Themes by tag: women

Daria-Olha, a resident of Mariupol, was 15 when she tried boxing for the first time. The girl learnt fast: just 3 months after starting she participated in an all-Ukrainian competition. In 2022, 18-year-old Daria-Olha was supposed to go to the European Championship, but russia launched its full-scale invasion, and enemy troops surrounded Mariupol. At first, the athlete’s family was hoping to wait out the russian shelling in an apartment together with friends. Later they had to relocate to the basement. At this time, the city had already been cut from communication, gas and electricity. Even in such conditions, Daria continued training to keep herself in shape. The family managed to leave the besieged Mariupol in a truck with strangers, and the road to Zaporizhia took more than a day, because they had to go through russian checkpoints. Already in the Ukraine-controlled territory, Daria-Olha found out that her coach had left for Ivano-Frankivsk, so she went to him. There, the girl entered the Carpathian National University’s Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, because she dreams of becoming a trainer. In May 2022, Daria-Olha won bronze at the International Boxing Tournament in Sweden in the category of up to 52 kilograms. Currently, the Ukrainian boxer is training to win gold at the Olympics.

For reference: the defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days. On May 20, 2022, Mariupol was occupied by the russians. According to the estimates of the human rights organization Human Rights Watch at least 8,000 people were killed in russian shelling of civilians in Mariupol. Thousands of people were injured: they lost limbs, sight, hearing and memory, particularly, as a result of craniocerebral injuries caused by the explosions. Also, according to Human Rights Watch estimates, from the pre-war population of 540,000 people, about 400,000 residents had fled Mariupol by mid-May 2022.

• casualties
• occupation
• russian crimes
• women
• Ivano-Frankivsk
• Mariupol

Back in 2014, Tetiana Ovchar made waves by challenging the inclusion of Russian language teaching in her children’s Kyiv school. Her bold stance led to the removal of the subject from the curriculum. Passionate about promoting Ukrainian literature among youngsters, she spearheaded the “Reading with Pleasure” initiative, culminating in its final session on February 19, 2022. With the onset of the full-blown invasion, Tetiana has thrown herself into volunteering efforts, supporting both military personnel and civilians alike. Tetiana Ovchar, alongside her husband, selflessly offered their family’s former eco-tourism retreat as a refuge for those displaced by the war, accommodating up to 27 individuals in a single night. In their hometown of Kyiv, they mobilized with neighbors to provide vital aid to hospitals and the Territorial Defense Forces, distributing much-needed supplies such as food and medicine. Their outreach extended to villages like Moshchun and Horenka in the Kyiv region. Despite receiving a cancer diagnosis in December 2022, Tetiana remained resilient, channeling her energy into fundraising for military needs during her treatment sessions. Today, she continues to dedicate herself to volunteering, addressing military requests, supporting the families of servicemen, advocating for literacy, and confronting the challenges of her illness with unwavering determination.

• volunteers
• women
• Kyiv

Georgian-born Rusudana Pavlichenko, found herself abroad attending her father’s funeral as the full-scale invasion unfolded. Her history with conflict traces back to childhood when, at the tender age of 10, she fled her first conflict, the war in Abkhazia, seeking refuge in Ukraine. Since then, she has called Ukraine home, living here throughout her adult years.

Rusudana’s husband, Serhii Pavlichenko, a stalwart defender of Ukraine against occupiers since 2014, bravely held the defense of Azovstal during the full-scale invasion before being captured. Tragically, he fell victim to a terrorist attack in Olenivka, a village within the occupied territory of Donetsk region, on the night of July 28-29, 2022. Left behind are their two children, Adelia, 10, and Nazar, 8.

Journalists seeking to delve into Rusudana’s story can arrange interviews with her in Cherkasy or online, by prior arrangement. 

Meanwhile, the Children of Heroes charity foundation has stepped in to support the grieving family. Dedicated to aiding children who have lost parents due to russia’s full-scale invasion, the foundation offers financial aid, psychological counseling, legal assistance, and ongoing educational opportunities until the children reach adulthood.

For reference: In the late hours of July 29, 2022, russia executed a terrorist assault, igniting an explosion within a barracks at the Olenivka penal colony, where Ukrainian prisoners of war were detained. The attack resulted in the tragic loss of at least 50 Azovstal workers amidst the turmoil.

• dead
• military
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Cherkasy
• Mariupol

Anna Ziablikova is from Kharkiv. Even before the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Anna had attained a higher education in molecular biology. As a graduate, her studies delved into vertebrate zoology, with a particular focus on bats. After completing her studies in 2020, Anna applied for a scholarship under the Erasmus Mundus international program. She won and went abroad to study tropical ecology and biodiversity. The master’s program was divided between several European universities, so the girl moved every semester. The news that russia had launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine reached Anna in Belgium.

Anna returned to the Motherland a few months after the big war started and volunteered at the Lviv train station by helping doctors and packing supplies for the military. Anna’s beloved joined the army in March 2022, and he sent her a message that the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade “Magura” was recruiting volunteers, which is where Anna eventually joined. At first, she was a clerk, but for the past six months, Anna has been serving in the brigade’s medical company. She is a nurse-gunner with the evacuation crew and at the stabilization post. In addition, Anna takes care of wounded servicemen who can’t perform their duties, in particular, she helps them deal with the necessary documents.

For reference: Anna Ziablikova is on the front line. The military woman is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and offline, by prior arrangement.

• doctors
• military
• women

Camp Maximum NGO together with an American team created the Opportunities Camp Program for Amputee Women. This year, about 20 women will take part in the camp (including veterans and civilians who lost their limbs during the full-scale war). The camp starts on May 5 in Cherkasy.

While women are staying in the camp, international-level rehabilitation coaches will conduct soccer training. Participants will have the opportunity to represent Ukraine at international levels and achieve recognition in sports.

For example, women will be able to participate in the World Championship 2024. (Ukraine’s women’s national team consisting of players with limb amputations will play at the World Championship, which will be held in Barranquilla, Colombia, from November 2 to 11, 2024).

In addition to football lessons, camp participants will have the opportunity to take part in other activities.

• casualties
• women
• Cherkasy

Alona Kyryliuk is from Kharkiv region, and she currently lives in Poltava region. She is the mother of two children: 11-year-old Anastasiia and Timur, who is only one year old. The woman is a military officer.

Alona’s husband, Denys, is a lieutenant colonel, a fighter pilot (Deputy Squadron Commander, Squadron Flight Navigator). The man was called to duty on the night of February 23-24, 2022. He asked his wife to stay at home with the daughter. Later, Alona heard the first explosions.

Denis flew over 80 sorties. He was awarded the Order “For Courage” of the third class, as well as the “Firearms” award of the Ministry of Defense. The man died on March 27, 2023 while performing a combat mission. The enemy shot down his plane over Chernihiv region. The pilot was taking the plane away from a settlement and did not have time to eject.

By prior agreement, journalists can talk to Alona Kyryliuk in Poltava region or in Kyiv.

For reference: Currently, the family is being cared for by the Children of Heroes Charity Fund. It helps children who lost one or both parents as a result of russia’s full-scale invasion. The fund provides financial assistance, psychological and legal support, and helps with the education and development of children until they reach adulthood.

• children
• dead
• military
• women
• Kyiv
• Poltava

On April 28, the Octave of My Life dance and theater performance by Kseniia Huz from Mariupol will take place in Kyiv. In it, the woman will talk about what she was forced to go through during the full-scale war: occupation, forced relocation, her husband’s death at the front, the struggle with oncology and depression.

Before the full-scale war, Kseniia Huz together with her husband Maksym had opened “Art House” creative space and “Urban Buddha” space for spiritual communication in Mariupol, where visitors had actively participated in self-development and creative activities. Maksym had conducted yoga, meditation, and spiritual practices classes. And Kseniia (Head of an event agency) organized various events, performances, cocoa ceremonies, poetry battles and master classes for children.

The woman and her 18-year-old daughter were at home when the full-scale invasion started. They had to survive in encircled Mariupol for 20 days. Despite running out of food, they shared it with others. In the end, they managed to leave the city.

When the big war started, Maksym was in Kyiv region, where he had come on a business trip. The man immediately joined the territorial defense. In November 2022, he joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (airborne assault troops). On February 13, 2023, he died near Bakhmut.

Maksym wanted his ashes to be scattered over the Sea of Azov, but since this is impossible now, Kseniia scattered her husband’s ashes over the Dnipro in Kyiv. Three months later, the woman was diagnosed with cancer. She underwent a successful operation in Belgium.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with Kseniia in Kyiv.

• casualties
• dead
• occupation
• women
• Kyiv
• Mariupol

Mariia Volia was born and raised in Mariupol, a city in the south of Ukraine that was destroyed and occupied by the russians in spring 2022. She joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2015. She wanted to defend the country after the first russian attacks on Mariupol. Mariia Volia used to be a mortar commander at the front, and now she is a communications unit commander.

Before the occupation of her hometown, she had been hiding her orientation. However, after she was wounded in Mariupol, and later escaped from the russian encirclement, Mariia opened up to her brothers in arms. Currently, the commander of the communications unit hopes that civil partnerships will be legalized in Ukraine, because in the future she wants to get married with her partner.

Currently, Mariia Volia is along the Donetsk axis. The military woman is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and offline.

For reference: the defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days. On May 20, 2022, Mariupol was occupied by the russians.

• military
• occupation
• women
• Mariupol
• LGBT

The “Rehabilitation in the Carpathians” project was created as a part of the “Psychological support for women defenders” project of the Zemliachky NGO. Its purpose is to restore the mental and emotional health of military women. The initiative is open to all female defenders.

According to the organizers, the project gives women the opportunity to reboot, rest and spend time in a safe place surrounded by their people (“tribe” effect). It is also an opportunity to spend time alone with nature.

Preference in the formation of the group is given to military women who were held in captivity, as well as defenders who have worked in the combat zone for a long time, because they are the ones who need support and the opportunity to recover the most.

As part of the project, 5 groups have already undergone rehabilitation in the Carpathians, and the sixth group is set to start in the near future as well.

Journalists are welcome to learn more about the peculiarities of covering the initiative.

• military
• psychological support
• women

In the early days of the all-out war, russian forces seized control of Krasiatychi village in the Kyiv region, where Nadiia Smyrnova resided. Nadiia, alongside her mother and 9-year-old son Sashko, remained in the village. The invaders ransacked their home, even attempting to detonate a grenade, putting the family’s lives at risk. Sashko’s grandmother bravely intervened, shielding her loved ones from harm, despite facing the barrel of russian machine guns. Surviving nearly a month under occupation, the ordeal left a lasting impact on Sashko, who vividly recalls the harrowing experiences shared with his mother and grandmother.

At the onset of the full-blown war, Sashko’s father voluntarily served in defense of Ukraine. Tragically, on August 29, 2022, he fell victim to a russian mine in the Donetsk region. Now, the family receives support from the Children of Heroes charity foundation. 

Journalists seeking to interview Nadiia in the Kyiv region must arrange it in advance. 

For reference: As of April 2, 2022, the Kyiv region has been completely liberated from russian occupation. 

Children of Heroes Charity Fund aids youngsters who’ve lost one or both parents due to russia’s large-scale invasion, offering financial aid, psychological and legal assistance, and fostering their educational and personal growth until adulthood.

• casualties
• children
• dead
• occupation
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv