Themes by tag: military

Yurik Mkrtchian is a military doctor. He worked as an anesthesiologist and intensivist at the Dnipro Military Hospital. At the end of March 2022, he was informed that there was a shortage of doctors in Mariupol, where heavy fighting was taking place. So Yurik arrived in the city. Rescued people at Illich Steel and Iron Works. 

On April 12, 2022, along with other medical workers, Yurik Mkrtchian was taken prisoner. First, they were taken to a filtration camp in Sartana. The camp was set up on the territory of a destroyed farm. The prisoners had to sleep on the floor, and they ate only once a day. And even in those conditions, doctors tried to continue treating wounded Ukrainian soldiers. A few days later, the prisoners were transferred to the penal colony in Olenivka. And from October 16 to November 3, the man was detained in occupied Horlivka. In total, the doctor spent 206 days in captivity.

For reference: more than 500 Ukrainian doctors are currently forcibly detained by russia, including both civilians and military medics, the Center for Civil Liberties reports. Journalists are welcome to request comments from the Center’s experts.

• doctors
• military
• prisoners

Briefing entitled: “The soldiers who died in the battles for Mariupol are still not buried. Who is preventing the creation of the National Military Cemetery in Bykivnia?” will take place in Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform on August 11 at 12:00 PM. 

The Verkhovna Rada passed a law on the creation of the National Military Cemetery in Bykivnia, where the fallen heroes of the Russia-Ukraine war will be buried. The location was a compromise between the Cabinet of Ministers, the Kyiv City State Administration, the Institute of National Remembrance and the families of the fallen. Money was allocated from the 2023 budget to set up the cemetery. The first burials were to begin already this fall, but the construction never started. Relatives of the victims will give an update on how the situation is being solved and what needs to be done to implement the project.

Participants:

– Vira Lytvynenko, Head of the “Heart nAZOVni” NGO 

– Nataliia Zarytska, Chair of the “Women of Steel” NGO 

– Nelia Shastun, “Women of Steel” 

– Olena Tolkachova, Head of the Patronage Service of the Azov Regiment.

Event accreditation is required. 

• dead
• military
• Kyiv

Larysa Bozhenko, the starosta (headman) of Orlove village in the Kherson region, lived under Russia control for three weeks. After her village was liberated from the invaders, she was offered to join the army ranks. Larysa decided that if serving as a cook, she would be able to repay the Ukrainian defenders for liberating her home from the enemy.

In addition, the 7th Arei Battalion was being formed at that time, and it has now become Larysa’s second family. One of Larysa’s brothers serves in the Arei. Another brother is now on the front line in another battalion. Every day, about 400 military members expect Larysa to prepare food for them.

Larysa is ready to give interviews to journalists at her place of service in the Donetsk region. You can also talk to her online.

• food
• military
• occupation
• women

On Friday, August 11, Center for Endoprosthetics, Osseointegration and Bionics will hold a press conference. In particular, the participants will announce the first shoulder osseointegration surgery and there will be a knee replacement surgery demonstration.

Military personnel who have already received free surgical assistance invited to the press conference include:

Oleksandr Davydov, who was seriously injured in the explosion while providing cover for his brothers in arms with his own body;

Roman Kuksiuk, who was wounded during fierce fighting near Bakhmut;

Andrii Oshlakov, who came under artillery fire near Lysychansk;

The format of the press conference includes a demonstration of knee arthroplasty technique. Serhii Mynder will undergo surgery. In 2015 he joined the intelligence service and was wounded during the Anti-Terrorist Operation. With the beginning of a full-scale invasion, he went to war again. He went through Bucha, Marinka, Kozelets and Troitske.

Leading doctors of the country will take part in the event. The “Life Saving Center” charitable foundation provides free treatment of servicemen at the Center for Endoprosthetics, Osseointegration and Bionics.

• casualties
• doctors
• military
• Kyiv

In Kyiv, animal-assisted therapy classes are held for defenders undergoing treatment. A pilot rehabilitation project therapy sessions with animals for the military take place in one of the capital’s medical institutions. The Kyiv Zoo joined the project. (All animals are closely monitored by veterinarians and have the necessary vaccinations.)

For reference: Animal-assisted therapy is a type of therapy that incorporates interaction with animals. The therapeutic intervention aims to improve the patient’s social, emotional, or cognitive functions.

• animals
• doctors
• military
• psychological support
• Kyiv

Mariana Mamonova, 31, is a doctor, Armed Forces of Ukraine Medical Service Captain who has been traveling to the ATO/JFO area since 2018.

At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, she served in Mariupol. In mid-March, she found out that she was bearing a child. Despite pregnancy, she continued to save the lives of others. Later, together with her colleagues and dozens of civilians, she was at the Illich Steel and Iron Works. She was captured by the occupiers on April 4. The pregnant woman spent six months in the Olenivka colony. On September 21, she was set free. Four days after the exchange, she gave birth to a daughter.

For reference: more than 500 Ukrainian doctors are currently being forcibly detained across Russia. There are both civilian and military doctors among them, according to the Center for Civil Liberties. Journalists can also ask for the Center’s experts’ comments.

• doctors
• military
• prisoners
• women

On August 8, the Lots of Care project, aimed at multidisciplinary rehabilitation for wounded defenders, will be presented at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform. 

Participants:

Serhii Kryzhanovskyi, Chief Doctor at a rehabilitation center

Oleksandr Hudimov, Serviceman in the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Oleksandr Gudimov, soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Olga Kharlan, Ukraine fencer, Olympic champion.

The “Lots of Care” project aims to raise funds for the high-quality rehabilitation of injured military personnel by selling lots at auction (about 50 famous people will sell lots). All the funds raised will be used for the effective rehabilitation of our defenders.

Event accreditation is required.

• casualties
• doctors
• military
• Kyiv

In Lviv, soldiers who have lost their limbs and are going through a rehabilitation process can give the most extreme sports, such as rope free-flying, a try. It is about jumping with a rope over the Arena Lviv stadium from a height of 34 meters. The jumps are free for the defenders. The initiative is organized by the charitable foundation “With an Angel on Your Shoulder.” According to the benefactors, 13 soldiers have already made extreme jumps, and dozens are more daring to experience it.

• casualties
• military
• Lviv

Alisa Shramko took her first first-aid training back in 2018. It was a Hospitallers volunteer medical battalion course. Together with Hospitallers, Alisa went on her first deployment. Later, she became a combat medic instructor for new medics and recruit soilders.

When Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, Alisa was pregnant with her second child. The woman says that the pregnancy was challenging, but despite the difficulties, Alisa escaped from the hospital to conduct first aid training. The paramedic kept taking lessons until she gave birth. After the baby was born, she signed an enlistment contract with the Fastiv First Aid Station, started serving in the capital, and took up the position of a medical corps instructor. Now she often takes her children with her to hold training for newcomers. As a civilian, Alisa works at the National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life in the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage. 

• culture
• doctors
• military
• women

Roman is an artist from Lviv who taught at the Ukrainian Academy of Printing. On the first day of the full-scale war, he voluntarily joined the Armed Forces. In between combat missions and shelling, he drew with pencils.

He was badly wounded in June this year near Bakhmut. Shrapnel cut the right side of his body. The arm he used to paint with was injured by shrapnel, and his traumatized. Doctors managed to save both limbs.

Now the guy is rehabilitating at the UNBROKEN Center and can hold a brush in his hand again. Roman even had his first master class for UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center, where he taught other wounded defenders how to paint.

• casualties
• culture
• doctors
• military