released from captivity will also participate in the events.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

When russia first attacked Ukraine in 2014, Dmytro was just 9 years old. The Revolution of Dignity and the subsequent onset of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) deeply shaped his youth. As a boy, he wrote letters to the military and became a member of the Youth Patriotic Education Club. Although he was the youngest member, Dmytro actively participated in competitions and attended training centers and camps.

Dmytro always knew that a all-out russian invasion was inevitable, and he started preparing for it. By the time the war erupted in full force, he was still a minor, but he had already begun thinking about where he would serve. After graduating from the Ukrainian Leadership Academy, Dmytro received a call from a friend to join his unit, and that’s how he found himself in the medical unit of the 30th Kostiantyn Ostrozkyi Brigade.

A year later, Dmytro’s father also joined the service, and together, now they are in charge of evacuating the wounded and fallen from the front lines.

Dmytro Kunytskyi is available for interviews both online and offline by prior arrangement.

• military

Yevhen Turchynov, guitarist of the band Zhadan i Sobaky, is also a soldier of the 13th Khartiia brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. Together with the band’s front man, Serhiy Zhadan, Yevhen signed a contract with the brigade in May 2024. Before that, they had long supported Khartiia through donations and fundraising at concerts.

The robot dog appeared in Yevhen’s life after the musicians saw a similar robot dog being used by the Brigade’s reconnaissance unit. Soon after, Zhadan i Sobaky bought a robotic dog from Ukrainian developers and named it Elvis.

The robot dog is resilient and sturdy, and can carry loads such as radios. Elvis weighs 15 kilograms, can reach speeds of up to 16 kilometers per hour, and can work for four hours without recharging. Until June 21, Elvis will accompany Zhadan i Sobaky on their tour, after which he will be transferred to a combat unit.

Journalists can speak with Yevhen Turchynov both online and offline, by prior arrangement and coordination with the press officer.

• military

Anastasiia Hondiul and Anna Lobova, wives of Ukrainian prisoners of war and members of the Olenivka Community NGO, are preparing for an indefinite hunger strike set to begin in the capital on April 24. Their husbands, Artem Hondiul and Oleh Lobov, defended Mariupol, surrendered on the orders of their command and survived the terrorist attack in Olenivka.

Anastasiia and Anna say they are taking this step because of the silence of the Ukrainian authorities. Through their hunger strike, the women aim to draw public and government attention to the soldiers who remain in enemy captivity.

The women will remain in the city center during the day, while at night (during the curfew) they will seek shelter in a safe place.

Journalists can speak with the women both online and offline by prior arrangement.

Background: The defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days, ending on May 20, 2022. On the night of July 28-29, 2022, russia committed a terrorist act by blowing up a barracks in the Olenivka penal colony, where Ukrainian POWs were held. At least 50 defenders of “Azovstal” were killed, and over a hundred were injured.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv

Until 2015, Artem Dubyna worked as a journalist in Nikopol, in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. After the Revolution of Dignity and the onset of russian aggression in eastern Ukraine, he joined the military and served with the Azov regiment. Several years later, Artem left the service and was preparing for his wedding.

When russia launched its full-scale invasion, he immediately returned to his unit – the 12th Brigade of the Azov National Guard. He was first deployed to defend the airport in Zaporizhia but was soon transferred to Mariupol. On February 26, 2022, Artem and his comrades took up positions at the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works. During one of the missions, he was struck by a sniper’s bullet. The round pierced his temple and exited through his neck. Against all odds, he survived.

In May 2022, Artem and his fellow soldiers were ordered to surrender and were taken captive. He was first held in a penal colony in Olenivka, in the occupied Donetsk region, before being transferred to Taganrog, russia. While in captivity, Artem endured torture. He returned home only after two years and four months, during a recent prisoner exchange.

Interviews with Artem Dubyna are possible both online and in person, by prior arrangement through the press officer.

For reference: The defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days. On May 20, 2022, the city fell under russian occupation. According to Human Rights Watch, an estimated 8,000 civilians were killed during the russian assault. Out of Mariupol’s pre-war population of 540,000, approximately 400,000 had fled by mid-May 2022.

On the night of July 29, 2022, russia carried out a terrorist attack by detonating explosives inside a barracks at the Olenivka penal colony, where Ukrainian prisoners of war were being held. At least 50 Azovstal defenders were killed, and more than 100 others were injured.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes

TMS HUB is a sports facility where servicemen and veterans with amputations or injuries can practice Brazilian jiu-jitsu free of charge. The project promotes the physical rehabilitation and social reintegration of military personnel.

The initiative is led by Artem Kuzmich, a veteran of the Ukrainian Special Forces. Originally from Belarus, Kuzmich has been defending Ukraine since 2014. In 2019, he stepped on an enemy mine and lost a leg. Despite this, he became a champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions held in Ukraine, Europe and Brazil.

Twelve TMS HUB branches now operate across Ukraine, including in Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Mykolaiv, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Dnipro and Khmelnytskyi. More than 200 veterans have already joined the program.

The “TMS Victory Cup” competition will be held at the end of May.

Journalists may arrange to cover this sports initiative in Kyiv by prior coordination.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Oksana is a soldier in the 13th Khartiia Brigade of the National Guard. She is 19 years old and openly identifies as bisexual.

Oksana was still a teenager when the full-scale invasion began. When the girl turned 18, she decided to join the military. She chose the 13th Khartiia Brigade of the National Guard – in part because of its tolerant attitude toward LGBTQ+ service members.

After completing her training, Oksana specialized in assembling FPV drones.

Currently, Oksana is on the front lines. You can communicate with her both online and offline by prior arrangement and with the approval of the press officer.

• military
• women
• LGBT

Tribute exhibition commemorating Hero of Ukraine Andrii Pilshchykov, call sign “Juice”, will open on April 17 at one of Kyiv’s libraries. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the life and legacy of the legendary Ukrainian defender through materials provided by his mother, Liliia Averianova.

For reference: Andrii Pilshchykov (1993–2023), a military pilot with the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, played a key role in Ukraine’s air defense from the outset of the full-scale Russian invasion. Known widely as one of the figures behind the “Ghost of Kyiv” legend, he was posthumously conferred the title Hero of Ukraine in 2024. He also received the Order “For Courage” III Class in 2022 and II Class posthumously in 2023.

Recognized as a leading reformer of the Air Force, Pilshchykov made a significant impact on its development. In June 2022, he joined an official delegation to the United States, helping to secure the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and laying the groundwork for pilot training. He died on August 25, 2023, in the Zhytomyr region and was buried at Askold’s Grave in Kyiv.

• culture
• dead
• military
• Kyiv

Yuliia and Serhii shared 27 years of a happy marriage. Together, they raised two daughters, Victoriia and Valeriia. The couple built their home with their own hands – Serhii oversaw the construction, while Yuliia, skilled in painting and plasterwork, contributed her expertise. Their teamwork eventually grew into a small family business, renovating apartments from start to finish.

Russia’s full-scale invasion found the couple at home in the Kyiv region. On the war’s first day, Serhii attempted to enlist in the Armed Forces, but long lines at military registration offices held him back. For a year, he kept trying – and in the meantime, he volunteered.

He later joined the 15th Border Guard Detachment. Though frequently deployed to the front line, Serhii always managed to send a few words to his wife. But after one mission, he never came back. For his unwavering commitment and courage, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal “For the Defense of Ukraine.”

For reference: The Children of Heroes charitable foundation is currently supporting the family. The organization assists children who have lost one or both parents due to Russia’s full-scale invasion by providing financial aid, psychological and legal support, and resources for education and personal development until they reach adulthood.

• dead
• military
• women
• Kyiv

The Tytanovi Charitable Foundation, within the framework of the Tytanovi Rehab project, invites you to the presentation of the “Tytanovi Arts & Culture Center” for rehabilitation of veterans. During the event, veterans and journalists will get a preview of what the center will offer after its official opening.

The Foundation explains that war leaves not only physical wounds, but also deep psychological scars. Creative rehabilitation is one of the most effective ways to address them. The center will offer veterans the opportunity to participate in art therapy, try their hand in a photo lab, take the stage in a theater, and attend educational workshops.

The presentation will feature Viacheslav Zaporozhets, the founder and head of the Tytanovi Charitable Foundation – a veteran who lost a limb and has mastered a bionic prosthesis.

Background: Founded by Viacheslav Zaporozhets, a veteran of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Tytanovi Charitable Foundation specializes in the rehabilitation of servicemen and veterans after severe injuries. According to the organizers, Tytanovi is the only foundation  that provides custom-made titanium bone implants for military personnel with high-level and severe amputations.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv