Themes by tag: military

On May 20 at 11:00 AM, the procession “We are waiting for the heroes of Mariupol to come home” will take place in Shevchenko Park in Kyiv. And already in the evening, installation art symbolizing indomitability and faith of the prisoners of war from Azovstal will be unveiled on Sophia Square. Also, a charity run in vyshyvankas (embroidered shirts) “Towards Freedom” will take place on May 20 in Brovary, Kyiv region. The distance is 3 kilometers, all those willing to participate must pay a charity contribution of UAH 300.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

On May 20, 2022, the last Ukrainian defender left the territory of the Azovstal steelworks. Following 86 days of heroic defense, the formerly flourishing city by the sea found itself under complete occupation. According to preliminary data alone, more than 22,000 citizens of Mariupol died, 90% of the city’s infrastructure was destroyed, and thousands of Mariupol residents were forced to leave their homes.

On May 19, 20 and 21, the exhibition “Mariupol. 86 #Live,” public lecture “Unbreakable” about the lost ethnic groups of Mariupol and performative literary event “#Live” will be held in the territory of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War.

So, for example, the exhibition “Mariupol. 86 #Live” will tell how the world watched the struggle of the city during the 86-day-long siege via social networks and mass media. Photographs, artifacts, and video materials connected to the defense of Mariupol, its heroic defender, and the lives of people under occupation will be presented, as well as a film about the blockade of the city.

Visitors will have an opportunity to talk to the participants and witnesses of the events in Mariupol and the defenders of the city.

• culture
• military
• occupation
• Kyiv

On May 20, a charity marathon “Run for those from Steel. RUN FOR AZOVSTAL. Run to support the defenders of Azovstal.” (With the support of the YOUkraine Charitable Foundation and the Women of Steel public organization)

The organizers want to remind about and call for the release of prisoners who have not yet returned home, to help their families, and to help those who have already been released from captivity.

The charity event aims to raise UAH 200 thousand. All the funds raised will be used for rehabilitation activities for the released prisoners and support for their families.

Among other things, the event program includes an exhibition and sale of “Eyes of Azov” exclusive photographs signed by the defenders from the former head of the Azov Regiment’s press service, Dmytro Kozatskyi, call sign Orest.

• military
• prisoners

An exhibition of war photographs by fallen Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier Maksym Burda titled “Heavenly Photographer” organized by Maksym’s family and the Serhiy Prytula Charitable Foundation, will be held in Kyiv on May 18. 

The exhibition of Maksym’s war collection of photographs was a dream of his, now being realized by the family. As a civilian, Maksym was a well-known photographer in the Volyn Oblast. After the full-scale invasion outbreak, he went to war and was a UAV operator. He died on January 26, 2023, near Bakhmut while performing a combat mission.

“Photographer”, Maksym’s call sign, did not leave his favorite job, even on the front line. He photographed his comrades, their everyday life, work, and life “from the ground zero”. The exhibition will feature a total of 176 photographs. 35 photos from Maksym’s latest flash drive, which was recently transferred from the front line, and never published before, will be presented. Maksym’s family and friends are invited to the opening. Photos at the exhibition are available for purchase. The proceeds will be used for drone procurement for the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade.

• dead
• military
• Kyiv

Soldier Pavlo survived his car hitting a mine while driving. Pavlo was driving while returning from a combat mission with his comrades. In a moment, his comrade sitting next to him was burned alive.

Pavlo was wearing glasses that saved his eyes from burns. He tried to get out of the car, but the wreckage pinned his right leg.

The man has already undergone 21 limb-saving surgeries. Currently, the national program #SaveLimb of the International Charitable Foundation “Health of the Ukrainian People” doctors are fighting for the soldier’s limb. Its mission is to stop the invalidism of Ukraine people due to war-related injuries to their arms and legs.

• casualties
• doctors
• military

Veteran Oleksandr Shvetsov, who lost his leg in 2014 near Luhansk, and his brother in arms Serhii Khrapko, who has a prosthetic leg and arm after being wounded in eastern Ukraine in 2015, set out on a journey to meet each other halfway. The distance between the soldiers is 120 kilometers, Oleksandr is coming from Zhytomyr, and Serhii is from Kyiv. By doing this, the veterans want to draw attention to the need to create a modern admission department at the National Military Medical Clinical Center “Main Military Clinical Hospital” and raise funds for a gastroscope worth over UAH 3.5 million.

• military
• volunteers
• Kyiv
• Zhytomyr

On May 19, “Samurai” NGO of Ukrainian sapper Vladyslav Yeshchenko, who completely lost his sight during demining, will sign a Memorandum with Ukraine and Spain. The document will discuss cooperation between countries to provide modern vision restoration technology for military personnel who have suffered eye injuries.

For reference: Sapper Vladyslav Yeshchenko lost his sight during mine clearance. 84 anti-personnel mines exploded near him.

• casualties
• military

On May 16, Media Center Ukraine — Ukrinform will host a briefing entitled “A year of leaving Azovstal steelworks: cry out, as it’s impossible to be silent” by representatives of Women of Steel NGO.

In May, it will be one year since Azovstal steelworks defenders left the plant’s territory after 86 days of unprecedented defense in the tripled enemy encirclement. Back then, the whole world admired the strength of the spirit of Azovstal defenders. However, neither the fighters nor their families could have imagined that following the evacuation from the drop point of five-ton aerial bombs, they would be sent to torture chambers for an indefinite period of time.

Participants of the briefing:

– Nataliia Zarytska, Chair of the “Women of Steel” Council of Wives and Mothers of Ukraine’s Defenders,” wife of a released from captivity soldier of the Azov Regiment;

– Nataliia Kravtsova, mother of a captured Azovstal defender;

– Nelya Shastun, mother of Azov battalion soldiers, whose one son was killed and the other was held in captivity;

– Anastasiia Mikhilova, who was held for two months in an Azovstal bunker with her four-year-old son;

– Sofiia Cherepanova, sister of a captured Azovstal defender.

Media accreditation required.

• military
• prisoners
• women
• Kyiv

On May 13, a meeting with Valeriia Subotina (call sign “Nava”) will take place in Kyiv. The woman spent 327 days in russian captivity. While still under siege at the Azovstal plant, she married a border guard, Andrii Subotin, on May 5 (the birthday of the Azov regiment). The man even made engagement rings for them out of foil. However, he died shortly after, on May 7.

Attendees will have an opportunity to listen to Valeriia’s poems from the poetry collection “Flowers and Weapons,” which was republished due to Andrii Subotin’s parents’ efforts while the woman was in captivity. After the event, Valeria will talk to the media representatives. Considering her physical and psychological exhaustion, the organizers kindly ask to limit the number of questions, but there will be an opportunity to arrange further interviews.

• military
• prisoners
• women
• Kyiv

Rehabilitation specialists of the Healthy Body project help Ukrainian defenders to recover (in particular, after injuries or carrying heavy ammunition for a long time). Mobile teams go to the military at frontline positions with the necessary equipment: mobile devices for shockwave therapy, ultrasound diagnostics, etc. Specialists can help several dozen defenders in one working day.

Currently, this project, as an experimental freelance physical rehabilitation group, is a part of “Kharkiv” Operational Group of troops. So far, this is the only organizational unit of its kind in the army.

• doctors
• military
• Kharkiv