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"To restore Ukraine’s population to its pre-2022 level, every woman would need to have eight children," - Kyiv Perinatal Centre director Dmytro Hovsieiev
Experts have noted a significant decline in Ukraine’s birth rate since the start of the full-scale invasion. This is not merely a demographic issue, but one that concerns the very existence of the nation. 9 74989 Demographic issues
Army Aviation Colonel Vasyl Mulik: B#stards did not see it coming, rockets suddenly started flying at them out of darkness
The Army Aviation colonel took part in the fighting in the Kyiv region during the first days of the full-scale invasion, when crews from the Brody brigade took out columns of Russian military equipment and troops positioned along the Zhytomyr Highway. Vasyl also spoke about the loss of a crew on 28 February 2022, commanded by his friend and former classmate Oleksandr Hryhoriev, who was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. 14 4355 War
UGV operator Vladyslav Martynov: "This spring, one of our robotic vehicles completed 70 missions, evacuating nine wounded soldiers and bodies of four fallen troops and transporting tonnes of cargo"
A serviceman with the 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade described how unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) operate in wartime, the types in use and the tasks they perform, the roads they travel on, and why communications can drop out during missions. 4 1712 Unmanned Ground Vehicles UGVs
What happened at military exhibition near Kyiv in first minutes after the strike
Yulia attended an exhibition held near Kyiv and, in the first minutes after missiles struck the venue, rushed to help the wounded. She had four tourniquets with her and used every one of them. She also spoke about organisational issues that had raised concerns and appear to have led to the tragedy. 22 14034 Russian attack on a test site in the Kyiv region
People’s Hero of Ukraine Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi: "I thought I’d serve somewhere on staff of some brigade. That was ceiling"
This interview was recorded on 8 February 2022 at volunteer Da Vinci’s base in Novohradivka for a book about the People’s Heroes. It has never been published anywhere else. At the time, anticipating a full-scale offensive, Mykhailo Vasylovych and I spoke about his path in the war since 2014, the situations in which he saved, without exaggeration, hundreds of people by leading them out of encirclement, and about his family and Ukraine. This conversation offers a better understanding of the man who has served as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 21 July. 18 90037 Drapatyi – Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
"How can it be that I am Hero of Ukraine, but Da Vinci is not?": On Ada Rohovtseva’s role in awarding Dmytro Kotsiubailo title
Ada Rohovtseva’s question marked the beginning of efforts to resolve the matter of awarding volunteer Dmytro Kotsiubailo, callsign Da Vinci, the country’s highest state honor. The People’s Artist addressed these words to Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who, together with his wife, found time to attend the performance "It Looks Like Happiness" and speak with his favorite actress afterward. But first things first. 8 30514 In memory of warrior Dmytro (Da Vinci) Kotsiubailo
"If son-in-law is in mood, he’ll bring your boys back in trunk," sister of 155th Brigade commander’s wife said after brothers’ abduction
Roman and Maksym Moseichuk, who had been taken from their home, were found murdered and buried on the grounds of the 155th Brigade’s training area. After their bodies were exhumed, 15 bullets were found in one brother’s head and eight in the other’s. They were "dealt with" because the brigade commander’s wife, who grew up in the village of Kalynivka in the Rokytne settlement community of Kyiv region, was disturbed by… the sound of motorcycles on the road. 42 874228 Kidnapping and killing of two civilians Murder of Moseichuk brothers Brigade Commander Luchanov
Major Oleksandr Shyrshyn: "Those who send people off in droves aren’t held to account. Everything’s fine with them – it’s war, after all."
The courts have found no fault with the former battalion commander of the 47th Brigade, who is being persecuted for speaking the truth about ill-conceived operations and senseless loss of people. At the same time, Oleksandr does not feel the need to resign from the Armed Forces of Ukraine; rather, he wants to bring about change and see those responsible for the deaths of dozens of people during the encirclement receive just punishment. 18 93261 Battalion commander Shyrshyn applied for release
Veteran Oleksandr Mazurenko (Mekhan) on obstacles to business in Bila Tserkva: I’ll force them to sort things out. Otherwise, what did I fight for? So that everything would stay as it was?
Oleksandr, 47, from Bila Tserkva, a recipient of the Order "For Courage," served in the war of 2014–2015. He voluntarily returned to his home unit, the 72nd Brigade, in 2022 and stopped Russian tanks near Brovary. After being seriously wounded in Vuhledar and being demobilized, he resumed his own business—furniture manufacturing—but it seems not everyone in Bila Tserkva is happy about it. 8 83630 AFU veterans
Few days before she was killed, Hospitaller Iryna Tsybukh wrote to friend: "I am becoming ’Minute of Silence’ zealot"
On 30 June, ChekaFest, dedicated to the fallen combat medic, will be held in Lviv’s Shevchenkivskyi Hai for the second time. In addition to performances by the bands Iryna listened to during her lifetime, the festival will also feature educational programmes, as she believed it was important to convey to Ukrainians the significance of history and the need for continuous learning. This festival is not only about Iryna. She researched and developed the topic of commemorating those who have fallen in the Russo-Ukrainian war. So ChekaFest is a tribute to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine, but it is also a kind of bright sorrow. 20 51612 Deaths of medical workers
SOF strike UAV company commander Dzhokhar: It is like fishing from distance of 40 km. You sit tight and wait for big fish to swim by
A military journalist who had covered events in Donbas on television since 2014 mobilized during the full-scale invasion, despite having a solid mobilization exemption because he worked at the Office of the President of Ukraine. He now specializes, together with his unit, in cutting off the enemy army’s supply routes using FPV "sleeper" drones. He is also ready to share the experience of his Special Operations Forces unit, which has achieved an almost 100% success rate. 5 0055 War UAVs Ukrainian UAS
Chief sergeant of 1st Assault Regiment Jockey: "I stabbed GRU operative to death with captured knife I had taken from another dead Russian"
During the assault on the position where the serviceman was stationed, he and another fighter were wounded. In addition, Jockey’s palms were badly burned — during the fighting, he tried to fix an assault rifle that had jammed. It was because of this that the enemy not only got right up to the Ukrainian assault trooper’s trench, but also opened fire on him. Yet even in what seemed like a hopeless situation, Jockey managed to prevail. The command of the Dmytro Kotsiubailo 1st Assault Regiment has submitted this fighter for the title of Hero of Ukraine. 17 66016
"AFU command shifted from Zaluzhnyi’s reasonable and humane system to Syrskyi’s dysfunctional authoritarian system" – Hero of Ukraine Kashchenko
An officer with vast frontline experience gained directly in the war since 2014, respected by his troops and one who has personally taken part in combat, left the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine several weeks ago. He now speaks candidly about what is happening in the army and why it is precisely those who know how to protect their personnel who are the ones walking away. 40 40397 UAF operation in the Kursk region Interview with Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers Personnel changes in Armed Forces Command False reports on the frontline situation
"We shot down Ka-52 helicopter, worth $16 million, with FPV drone on fibre-optic cable costing one and half thousand," – Commander of "High Altitude Predators", Condor
This is the second Russian helicopter downed by pilots from the "High-Altitude Predators" unmanned systems battalion of the 59th Brigade. At the end of September last year, the same crew shot down an Mi-8. So far, this is the only crew that has been able to effectively hunt down helicopters. 6 2126 Destruction of enemy’s helicopters Drone operators
"Nothing was prepared anywhere. We started digging, taking up defensive positions. There were no weapons, except for few assault rifles," - Roman Kovalenko (Revizor) on first days of battle for Kyiv
On March 7, 2022, approximately one battalion of enemy manpower and equipment entered Moshchun. However, the Russians did not recover a single vehicle; all of them were either burned or disabled, as was the majority of their personnel. 22 97228
Doctors for Heroes project founder Natalia Liutikova: There are many cases when guys say, "I carried my jaw in my hands and spat out all my 28 teeth"
In 2015, a Crimean native, together with like-minded individuals from the Kyiv Military Hospital, ensured that wounded service members with amputations began receiving prosthetics at state expense. Now she is doing the same for service members who sustained facial injuries, resulting in the loss of sight or jaws. 6 46319
"Over four years of full-scale offensive, I have had only 10 days of leave, and I spent even those days on phone and at computer, carrying out commander’s tasks"
Last December, Censor.NET launched a project to collect and highlight facts of violations of the rights of service members and veterans. This is important and necessary so that such situations become public, and the state and society make efforts to resolve them. 32 11741 Leave for servicemen
Mortar operator Oleh Kononchuk, call sign Konon: "I was climbing stairs to close entrance to basement when I saw FPV on fibre optic cable – it was ’staring’ right at me"
Three FPVs flew in and exploded in the basement, where the 68th Brigade’s "Minotaur" mortar battery was stationed. The explosion caused the floor slabs to collapse and bury the shelter. ’I thought we were buried alive there," Oleh recalls his feelings. 11 72116
Enemy is facing shortage of personnel in Pokrovsk direction: occupiers who signed contract at end of January this year are being taken prisoner
Pokrovsk – a small part of it – remains under the control of the Ukrainian army, but investigations have already been opened into the commanders of some units for the loss of the city. Someone has to be blamed. As far as I know, the documents have even been handed over to the SBI. And the front line itself is once again shaking the feeling that any commander can be arrested at any moment. 8 61938 Situation in the Pokrovsk direction
Disconnection of Starlinks to ruscists: number of assaults and intensity of fire have decreased
"I was driving along the road to Pavlohrad and saw four burned-out cars near Petropavlivka. These are either Russian ’Molniya’ missiles carried by a drone mother ship, or enemy FPVs striking from a greater distance," my military correspondent adds to these words, as he drives past another burned-out car. 6 25717 Fightings in the Zaporizhzhia direction Blocking Starlink to occupiers
"Bullet went through my leg and shattered bone in my son’s leg as I carried him in my arms. Wound was so large that doctor could push his hand straight through it."
Our children are injured not only on Ukrainian soil. The son of a woman from Cherkasy was wounded in Syria before he had even turned one year old. The woman ended up in the country at the urging of her husband, who wanted to teach children. Most Ukrainian women arrived in Syria from occupied Crimea, fleeing Russian occupiers. In the majority of cases, they were Crimean Tatar families. 9 15614
Huliaipole is almost lost: What is happening on front line in first weeks of New Year
What is happening on the front line in the first weeks of the New Year 12 95152 Capture of Ukrainian cities
Vadym, 155th Brigade Unmanned Systems Pilot, call sign Hurman: "We went into Pokrovsk for 16 days, but stayed there for 80 – most of that time encircled."
A 44-year-old pharmaceutical company representative joined the Territorial Defense Forces in 2022 and has been continuously defending Ukraine ever since. He took part in the 2023 counteroffensive in the Zaporizhzhia direction and has been deployed in the Pokrovsk sector since late 2024. 8 5414 Ukraine’s counter-offensive in 2023 Drone operators Unmanned technologies
Command post in Huliaipole: 17 of our fighters against three Russians
Censor.NET warned back in early December that the city was under threat. And, unfortunately, it was right. As of now, the enemy has already entered Lyman. Soon, there could be so many enemy troops there that it would be difficult to dislodge them. 33 54635 Fighting in Huliaipole direction False reports on the frontline situation Capture of Ukrainian cities
93rd Brigade soldier Anton Samarin: "Railway station workers in Okhtyrka refused to unload our equipment on morning of February 24 because they were… changing shifts. And cars carrying FSB officers in civilian clothes and column of Russian military vehicles were already moving through city."
At the start of the full-scale invasion, this officer was a company commander and was the first to engage the enemy in Okhtyrka, in the Sumy region. He was also the first to enter the liberated town of Trostianets. Now he serves as a battalion commander in his home 9th Brigade, which is fighting in the Donbas. 24 04426 Fight for Bakhmut Fightings near the border of the Sumy region
Stas Stovban, call sign Waltz: "In first year without my leg, I wore three prostheses. I broke first one when I jumped out of APC, another one was shot off"
In 2015, this paratrooper took part in fierce battles at Donetsk Airport, but even after losing his leg, he did not leave the army and continued to defend his country. 7 3306
Same is happening in Myrnohrad as in Pokrovsk month ago
Another town where the same developments are unfolding and should have been dealt with a month ago is Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region 14 55960
Pokrovsk: guys are fighting, but first enemy tank has already rolled into city
"The war won’t reach here, will it?" a young woman asks in a Pavlohrad café as she makes coffee for soldiers of the 68th Brigade. Her anxiety is easy to understand: in 2022 she was forced to leave her home in Mariinka; a little over a year ago she realized Pokrovsk was becoming increasingly dangerous and moved to Pavlohrad. Now Shahed drones buzz overhead here every night — just two months ago, this city was not seeing anything like this volume of attacks. 12 07915 Situation in the Pokrovsk direction
"Enemy has begun to infiltrate Pokrovsk because our units are short of manpower and we cannot maintain tight defensive line."
Colonel Serhii Tretiak, commander of the 68th Brigade, holds this view; his infantry are positioned not in the city but to its south. To enable pilots to drop water and ammunition onto the positions, they are provided security, as over the past month the brigade’s pilots have repeatedly been drawn into small-arms firefights, and the signals troops captured a prisoner in recent days. 10 66740
Aerial reconnaissance officer of "Khyzhak" Brigade Mykola Tkachuk, call sign Street: "I’m tired of war. Very. But I’m not even considering taking leave"
The 32-year-old Zhytomyr resident fought with the 95th Air Assault Brigade in 2015. After leaving the airborne, he joined the Patrol Police. He has stayed true to that service, since 2022, he has been eliminating the aggressor with a brigade formed from volunteer patrol police officers determined to defend the country. 4 0645
Iryna Dovhan: People are somehow horrified when they hear about raped female pensioners. But there are dozens of them.
The same civilian woman who was arrested by the occupiers in 2014 for assisting the Ukrainian army, wrapped in the Ukrainian flag, and tied to a pole in Donetsk, now leads SEMA Ukraine – an association of women who have survived captivity and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). 19 59928
Head of Kharkiv Region Patrol Police Viktor Levchenko: Explosions in Luhansk region began on February 24 immediately after Putin’s speech ended
For personally evacuating bedridden and ill civilians from Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk under shelling from the semi-encircled cities, the patrol officer received the highest non-state award, the "People’s Hero of Ukraine." After receiving the award, the police lieutenant colonel repeatedly proved that he fully deserved this title, as he organized the combat unit "Robocops," which has been effectively taking out the occupiers. 6 8628
"We fight enemy with Russian equipment" Volodymyr Lutsyk leads only tank company composed solely of captured equipment
In the spring of 2022, the unit commanded by Dmytro Kotsiubailo captured its first trophy tanks. The fighters pulled them out from the Bilohorivka crossing. Later, they secured "a few more" tanks following the liberation of Izium, Borova, and Kupiansk. Most importantly, all of these Russian tanks are still operational, delivering painful blows to their former owners. 10 99218 Fighting with captured equipment
Viktoriia, wife of legendary paratrooper Pavlo Chaika: I always said he could be example for guys who are in depression after combat and injuries
Pavlo’s beloved is fulfilling the dream of her husband, who died in a motorcycle crash nearly a year ago, by organizing a large-scale marathon involving civilians, war veterans, and people with disabilities. On September 28, a 10-kilometer run will be held in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka. 9 6505
"Harsher penalties won’t restore discipline in army. It will only lead to more going AWOL"
The Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Law Enforcement recommends passing at first reading draft bill No. 13452, setting a five-to-ten-year prison term for service members who disobey a commander’s order, with no option for courts to hand down a lesser punishment or grant probation. 8 29932
Helicopter pilot Viacheslav Voronyi did not hesitate to help downed board behind front line. No one else did that anymore
The army aviation officer was among the few helicopter crews that broke through to "Azovstal" in Mariupol and delivered the necessary supplies there, taking away the seriously wounded. Most of the helicopter pilots who carried out this mission were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. Viacheslav Voronyi is still not honoured posthumously ... 19 00210 Russia’s attack at Mariupol
For three years, we’ve been unable to prove that we sustained severe injuries while defending Motherland – AFU volunteer fighters
The volunteer fighters were severely wounded near the village of Novozvanivka in Luhansk region before they had a chance to be officially enrolled in a unit. Since then, they have been unable to obtain documents confirming that the injuries occurred on the front line. Yet after treatment and recovery, the men returned to the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and continue to defend the Motherland. 13 09018
"Question is not what you are afraid of. Question is what you can do," – Maksym Kazban, commander of Joint Assault Brigade of National Police of Ukraine "Liut"
Forty-year-old Maksym Kazban, call sign "Ahat," commander of the Joint Assault Brigade of the National Police of Ukraine "Liut" (Fury) and a police colonel, was killed in an accident in Kramatorsk. His comrades and senior commanders believe he deserves to be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine posthumously. 13 43529 Commander of the Liut Brigade Kazban has died
Pensioner from Kyiv region Halyna Tyshchenko: Last Russian tank was retreating and shooting everything around
Ten years ago, the woman and her family relocated from Kramatorsk, which was under occupation for several months in 2014, to the Kyiv region. They believed there would never be war here... What Halyna endured in her own home in March 2022 is something one could only wish upon the enemy — that the same be done to each of them for the rest of their lives. 15 9484
"When people ask me what I do for living, I say I’m waitress. Why should everyone know I’m helicopter pilot?"
Kateryna is the only female pilot in the army aviation. For now, as professionals say, she occupies the right "seat." In time, she will move to the pilot-in-command’s seat. 60 37929 AFU aviation
People’s Hero of Ukraine Oleh Davydenko, call sign Chub: "People pay to leave army. And I want to go back!"
It feels as if this man had been restoring his severely injured arm, wounded back in 2014, specifically for the full-scale invasion, just to face the enemy in battle once again. During the fighting for Bakhmut and Kreminna in 2022, the volunteer fighter-paratrooper was wounded again. Although he has been officially deemed unfit for military service, he now works as an instructor and is determined to return to the army. 5 5768 Interview with Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers
Liudmyla, mother of Hero of Ukraine Andrii Subotin, killed at Azovstal: "When say ’generals’ sons don’t fight,’ I say: ’Look in my eyes. My husband is general. And our son fought until his last breath.
The body of Border Guard serviceman Andrii Subotin, who refused to leave the nearly-occupied city of Mariupol despite an order from command, has yet to be recovered. Its whereabouts and condition remain unknown… 21 08062
People’s Hero of Ukraine, Sniper Andrii Lahutin: "I took out between 15 and 20 katsaps in Moshchun on February 27"
After a missile hit the neighboring building, the man ran to help the wounded, despite having shrapnel-induced lacerations on his legs. Andrii now has nowhere to live. His savings and a foreign passport with a U.S. visa were blown out of the damaged apartment. But what matters most is that he survived. 25 91310 Missile attack on Kyiv
Paratrooper Oleksandr Nykolaiko: "War will be won by "nerds", IT specialists. They are ones who can turn tide of events"
This man has served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2008 and has been with the 80th Brigade since 2013. He took part in the formation of the 3rd Battalion Tactical Group in 2014, which, following the launch of the full-scale invasion, expanded into the now-legendary 82nd Brigade. Oleksandr left the unit several times, but whenever there was a need for him, he returned — despite suffering severe concussions and spinal problems. 9 76531
Da Vinci’s Mother, Oksana Kotsiubailo: "In May 2022, doctors gave me three to four months to live. It was Dmytro who insisted that I undergo treatment"
Almost three years ago, she was given a devastating diagnosis: stage IV cervical cancer... Upon learning about it, Dmytro did everything he could to ensure his mother received treatment. Two weeks ago, doctors confirmed: the disease has receded. 16 9873
Oksana, Aerial Reconnaissance Officer of Predator Patrol Police Brigade: "They said women were weaker. But it turned out there’s no difference on job"
A native of Bila Tserkva volunteered to join a combat unit and now regularly travels to Toretsk to locate enemy infantry from the air. 9 25737
Svitlana, Psychologist of 61st Brigade: "Year ago, Iskander missile struck building in Pokrovsk. My face was so lacerated that I told my comrades-in-arms: I don’t have face anymore"
A 40-year-old woman, a mother of two who joined a combat unit, is undergoing treatment to remove multiple scars as part of the Zagrava program. This initiative unites cosmetic clinics across the country, and all treatment is provided to the wounded free of charge. 10 4232
Ruslan Maryshev, Commander of 95th Airborne Brigade: "Deputy gave me pack of M&M’s and said: "Commander, stay in cover today so you don’t get killed on your birthday."
In February–March 2022, this officer served as a battalion commander in another airborne brigade and was deployed to Izium with part of his unit. In an interview, Ruslan spoke about the week when the Russians destroyed the city—and how it is still being battered to this day. 12 6436 Page 1 of 2
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