Themes by tag: military

On June 7, Kyiv will host a rally and public action titled “Ours Are Not Home Yet” in support of Ukrainian soldiers who are missing or held in captivity.

The event is organized by the community of families of missing and captured servicemen from the 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ground Forces of the AFU. 

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

Before the full-scale invasion, Vladyslav Trotsiuk lived in Kherson and worked as an IT professional. On February 25, 2022, he evacuated his mother and sister from the city. While his family fled abroad, Vladyslav and a friend enlisted in the Defense Forces.

He served as a combat engineer, operating in the Kyiv and Donetsk regions. In the summer of 2023, he was wounded by a landmine. Vladyslav was transferred to Volyn for treatment. There, he met his future wife. Trotsiuk recalls seeing Maryna for the first time while lying on the operating table, she was working as a nurse. A month later, they met again, and have remained in contact since.

Following the injury, doctors were forced to amputate his leg. He later adapted to a prosthetic, proposed to Maryna, and in January 2025, the two were married.

Vladyslav Trotsiuk is available for interviews, both online and in person in Lutsk, by appointment.

• casualties
• military
• Lutsk

The Marine Corps’ psychological obstacle course is a unique test granting soldiers the right to wear the navy beret — a symbol of endurance, strength, and moral fortitude.

The obstacle course begins with individual physical fitness assessments, followed by challenges testing the marines’ will, endurance, stability, and the support of fellow soldiers in challenging situations. The event takes place twice a year. 

Journalists may attend the event and interview participants by prior arrangement with the battalion’s press officer.

• military

Volodymyr, known by the call sign “Willie,” is 21. He faced the full-scale invasion as a teenager. When he turned 18 in March 2022, he immediately reported to the Territorial Recruitment Center. Initially, officials tried to dissuade him from enlisting. But soon after, he learned about an open recruitment for a combat unit, passed the interview and training, and joined the Defense Forces just a month later.

Volodymyr went on to serve in several units, carrying out missions both at the front and in the rear. In 2023, he and his fellow soldiers began working with ground-based robotic systems. After a year of hands-on experience, they joined the FLCN SQUAD team and shifted their focus to advancing military robotics. Their first major application of the technology was in logistics: using robots to deliver food and ammunition to positions, helping to reduce risks to human life.

Today, FLCN SQUAD is developing robotic systems capable of evacuating the wounded and the fallen from the battlefield. Although Volodymyr was discharged from the military in February 2025, he remains actively involved, supporting his former unit and helping troops deploy robotics on the front lines.

Volodymyr and the FLCN SQUAD team are available for interviews or discussions both online and in person, subject to prior coordination and management approval.

• military

Ivan Soroka enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine after russia launched its full-scale invasion. On February 24, the military enlistment office was recruiting soldiers for the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, named after the Black Zaporozhians — the unit Ivan joined. He defended the village of Moshchun in the Kyiv oblast before his unit was redeployed to the eastern front. 

In August 2022, an enemy mine exploded just steps away from him. His comrade was killed instantly, while Ivan lost his sight. “Who needs me blind?” was Ivan’s first thought when he regained consciousness. The answer came from his fiancée, Vladyslava, whom he had met online in April 2022. She visited the wounded soldier in the hospital. The couple had hoped that Ivan’s vision would return, but it never did. In September 2023, Ivan and Vladyslava were married.

Today, Ivan is confidently adapting to his new reality and striving for independence. He launched his own blog, where he explores unusual foods and drinks. He says he has discovered a new way to “see” — through taste, sound, and touch. Last year, Ivan joined the charity foundation “Let’s See The Victory”, where he supports fellow blind veterans and others who are adjusting to life without sight.

You can speak with Ivan Soroka online or meet him in person in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

At just 24, Yevhen Hromadskyi is a seventh-generation soldier who earned the title of Hero of Ukraine for his extraordinary courage under fire. His first battle came on the very first day of russia’s full-scale invasion, as he defended the Kharkiv region while serving in the National Guard of Ukraine.

Then a platoon commander, Hromadskyi was ordered to hold the line. Among his unit, he was the only one trained to operate a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher (RPG). When a russian convoy advanced on their position, Hromadskyi acted alone, and managed to stop it.

His father, retired colonel Oleh Hromadskyi, fought in the same battle and was killed on February 24, 2022. The loss marked a turning point for Yevhen, making the war deeply personal.

In recognition of his bravery and steadfast defense of Kharkiv, Hromadskyi was awarded the Hero of Ukraine title at the age of 21. Since then, he has seen combat in some of the most intense areas along the front line. He now aspires to rise through the ranks and one day become a general.

Currently based in Kyiv, Yevhen Hromadskyi is available for interviews with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• military
• Kyiv

On May 28, the Media Center Ukraine will host a presentation of the Inferno project: Exposing the brutal conditions faced by Ukrainian prisoners of war

Participants:

– Yurii Kovbasa, Representative of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in the Security and Defense Sector;

– Andrii Yusov, Deputy Head of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War;

– Yevheniia Synelnyk, Representative of the Association of Azovstal Defenders’ Families;

– Nestor Barchuk, Representative of the International Cooperation Department, 1st Corps of the Azov National Guard;

– Tetyana Katrychenko, Executive Director of the Media Initiative for Human Rights.

For reference: Inferno is a collaborative initiative led by the Association of Azovstal Defenders’ Families and the International Cooperation Department of the 1st Corps of the Azov National Guard of Ukraine. The project compiles firsthand accounts from former detainees held in notorious facilities such as Olenivka and Taganrog, as well as multiple russian detention centers. Through survivor testimonies, Inferno seeks to ensure that these war crimes are not erased from public memory and that the international community remains vigilant in demanding accountability.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Before the full-blown war, Yevhen Korinets was passionate about sports and played volleyball professionally. When russia launched its invasion, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He initially served in a security unit, later transferring to the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade, which was deployed in the Bakhmut sector.

In March 2023, an enemy mine detonated near Yevhen’s trench. The explosion caused severe injuries to his leg and arm. His lower limb had to be amputated.

During his recovery, Yevhen was approached by the coach of a regional volleyball team, who encouraged him to try sitting volleyball. That invitation ultimately led him to the Ukrainian national Paralympic team. At the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, the team secured seventh place. Today, Yevhen remains committed to training.

Yevhen Korinets is available for meetings, both online and in person, in the Poltava region by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Poltava

Before russia’s full-scale invasion, Ruslan Zadorozhnyi worked as a manager for an online retailer. In November 2022, he enlisted in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, serving as a machine gunner in the Kupiansk sector. There, he was wounded by a shell explosion and lost his arm.

Following months of prosthetics and rehabilitation, Ruslan began searching for civilian employment. Despite receiving thanks for his service, every resume he submitted was met with rejection, until he came across a service station dedicated to veterans.

The Nesemos Fund, founded by Mariia Ksondzyk, the daughter of a fallen Anti-Terrorist Operation soldier, and serviceman Petro Shuklinov, later launched a veteran-run auto repair center. It was there that Ruslan was offered a position as an administrator. The team equipped a workstation for him, and he now manages incoming military vehicles and oversees their repairs. Ruslan hopes to build on this experience and eventually open a service station of his own.

Nesemos Veteran Auto Hub, in partnership with Reskilling Ukraine, is also running a program to train women in car mechanics. The repair bays at the facility serve as hands-on classrooms for those starting from scratch.

Ruslan Zadorozhnyi and the Nesemos team are available for meetings in Kyiv, both online and in person, by appointment.

• casualties
• military
• Kyiv

Before the full-scale invasion, the military man known by the call sign “Space” lived in Kyiv and worked in marketing and advertising. When the war broke out, he enlisted as a combat medic.

Over time, he rotated through several roles, first with a rapid response team, and then in intelligence. Eventually, he joined a UAV unit and later took command of a newly formed strike company called “Praktyka” (Practice). 

About a year ago, Space realized his unit needed additional funding. That’s when the idea for Praktyka-branded drip coffee packs took shape. Most of the profits from sales go toward supporting the unit, while the remainder covers production costs.

Roughly 2,000 drip packs are sold each month. The project continues to operate thanks to Space’s business partner, who handles the day-to-day operations and logistics.

Space is currently stationed in the Donetsk region. Interviews can be arranged with him either online or in person, subject to prior coordination.

• military