Themes by tag: occupation

Rusudana Pavlichenko is of Georgian descent. When the full-scale invasion began, she was abroad for her father’s funeral. For the first time in her life, Rusudana had to flee the war (the war in Abkhazia) when she was only 10 years old. She then came to Ukraine and has lived here her entire life.

Rusudana’s husband, Serhii Pavlichenko, defended Ukraine from the occupiers since 2014. He held the defense of Azovstal during the beginning of the full-scale invasion and was captured afterward. He died in a terrorist attack in Olenivka (a village in the occupied Donetsk oblast) on July 28-29, 2022. The couple had two children: 12-year-old Adeliia and 8-year-old Nazar.

Journalists can arrange to interview Rusudana in Cherkasy or online.

Currently, the family is being supported by the charitable foundation “Children of Heroes.” The foundation helps children who have lost one or both parents due to russia’s full-scale invasion. The foundation provides financial assistance, psychological support, legal support, and promotes education and development for children until they reach adulthood.

Background: On July 29, 2022, russia committed a terrorist act by detonating an explosion in a barrack of a correctional colony in Olenivka where Ukrainian prisoners of war were held. At least 50 Azovstal defenders were killed in the attack.

• dead
• military
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Cherkasy
• Mariupol

Anatolii Levchenko is a theater professional from Mariupol who, in 2015, spearheaded a new chapter in the city’s cultural life by launching contemporary Ukrainian productions at a theater once designated as “russian.”

He and his wife, Hanna, were caregivers for their nonverbal autistic son and Hanna’s 90-year-old mother. Because of these responsibilities, the Levchenkos were unable to evacuate Mariupol quickly after the russian invasion began. They managed to leave only in May 2022. But just one day before their departure, Anatolii was detained by russian forces, following a denunciation from former colleagues in the theater who had aligned themselves with the occupying authorities.

At first, Hanna had no idea where her husband had been taken. She later learned that he had been accused of extremism and transferred to russian-occupied Donetsk. For more than 10 months, she sent him clothing, medication, and letters to the detention center. Occasionally, Anatolii was allowed to call her late at night. During this time, Hanna managed life on her own, caring for their son, sourcing food and water, and cooking over an open fire alongside neighbors.

On March 9, 2023, she received a phone call: Anatolii was being released. His health had significantly deteriorated after nearly a year in detention. That summer, the family reached Ukrainian-controlled territory, first relocating to Kropyvnytskyi. A year later, they moved to Kyiv. Today, Anatolii has resumed his work in theater.

He is available for conversations both online and in person in the capital, with prior arrangement.

For reference: The defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days. On May 20, 2022, the city fell under russian occupation. According to Human Rights Watch, at least 8,000 civilians were killed during the siege. Thousands more were injured, many lost limbs, vision, hearing, or memory, often due to blast-related head trauma. Of Mariupol’s pre-war population of 540,000, approximately 400,000 had fled by mid-May 2022.

• casualties
• culture
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv
• Mariupol

On April 15, Kyiv will host a screening of “Shadows on the Left Bank” – an investigative film by Danylo Mokryk exposing russian atrocities in the occupied Kherson oblast.

From the first days of the full-scale invasion, much of Kherson oblast, including the village of Hornostaivka (Kakhovka district), fell under Russian control. The occupiers turned the local national police station into a torture chamber where Ukrainian soldiers and civilians were detained.

A team of journalists from The Kyiv Independent uncovered the identities of several victims who perished at the torture site, as well as the names of “officers” of the occupation “police” responsible for torturing and killing Kherson residents.

The documentary centers on the murder of 28-year-old Hornostaivka resident Ruslan Rusnak, an ATO veteran who was abducted by russian occupiers in November 2023 and tortured to death in the former police station.

During the event, the film’s creators – Danylo Mokryk, a journalist from the Head of War Crimes Investigations Unit, and Yevheniia Motorevska, Head of War Crimes Investigations Unit (The Kyiv Independent) – will speak about the story behind the film creation and the progress of the investigation.

Accreditation is required to attend the event.

• culture
• dead
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

In 2022, the Oskil school in the Kharkiv region endured six months under occupation by russian forces, resulting in significant damage. The school’s premises were heavily affected: the roof was compromised, windows shattered, and even the heating systems were ripped out.

Today, the school is in the process of being restored. Some classrooms and shelters have already been rebuilt, providing much-needed stability. Additionally, Save the Children has established a digital space within the school, offering a safe environment for children to learn, socialize, and regain a sense of security.

For reference: As part of the national initiative “Shoulder to Shoulder: Cohesive Communities,” the Oskil and Chernihiv communities are planning to collaborate with partner communities to further strengthen their bonds.

• children
• occupation
• Kharkiv

Andrii Bakun, a native of Kherson, had a life that seemed far removed from the enemy invasion that would soon engulf his country. Before russia’s all-out aggression, he made his living on the seas, earning a degree as a third-rate mechanic. On February 23, 2022, while returning to his hometown, Andrii learned of the outbreak of the full-blown war while aboard a train. Although he could not immediately enlist due to a disability, he joined the municipal guard. However, after just one patrol, the team disbanded.

By March 1, Andrii crossed paths with a territorial defense unit. He assisted them in finding shelter, leaving their weapons behind, and entering the city disguised as civilians. One of the soldiers, Oleh Leshchyna, refused to relinquish his arms, prompting Andrii to make the brave decision to hide him in his family’s home. For four months, Oleh remained hidden until Andrii’s sister managed to safely retrieve him.

After Kherson had returned to Ukrainian control, Andrii, determined to serve, concealed his disability documents and joined the territorial defense. Not long after, during a fierce battle, a shell exploded nearby, inflicting severe damage to Andrii’s spinal cord and thoracic spine. For his bravery and service, he was awarded the Golden Cross by the Commander-in-Chief.

Now, two years later, Andrii continues his journey of recovery, undergoing extensive treatment and rehabilitation. He remains hopeful about the possibility of surgery and the implantation of an American neurostimulator, which would help alleviate his pain, restore sensation, and potentially allow him to walk again.

Currently undergoing rehabilitation abroad, Andrii Bakun plans to return to Ukraine on April 25. He is available for meetings both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

For reference: Kherson fell under russian occupation at the onset of the full-scale invasion on March 1, 2022. It wasn’t until November 11, 2022, that the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated the city from russian control. Despite this liberation, the occupiers persist in regularly shelling the city.

• military
• occupation
• Kherson

On April 3, the Media Center Ukraine will host the presentation of the analytical report: “The russian federation’s Policy on the Eradication of Children’s Identity in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine: 2024 Overview”

Participants:
– Anastasiia Vorobiova, Report Author, Contributing Expert with the Center of Civil Education Almenda NGO, and Research Assistant at the Institute of Law Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences;
– Mariia Sulialina, Head of the Center of Civil Education Almenda NGO;
– Valentina Potapova, Head of the Direction of National Advocacy at the Center of Civil Education Almenda NGO.

Key topics:
– An analysis of changes in russian federal legislation throughout 2024, highlighting trends in russification, militarization, and the indoctrination of Ukrainian children and youth;
– Comparative statistics: Evaluation of 2024 data juxtaposed with figures from previous years to illustrate evolving patterns;
– Examination of recurring infringements already shaping plans and activities scheduled for 2025;
– Key measures aimed at protecting the rights of children from occupied territories.

Background: For more than 11 years, russia has pursued a systematic effort to erode Ukrainian identity among children and youth in occupied territories, employing methods of political indoctrination, militarization, and heightened pressure within both formal and informal education systems. Notably, the number of cadet classes in Crimea surged from 197 to 260 within the past year alone.

The Center of Civil Education Almenda NGO conducts comprehensive monitoring of children’s rights across occupied territories. Drawing on data gathered throughout 2024, Almenda’s analytical report offers a detailed assessment of key trends, legislative changes, patterns of violations, and the international community’s response.

• children
• occupation
• russian crimes

On March 30, as the third anniversary of Bucha’s liberation from russian occupiers approaches, the Kyiv region city will host a series of events to commemorate the victims of russian aggression.

The program of events includes:

– A requiem ceremony to honor the fallen heroes,

– The “Prayer for Peace” action, a memorial service for the civilian victims in Bucha, featuring a performance of the spiritual hymn “Prayer for Ukraine,”

– The presentation of the book Voices of Memory: Bucha – The City of Heroes.

Bucha, now a symbol of the unyielding spirit of the Ukrainian people and a stark reminder of the horrific war crimes committed by the russian army, will unite the families of the victims, local residents, government officials, and the international community. Together, they will pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for Ukraine’s freedom.

For reference: During the fighting and russian occupation of Bucha in February and March 2022, hundreds of people lost their lives. Since then, the name of this town near Kyiv has become forever associated with the war crimes perpetrated by the russian army in Ukraine.

• dead
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

In frontline communities, even daily routines become a challenge. The lack of a centralized water supply in Sviatohirsk means that something as simple as doing laundry or taking a shower is a struggle. However, the local community has come up with a solution.

In early 2023, the town’s first sanitation module was installed. The facility includes a 1,200-liter water tank, a toilet, two washing machines, and three shower stalls. The module can operate without electricity thanks to a generator, and it also has the option of using firewood for heating.

There are currently two such sanitation modules in the community, with a third planned for this year. In addition, a social laundry service is operating in the town with the support of the Shoulder to Shoulder: United Communities project.

Journalists can pre-arrange to cover the work of the sanitation modules and the social laundry. Online commentary is also available upon request.

Background: On June 5, 2022, russian forces occupied part of Sviatohirsk in the Donetsk oblast. In September of the same year, Ukrainian forces liberated the town. After the liberation, Sviatohirsk was left without a centralized water supply, as the system had been damaged during the fighting.

• casualties
• occupation

For more than 32 years, Valentyna Hantseva has worked at the library in the village of Soldatske, Sumy Oblast. Just months before russia’s full-scale invasion, the library underwent a modern renovation and received new equipment. But when a russian airstrike hit the village center during the occupation, the library building was left in ruins. Only the roof and walls remained intact, while the blast wave devastated the interior.

Despite the occupation and the constant threat of russian aircraft overhead, Valentyna and her husband began salvaging books, hiding them in grain sacks to keep them safe. In total, she managed to rescue more than 1,000 volumes.

In April 2022, Ukrainian forces liberated the village. With support from a benefactor in Germany, the library was restored, and by the fall of 2022, Valentyna was able to reopen its doors to readers.

For reference: By April 11, 2022, then-Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi announced that Ukraine had fully regained control of its state border in the Sumy region.

• culture
• occupation
• reconstruction
• russian crimes
• women
• Sumy

Twelve years ago, Ihor Tsyba and his family turned their backyard into an ostrich farm. Over time, their farm in the village of Verkhnia Syrovatka, Sumy Oblast, grew to house more than 50 species of birds.

When russia launched its all-out war against Ukraine, the village was occupied, putting the animals in grave danger. In early March 2022, heavy shelling shook the area, injuring many birds in their enclosures. Three ostriches suffered wounds so severe that they had to be euthanized.

Following the village’s liberation, the farm took on a new role—rehabilitating injured wild animals. Among its rescues was a roe deer that lost a leg after being struck by a combine harvester and a swan found trapped in the ice with its wings severed. Tsyba funds the farm’s operations himself, dedicating his resources to caring for the animals.

For reference: Ihor Tsyba, based in Sumy Oblast, is available for interviews with journalists both online and in person by prior arrangement.

By April 11, 2022, Ukrainian forces had liberated Sumy and restored control over the state border in Sumy Oblast.

• animals
• casualties
• occupation
• Sumy