Themes by tag: Odesa

Before the full-scale invasion, Iryna Koval worked with metal constructions for the building industry. On February 24, 2022, however, her business had to pivot to support the military.

The first product developed by Iryna’s team was the Brammer tactical evacuation cart, which is designed to transport an adult over long distances. Weighing 25 kilograms with a load capacity of 150 kilograms, the cart allows one person to independently evacuate a wounded comrade. The team also developed lightweight drag stretchers for use in areas inaccessible to vehicles.

Their latest innovation is tactical trailers for ATVs (quad bikes), which can evacuate three wounded soldiers simultaneously. This work was recognized with the “Created by Women” award, which supports women entrepreneurs during the war.

Since starting this project, Iryna’s company has produced over 8,500 evacuation devices. With their help, soldiers on the front lines are saving the lives of their comrades.

Iryna Koval is available for interviews online and in person in Odesa by prior arrangement.

• volunteers
• women
• Odesa

Khrystyna Drahomaretska, a 28-year-old trained architect, has stepped away from her profession to rescue animals amid Ukraine’s war, where she works as a stray animal catcher and evacuates pets from active combat areas.

She carries on despite constant danger from enemy shelling. In Toretsk in the Donetsk region, three russian guided aerial bombs detonated near her. In Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region, she sustained shrapnel wounds while rescuing animals as russian forces hammered the area with mortar fire.

Originally focused on sterilization missions, Khrystyna has spent the past year leading evacuation efforts, pulling abandoned and stray animals out of frontline zones and finding them foster or permanent homes.

She also founded a shelter in the Odesa region, where many of the evacuated animals are taken for treatment, socialization, and rehoming, about 70 percent eventually find adoptive families abroad. The facility currently houses around 250 dogs.

Journalists interested in learning more about her work or arranging an interview can reach out to speak with her online or in person in Odesa, Kyiv, or Kharkiv, by appointment.

For reference: Khrystyna Drahomaretska conducts her rescue operations in partnership with the 12 Vartovykh Charitable Foundation and Animal Rescue Kharkiv. She is also part of the UAnimals rescue mission.

• animals
• casualties
• women
• Kharkiv
• Kyiv
• Odesa
• evacuation

The media are invited to a festive STEM science festival for schoolchildren on December 5, St. Nicholas Day, at an underground school in the Odesa oblast.

Since 2022, the savED Foundation has been restoring war-affected communities through educational and social projects. These projects include building underground schools, educational centers, STEM platforms, and programs that address youth engagement and  educational setbacks.

In the Odesa oblast, in partnership with the European Union and the Government of Lithuania, the foundation is implementing a program to overcome educational setbacks in a lyceum that currently operates underground.

As part of this initiative, the foundation is organizing a St. Nicholas Day celebration for children in the form of a STEM festival. Children will be able to engage with robotics, chemistry, biotechnology, art, and physics experiments at eight interactive laboratory stations. The foundation hopes to spark students’ interest in science and STEM programs through this event to help them recover from educational setbacks.

The holiday celebration will also be attended by students’ parents, educators, and foundation representatives.

• children
• Odesa

Before russia’s full-scale invasion, ecologist Vladyslav Mykhailenko taught students at Mechnikov Odessa National University. After February 2022, he began searching for ways to support Ukraine’s Armed Forces, a quest that led to the creation of his project, Plastic Saves Lives.

The initiative collects plastic bottle caps, which are then sorted by a team of volunteers to ensure only recyclable material that can be sold is processed. The funds generated from selling the plastic are used to purchase military equipment.

To acquire a single FPV drone, approximately 1.5 tons of caps must be sorted. Since its inception, Plastic Saves Lives has already helped fund an ambulance, two Mavic 3T drones, and three FPV drones.

Anyone can contribute by handing over caps to volunteers in Odesa. Vladyslav Mykhailenko is also available to discuss the project online or in person in Odesa, by prior arrangement.

• ecology
• volunteers
• Odesa

Dmytro Dokunov, a native of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine’s Kherson region, once built his career in television after studying in Odesa. Seeking a quieter life, he and his wife moved to a village in the Odesa region to be closer to nature. But their peace was shattered when Russia launched its full-scale invasion, prompting Dmytro to enlist in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

He served in the airborne assault troops and later commanded a reconnaissance company, taking part in fierce battles for Kherson, Bakhmut, and Soledar. Twice wounded and suffering multiple concussions, Dokunov endured the brutality of war while holding onto his long-time passion for videography. Even at the front, he continued filming, capturing raw moments of combat and resilience. His wartime documentary, shot amid the hostilities, is now set to premiere at a European film festival.

During his recovery, Dokunov began envisioning a space where veterans could heal both physically and emotionally. That idea became Toloka – a rehabilitation retreat he founded in a village in the Odesa region. As he describes it, Toloka is a place where people can face their inner fears, listen to silence, and find the strength to move forward.

The project received financial backing from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, enabling Dmytro to turn his vision into reality. Today, he helps fellow veterans adjust to civilian life, offering support and community to those who share the scars of war.

Those who wish to connect with Dmytro Dokunov can reach him either online or in person at Toloka, located in the village of Konceba in the Odesa region, by prior arrangement.

• culture
• military
• Odesa

Oleksii Prytula is a veterinarian from Odesa. During the full-scale invasion by russia, he defended the country. In September 2022, he sustained severe injuries and lost both legs. He received prosthetics and underwent rehabilitation at the Superhumans Center in Lviv. Subsequently, he returned to work as a veterinarian in Odesa.

Oleksiy joined the national team that represented Ukraine this year at the first-ever Winter Hybrid Invictus Games in Canada (disciplines: curling, skeleton, alpine skiing, rowing on simulators). He also participated in the All-Ukrainian wheelchair rugby competitions. Additionally, he practices archery and wheelchair basketball.

Upon prior arrangement, journalists can speak with Oleksii in person in Odesa or online.

• animals
• casualties
• doctors
• military
• Odesa

On September 17, Ukraine will witness a new attempt to set the national record for the “Most unsupported one-leg squats in one minute” near Odesa. The record attempt will be made by 34-year-old war veteran and assault pilot Oleksandr Revtiukh of the 47th Mechanized Brigade ‘Magura’, who has endured the loss of both an arm and a leg.

In 2023, during a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Zaporizhia region, Revtiukh and his unit entered a minefield. A mine first took his leg, and as he attempted to crawl to safety in a state of shock, another mine detonated just a meter away, claiming his arm and injuring his torso. Despite the field being heavily mined, his comrades were able to evacuate him.

Last year, Revtiukh set a national record by completing 34 unsupported sit-ups on one leg within a minute. This year, he is aiming to surpass his own achievement.

The event is open to accredited media only. For security reasons, the precise location will be shared exclusively with credentialed journalists.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Odesa

From September 19 to 21, the “On the Wave” veteran competitions will take place on the coast of Odesa, combining sports, the sea, and a supportive atmosphere.

The event is organized by the FREEHEARTED NGO, founded by veterans Illia Pylypenko and Arsen Riaboshapko. They represented Ukraine at the Invictus Games in February 2025, where they conceived the idea to organize a similar event in Odesa.

The program includes four adaptive sports:

• Wheelchair basketball
• Archery
• Rowing on simulators
• Boccia

Beyond the competitions, participants can look forward to a vibrant weekend in sunny Odesa: relaxation on an inclusive beach, excursions, and community-building with those who share similar experiences and understanding.

Veterans and active-duty service members are invited to participate. Competition entry is free.

Journalists must be accredited to attend the event. 

Background: This project is being carried out with the support of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the Odesa Oblast Military Administration, the Come Back Alive Initiatives Center, the Unlimited Possibilities Charitable Foundation, and EPAM.

• culture
• Odesa

Since childhood, Sofiia had looked after her cousins and played with her neighbors’ young daughter. She often imagined welcoming a child deprived of parental care into her family one day. In 2020, when she turned 20, Sofiia applied to become a mentor for a child from an orphanage because she knew she wasn’t ready for adoption at such a young age.

After a year, she completed her training and received approval from the social services center on February 21, 2022. However, the full-scale war began shortly thereafter, putting her mentorship dreams on hold.

Two years later, she received a call offering her the chance to meet 12-year-old Alina from the Donetsk oblast. Alina has younger brothers who live with her in the orphanage, but there are no adults who maintain contact with her.

Today, Sofiia helps Alina socialize. Their meetings include practical lessons, such as shopping, budgeting, cooking, and using computer programs, as well as emotional support and help with schoolwork.

Journalists can arrange to speak with Sofiia Yudina online or in person in Kyiv or Odesa by prior agreement. Sofiia can also provide joint photos with Alina for publication. Please note that journalists will not be able to speak directly with Alina.

• children
• Kyiv
• Odesa

Leon, 26, has spent the past two years on hormone therapy, continuing a transition that he says has brought him closer to the person he has always known himself to be. From childhood, Leon felt like a boy, but as a teenager, he struggled with depression and lacked the language to explain his experience. It wasn’t until his early twenties that he first learned what it means to be transgender. 

His journey began with visits to a sexologist and later a psychiatrist, where he was diagnosed with transsexualism under the ICD-10-CM code F64.0. After that, he consulted an endocrinologist and started hormone therapy. The changes soon became clear, from the deepening of his voice to the broadening of his shoulders.

Leon chose to come out after a conversation with his father. His relationship with his mother, however, ended, and they no longer stay in touch. He later underwent a mastectomy, legally changed his surname and gender marker, and registered with a Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center as a potential conscript for Ukraine’s military. During his medical evaluation, he was deemed unfit for service under Article 18a, which cited schizophrenia.

Now, Leon says he finally feels free. He shares his experience through a personal blog, sharing his transition journey. 

For those interested, Leon is open to conversations both online and in person in Odesa, by prior arrangement.

• Odesa
• LGBT