Themes by tag: Vinnytsia
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.
Ivan Shostak, who initially served in the 79th Air Assault Brigade during the Russian-Ukrainian war of 2015, returned to civilian life after his contract ended.
However, when the all-out invasion escalated in 2022, he reenlisted and was injured, resulting in blindness during a mission in the Bakhmut sector. Following rehabilitation, Shostak immersed himself in pottery, mastering the craft within four months. He now produces clay items adorned with his personal logo and slogan, “Nobody but us,” which he markets through exhibitions and social media. Shostak aims to gather funds for specialized education and hopes to launch a massage parlor in his hometown of Vinnytsia.
From March 29 to 30, doctors from Okhmatdyt will be visiting Ladyzhyn, Vinnytsia Oblast, as part of the Health Moneybox project. Over 20 specialized doctors from the Kyiv medical institution will be examining children of military personnel.
Since the early days of the all-out invasion, with over 800 thousand Ukrainians rallying to defend the country, military families have faced the unique challenge of ensuring high-quality and timely medical care for their children while their loved ones serve on the front lines. In response, philanthropists have joined forces with medical professionals to offer comprehensive health examinations for children, as well as assistance with treatment or prevention as needed.
During the press tour, interviews will be available with:
- Olena Dovhal, the spouse of serviceman Volodymyr and mother to four children (two sons and 13-year-old twin daughters Marta and Varvara), is facing a crucial moment. Her eldest son, Illia, is currently on the front lines defending the nation in the AFU, while the youngest, Zakhar, is pursuing military affairs. A large family needs thorough medical evaluation;
- Olha Medvedieva, head of the pediatric department of the Okhmatdyt National Children’s Hospital;
- Okhmatdyt’s specialized doctors;
- Petro Andriyets, Head of Social Projects at the MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation;
- Oleksandr Kolomiets, acting mayor of Ladyzhyn.
The event requires accreditation for journalist coverage. The accreditation period extends until 9:00 a.m. on March 28.
For reference: This initiative is a collaboration with the National Children’s Specialized Hospital of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine “Okhmatdyt,” supported by the MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation, with assistance from the Ladyzhyn City Council and support from the Children of Heroes Charity Fund.
Nazar Skakodub is a 14-year-old teenager from Vinnytsia. The young man started sculpting from plasticine five years ago, and recently learned how to make stop motion videos. Nazar dedicates them to the Ukrainian military, who are fighting on the front lines. The boy called one of his works “Battle for Kherson.” Nazar turned his room into a studio where he works on characters, shoots and edits videos himself. Nazar mostly finds ideas and ways to implement them in social networks: he watches video lessons and reads the news. The boy presents his work on TikTok, where the first fans and critics of Nazar’s art have already gathered up. In the future, the schoolboy plans to participate in competitions and create a stop motion film.
Vladyslav Molodykh is a serviceman of the 71st Jaeger Brigade. The occupiers stormed the dugout, where Vladyslav and his brother in arms had been staying for 3 days. During the assault, Vladyslav Molodykh eliminated at least 6 russian invaders. Then the russians blocked the exit from the dugout with the Ukrainians. Also, the debris from a nearby house collapsed into their dugout.
The soldiers, who found themselves under the rubble, ate dry rations until they ran out. The fighters had to survive at sub-zero temperatures without food and water. They melted the snow to quench their thirst at least a little.
Later, the Ukrainians managed to make a small hole in the pile of the debris, through which Vladyslav’s brother in arms climbed out. Other defenders found him with the help of a drone. Vladyslav remained in the dugout for another two weeks. In total, he stayed underground for 41 days. In the end, the man was saved by soldiers who were looking for Vladyslav. Currently, the military man is undergoing rehabilitation in Vinnytsia region.
Additionally: Vladyslav Molodykh is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and offline, by prior agreement.
Sviatoslav Nikolaichuk became the founder of “Genesis & System Solutions” center for the rehabilitation of veterans in Vinnytsia. In 2015, the man voluntarily joined the Defense Forces and served as a signalman in the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade. Sviatoslav served for one and a half years, participated in the battles near Popasna, Luhansk region (now the city has been completely destroyed by the russians and is under occupation). He was discharged after the birth of his third child.
With the beginning of the big war, the veteran volunteered, and later began to create a rehabilitation center to help soldiers, who have lost their limbs, manage phantom pains.
One of the servicemen who have already walked this path is the veteran of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykyta Makazan, who had lost his leg near Bakhmut, Donetsk region. Virtual reality helped the man to get rid of phantom pain – the same technology will be used in “Genesis & System Solutions.” The assistance to veterans will be provided using modern equipment. For this purpose, they purchased virtual reality glasses, two laptops, suspension systems and special exercise bikes for the rehabilitation of the upper and lower limbs. The center received financial support worth UAH 2.5 million from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. In addition to virtual reality, the center will also feature traditional rehabilitation. Currently, the facility is already accepting veterans, and will officially open on January 29.
Viktoriia Samiilenko is a native of Volnovakha, Donetsk Oblast. Before the full-scale invasion, she was in charge of a civic organization in her hometown. After the outbreak of the great war, Viktoriia decided to leave Volnovakha and move to her son’s house in Vinnytsia. Here, she could not sit idly by and took up civic engagement activities again. Viktoriia attended various events for IDPs, met IDPs, created a joint online chat, and later founded her own Chest of Ideas and Actions NGO.
Viktoriia’s husband, a soldier, asked her to knit him socks. This prompted a woman to unite IDPs so that they could help Ukrainian defenders, in particular, knit warm clothes for them. At first, these items were sent to the brigade, Viktoriia’s husband a staff of. Later, the woman teamed up with other volunteers for socks from IDPs to reach different units.
Photographer Uliana Sidletska, together with makeup artist and stylist Victoria Sanatos, conducts photoshoots for women. They say that they work on the inner state of women. In particular, they help them break free from insecurity and see themselves differently, during photo sessions.
Two months ago, a woman who had lost her husband in the war came to have some snapshots. After she posted the photos on social media, she faced judgment from people blaming her for inappropriate behavior as a widow doing a photoshoot. Then, to support other wives of fallen Ukrainian heroes, Viktoria and Uliana came up with the idea to create the photo project “I AM A WOMAN” aiming to manifest that women should never forget about themselves. Uliana and Viktoria take photos of fallen heroes’ wives free of charge.
Eight women have already taken part in the photo project. According to the organizers, while posing for photos, women are starting to unfold themselves: they talk about themselves, recall their dreams, and some even say that they have realized something they have been putting off for a long time.
The “I AM A WOMAN” photo project exhibition will open on December 17. The project applications are accepted from other country regions.
