Themes by tag: women

Ofeliia Yershova was 2 years old when her family left Azerbaijan due to the outbreak of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. The family moved to Kharkiv, where Ofeliia lived ever since. As an adult, the woman started her own sewing business in the city.

When russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Ofeliia persuaded her mother to leave their apartment in Saltivka (the area most affected by the russian shelling). Two days after that, the occupiers destroyed the high-rise building in which Ofeliia’s parents lived. All the sewing equipment that the woman kept in the apartment burned down.

Ofeliia could no longer get back to sewing, so she took up cooking. She made jams and canned meat according to the family recipe. Eventually, the hobby turned into a business. Together with her beloved, she wrote a business plan, applied for a grant from the state, received funds and set up production workshops. Canned meat and jams under the brand “Pani Chef” (lady chef) are produced in Kharkiv. And Ofeliia plans to open a branded store in her hometown soon.

Ofeliia Yershova is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• women
• Kharkiv

Alina Bahai, a bridge master with Odesa Railways, supervises a crew tasked with upgrading infrastructure. In a traditionally male-dominated field, Alina manages a team of all-male repairmen. Together, they replace old asphalt pavement with new reinforced concrete slabs, enhancing the durability and safety of the railway infrastructure. Despite the challenges that might come with being the only woman in her role, Alina finds the job rewarding. She finds it easy to manage a male team, as she performs her job exceptionally well.

• women
• Odesa

Before the onset of the full-scale invasion, Maryna Kukharchuk was already establishing her embroidery workshop in Odesa. She meticulously researched historical embroidery patterns, amassing an extensive collection. 

In response to the full-blown war outbreak, Maryna has launched an online embroidery course aimed at preserving Ukrainian cultural identity amid ongoing efforts by occupiers to undermine it. These are the first courses of their kind in Odesa, with sessions beginning on August 10.

• culture
• women
• Odesa

Greenpeace in Ukraine together with Atmosfera company invite Ukrainian women to learn the skills of a solar installer.

Ten female candidates who pass the preliminary selection will receive free access to the professional course entitled “Solar Installer.” The winners of the competition will have the opportunity to work with Greenpeace on the installation of new renewable energy facilities in Ukraine. (To participate in the competition, one must have a technical education or work experience in technical fields).

Training will start on August 1 in Kyiv: first in an online format, and later — in person.

By prior agreement, journalists will be able to cover the training process.

• women
• Kyiv

The 13th Operational Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine has launched a photo project titled “Women of the Khartiia,” highlighting the roles of female defenders. Among those featured are Svitlana “Chuma” (Plague) a 25-year-old sanitary instructor with the Khartiia brigade’s drone strike unit, and Iryna “Hera,” a 22-year-old UAV operator. Before the large-scale invasion, Chuma managed a motorcycle parts and equipment store. She has since transitioned to a combat medic role, training soldiers in life-saving techniques on the battlefield. Hera, previously employed in social media management, now operates drones. 

Both Chuma and Hera are stationed on the front lines and are available for interviews with journalists, by prior arrangement.

• culture
• military
• women

At 26 years old, Viktoriia Kasianchuk with the call sign “Zironka” (Starlet) unapologetically open about her sexual orientation as a lesbian. 

When the large-scale conflict broke out, Viktoriia felt an immediate calling to join the Defense Forces. Tragically, her brother, who volunteered for service, lost his life defending the Kyiv region in the spring of 2022. After taking time to settle her civilian matters, Viktoriia applied to the Territorial Recruitment Center earlier this year. Determined to engage in combat roles, she chose the UAV operator path. Her family has stood by her side, offering the same support they showed when she came out.

Currently, Viktoriia is undergoing training and preparing for her role in the military. She is available for interviews with journalists, accessible online by prior arrangement.

• women
• LGBT

At 30 years old, Iryna Nomerovska is a certified economist and the mother of a fifth-grader, Eva. In the spring of 2022, her family was trapped under russian occupation in their hometown of Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine. By a stroke of luck, they managed to escape, evading enemy checkpoints and fleeing toward the Kyiv region. Along the way, Iryna was struck by the extent of the devastation and the proliferation of mine warning signs.

A year later, Iryna returned to Mykolaiv, a city near Kherson, where she joined the HALO Ukraine team. Today, she leads a non-technical survey team, working to identify hazardous areas in her native southern region.

Journalists interested in speaking with Iryna can arrange interviews in the Mykolaiv region.
For reference: The HALO Trust is the world’s largest international non-profit organization dedicated to clearing mines and unexploded ordnance. For 35 years, it has operated in 30 countries and territories.

• occupation
• women
• Mykolaiv
• demining

Tamara Koriahina and her husband, Serhii Mykhailenko, both hail from Mariupol. In 2019, Serhii enlisted in the Azov unit, which has since been absorbed into Ukraine’s National Guard.

When the full-scale invasion began, Serhii, who had been training in the Lviv region, returned to Mariupol to defend their home. Meanwhile, Tamara endured the relentless russian shelling, struggling to survive in the besieged city.

On March 18, 2022, Tamara managed to escape. She later discovered that, in early April, Serhii had suffered a shrapnel wound. Tragically, he was unable to undergo surgery due to a shortage of medical supplies.

Tamara last heard from her husband on May 16, 2022: he informed her that he had received orders to surrender and added, “See you soon, get ready for the wedding.” Tamara says this message has sustained her for the past three years. During this period, she has not received any letters from him and has only seen him in russian propaganda videos. She is convinced that her husband is being tortured in the Polar Wolf penal colony in Siberia, where he is currently held. Before being transferred there, Serhii underwent an illegal trial in occupied Donetsk and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In June 2024, Tamara joined a delegation of POWs’ wives who appealed to the Pope for assistance in securing the release of Ukrainians unlawfully detained in russia. 

Tamara Koriahina resides in Dnipro. Serhii Mykhailenkos’s wife is willing to speak with journalists, both online and offline, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Dnipro

The Velyke Divnytstvo (Great Girl’s Gathering) project, led by Repair Together, is revolutionizing gender roles by empowering young women to take on construction tasks traditionally dominated by men. This initiative aims to open doors for women in the construction industry, providing them with equal opportunities to excel in the field.

In the village of Lukashivka, Chernihiv Oblast, Ms. Nina’s home was destroyed by the russian invasion. The project began in November 2022 with the installation of the first autoclaved aerated concrete block for a new home for Nina’s family. Since then, an all-female team has constructed the walls, installed the reinforcement belt, and completed the roof. The team is set to finish the house for Ms. Nina by the end of the year.

For reference: Over the past two years, more than 200 volunteers, including notable Ukrainian personalities, have joined the Velyke Divnytstvo project. 

Repair Together, a non-governmental organization, focuses on building a dynamic volunteer community in Ukraine, combining efforts to tackle pressing social issues with cultural and educational initiatives.

• reconstruction
• volunteers
• women
• Chernihiv

Before the outbreak of the full-blown war, Yevheniia Mashyna was a saleswoman in Mykolaiv, a city in southern Ukraine. In late May 2022, a russian shell exploded just five meters from her window, leaving Yevheniia with severe shrapnel wounds to her arms, hips, and face.

While her physical injuries healed, the resulting scars caused persistent pain and discomfort. Seeking relief, Yevheniia turned to the Neopalymi (Unburned) project, which specializes in treating war-related injuries. At the clinic, Yevheniia received complimentary scar treatment for her arm and facial scars.

Today, Yevheniia has relocated to Odesa, where she is now assisting internally displaced persons. 

For reference: The Unburned project aims to offer comprehensive free treatment for military personnel, volunteers, civilians, and children affected by burns and scars due to the war. Supported by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and various partners, the initiative strives to alleviate the physical and emotional impacts of conflict-related injuries.

• casualties
• doctors
• women
• Odesa