For Ukraine, the story of 2022 is the story of war. Russia's war against Ukraine started in 2014 in Crimea and Donbas, but it turned into a full-scale invasion in 2022. This year, the war has killed tens of thousands and forced millions to flee their homes. Russia has bombed
On Nov. 26, amid Russia's war, Ukraine commemorated the victims of another tragedy: Holodomor, a man-made famine that killed millions of Ukrainians in 1932-1933. Holodomor was imposed on Ukrainians, primarily Ukrainian villagers, by the Moscow-based Soviet authorities led by dictator Joseph Stalin. Ukraine has been fighting to get Holodomor recognized
The so-called "invincibility centers" across Ukraine help people cope with the consequences of Russia's Nov. 23 missile attacks that shut down electricity, heating, water supply and mobile communications.
VYSHHOROD, Kyiv Oblast – A rocket blast that struck a four-story residential building in Vyshhorod on Nov. 23 was so powerful that it ripped off balconies, leaving the windowless rooms open to the cold November weather. The massive crater in front of the building left no doubt about the intensity of
KHERSON — Huge numbers of Ukrainians were detained by Russians occupying Kherson. Many of them were interrogated by torture. The chief prosecutor of Kherson Oblast, Volodymyr Kalyuga, said that locals were tortured at four sites throughout the city. According to interviews with local officials and residents, these included a pre-trial detention
Ukrainian troops entered Kherson on Nov. 11, two days after Russia declared its retreat. Kherson, a city with a pre-war population of nearly 300,000 people, was the only regional capital sacked by Russia. Kherson residents held large-scale protests in March and April, demanding that Russian troops leave the city.
IZIUM, Kharkiv Oblast – Six months into the occupation of Izium in Kharkiv Oblast, Russian forces announced a mysterious strict 24-hour curfew on Sept. 8. Roman, a bread vendor at the local market who declined to give his last name, drove north the following morning on an errand in defiance of
It's the first day of school. Even as fierce battles raged in the east and south of Ukraine, many Ukrainian children returned to classrooms for the first time since their offline education was disrupted by the full-scale war. While Education Minister Serhiy Shkarlet said nearly 3 million school-aged children were
There were no regular celebrations on Ukraine's 31st Independence Day this year, as Russia continues to wage its brutal war against the country. On Aug. 24, Ukraine’s air defense was put on high alert. Local authorities across the country extended curfews, and Kyiv banned mass gatherings. Russia carried out
Each year, on Aug. 23, Ukraine celebrates the Day of the National Flag. According to the official version of the events, a group of Soviet Ukraine lawmakers, from the pro-independence Democratic Bloc, brought the historic blue and yellow flag into parliament on Aug. 23, 1991. The group demanded the Communist
Editor’s Note: This story about the Vostok SOS nonprofit was sponsored by the Foundation International Communications Hub and the Comms Hub Ukraine. Vostok SOS provides humanitarian aid to people affected by Russia’s war and helps evacuate civilians from front-line settlements. If you would like to support their efforts,
KHARKIV – Oleh Puteshenko walked through the ruins of his former workplace, a restaurant in Kharkiv, barely holding back tears. The 46-year-old, who used to work as a security guard, spoke proudly of the restaurant as he showed the terrace where he spent most of his days taking care of the
Russian missiles hit a nine-story residential building and a kindergarten in central Kyiv early on June 26, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Rescuers have pulled out 25 residents from under the rubble at the apartment building in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi District so far, Klitschko reported. At least one person was killed
Refugees fleeing war zone Russia’s full-scale invasion, launched on Feb. 24, has caused the largest migration crisis of the 21st century. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly seven million Ukrainians have fled the country, with over 90% of those escaping Ukraine being women and
SLOVIANSK, Donetsk Oblast — The battlefield stretches through the dense forest on the banks of the Siversky Donets River. Soldiers with Ukraine’s 79th Airborne Brigade crawl out of sandy trenches, preparing their 40 mm under-barrel rounds. Barrels up, they aim at an imperceptible enemy line running some 300 meters away,
It has been three months since people across Ukraine woke up to explosions, signaling the start of Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine. The war many observers alleged would last a few days has reached the ninety day mark. After failing to occupy Ukraine's largest cities - Kyiv and Kharkiv
Editor’s Note: Names of some people appearing in this article have been changed to protect the families of those escaping Russian occupation from possible retaliation. ZAPORIZHZHIA– Two sisters quickly packed their stuff and rushed out the door when Russian troops stormed into their hometown Enerhodar. They knew their lives
April 24 marks two months since Russia began its all-out war against Ukraine. The unprovoked Russian aggression has already cost Ukraine a devastating price, and it continues to rise every day. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, since Feb. 24, Russia has launched 2,000 missiles at the Ukrainian territory. Many
April 14 marks 50 days since Russia launched its brutal all-out war against Ukraine. Moscow's unprovoked military aggression has already cost it approximately 19,900 servicemen and 5,260 units of weapons and other equipment, according to Ukraine's government estimates. Russia hasn't achieved any significant success in its offensive, having
Kyiv Oblast was among the first regions hit by Russia's full-scale invasion. Starting from late February, towns and villages near the Ukrainian capital had been suffering from the Russian shelling and bombing, as well as atrocities of the Russian troops, including rape and summary executions. The Russian troops withdrew from
Borodyanka, a town of 12,000 people 40 kilometers northwest of Kyiv, has suffered some of the worst destruction seen by any place in Russia's war against Ukraine. More than 10 apartment buildings in the heart of the town were destroyed by Russia's bombs in early March. Only recently, when
One month ago, just after 4:45 a.m. Kyiv time on Feb. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin went on television to announce what he called a “special operation” to “disarm and de-Nazify” Ukraine. His address was immediately followed by missile strikes on major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, and multi-directional
It is widely believed that Russian leadership expected its all-out invasion of Ukraine to succeed within days. Twenty days later, Ukraine still stands, and Russia has no major victories to claim. It seized only one large city and regional center, Kherson in southern Ukraine. To force Ukraine to surrender, Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called "a special military operation" against Ukraine on Feb. 24, de facto declaring war on the country. Putin claimed to have “no ill intentions towards neighboring countries” and denied firing missiles on civil infrastructure during what he called a campaign to “disarm and
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 836,000 people have left Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24. With Russian troops shelling Ukrainian cities, hitting schools, kindergartens and nurseries, hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing to Ukraine's westerns frontiers. Despite
When it comes to bomb shelters, Ukrainians are facing an unpleasant surprise.
Dozens of people plunged into the icy waters of the Dnipro River on Jan. 19 in Kyiv's northern district of Obolon to celebrate Epiphany. The tradition to bathe in the freezing water of a river or lake comes from a popular belief that on this day, the water brings health
Despite the double threat of a looming Russian invasion and the new variant of Covid-19 virus, Omicron, Kyivans are making the most of the holiday season with the city’s Christmas markets. Like every year, Kyiv's two main Christmas markets are open on Sofiivska Square in the heart of Kyiv
