Media Center Ukraine Producer Department

Since childhood, Sofiia had looked after her cousins and played with her neighbors’ young daughter. She often imagined welcoming a child deprived of parental care into her family one day. In 2020, when she turned 20, Sofiia applied to become a mentor for a child from an orphanage because she knew she wasn’t ready for adoption at such a young age.

After a year, she completed her training and received approval from the social services center on February 21, 2022. However, the full-scale war began shortly thereafter, putting her mentorship dreams on hold.

Two years later, she received a call offering her the chance to meet 12-year-old Alina from the Donetsk oblast. Alina has younger brothers who live with her in the orphanage, but there are no adults who maintain contact with her.

Today, Sofiia helps Alina socialize. Their meetings include practical lessons, such as shopping, budgeting, cooking, and using computer programs, as well as emotional support and help with schoolwork.

Journalists can arrange to speak with Sofiia Yudina online or in person in Kyiv or Odesa by prior agreement. Sofiia can also provide joint photos with Alina for publication. Please note that journalists will not be able to speak directly with Alina.

• children
• Kyiv
• Odesa

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.

On August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day, the Chain of Unity event will take place. On this day, organizers are calling on Ukrainians abroad to gather on their cities’ central streets, join hands, and form living chains to symbolize our people’s unity.

This will be the fourth consecutive year that the Chain of Unity event has been held. Over 80 countries are expected to participate.

By prior arrangement, journalists will have the opportunity to speak with the event’s organizers in Ukraine and other countries. Interviews with participants abroad can also be arranged.

Background: The event is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

• culture

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.

Peaceful events are planned in 28 cities across Ukraine to raise awareness of the defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers still in enemy captivity.

On August 23, events will be held in Arbuzynka, Okhtyrka, Pavlysh, Chernihiv, Irpin, Vinnytsia, and Shpola.

On August 24, events are planned in Kyiv, Krolevets, Korop, Pivdennoukrainsk, Mykolaiv, Uman, Ovruch, Obukhiv, Korosten, Slavuta, Cherkasy, Lozova, Kropyvnytskyi, Uzhhorod, Berdychiv, Rivne, Odesa, Shostka, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, and Poltava.

The events are organized by families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison. Recently released Ukrainian captives also often join these actions.

• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.