Themes by tag: women

Tetiana is a servicewoman of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Chorni Zaporozhtsi, known by her call sign “Harley Quinn.” She wanted to join the army back when russia first attacked Ukraine. However, in 2014, her husband forbade her from doing so. Five years later, the couple divorced, and Tetiana immediately signed a contract with the military.

She chose the field of communications, and later took up the position of communications platoon commander in the unmanned systems battalion of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade. Tetiana studied cryptographic protection, wrote programs for radio station programming, coordinated with other signal corps members, and sourced technical manuals.

The servicewoman was on duty when the full-scale invasion began. Since then, she has had to set up communications from scratch countless times. Following the defense of the Kyiv region, the unit led by Tetiana relocated to the Donetsk region.

Interviews with Tetiana, call sign “Harley Quinn,” can be arranged both online and offline, subject to prior agreement and clearance by the press officer.

• military
• women

Olena Velychenko is the founder of the Grand Dog canine training center in Kherson. Together with her team, she taught dog owners how to build connections with their pets, while training dogs to assist people.

However, everything changed after the start of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For some time, Olena remained under occupation together with the dogs, even though her center had been destroyed by russian forces. Following the liberation of the city, she relocated to Odesa, where she began rebuilding her life’s work.

Today, the Grand Dog canine training center also operates in Odesa, providing support to children, internally displaced people, veterans, and individuals going through difficult periods in their lives. Velychenko conducts classes for children free of charge.

Olena Velychenko is available for interviews both online and in person in Odesa by prior arrangement.

• animals
• casualties
• occupation
• women
• Odesa

On February 24, 2022, Olha Shtern found herself without identification documents. A day before russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she had submitted her passport to change her surname following a divorce. At the time, she was living and working in Mykolaiv, a southern Ukrainian city.

After the invasion began, volunteers helped Olha and her child evacuate abroad.

A host family on Portugal’s Azores Islands took them in. But neither the islands’ natural beauty, nor the support of those who had helped her, nor her volunteer activities there could persuade Olha to remain outside Ukraine. With war continuing at home, she felt she was not doing enough.

She soon returned to Ukraine. In Odesa, Olha enlisted and became a combat medic in a combat unit, where she continues to serve.

She has served in some of the war’s fiercest battle zones, including Bakhmut, Soledar and Blahodatne. She recalls how, during another shelling attack, the blast wave threw her back, and her only concern was that she had lost her radio. Although she has suffered four concussions during her service, only one has been officially documented.

Olha has also faced sexism within the military. She says she managed to overcome that difficult period thanks to the support of her fellow service members.

From time to time, she considers returning to civilian life. But she dismisses those thoughts after saving another wounded person.

Her son is waiting for her at home and is being cared for by his godmother.

Journalists interested in speaking with Olha Shtern may arrange interviews either online or in person in Kharkiv region by prior appointment.

• doctors
• military
• women
• Kharkiv

Angelina’s father served in the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade. He was killed in action on June 13, 2023, near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.

Currently, Angelina lives with her mother, Mariana, in Kropyvnytskyi and is a second-grade student. The girl has a passion for creative arts, attends a modeling agency, participates in photoshoots and runway shows.

Mariana works for a charitable foundation, where she provides daily assistance to other families affected by the war.

The family is available for in-person or online interviews by prior arrangement.

Reference: The “Children of Heroes” Charity Fund supports children who have lost one or both parents to the war. The fund offers immediate, personalized assistance, including humanitarian aid, psychological and medical support, as well as educational and development opportunities for children until they reach adulthood.

• children
• dead
• military
• women

Alla and Oleksiy began building their life together in 2021. As a serviceman in the “Azov” Regiment, Oleksiy was frequently deployed on missions.

On the night of February 24, 2022, the couple was scheduled to fly abroad for a vacation. However, just a day prior, the fighter was urgently deployed to Mariupol. It was there that Oleksiy witnessed the beginning of the full-scale invasion, and in May 2022, he and his fellow brothers-in-arms entered captivity following orders to leave the Azovstal steelworks.

Since then, Alla, who never had the chance to officially become Oleksiy’s wife, has been fighting for his freedom and return to Ukraine. For four years now, alongside Oleksiy’s mother, Oksana, she has been anxiously awaiting every prisoner exchange. In 2024, alongside other relatives of captured Azov fighters, Alla traveled to the Vatican, where she met with Pope Francis. The young woman continuously initiates meetings with the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the National Guard (NSU) command, and representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Currently, Oleksiy remains illegally sentenced in russia to 29 years in a maximum-security prison. He faces fabricated charges of shooting a civilian woman in Mariupol and committing acts of terrorism.

Interviews with Alla can be arranged by prior agreement, either online or in person within the Kyiv region.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv

Alyona is originally from the Kharkiv region. She now lives in the Poltava region and serves in the Ukrainian military. She is raising two children.

Her husband, Denys, was a lieutenant colonel and military pilot who served as deputy squadron commander and squadron navigator.

Denys completed more than 80 combat missions. He was awarded the Order for Courage, Third Class, as well as the Ministry of Defence distinction “Personalized Firearm”. He was killed on March 27, 2023, while carrying out a combat mission. His aircraft was shot down by russian forces over the Chernihiv region. The pilot attempted to steer the aircraft away from a populated area and did not have time to eject.

Subject to prior arrangement, the family is available for both in-person and online interviews.

• dead
• military
• women
• Poltava

HALO Ukraine has invited journalists to the opening of the “Women in Demining” photo exhibition, which will take place on June 3 at one of Kharkiv’s metro stations.

The exhibition features 29 portraits of women working in humanitarian demining, including deminers, underwater deminers and drone operators. Each photograph tells a unique story. Danger and risk, overcoming daily challenges, dedication and responsibility are shaping a new professional force of women in humanitarian demining.

During the presentation, female deminers will share their experiences, speak about their professional journeys, difficult decisions, fears and motivation, and explain what gives them the strength to continue their work every day.

Representatives of the Kharkiv city authorities, HALO Ukraine, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service and the National Police of Ukraine will also take part in the opening event.

Throughout the day, the HALO Ukraine team will introduce visitors to the basic rules of mine safety.

Media accreditation for the opening of the exhibition is mandatory until 2:00 p.m. on June 2, 2026.

Background: The project is supported by Global Affairs Canada and Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture.

HALO Ukraine is the Ukrainian programme of The HALO Trust, the world’s largest non-governmental non-profit organization specializing in humanitarian demining. The organization has been clearing mines and unexploded ordnance in 30 countries over the past 38 years.

HALO Ukraine has operated in eastern Ukraine since 2016. Its mission is to save lives and return land to communities. Following russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the team expanded its operations and now clears land in six regions: Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Kherson. The Ukrainian team employs nearly 1,400 people, 30% of whom are women.

• women
• Kharkiv
• demining

Liudmyla Lysenko is a pastry chef who has lived in Bucha since 2016. She and her family were at home when russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. After fighting began, the family evacuated to the Rivne region. But in April 2022, following the liberation of the Kyiv region from russian forces, they returned home. Lysenko recalls Bucha as devastated — without electricity, water or reliable communication.

In 2024, she decided to join Ukraine’s defense forces because she wanted to help the country. After completing training, Lysenko joined the “Bucha Witches,” a mobile air defense unit operating within the Bucha Volunteer Territorial Community Formation and tasked with intercepting enemy drones.

She now serves as commander of a mobile fire group. Although she is not an active-duty service member, after returning from combat duty she goes back to civilian life and bakes custom cakes to order.

Liudmyla Lysenko is available for interviews both online and in person in the Kyiv region by prior arrangement and coordination with the press officer.

• women
• Kyiv

Diana Berg is originally from Donetsk. In 2014, when russia first attacked Ukraine, she became one of the co-organizers of the “Donetsk Is Ukraine” rallies. Later, she was forced to leave her hometown due to threats to her life. Her new home became Mariupol, where in 2016 she founded the art platform TU!

Diana and her husband were in Mariupol when the full-scale invasion began. On March 4, 2022, they managed to evacuate and reach Lviv. Soon after, the couple began helping other Ukrainians escape territories occupied by russia. What started as a volunteer effort later grew into the NGO Vyvezemo (“We Will Evacuate”).

Since its launch, the organization has helped evacuate more than 5,000 people from occupied territories. Today, such missions have become significantly more difficult, but they continue.

Diana Berg is available for interviews online or in person in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• occupation
• women
• Kyiv
• evacuation

Nataliia Shmahel has been practicing yoga for eight years and working as an instructor in Kherson for the past three. The youngest participant in her classes is 18, the oldest is 63.

Training sessions depend on the security situation in the city. When heavy shelling begins, the instructor notifies participants via chat that the session has been canceled. Last year, as Nataliia was heading to a class, a drone struck Kherson, forcing her to take cover under a tree.

She says that fear is something everyone experiences, but the classes help people cope by relieving tension and helping them clear their minds.

Interviews with Nataliia can be arranged in Kherson or online upon request.

Background: russian forces occupied Kherson at the beginning of the full-scale invasion on March 1, 2022. Ukrainian forces liberated the city on November 11, 2022. russian forces continue to shell the city regularly.

• culture
• occupation
• women
• Kherson