Themes by tag: Zaporizhzhia

In 2018, Olena Nabokova and a group of friends founded the NGO Ukrainian Womanity in Zaporizhia. At the time, she was also the sole caregiver for her son Sasha, who lived with bronchial asthma. In 2020, Sasha, then 17, went to bed one night and never woke up. Devastated by the loss, Olena turned to a psychiatrist for support, unable to cope on her own.

When russia launched its full-scale invasion, Olena was still in her hometown of Zaporizhia. She immediately began volunteering, transforming her apartment into a hub and storage space for humanitarian aid. “We gathered medicine, batteries for hearing aids, food, hygiene items, anything people with health conditions might need,” she recalls.

As it became clear that the war would not end quickly, Olena expanded her efforts. She launched a Center for Children and Women in Difficult Circumstances. Over time, the focus shifted from emergency relief to long-term support, offering training sessions and educational programs for both adults and children.

Now studying to become a positive psychotherapy therapist, Olena continues her work with renewed purpose. Meetings with her are available both online and in person in Zaporizhia, by appointment.

• casualties
• volunteers
• women
• Zaporizhzhia

Before russia’s full-scale invasion, Mykyta Kozachynskyi lived and worked in Dnipro. In 2016, he and his friends launched a Module nightclub, which later evolved into a music label. Kozachynskyi recorded up-and-coming artists and released vinyl records.

On the second day of the war, he reunited with the club’s bartender and administrator at the enlistment point for the 128th Territorial Defense Brigade, known as “Dyke Pole.” They were assigned to the same battalion. Not long after, another co-founder of the club joined their ranks. Following their first combat operations in April 2022, Kozachynskyi and his comrades began forming an eponymous drone unit, Module. Initially focused on aerial reconnaissance, the unit eventually became an assault force.

Today, Kozachynskyi is leading the development of a training center that prepares drone pilots for all five battalions of the brigade. There, service members are trained on existing platforms and introduced to emerging technologies being adopted across the Ukrainian military.

Interviews with Mykyta Kozachynskyi can be arranged in advance, online, or in person in Zaporizhia, with approval from the brigade’s press officer.

• military
• Zaporizhzhia

Before the full-scale invasion, Svitlana worked as an intensive care nurse at Mechnikov Hospital in Dnipro. In the early days of the war, she joined the Ukrainian military as a combat medic.

In May 2024, her unit was stationed at a stronghold in Donetsk oblast when russian forces surrounded their position. While her comrades held the line, Svitlana grabbed a grenade launcher and maneuvered toward the enemy. She flanked the building where the russians were stationed and fired, eliminating the entire hostile group in one strike.

Her actions allowed Ukrainian forces to conduct a rotation and evacuate personnel from the besieged positions. For her bravery, Svitlana was awarded the Cross of the Land Forces.

Journalists can interview Svitlana online or in person in Zaporizhia, by prior coordination with her press officer.

• doctors
• military
• women
• Zaporizhzhia

Pavlo Balkovyi is a specialist in laser tattoo removal. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, he has dedicated himself to helping those whose faces have been damaged by explosions – removing embedded gunpowder, dirt and soot from the skin.

These residues can change the color of the skin, leave permanent marks, and even cause inflammation over time. Pavlo works in Dnipro and Zaporizhia, offering free treatments to both military personnel and civilians. He says this facial cleansing helps restore people’s self-confidence.

You can communicate with Pavlo Balkovyi both online and offline in Zaporizhia or Dnipro by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• volunteers
• Dnipro
• Zaporizhzhia

Ivan Babushkin, a former POW and fighter of the 15th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine “KARA-DAG”, faced the beginning of the full-scale invasion while serving in Mariupol. On March 26, 2022, Ivan and his comrades were captured.

He spent two years in captivity, most of it in colonies in the temporarily occupied Donetsk oblast, including two months in Olenivka. According to Ivan, russians beat and starved Ukrainian soldiers during their captivity. What sustained him through the horrors of captivity was his dream of returning home and opening his own cafe.

Ivan was released in January 2024. After completing his rehabilitation, he began to realize his dream. He opened a cafe in Zaporizhia, where he now works alongside his beloved.

You can contact Ivan Babushkin online or in person in Zaporizhia by prior arrangement.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Zaporizhzhia

Tetiana Tipakova, originally from Donetsk and a longtime resident of Berdiansk in Zaporizhia Oblast (now under occupation), spent nearly 30 years working in a travel agency. When russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she became an active voice in support of her country, organizing peaceful protests in Berdiansk.

For her efforts, Tetiana was abducted by russian forces. Blindfolded and taken to a detention center, she endured two days of interrogation and brutal torture, including electric shocks to her fingers and a mock execution. She was forced to record a video apology before being released. However, the next day, she was captured again, held for four more days, and subjected to further abuse.

After this harrowing experience, Tetiana made the decision to flee Berdiansk. She crossed more than 20 checkpoints to reach Zaporizhia, where she founded a women’s initiative group. This eventually led to the creation of the NGO “Ridna Stezhka” (Home Footpath), dedicated to helping displaced people and supporting fellow Ukrainians.

In the early stages, Tetiana’s organization provided food, medicine, and support for evacuees, helping them settle into their new lives in Zaporizhia. Within the first year, the NGO successfully applied for 24 grants, winning 3.

By 2024, Tetiana had secured financial backing to launch an educational space offering computer literacy classes, movie screenings, and psychological support. Her organization is now expanding its mission to empower women through education, training, and ongoing support in Zaporizhia.

• casualties
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Zaporizhzhia

Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, the Palianytsia Charitable Foundation has been steadfast in supporting Ukrainian defenders. Among its key initiatives, volunteers are focused on producing essential heating equipment for soldiers at the front. One of their creations is a medium-sized dugout shelter heater, designed to heat spaces of up to 20 square meters.

The Palianytsia Foundation’s welding shop in Zaporizhia is managed by Mykhailo, a volunteer who has been working since the war’s early days. He and his team aim to produce 300 heaters for frontline troops this season.

In a typical shift, the volunteers craft 10 heaters, with welders working during their spare time. The materials needed for the project are funded by donations from supporters.

• volunteers
• Zaporizhzhia

The Children’s Voices Charitable Foundation launched the “Children Dream” campaign and asked children from different regions about their dreams. The aim is to show that despite difficult circumstances, children continue to dream and need the support of adults. Moreover, children’s dreams are a source of strength for adults as well.

“I hope that when the war is over, we will have a very beautiful sea that will be very popular with tourists. (…) Let our music flourish all over the world…”

This is an excerpt from a letter written by 12-year-old Eva, who shares her dreams. Three months after the outbreak of the full-scale war, she was forced to leave her native village in the Zaporizhia region (now occupied) and moved to the city of Zaporizhia, where she participates in the activities of the Center of the Children’s Voices Charitable Foundation.

Among the dreams shared by other children is the desire to attend school in person instead of studying online. And, of course, the children dream of Ukraine’s victory and the liberation of the occupied territories.

Journalists can learn more about the “Children Dream” campaign and, with prior agreement, speak with the children (whose parents consent), particularly in the Zaporizhia, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, and in Kyiv.

• children
• Dnipro
• Kharkiv
• Kyiv
• Zaporizhzhia

On September 8, the “Beloved, I Live!” project will launch its fifth group of support classes in Zaporizhia. This initiative, dedicated to providing psychological assistance to women who have lost their husbands in the war, will welcome seven new participants.

The project was conceived in March 2023 when Yaryna Herashchenko, a social activist, was approached by a family friend grieving her military husband. The idea for “Beloved, I Live!” emerged from this interaction, with Herashchenko and her mother, a psychologist, coming together to offer support.

Participants in the program receive counseling and engage in various therapeutic activities such as archery, yoga, and Thai boxing. The initiative also includes off-site events. For example, on Khortytsia Island, participants wrote letters to their lost loved ones, crafted boats from these messages, and set them afloat on the Dnipro River. Additionally, they prepared and shared meals featuring their Beloveds’ favorite dishes. The women have also been involved in two photo projects: “In Memory of You,” which features images with memorabilia to tell the stories of their husbands, and “Beloved, I Live!,” a photo session designed to inspire renewal.

• dead
• military
• psychological support
• women
• Zaporizhzhia

Zaporizhia will witness the official launch of a new educational center on July 18, specifically designed for children from internally displaced families.

This pioneering center offers:
– Structured classes led by qualified educators;
– Themed activities encompassing sports, art therapy, psychological workshops, scientific experiments, interactive learning, dynamic entertainment, quests, and cinematic experiences;
– A secure and nurturing environment.

More than just a place for academic learning, this center encourages children to explore their talents, forge new friendships, and make the most of their time.

The event will host esteemed guests including representatives from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative (UCBI).

Supported by USAID’s Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative (UCBI) and the Support Ukraine Today Foundation, the center’s inauguration marks a significant step in supporting children affected by displacement.

• children
• Zaporizhzhia