Themes by tag: Vinnytsia
In the Vinnytsia region, volunteers from the group Soldier’s Kitchen are manufacturing smoke bombs to aid Ukrainian defenders on the front lines. Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, these homemade devices have been used to shield against enemy snipers, obscure the view of drones, assist in evacuating the wounded, simulate damaged equipment, and force adversaries out of their dugouts.
The team initially learned the technique from YouTube videos but refined the process through trial and error to create their own version. Despite using straightforward ingredients—nitrate, paraffin, and powdered sugar—the production process is complex. Each smoke bomb costs approximately 60 hryvnias to make, and the volunteers have crafted over 20,000 since the war began.
To add a personal touch, the volunteers decorate the smoke bomb casings with ornaments and include a unique illustration of a Ukrainian soldier urinating on a caricature of Vladimir Putin.
Soldier’s Kitchen is open to sharing their story, with interviews available in Vinnytsia or by phone upon prior arrangement.
At just 17, Dmytro Slobodianyk is making a difference far beyond his school in Ukraine’s Vinnytsia region. During his free time, the high school student designs and builds essential devices for the Ukrainian military, including FPV drones, charging stations, and power banks. His volunteer journey began at the outset of russia’s full-scale invasion, starting with periscopes before advancing to more complex technologies like soldering charging stations using online schematics.
Dmytro’s passion for innovation didn’t stop there. He taught himself to build drones and custom batteries, recently delving into inverters—devices that convert car battery power into a stable voltage for operating equipment such as Starlink terminals and walkie-talkies.
To create these devices, Dmytro prints some components on a 3D printer and purchases others through donated funds. His dedication has already resulted in three inverters being sent to the front lines, with three more in production. The young inventor proudly notes the positive feedback he’s received from soldiers.
For those interested in meeting or speaking with Dmytro, he is available both online and in person by appointment in the Vinnytsia Oblast.
For 23 years, Viktor Penkovyi served as a military pilot, dedicating his life to protecting Ukraine. When russia launched its all-out invasion, he answered the call to defend his homeland. Tragically, Viktor lost his life during a combat mission.
His wife, Svitlana Penkova, was devastated by the loss. The grief left her struggling to find her footing. At times, the emotional and physical toll was overwhelming—she would spend days confined to her home, unable to even embrace her child due to the sheer weight of her pain.
A year after Viktor’s passing, Svitlana channeled her grief into action. She founded the Reborn NGO, an organization dedicated to supporting the families of fallen heroes. She also began writing, pouring her emotions into a book that would honor her husband’s legacy. The result was Ukrainian Hummingbirds, a heartfelt tribute to Viktor.
Through her work, Svitlana hopes to send a powerful message: even in the aftermath of profound loss, it is possible to find a new purpose while preserving the memory of those we hold dear.
Journalists can arrange to meet Svitlana in Vinnytsia or Kyiv, or communicate with her online.
For reference: The Children of Heroes charity foundation currently supports the Penkova family. The foundation assists children who have lost one or both parents due to russia’s invasion, providing financial aid, psychological and legal support, and fostering their education and development until adulthood.
Mariia Aleksieievych is the wife of Serhii Aleksieievych, a fighter of the Azov Brigade, which defended Mariupol from the beginning of the full-scale russian invasion until 16 May 2022. On that day, Serhii and his comrades left Azovstal on orders from their superiors and were captured by russians.
For more than two years, Mariia worked tirelessly to bring her beloved and other prisoners home. During this time, she traveled to Austria to attend an OSCE meeting on the Olenivka terrorist attack, met with Ukrainian officials, and attended weekly rallies dedicated to the defenders of Azovstal. On 18 October 2024, Serhii Aleksieievych returned to Ukraine as part of a prisoner exchange.
Mariia says she had a strong feeling that her beloved would finally come home that day. At 10.20 pm, she received a call from the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War with the long-awaited news. A few hours later, Serhii himself called her. Mariia says she still cannot believe it is not a dream and that her husband has really returned from captivity.
Serhii is currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation.
Serhii Aleksieievych is not yet ready for interviews. However, Mariia Aleksieievych is available to talk about her experiences, her work with Olenivka Community NGO and the emotional reunion with her husband after his captivity – online or in person in Kyiv or Vinnytsia by prior arrangement.
Ivan Lavreniuk, a native of Ukraine’s Vinnytsia region, answered the call to defend his country when russia launched its full-scale invasion. Volunteering for service, he joined the airborne assault troops and became part of the 71st Separate Jaeger Brigade. Stationed near Avdiivka, Ivan faced relentless combat. In March 2024, while returning from an assault, he was caught in a mortar strike. The blast left him permanently blind. Ivan recalls knowing instantly what had happened. He checked his arms and legs, confirmed they were intact, and began crawling back to safety.
The road to recovery was far from easy. Psychological rehabilitation posed significant challenges, but the unwavering support of family and friends helped Ivan rebuild his life. His physical recovery progressed quickly, thanks to a lifelong passion for sports. It was this passion that led Ivan to try out for Ukraine’s national team at the Invictus Games. He is now preparing to compete in powerlifting, athletics, and swimming.
For those interested in meeting Ivan Lavreniuk, he is available for conversations in Vinnytsia, with prior arrangements possible either online or in person.
Violetta and Oleh Nahornyi spent their lives in Vinnytsia, where Oleh worked in the building materials business and Violetta taught voice lessons. Together, they raised three children—a son and two daughters. Their peaceful life was shattered by the onset of the full-scale invasion, which destroyed their sense of security and shattered their plans for the future.
On the very first day of the all-out invasion, Oleh enlisted in the Territorial Defense Forces, determined to protect his family. Tragically, on May 14, 2024, he was fatally wounded while attempting to rescue his injured comrades.
A combat medic who was with Oleh in his final moments shared that the fallen soldier’s thoughts were with his family. “He asked me to tell you that he loves Violetta and the children very much, and to raise his youngest son—with dignity—as he is a spitting image of his father.” Official reports list Oleh as missing, but his family knows the heartbreaking truth: he died in the line of duty.
Violetta, once an aspiring composer, had set aside her music as the war took hold. However, after losing Oleh, she felt compelled to write a song in his honor. The piece was completed for his birthday, but she dedicated it not only to him but to all women who have lost their heroes in the war.
For reference: The Children of Heroes charity foundation is currently supporting Violetta and her children. The organization helps children who have lost one or both parents to the war, offering financial assistance, psychological and legal support, and promoting their education and well-being until they come of age.
Olha Chernilevska is a philologist who worked as a dubbing director and project manager for the translation of foreign films. In the village of Busha, Vinnytsia region, she once bought two houses, renovated them and rented them to visitors looking for a retreat. In civilian life Olha’s son, Illia Chernilevskyi, worked as a screenwriter, he translated songs for TV shows, and wrote poetry and music. Illia enlisted immediately after the start of the full-scale invasion and was killed two months later.
Illia did not tell his family what he saw and experienced during the war, but Olha says his work spoke for him. Olha published her son’s first collection of poems as a gift for his 21st birthday. The second collection was published posthumously. She called it “I am a bird among nets,” taking a line from Illia’s poem. Olha’s son’s body is still in the enemy-occupied territory, and she hopes to bring it back after the village of Kamianka in the Donetsk oblast is liberated.
This summer, a woman who lost her husband in the war came to Busha. After talking with her, Olha decided to invite mothers and wives of fallen soldiers to her estate. The stay is free for them. The initiative was supported by the village community: locals volunteered to cook and the staff of the Historical and Cultural Reserve promised to give them tours. Olha is expecting 15 guests soon.
For reference: Olha Chernilevska will be abroad until November 12, 2024. After her return, she is ready to talk to journalists offline.
On July 24, media representatives are invited to a press tour to the renovated “Ukraine” cinema in Ladyzhyn, Vinnytsia region.
The “Ukraine” cinema is an important cultural center for Ladyzhyn and neighboring villages. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the cinema was temporarily closed. Plans to resume screenings after the lifting of quarantine restrictions were thwarted by the full-scale invasion.
“Watch Ukrainian!” Association, which has been implementing a number of cultural and educational projects together with the MHP-Hromadi Charitable Foundation for several years, has initiated the resumption of screenings in the Ladyzhyn cinema.
The Ladyzhyn City Council will organize educational events for young people and families of military and veterans in the cinema, which aims to become a real cultural platform for residents of Ladyzhyn, as well as nearby villages and towns.
Program of the event:
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM – an official opening, communication with invited guests, including ambassadors of the “Cinema for Victory!” National Tour. Andrii Rizol (producer and CEO of “Watch Ukrainian!” Association), Bohdan Beniuk (People’s Artist of Ukraine and Artistic Director of the Kyiv Academic Drama Theater on Podil), Vyacheslav Dovzhenko (actor, performer of the leading roles in the movies Cyborgs, Obmin, Another Franko).
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM – press conference with the participation of the director of the cinema, the management of the MHP-Hromadi Charitable Foundation, “Watch Ukrainian!” Association and representatives of local authorities.
Accreditation is open until July 23.
Transfer from Kyiv is provided for accredited media representatives.
Mariia Aleksieievych is 26 years old, for two of which she has been waiting for her husband Serhii Aleksieievych, a soldier from Azov Regiment. On May 16, 2022, he carried out the order and surrendered to the enemy.
Mariia and Serhii met before the full-scale invasion. Both studied in Khmelnytskyi, majoring in psychology. The couple lived for several years in a civil marriage, and officially married online in April 2022, when Serhii was already in surrounded Mariupol.
While Serhii was fighting in Mariupol, he tried to get in touch, asked his wife to hold on, work and study. The last time Mariia communicated with her husband was on May 13, 2022. The woman came across a video where she saw Serhii being captured, later she found confirmation that he was in Olenivka. After the explosion in the barracks of the Olenivka colony, the woman found her lover’s name on the list of the wounded.
Mariia says that Serhii Aleksieievych was officially recognized as a prisoner of war only on August 31, 2023. Every once in a while Mariia learns about her husband’s condition from former captives who return in prisoner exchanges.
Currently, Maria heads Olenivka Community NGO. She is also actively involved in public work to investigate the events in the Olenivka colony, bring the culprits to justice, and help Ukrainian prisoners of war and their families.
Mariia Aleksieievych is in Vinnytsia region and is ready to communicate with the media, both in person and online.
For reference: On the night of July 29, 2022, the russian federation committed a terrorist attack, setting off an explosion in the barracks of the penal colony in Olenivka, which housed Ukrainian prisoners of war. At least 50 defenders of Azovstal were killed in the blast.
Arkadii Fishman, an innovative mind hailing from Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast, now residing in Ternopil Oblast, has devised a unique fundraising strategy. Teaming up with his companion, Olenka Dunets, Fishman is embarking on a 650 km journey across Ukrainian cities, showcasing his creation—a sofa on wheels—to raise funds for the Armed Forces.
Their odyssey has already commenced, with Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv slated as pit stops along the way. Residents of these locales can catch a glimpse of the mobile sofa, snap photos, and contribute to the cause through donations. Fishman aims to culminate the tour in the capital on July 6th.
As Fishman is on his way to Khmelnytskyi, journalists have the opportunity to delve deeper into the charitable expedition and engage in conversation with him.
