Themes by tag: military

Andrii Prots knew the path he wanted to follow from an early age. Inspired by his grandfather, a skilled carpenter, he took up woodworking himself and eventually built a business producing cabinets, kitchens, and commercial furnishings for shops and offices. His dream was to grow into a mass manufacturer – until russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine forced him to put everything on hold.

When the war broke out, Prots mobilized with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He carried out combat missions in the Serebrianskyi Forest, Torske, Zarichne, and near Lyman. It was while serving on the front line that he learned his wife had given birth to their daughter. He still recalls returning home on leave, dirty and exhausted, straight from the forest, to meet his newborn child.

By 2023, Prots decided to leave the military for family reasons and turn back to civilian life. Almost immediately, he began rebuilding his business. He repaired his workshop, which had been damaged in an enemy strike, and reopened his furniture factory, which he fittingly named “Combatant.”

Over time, Prots realized he wanted his work to serve a greater purpose. He has invested his savings and secured a grant from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation to buy land and build a barrier-free production facility for veterans with disabilities. He aims to complete construction by the end of 2025 and create a workplace where veterans feel safe, valued and comfortable.

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

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Lviv

On September 13, Kyiv will host a peaceful motorcycle and car rally organized by the “United Biker Front” war veterans’ motorcycle club. The rally will be accompanied by a photo exhibition titled “Our People Are Not Home Yet” to show support for missing and captured soldiers of the 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade.

Background: The event is organized by the community of families of missing and captured soldiers from the 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, which is part of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

“Cap” had planned to join the military right after finishing school. However, things didn’t work out that way, so she first pursued a medical education as a dental technician and later taught pop vocals. When the full-scale invasion began, “Cap” was in her hometown of Bila Tserkva in Kyiv oblast. She volunteered, supported the military, organized fundraisers, until she realized she could be more useful in the armed forces.

After the first year of the full-scale war, “Cap” took time to prepare: she worked out at the gym, lost weight, improved her physical health, and simultaneously looked for a unit she wanted to join. That’s how she learned about Khartiia and, after several training sessions, put on the uniform.

During her service, she held several positions and eventually became an infantry battalion planner. She emphasizes that the army is open to everyone — women and men alike — to fight for a common goal. In her free time, “Cap” dreams of peace, a loving husband, a house of her own, and three children.

Interviews with “Cap” can be arranged online or in person, by prior agreement and coordination with the press officer.

• military
• women

Before the full-scale invasion, Taras Ostapchuk worked in electrical installation and manufactured lighting poles. As early as 2017, he had learned to pilot drones to inspect streetlight supports. After February 24, 2022, he used the same drones to fly over the Kyiv oblast and assist reconnaissance units. He later joined an aerial reconnaissance unit himself.

Taras noticed that soldiers were forced to carry anti-tank mines manually, which added unnecessary risk to their lives. This inspired him to create kamikaze robots that could transport explosives. Given his background in metalworking, building the robots’ chassis posed no challenge. In the workshops where he once crafted lighting fixtures, he began assembling the internal components.

Taras spent all his savings — approximately $270,000 — on the first 50 robots and donated them to the front lines free of charge. A friend who believed in the Ratel project invested in it, enabling the team to launch serial production.

Today, a single robot can carry 40 kilograms of explosives, reach speeds of up to 24 kilometers per hour, and be operated remotely. In addition to kamikaze robots, Taras has also developed two drones to improve logistics and evacuate the wounded.

Interviews with Taras Ostapchuk can be arranged online or in person in Kyiv, by prior agreement.

• military
• Kyiv

Oleksandr Demenko, a native of Zaporizhzhia, first served his mandatory term in the military before signing a contract with the 15th Operational Brigade of the National Guard, named after Hero of Ukraine Lieutenant Bohdan Zavada. In the months leading up to russia’s full-scale invasion, he was assigned to guard facilities near Mariupol, and on February 24, 2022, his unit was redeployed to defend the city.

By the end of March 2022, he had sustained a shrapnel wound, and on May 12 of that year, he spoke with his mother for the last time before being taken prisoner. Demenko remained in captivity for more than 20 months. He finally returned home on January 31, 2024.

More recently, Demenko was elected head of the Ukrainian LGBT Military for Equal Rights NGO. On August 23, 2025, his partner Artur proposed, and the two became engaged. The couple plans to wait until lawmakers adopt a bill on registered partnerships before marrying.

Demenko is available for meetings both online and in person in Kyiv by appointment.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv
• LGBT

HAB | Lviv Habilitation Center is Ukraine’s first habilitation facility dedicated to veterans, their families, and civilians affected by the war. Its mission is to provide a recovery environment that blends physical rehabilitation, psychological support, creative activities, and community engagement. Here, individuals can not only regain physical strength but also discover inner resilience, motivation, and new opportunities for life.

The center features eight fully accessible rooms designed for people in wheelchairs and their families. It also offers five sports programs: swimming, CrossFit, jiu-jitsu, archery, and yoga. HAB functions as a community hub, where veterans, their families, and civilians can connect, share experiences, and support one another. Over the past two years, the center has assisted more than 800 residents.

Journalists can visit HAB | Lviv Habilitation Center by prior arrangement and, when possible, speak with residents and specialists about their work and experiences.

For reference: Habilitation follows treatment and standard physical or mental rehabilitation. Its primary goal is to help individuals with amputations, complex injuries, or disabilities adapt to new circumstances, develop independence, and practice essential self-sufficiency skills.

• casualties
• military
• Lviv

At the end of September, a team of three Ukrainian veterans who have undergone amputations will attempt to swim across the Strait of Bonifacio. This narrow channel between southern Corsica, France, and northern Sardinia, Italy, is known for its challenging currents, shallow areas, and sudden wind shifts. At its narrowest point, the strait spans 11 kilometers, with a maximum depth of about 100 meters.

Each participant is a war veteran with their own recovery story. Demian Dudlia is a fire safety engineer. He voluntarily joined the National Guard at the start of the full-scale invasion and served as a grenade launcher operator and AGS-17 gunner. In April 2023, he sustained severe injuries resulting in an above-the-knee amputation of his leg.

Maksym Hrinchenko was injured in October 2022 during one of the missile attacks on Kyiv. Prior to 2022, he worked in construction. In February 2022, he voluntarily enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, later training as a sapper. He also underwent an above-the-knee amputation.

Ihor Oliinyk has pursued various interests, ranging from photography and the restaurant industry to military service and sports. In 2023, he was injured by shelling in the Serebrianske Forestry and lost an arm and an eye.

This trio will be the first team with disabilities to attempt this distance, starting and finishing together.

Journalists can cover the veterans’ training in Kyiv by prior arrangement. There will also be opportunities to interview participants online or in person in Italy.

Background: The veterans are members of the ONE TEAM FORCES community, which provides personalized and coordinated support to help injured service members fully recover — from initial rehabilitation to long-term social integration.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

Svitlana and Mykhailo both serve in the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, also known as “Khartiia”. They serve together in the brigade’s medical company on the Kharkiv front. They have been together since 2003.

When russia’s full-scale invasion began, the couple was in Zaporizhzhia, where Svitlana worked as a therapist at a regional hospital. She received an offer to help evacuate wounded soldiers. She later considered enlisting in the military, and Mykhailo supported her decision.

In spring 2024, they applied to three brigades and ultimately chose “Khartiia”. Their main condition was to remain together. Currently, Svitlana is the chief of the collection and evacuation department, and Mykhailo is a driver in the motor transport unit of the support platoon.

Interviews with Svitlana and Mykhailo can be arranged online or in person with prior coordination and agreement with the press officer.

• military
• women

Serhii Railian, a sergeant in Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces from Mykolaiv, carries the scars of war both seen and unseen. At 28, with three military contracts behind him, he has endured profound loss and emerged with a story of resilience.

In 2014, Serhii enrolled in university, aspiring to a career as a programmer. But a year later, at 18, he signed his first military contract and was sent to the front lines.

By late 2021, Serhii had married and was preparing to leave military service. Those plans were shattered when russia launched a full-blown war. He first encountered the intensity of the renewed conflict near Shchastia in Luhansk. In November of that year, while serving in Donetsk, an anti-tank mine claimed both his legs and his eyesight. Serhii survived a coma, but doctors were unable to restore his vision.

Recently, Serhii graduated from the Pottery in the Dark project at the EthnoChary art space in Vinnytsia. The program brought together ten participants from across Ukraine, offering them the chance to learn the fundamentals of pottery. Beyond teaching a craft, the project aims to empower participants to continue working with clay independently. Every graduate received a junior pottery wheel, along with a complete set of tools and materials to pursue their work at home. For Serhii, this has sparked the idea of launching his own pottery business.

Journalists can arrange interviews with Serhii either offline or online in Kyiv. Viktoriia Nikolaieva, a mentor for the Pottery in the Dark project in Vinnytsia, is also available for comment. An exhibition featuring pottery by blind veterans is scheduled in Vinnytsia at the end of September.

The Pottery in the Dark project was organized by the Center for Socially Inclusive Partnership in collaboration with EthnoChary, as part of the Enhanced Partnership for Sustainable Recovery (EPSR) initiative. The project is funded by the Swedish government through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and implemented in Ukraine by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv
• Vinnytsia

Pavlo Skshetuskyi is a participant of the Revolution of Dignity and a veteran of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He joined the military after russia first attacked Ukraine — serving in the 1st Operational Battalion of the National Guard. Pavlo fought in the battles for Sloviansk, Debaltseve, Popasna, the Svitlodarsk arc, and Stanytsia Luhanska.

In 2018, Pavlo was demobilized for health reasons and opened a workshop where he produces knives, swords, and axes. He had planned to expand by purchasing land near Lutsk, but the full-scale war disrupted his plans. Production was put on hold, and Pavlo spent all his savings supporting the military.

In May 2022, he decided to restart his workshop. His products are now being ordered from abroad, and his axes can be found in Lithuania, Germany, and Ireland.

In 2023, Pavlo applied for a grant from the Ukrainian Veterans Fund and a year later, he built a new workshop. In the future, he plans to teach veterans the craft of blacksmithing.

Interviews with Pavlo Skshetuskyi can be arranged online or in person in Volyn, by prior agreement.

• culture
• military
• Lutsk