Themes by tag: occupation

During russia’s initial aggression against Ukraine in 2014, Halyna Klempouz was still a student but quickly immersed herself in volunteer work. In 2016, she decided to enlist in the military, undertaking various roles before specializing in aerial reconnaissance. However, her military service was cut short a year later due to personal tragedy—the loss of her father, and the need to care for her mother. Despite her eagerness to join the fight when full-scale invasion loomed, Halyna made a promise to her boyfriend, a defender of Mariupol, to remain in the rear until his safe return. Unfortunately, he was captured by russian forces alongside fellow Azovstal defenders, redirecting Halyna’s efforts toward advocating for Ukrainian prisoners. Today, she serves as a communication officer for the Association of Azovstal Defender’s Families. 

For reference: The defense of Mariupol lasted 86 grueling days, with Ukrainian forces eventually ceasing resistance and surrendering to the enemy on May 20, 2022, resulting in russian occupation.

• occupation
• prisoners
• women
• Mariupol

On April 18, the Irpin Lyceum No. 1 in the Kyiv region will mark a significant milestone as it unveils its new solar power plant. A roof converted into a solar powerhouse, a testament to resilience following war-induced damages, is a result of collaborative efforts between the German Solar Association (BSW), a charitable foundation, and the Energy Act for Ukraine campaign. Comprising 64 solar panels boasting a 25.6 kW capacity, alongside a 40 kWh energy storage system, this initiative places the educational institution among the ranks of energy-independent schools as part of the 100SolarSchools campaign. 

Following devastating rocket and artillery fire in the spring of 2022, which left the lyceum’s facade, walls, roof, windows, and infrastructure in disrepair, this solar undertaking signifies a step towards recovery and sustainability. Not only will the system provide up to four hours of autonomous operation based on consumption needs, but it will also contribute to covering 25% of the school’s annual energy consumption. Moreover, it promises annual savings in electricity costs and a reduction in CO2 emissions, underscoring its dual environmental and economic benefits.

For reference: Irpin Lyceum No. 1 roof outfitted with hybrid solar panels is a pivotal component of the broader 100SolarSchools campaign, aimed at outfitting 100 schools across Ukraine with renewable energy solutions, as spearheaded by the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation.

• occupation
• reconstruction
• Kyiv

Before the full-scale war, Olha Leus worked at an administrative service center in Mariupol. She was raising two sons: They are 10-year-old Hera and 16-year-old Mykhailo. Olha’s husband Volodymyr worked at the Azov Shipyard, and shortly before February 24, 2022, at the port.

Despite the escalating concerns about wider war, the family initially chose to remain in Mariupol, hoping for a swift expulsion of the invaders. However, as the situation worsened and the city became blockaded, evacuation became impossible.

Olha experienced relentless russian shelling and bombing for 11 consecutive days, culminating in tragedy on March 20, 2022, when her younger son sustained injuries from an enemy shell hitting their home, leaving him with leg wounds. A week later, her husband tragically passed away after leaving the house and never returning. His body was discovered by his mother-in-law and laid to rest in a local green space that once served as a sports ground.

It wasn’t until April 15, 2022, that Olha and her family were able to escape Mariupol. Following their displacement, the Children of Heroes Charitable Foundation stepped in to provide support, with Olha eventually joining as a specialist in aiding affected families. Meanwhile, her eldest son aspires to become a psychotherapist, aiming to assist those scarred by the horrors of war.

Journalists seeking to speak with Olha can arrange interviews in the Kyiv region.

For reference: After enduring 86 days of fierce defense, Mariupol fell under russian occupation on May 20, 2022. Human Rights Watch reports a staggering civilian death toll of at least 8,000 due to russian shelling, with thousands more suffering life-altering injuries, including amputations, blindness, deafness, and memory loss, often stemming from traumatic brain injuries caused by explosions. By mid-May 2022, approximately 400,000 residents had fled Mariupol, significantly reducing the pre-war population of 540,000.

In the wake of this devastation, the Children of Heroes organization steps in to aid children who have lost one or both parents in the war. The foundation offers financial assistance, psychological and legal support, and advocates for the education and development of these children as they transition into adulthood.

• casualties
• children
• dead
• occupation
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv
• Mariupol

Since the fall of 2019, Nataliia Haietska has been the head of the “Mariupol Zero Waste” initiative group, which includes “Eco Gurt” (eco team) environmental NGO. She has also been an activist in Mariupol. Her activity began with large waste sorting centers in Mariupol. Her team also introduced waste sorting in about 100 housing co-ops of the city. In 2020, the team engaged in environmental education for adults, children and students. They held the first eco-festival in Mariupol and launched a project to implement waste sorting and composting in Mariupol hospitality establishments and parts of Pryazovia area. Their plans were to cover the entire hospitality industry of the region.

Nataliia was caught by russia’s full-scale invasion in Mariupol. She could not leave in the first days because of sick parents. The woman had to survive under the siege for three weeks – under shelling and bombing. Upon receiving help, together with her parents, she was evacuated to Zaporizhia. Then they got to Lviv by evacuation train.

Despite the war, Nataliia together with her colleagues from Kherson in 2022 implemented an international project on making the hospitality sector of Ukraine greener. In 2023 it was scaled up to the current project “Restoration and Modernization of Hospitality Establishments Based on Zero Waste & Climate Friendly Principles for the Sustainable Development of Ukrainian Communities.” 

Nataliia is available for interviews in Lviv offline or online by appointment.

• casualties
• ecology
• occupation
• women
• Lviv
• Mariupol

In 2022, the Koval family’s farm, Pani Jupiter, boasted over three hundred cows and a staff of twelve. However, when the full-scale invasion struck, their farm in the village of Khotimlia, Kharkiv region, fell under occupation.

Andrii Koval swiftly organized a refuge in the farm’s basement to shield fellow villagers from rocket assaults. Even now, families with children in Khotimlia owe their survival to the farm’s generosity, offering free milk and freshly baked bread from its staff. The farm, powered by a separate family-owned generator, maintained electricity, and occasionally, even cell phone reception was possible.

Andrii was seized by the occupiers, who were going to take him to a torture basement. The man narrowly evaded capture by running for his life. The Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated Khotimlia in September 2022. Presently, the farm is grappling with the aftermath of its harrowing ordeal, yet it remains distant from its pre-war production capacity. Pani Jupiter’s priorities entail reviving the confectionery and cheese-making school, alongside forging partnerships with local villagers, whom the Koval family intends to procure fruits and berries from.

• casualties
• occupation
• reconstruction
• Kharkiv

Yevhen Sosnovsky is a photographer who lived in occupied Mariupol for over two months. The photographer took the first series of photos depicting russia’s full-scale invasion at the beginning of March: he filmed the shelled area in which he lived, the destruction and people leaving their homes. Among other things, Yevhen filmed how people melted snow to get water. He also had to treat his relatives’ injuries. To get out from under occupation, he and his wife had to go through over 25 roadblocks.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk to Yevhen in Kyiv.

For reference: the defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days. On May 20, 2022, Mariupol was occupied by the russians.

The human rights organization Human Rights Watch estimated the number of people killed during russian shelling of civilians in Mariupol to be at least 8,000. Thousands of people were injured: they lost limbs, sight, hearing or memory due to craniocerebral injuries caused by explosions. According to Human Rights Watch estimates, about 400,000 residents out of the pre-war population of 540,000 people had fled Mariupol by mid-May 2022.

• casualties
• occupation
• Kyiv
• Mariupol

The initiative, spearheaded by the philanthropic organization Cultural Forces of Ukraine, serves as a nexus for cultural and educational endeavors, catering to residents who endured the tumultuous Russian occupation. Within the House of Imagination, patrons can engage in a spectrum of activities fostering creativity and focus, including workshops and meditation sessions, with a primary focus on enriching the youth. “Our mission is twofold: to provide psychological support to those affected by the occupation and to promote Ukrainian culture. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to revitalizing Ukrainian arts, music, and culture,” stated Serhii Martyniuk, co-coordinator of the Cultural Forces of Ukraine Charity Foundation.

• casualties
• culture
• occupation
• psychological support
• Kharkiv

Olha Tymchenko, Head of Communications of Voices of Children Charitable Foundation and children’s writer took a 17-year-old orphan girl, Lera under her care. She was deported by the russians from occupied Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region.

Lera’s town was occupied on the first day of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A year and a half later, the russians announced an evacuation and took 500 children from Nova Kakhovka to occupied Crimea. The girl stayed there for 2 months, until her grandmother managed to take her from there.

Later, Lera returned to Ukraine-controlled territory herself. She went through occupied Melitopol, Berdiansk, Mariupol, and then through russia. She had to go through all that to arrive at the only open checkpoint on the Ukrainian-russian border in Sumy region.

After her return, the girl received consultations from a psychologist at the Voices of Children, where she met Olha Tymchenko.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with Olha and Lera in Kyiv by prior agreement.

• children
• occupation
• women
• Kyiv

Haiane Avakian from Bakhmut found out about her destroyed home from photos of the city in the russian social media. Yuliia Mashuta watched a livestream of her house in Severodonetsk burning down after a rocket hit. Currently, these women are a part of the team of the “Sviy Dim” platform, which collects testimonies by people whose property and homes were destroyed by russia.

“Sviy Dim” is a platform for people who are building the foundation of a new life in Ukraine. Over 600 testimonies have already been published. Most of them are from the people who come from the regions of active hostilities (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv and Kherson regions as well as others). The platform records russian war crimes related to the destruction of the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine: apartment buildings and detached houses, schools and kindergartens, cultural and sports facilities. Every story is human-centered. Those who lived or worked there share stories of their house, factory or cultural center.

The platform is also creating a database of objects that need restoration. A separate section – reconstruction – tells stories of those who are rebuilding the affected regions right now.

By prior agreement, journalists can talk with Haiane Avakian, Product Development Director of the Abo Agency, who founded the “Sviy Dim” platform, as well as with other people who have shared their testimonies on the platform.

• casualties
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

From April 6-7, volunteers from the “Brave to Rebuild” project will embark on a mission to clean up debris in Moshchun village and Irpin city, both located in the Kyiv region. Their task? Dismantling the wreckage left behind by buildings ravaged in the wake of Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine. 

Media personnel are invited to cover these volunteer-led efforts. 

For reference: Fast forward to April 2, 2022, when Ukraine regained full control over the Kyiv region from Russian occupation, followed by the Chernihiv region liberation by April 6, 2022. By April 11, 2022, then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, proudly announced retaking the state border in the Sumy region.

• occupation
• reconstruction
• volunteers
• Kyiv