Themes by tag: military

Andrii Bieliaiev is a racer, founder and head of the NGO “Offroadbrothers.” He took part in his first competitions back in 2010, when he also met Vadym Moroz and Yevhenii Sokur. In 2022, they launched their own off-road school together.

On the site where races used to be held, they built a training ground at their own expense and now conduct daily sessions there. Requests for training from military personnel come in regularly, with bookings scheduled two to three weeks in advance.

The “Offroadbrothers” training ground includes an obstacle section, an area simulating various ruts, pits and bumps, ascents and descents, as well as a tent equipped as a lecture space. Basic skills are taught to military drivers in four hours. Most drivers come for training from frontline regions, so the program has been shortened to two hours of theory and two hours of practice. In addition to military personnel, the instructors also train drivers from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine — their course lasts three days. The team is currently working with the National Guard of Ukraine and assisting in the creation of a training center for car and motorcycle training.

Interviews with the “Offroadbrothers” team can be arranged both online and offline in Kyiv by prior appointment.

• military
• volunteers
• Kyiv

In the Rivne region, within the Sarny community, a social project called “Veteran for an Hour” is operating. It was launched by a group of five veterans. As part of the initiative, former service members provide assistance with repair and household tasks, including furniture and plumbing installation, as well as electrical work.

The initiative has been active since early January. During this time, more than 40 service calls have been completed. Assistance is provided free of charge to socially vulnerable groups, while others may access the services on a paid basis.

The team includes two veterans with amputations, as well as a soldier who lost the ability to speak as a result of injuries sustained in combat.

By prior arrangement, journalists may cover the initiative either offline in the Rivne region or online.

For reference: The initiative is implemented by the NGO “Code of Veterans’ Strength.”

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Rivne

A servicemember with the call sign “Student” is mastering his third specialty in the military. He began his service in an infantry unit, but was soon offered to become a UAV operator. He went on to operate reconnaissance drones and carry out ammunition drops on enemy positions.

During one of the combat operations, “Student” sustained severe injuries as a result of a strike by an enemy drone. After evacuation, treatment, and rehabilitation, he had the option to leave the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as he was no longer able to perform combat tasks. However, “Student” wanted to return to service and to his comrades. As a result, his commander offered him the opportunity to join a reconnaissance platoon, where he detects enemy UAVs and relays information so they can be neutralized in time.

Journalists may speak with “Student” online by prior arrangement and with approval from the press officer.

• casualties
• military

In Kyiv, a unique rehabilitation project is helping military personnel recover through archery, including those who have lost limbs. The initiative welcomes veterans, active-duty soldiers, and their families, offering free daily training sessions.  

Leading the effort is Dmytro Lvovskyi, an international master of sports and founder and Board Chair of the “Ukrainian Archery Space” NGO. Since 2014, he has funded archery training for wounded soldiers, including veterans of the ATO service, using his own resources. His work expanded with support from the Kyiv City Center for Physical Culture and Sports for Persons with Disabilities “Invasport” and the All-Ukrainian Center for Physical Health “Sport for All,” as part of the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ “Active Parks — Unstoppable” program.  

Archery is accessible to all, even those with severe injuries. Participants missing legs train from wheelchairs, while those without arms can draw the bowstring with their teeth. Even individuals who are completely blind can take part, using specialized techniques tailored for visually impaired archers.  

Journalists can arrange to visit and cover the training sessions in Kyiv by appointment.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Serhii Zhukovskyi, 43, hails from the Zaporizhia region. Despite his childhood dream of becoming a soldier, he initially faced hurdles when got a medical certificate determining his unfitness for military service. However, when his hometown faced a full-blown invasion, Zhukovskyi and his family evacuated before it was occupied. In the Lviv region, he eventually enlisted with the 80th separate airborne assault brigade after encountering delays at the military enlistment office. His first injury occurred during the storming of Serebryany Forest, where shrapnel lodged near his spine. Despite medics’ unsuccessful attempts to remove a dangerous object from his body, the man persevered and returned to the front line after his wound healed. In the summer of 2023, serving with the 82nd Brigade, he sustained severe injuries from a mine explosion, resulting in the loss of both arms. His wife took on the task of finding the top rehabilitation centers in Ukraine, eventually leading him to the Halychyna and the Superhumans rehabilitation centers in the Lviv region. Following his prosthetic journey, the veteran received training in launching veteran-owned businesses, to which Serhii readily agreed. Subsequently, he successfully brought to fruition an idea conceived during his time on the front lines: crafting jerkies, pre-marinated and dried slices of meat. The business, named Sushena Radist (Dried Joy), was coined by Serhii’s eldest son, Ivan. It’s not just a veteran’s enterprise but also a family affair, with his wife, Daryna, handling the bulk of the work. 

Reporters welcome to seize the chance to interview Serhii Zhukovskyi in Lviv.

For context: The Sushena Radist veteran-owned enterprise emerged as a facet of the initiative “Reintegration of War Veterans through the Creation of Educational Opportunities,” spearheaded by DVV International in Ukraine and backed financially by the German Federal Foreign Office.

• casualties
• military
• Lviv

Alina, known by the call sign “Jess,” is originally from Kremenchuk in the Poltava region. After the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, Alina and her mother began volunteering together, collecting and delivering items to internally displaced people. In 2024, the young woman realized that she wanted to join the military and chose the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine “Khartiia.”

During her training, Alina came across a video showing the operation of a ground robotic complex (GRC). She obtained the contact details of a platoon sergeant who works with this equipment, told him about herself, and was appointed as a GRC operator. Today, “Jess” deploys “robots” on missions: transporting supplies to hard-to-reach areas of the front line and evacuating the wounded. At times, she has even had to retrieve another damaged or stuck GRC from a previous mission using her own ground drone. Currently, “Jess” is the only woman in her unit.

It is possible to speak with “Jess” both online and offline, by prior arrangement and with the approval of the press officer.

• military
• women

Katrin is a trained fashion designer who worked in retail before the full-scale war. She started supporting the military as a volunteer. Over time, she realized that she wanted to join the Ukrainian army.

Planning to take on a combat role, Katrin chose to work with drones. After completing training with her battalion, she now works with UAVs in a reconnaissance unit.

As the enemy does not stop, the drone operator believes that everyone must contribute to the shared victory.

Katrin is available for interviews, both online and in person, by prior arrangement with the press officer.

• military
• women

Valerii and Tetiana Popovych live in Vyshkovo, a village in the Zakarpattia region. Valerii is a carpenter, and Tetiana is a teacher. Their 35-year-old son serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After the full-scale invasion began, the couple took on the mission of returning fallen soldiers to their hometowns for burial. Valerii volunteers with the Na Shchyti (On the Shield) mission, and Tetiana often accompanies him on his trips. 

Together, they organize exhibitions of war artifacts to collect donations for their journeys. Previously, they traveled as far as the eastern front to retrieve fallen soldiers’ bodies. Now, they travel to neighboring regions to meet with other Na Shchyti volunteers to expedite the return of fallen soldiers whose families await them in Zakarpattia.

Valerii has organized a team of seven drivers, including two priests. The drivers take turns on missions to retrieve fallen soldiers’ bodies. Valerii and Tetiana explain that these journeys are psychologically exhausting, yet they feel they cannot stop.

Valerii and Tetiana Popovych are available for interviews online and in person in the Zakarpattia region by prior arrangement.

For reference: The Na Shchyti (On the Shield) project, run by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is dedicated to locating and evacuating the bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers.

• dead
• military
• volunteers
• Uzhhorod

Alina enlisted with the 13th Khartiia Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard in 2023. Before the war upended everything, she was building an online presence, shooting and editing content for various social media platforms.

When mobilization became a reality, she took a deliberate, no-nonsense approach: researching what service actually entailed, weighing different roles, and deciding where her skills might fit best. She started out in the brigade’s communications unit, heading out to frontline positions as a photographer to document the fighters and their work.

Spending time embedded with the troops, listening to their stories and seeing the demands of the battlefield up close, she realized where she wanted to contribute next. She retrained and transitioned into operating unmanned aerial vehicles, a shift from capturing images on the ground to directing eyes in the sky.

She remains on active duty today and makes a point of mentoring and supporting other women who have already mobilized or are considering enlisting, sharing practical advice and encouragement drawn from her own path.

Those interested in speaking with Alina, whether for interviews or deeper conversations, can reach out online or arrange an in-person meeting, subject to prior coordination with the brigade’s press officer.

• military
• women

Sofiia Pidvalna has been fascinated by martial arts since childhood. At age 13, she tried kickboxing and later pursued professional sports, competing for the Ukrainian national team.

At 19, Sofiia joined the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, where she began training in practical shooting. She eventually became a judge in the discipline.

On February 24, 2022, the first day of russia’s full-scale invasion, her brother, Vladyslav, was killed while defending the Luhansk region.

For Sofiia, this became a sign to fight for her country as her brother had done. During her service, she noticed that many women joining the army lacked sufficient prior training. She decided to leave active duty to focus on training enlistees.

Sofiia now teaches subjects including firearms and physical training. In the future, she plans to organize emergency driving courses for women.

Sofia Pidvalna is available for interviews, both online and in person in Lutsk, by prior arrangement.

• military
• women
• Lutsk