Themes by tag: Ternopil

Before the full-scale invasion, brothers Ruslan and Valery Pelekhaty lived ordinary lives. Valery worked at the post office, and Ruslan was a barista. He dreamed of opening his own coffee shop, but the war put all his plans on hold.

From the very first days of the russian full-scale invasion, both brothers were already at the military registration office. Due to the long lines of people eager to enlist, only Valerii was able to join the army; Ruslan was asked to stay with his family.

After a year of service, Valery died from shrapnel wounds. His brother’s death completely devastated Ruslan—they had been the closest of friends their entire lives. Looking through their shared photos, Ruslan decided to open a coffee shop in Valery’s honor, making his photo the centerpiece of the interior. Today, the “Remember” coffee shop in Ternopil has become not only a symbol of remembrance for his brother and a defender of Ukraine, but also a place of support for other soldiers.

Ruslan Pelekhaty is available for interviews online or in person in Ternopil, by prior arrangement.

• dead
• military
• Ternopil

Maryna Chernyshova is originally from Mariupol. She and her family were in their hometown when the full-scale invasion began. For over a month, Maryna and her loved ones endured life in the city under russian attacks, spending most of their time hiding from enemy shelling in a basement. Living with them was Maryna’s cat, Marcy. The cat provided emotional support for the entire family, helping them stay calm during that terrible time.

When they finally managed to evacuate from Mariupol, Marcy left with them. The family made their way to the Ternopil oblast, where Maryna began contemplating the creation of an anti-stress space. After noticing the many stray cats in Ternopil, she decided to open a cat café.

Funded by her own savings and a grant from the National Network for the Development of Local Philanthropy, the café now houses rescued cats — some are adopted, others live there permanently. It also hosts free events for people affected by the war. The café was recently awarded the “People’s Favorite Space” distinction.

Maryna Chernyshova is available for interviews online or in person, in Ternopil, by prior arrangement.

• animals
• casualties
• occupation
• women
• Mariupol
• Ternopil

In 2010, a diving accident left Ivan Kosmyna with a spinal injury that changed his life forever. Since then, he has used a wheelchair – and turned personal hardship into a lifelong mission to make his hometown of Chortkiv, in Ukraine’s Ternopil region, more accessible to everyone.

In the early days of his recovery, Kosmyna fought off depression by rebuilding his grandfather’s motorcycle so he could ride it independently. That determination soon grew into building environments that are accessible and usable by all individuals, including those with disabilities in his community.

In 2014, frustrated by his inability to enter the local hospital, he used his own savings to build a wheelchair ramp there. Over time, he helped open a gym, established a playground in his village, and organized youth events to bring the community together.

Recognizing his efforts, the mayor of Chortkiv invited Kosmyna to serve as an advisor on accessibility that same year. Today, he continues to champion a city designed for all – from people with disabilities to parents with strollers and veterans returning home.

Kosmyna’s journey became the focus of the documentary Without Barriers, and he has also written three books reflecting on his experiences and advocacy work.

Those who wish to meet or speak with Ivan Kosmyna can arrange to do so either online or in person in Chortkiv.

• Ternopil

Maksym Maksymenko is a veteran of the russo-Ukrainian War and a participant in the Revolution of Dignity. While still a student in 2014, Maksym and his friends traveled to Maidan Square and joined the protests. He served as a “sotnyk”, or unit commander, on the Maidan. With the start of the russian occupation of Crimea and attack on eastern Ukraine, he joined the Azov unit.

In 2016, Maksym returned to civilian life. He recalls this period as a time of self-discovery, during which he volunteered, engaged in civic activism, and started a small business.

When the full-scale invasion began, Maksym immediately returned to the military. Several months later, he was wounded and had to leave the army again. However, he adapted more quickly this time, as he had his beloved wife to support him.

While shopping for gifts, Maksym and his wife noticed a lack of websites in Ukraine dedicated exclusively to handmade products. This inspired the idea for Create4Me, an online marketplace that connects Ukrainian artisans, including veterans and volunteers. The Ukrainian Veteran Fund helped bring the project to life. Maksym believes that Ukrainian artisans create items that can captivate the entire world.

Maksym Maksymenko is available for interviews, both online and in person in Ternopil, by prior arrangement.

• culture
• military
• Ternopil

A team of Romanian veterinarians, led by Dr. Ioan Răzvan Șuteu from Cluj-Napoca, launched the “RoUa” campaign (its name combining Romania and Ukraine) to provide free veterinary care to injured, abandoned, and neglected animals throughout Ukraine. The initiative grew from Dr. Șuteu’s long-standing work with stray and underserved animals and his experience coordinating a mobile medical network for rural communities.

The core team includes two surgeons (Dr. Șuteu and Dr. Emma Stratulat), an anesthesia specialist from Slovenia, a PR photographer, and student volunteers.

The campaign provides on-site surgeries, sterilizations, and basic medical care; local partnerships (STEP in Brody, Inițiativa Cremeneț) ensure long-term follow-up for animals requiring extended care. The team uses translators and Google Translate to manage language barriers and leaves written treatment instructions for owners and local caregivers.

The team is currently working in Ukraine’s Ternopil region. Interviews with the veterinarians can be arranged in person through October 17 or conducted online by prior request.

• animals
• doctors
• volunteers
• Ternopil

Olena Dovbenko met her future husband, Oleksandr, when she was just 18. Their love endured distance when Olena left for work in Poland, sustaining a long-distance relationship for a year and a half.

When the full-scale invasion began, Olena returned to Ukraine. After just a few more dates, Oleksandr proposed. In April 2023, as he turned 25, he prepared to enlist as a combat engineer — while Olena discovered she was pregnant. Oleksandr served on the front lines in the Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia sectors. But on July 4, 2023, tragedy struck: a shrapnel fragment hit him in the head as he evacuated his brothers-in-arms.

Now, Olena is raising their daughter, whom she named in honor of her fallen husband. She runs a small business and admits she only recently allowed herself to grieve — before, she feared her sorrow would harm her little girl.

You can speak with Olena Dovbenko online or in-person in Ternopil oblast, by prior arrangement.

• dead
• military
• women
• Ternopil

Before russia’s full-scale invasion, Volodymyr Symanyshyn lived in Poland. But when the war began, he returned home to join the Ukrainian Defense Forces. In July 2023, during a combat mission, he suffered severe injuries that resulted in the amputation of both hands.

Shortly thereafter, Volodymyr’s girlfriend left him — a devastating blow on top of his physical loss. But instead of giving in to despair, he focused on rehabilitation. He started with sports and later discovered a passion for painting. Attaching a brush to his arm stump, he learned to create artwork and embraced a new form of self-expression.

In the summer of 2024, he traveled to the United States, where he received a prosthetic hand. Upon his return to Ukraine, he enrolled in the Theological Academy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, taking his first steps toward becoming a chaplain. Now, Volodymyr is preparing to dedicate his life to helping soldiers and veterans of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Journalists can arrange an interview with Volodymyr Symanyshyn both online and in person in Ternopil by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• Ternopil

Denys was born and raised in Berdiansk, a town in southern Ukraine. When he was 16, he and his mother moved to Moscow. A year and a half ago, he returned to his hometown, where his grandmother lives. At that time, Berdiansk was already occupied by the russian army.

Denys’ parents support the war and putin, while he holds the opposite views. His pro-Ukrainian stance caused him numerous problems, and after the full-scale invasion, he was even summoned for interrogation by the FSB.

Determined to escape the occupation and reach Ukrainian-controlled territory, Denys faced resistance from his parents when he told them of his decision. They put pressure on him and tried to intimidate him. However, he persevered. In December 2024, he successfully crossed the border from Belarus into Ukraine. On the way, he also helped elderly women who were evacuated with him. Now Denys lives in the Ternopil oblast.

He is willing to share his experience of life under occupation and offer insights into how to escape when even your closest family members oppose your decision and Ukraine itself.

Background: The volunteer organization Helping to leave has evacuated over 45,000 Ukrainians from the occupied territories and russia.

• occupation
• Ternopil
• evacuation

Maryna Chernyshova, originally from Mariupol, a city currently under enemy control, lived through the early days of the full-scale invasion alongside her family. The family spent over a month under occupation, seeking shelter from relentless shelling in their basement. During this harrowing period, it was their cat, Marsi, who provided emotional support, offering comfort and helping the family navigate through an incredibly difficult time.

Once they were able to escape Mariupol, Marsi accompanied them as the family relocated to the Ternopil region. There, Maryna found herself inspired to create a space for others in need of emotional relief. Noticing the abundance of stray cats in Ternopil, she decided to open a cat café, a place for people to find solace and relaxation.

With a combination of personal savings and funding from the National Network of Local Philanthropy Development, Maryna launched the café, which is now home to two previously homeless cats. The café offers a variety of activities aimed at providing psychological support to its visitors, including stress-relief meditation sessions led by experts. In the future, Maryna hopes to channel a portion of the café’s profits into building an animal shelter to further help animals in need.

• animals
• casualties
• occupation
• women
• Mariupol
• Ternopil

6-year-old Sasha’s face now appears on the cover of War Through the Voices of Children, a new book featuring quotes from children about the war, recently released in American bookstores. Sasha was born in Bakhmut, a city in Ukraine’s Donetsk region that is now devastated and under russian occupation. His parents met there while volunteering—his mother working with children facing difficult circumstances and his father opening a boxing club to engage local youth. Shortly after Sasha’s birth, his sister Eva was born. But as the conflict escalated, the family relocated to Ternopil, a city in western Ukraine, seeking safety.

Since the start of the full-scale war, Sasha and Eva’s father has been serving on the front line. A photo of him reading a Timothy Snyder book in a trench circulated widely online. “When my dad comes back, he’ll sleep next to me, so I won’t be afraid of air raid sirens,” Eva told her mother when she was just three.

Their mother now works for the Voices of Children charity, providing psychological support to children and parents impacted by the war.

By prior arrangement, journalists can connect with the family in Ternopil or online.

• children
• military
• women
• Ternopil