Ievhenii Kuzmenko

Sumy region on fire, Sumy - under attack. Report from region, which has come under particular pressure after Kursk operation ...The evening train Kyiv-Sumy stops on the first platform of the Sumy railway station. Getting out of the carriage, the Censor.NET correspondent thanks the conductor. Then an air raid alarm starts to howl in the air. 14.08.25 23:00 8 428 6 Previously in trend: Shelling of Sumy region Strike on Sumy

"...I had already said goodbye to life in my mind. I thought: if I’m going to die, let it be in battle, not shot in back," – call sign Rico It would not be an exaggeration to say that the story of 51-year-old Anatolii Ostapchuk is, in many ways, an encyclopedia of this war. 04.08.25 16:01 15 236 4 Previously in trend: Tactical medicine

"Back then, there were more mine-blast wounds. Now, no matter what you ask guys, they say: drone flew in, drone, drone..." - war veteran, anaesthesiologist at Sumy Central City Hospital, Maryna Bilinska About life in the Sumy region today; about how people here live in the midst of death. Also, how doctors operate on wounded soldiers, and why Sumy, unfortunately, still has a lot of ordinary people from the series "What’s the Difference"... 30.07.25 13:51 12 830 7 Previously in trend: Tactical medicine

"My dream is to hit something harder. Tanks, large ammo depot, or rare radar station" – UAV operator Liana Kononchuk ("Dovbush’s Wasps") In her drive to be as useful and effective as possible, call sign Konon joined the "Dovbush’s Wasps" — the UAV battalion of the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade named after Oleksa Dovbush. 18.07.25 20:20 5 532 13

"...Chechens approached from rear, shouting ’We’re friendlies!’ But my brother-in-arms didn’t buy it: "Friendlies, my foot — you’re wearing red tape!"- platoon commander of NGU, call sign Levi …Svitozar Zaiats joined the war at the age of 23. His very first combat experience proved that the National Guard was lucky to have the young railway worker: a cool head, no trace of panic, and natural leadership made Svitozar an effective soldier and later, a platoon commander. Once again, war revealed who among men is best suited to operate under its harsh laws… 04.07.25 22:52 130 255 25

Commander of "Dovbush’s Hornets," call sign Liutyi: "We have many ideas for using various types of drones. But we need people for that. And we need them now" Major Viacheslav Shevchuk, call sign Liutyi, belongs to the category of commanders who speak about their own path in the war only as a last resort. Only if a journalist specifically asks. But when it comes to various aspects of the war, relations with his soldiers, or reforms in the Armed Forces — he is more than willing to talk. 23.06.25 22:45 10 231 19

After-action review should also be implemented for medics, just as it is done by regular military – Viktoriia Kovach (Avicenna), head of medical unit of Third Army Corps Viktoriia Kovach quickly corrected the Censor.NET journalist: "I’m no longer the head of the medical unit of the Third Assault Brigade, but of the Third Army Corps. I’ve been handling medical support in the Army Corps for about a month now. We are shaping the policy for delivering this medical support within the new system." 05.06.25 21:53 6 460 8

How is psychological support provided in AFU in fourth year of full-scale war? Look at problem through eyes of military psychologist Vitalii Fisun A simple conversation with Armed Forces of Ukraine officer and military psychologist, Captain Vitalii Fisun, quickly evolved into an in-depth interview filled with systemic observations and well-grounded proposals. From the very beginning, our interlocutor was ready for a serious discussion about the problematic state of psychological support for Ukrainian servicemen. Censor.NET had no objections. 28.05.25 22:46 8 109 14

"We must show pain of war, not censor ’overly graphic images.’ Otherwise, West won’t grasp what scourge war is," – Richard Stupart, Professor at University of Liverpool ...The audience of the Kyiv Security Forum listened to this speaker in complete silence and with particular attentiveness. Professor Richard Stupart of the University of Liverpool shared how, upon arriving to visit colleagues in Sumy, he witnessed a Russian missile strike. The very next day, camera in hand, he joined efforts to document the aftermath of the crime committed by the aggressor state. 21.05.25 21:58 4 545 14

"Our UAV has virtually no rivals. With 50-kilometre range you can strike headquarters of enemy companies and battalions, if not regiments" – Aerial Reconnaissance Officer Vitalii Umanets (Avtomaidan crew) Activist of Avtomaidan, volunteer, radio operator during the war — Vitalii Umanets has stayed true to this path of a person who cares deeply about the fate of his country. He is currently serving with the consolidated Avtomaidan UAV crew and takes pride in his unit’s effectiveness in eliminating the enemy. 28.04.25 20:44 25 242 3

Passenger of bus destroyed by Russian Iskander missile in Sumy: "I started pulling out those who were showing signs of life. But front third of bus was crammed with motionless bodies…" Images of the burned-out, destroyed bus from route No. 62 stand out even among the many horrific photos and videos of the double Russian ballistic missile strike on Sumy on April 13. 14.04.25 19:03 14 409 12

"Duel with enemy sniper? Over radio came warning: be careful, enemy has "one-eyed…" in sector" – sniper and mortar operator with call sign Chub Before the full-scale invasion, Anton, call sign Chub, connected Kyiv residents to the Internet and in his spare time, worked at a volunteer center. When the first bombs fell on Kyiv, he went to the military enlistment office, where he was enlisted in the territorial defense. And then – three years of an extraordinary military career, where some decisions were made by Anton himself, others by the command, and from time to time, fate intervened in the course of events… 07.04.25 22:19 18 867 8

"Military surgery is like plane going down. You don’t have to land it in one piece. But crew and passengers must survive," - military surgeon Andrii Drozdov 37-year-old Andrii Drozdov is the kind of person who acts first and only then (maybe) speaks. And since the surgeon of the 66th Military Mobile Hospital is swamped with work, it was Censor.NET who had to (or rather, was lucky to) pepper him with questions. 28.03.25 22:55 4 961 3 Previously in trend: Medical aid for the wounded

I don’t believe in truce in near future, it will only give Russia time to prepare, - commander of medical company, call sign Machaon There are company fathers, company autocrats, and company cold pedants. Based on the experience of our conversation with him (as well as communication with some of his subordinates), 37-year-old Viacheslav Nemtsev is a company chamber musician. He strives to set up the teamwork in such a way that people, on the one hand, do their best, and, on the other hand, know that the company commander appreciates their professionalism and loyalty to the cause. 13.03.25 13:02 5 155 16

"Kursk direction is characterized by very high concentration of enemy drones. This significantly complicates evacuation work," – medic with call sign Apelsyn (Orange) In this interview, Denys Chykalov talks about the evacuation of the wounded, the fight against Russian drones using fiber optics, as well as the harsh realities of life in frontline Sumy and his perspective on Donald Trump’s ’peace initiatives.’ 06.03.25 22:08 5 292 5 Previously in trend: Combat operations in the Kursk region

Company commander with call sign Borov: "Sometimes I had to deceive to save my soldier’s lives. Once, I deliberately shifted coordinates of my position 50 meters to side on map..." ...His name is Serhii Borovko, so it is not surprising that he fights with the call sign Borov (Hog). For some time, his company even had its own chevron, with a fanged animal and the slogan "Because we are insane". This chevron was awarded only to soldiers with combat achievements... 14.01.25 14:48 24 943 31

Bohdan Panasiuk, doctor at stabilisation point: Wounded were taken from places where it was impossible to evacuate He is 34, and his wife, son and daughter are worried about him in his native Vinnytsia. Bohdan Panasiuk is part of a medical team that rescues the wounded at the 47th Brigade’s stabilisation point. He has been working in this "hard watch - rest - hard watch again" mode, with a break for occasional vacations, for over 2 years. 11.12.24 14:01 5 441 3 Previously in trend: War

Operator of Electronic signals intelligence, ex-fighter, call sign Bob: "Explosion deafened me; I could only see stump sticking out above crater. I realise it’s leg; then I realise whose leg it is. I run to help..." ...Robert went to the military enlistment office at the very beginning of the war at the age of 21. He recalls his time in the army as follows: "I wanted to be someone. The only thing I didn’t want to do was paperwork. It seemed to me then that real combat experience was more truthful, more correct." 05.12.24 13:28 6 789 6 Previously in trend: War

UAV operator and actress, call sign Bond: ’When I was asked if I was scared, I said that only time I felt scared was in 2022, when I received my weapon. Because I didn’t know how to use it yet!’" I didn’t ask the heroine of this interview, "Tatiana, why Bond?" because everything was clear. Because if your surname is Bondarenko, and you are an actress (the capital’s Theatre on Mykhailivska) and a philologist, an expert in English and French, what else could your call sign be? 27.11.24 21:11 9 010 4

Oksana Surova, anesthesiologist of 47th Brigade: Wounded man was clinically dead. 40th minute of resuscitation had passed: we had to make decision. But we continued to defibrillate for another 11 minutes, and rhythm appeared In civilian life, she was a pediatric anesthesiologist. Now 29-year-old Oksana Surova, call sign Cinnamon, is a medic of the 47th Brigade who stabilizes (and sometimes saves) the wounded in the Kursk direction. Disciplined, responsible and at the same time pure-hearted, she tells Censor.NET about the everyday life of a doctor at a stabilization point and shares dramatic episodes of her life in the AFU. 15.11.24 22:47 12 530 8 Previously in trend: War

"Here, thousands of drones are brought back to life": report from office of Volunteer Optical Laboratory Censor.NET visited the office of the Volunteer Optical Laboratory (VOL) to see the work of the team that has repaired and returned almost 5,000 opto-electronic devices and drones to the war in a year. 08.11.24 12:35 4 497 6

Chaplain Volodymyr Ovsiienko: "Most often fighters ask us to pray for their families. Well, and to return home" Skilful Ukrainian chaplain in this war is a man of many functions. In addition to the tasks assigned to him by God, the chaplain works for the military unit where he serves. 14.10.24 18:57 2 338 2

Combat medic Sofiia Pomohaibo: "I’m ashamed when it is said that artists are "not cut out for war" If not for the war, the artist Sofiia Pomohaibo would have continued to promote her vision of Ukrainian cubism to the masses, exhibiting her work in Ukraine and abroad. Instead, she joined the Kyiv TDF, and then, after numerous trials, made her way from rifle shooter to combat medics. 01.10.24 19:21 10 506 6 Previously in trend: War

Rifleman and UAV pilot Maks Rohachevskyi: "It was said that f***ers were shouting: "Allahu Akbar, for motherland!". But I was shooting from machine gun, from assault rifle, and I didn’t hear their shouts..." ..They came to the military commissariat together: 50-year-old Yevhen Rohachevskyi and his 19-year-old son Maks. They stood in line for a day - yes, back in February 2022, there were lines for the war, and people were ready to give bribes to go fight the occupiers... 05.09.24 20:03 14 369 5 Previously in trend: War

Chaplain Viktor Shpot: "Commandment "Thou shalt not kill" in war? But every man has sacred obligation to protect his family..." The chaplain will soon turn 60 and has been at war since 2014. Now Shpot and his brigade are in the Pokrovsk sector. We’ll talk about this earthly hell later, but first we need to find out the "materiel". 23.08.24 14:39 5 135 37

UAV crew commander Serhii Khadzhynov: "Enemy was reporting: they were saying that their combat ammunition load depot was destroyed by high-precision weapons like Excalibur. But in reality, it was our aircraft made of foam and balsa!" It seems that Serhii Khadzhynov cannot exist without technology. During the Revolution of Dignity, he was one of the prominent figures in the now legendary Automaidan. At the beginning of the full-scale revolution, he joined the air force as an aerial reconnaissance officer. 09.08.24 22:38 20 214 10

How to preserve children’s psyches in midst of war? Advice from family psychologist Svitlana Filatova Family psychologist Svitlana Filatova shares advice on preserving the psychological stability of children in the midst of war: 04.08.24 15:10 4 649 11

Businessman and volunteer Viacheslav Zaporozhets: "When we brought 33 seriously wounded people from Chernihiv to Kyiv and their lives were saved here, I got great pleasure" There is an opinion that war brings out the good and the bad in people. On the one hand, it seems too pretentious and black and white for our complex 21st century. On the other hand, look at the story of Viacheslav Zaporozhets. 19.07.24 23:42 5 595 2 Previously in trend: War

Military medic, call sign Apelsyn: "In Pokrovsk direction, Russians are constantly assaulting us. Their human resources are unlimited. They advance, they are killed, they advance again. They are walking on their bodies." ...Looking at his hair, you immediately recall the story "The Red-Headed League" from the Sherlock Holmes series. And you’re no longer surprised by the call sign that 23-year-old Denys Chykalov was given by his comrades in the army. 09.07.24 18:43 9 164 18 Previously in trend: War

People’s Hero of Ukraine Vadym Svyrydenko: "We want to create network of clubs for veterans. We want them to come to play football or volleyball, someone to use exercise equipment, someone to run." People say about people like Vadym Svyrydenko: he is a legend. And they write books, or at least articles on Wikipedia. 12.06.24 19:28 3 784 3 Previously in trend: War

Belarusian machine gunner Pavel (Dziadzka) Shurmei: "Everyone is always afraid. The question is how you manage your fear" Looking through the biography of the hero of this interview, one might think that its different periods are actually about different people, most likely, the same family name. 28.05.24 16:38 8 295 6 War in Ukraine

From frontline to hospital. How Ukraine is learning to truly care for its wounded One of the greats said: "The maturity of a country at war is measured by the extent to which it cares for its wounded." If this is true, Ukraine is now on the path to that maturity. 21.05.24 16:58 6 915 4 Previously in trend: War

"We are transporting man. There was piece of shrapnel sticking out of his body side, bullet was pulled from his leg, and he said: "I feel somehow crappy, it must be blood pressure. It’s 190, little high!" - Oleksandr Nikolov, evacuation vehicle driver and artist He holds a degree in conductor, and he used to earn his keep by designing and creating. However, in his past life. Today, 47-year-old Oleksandr Nikolov is the driver of an evacuation vehicle in the 47th Brigade’s medical company. 07.05.24 23:40 12 762 3 Previously in trend: War

Sumy region on fire: how border villages survive war. Report by Censor.NET The whole of Ukraine knows that in 2024 the situation in the Sumy region is tense. Every day, the news reports massive shelling of towns and villages in the region, numerous casualties, destroyed houses and shot cars. Mass evacuations of border villages continue: people are being sheltered both in more remote settlements of the region and throughout Ukraine. 17.04.24 15:38 7 032 9 War in Ukraine

How is Ukrainian cinema doing in days of fierce war? Conversation with Pylyp Illienko It’s hard to believe, but Ukrainian cinema is alive and well and continues to develop. Despite the war, partial occupation and air raids. Despite the forced departure of qualified personnel from the country. Despite the impoverishment of the public and the lack of state support. 02.04.24 20:24 4 142 5 Society

MEP Andrius Kubilius: "It is necessary to transfer Western mentality from helping Ukraine - to collapse Putin’s regime. And this is not so easy" Among the many guests of the 16th Kyiv Security Forum held last week, Member of the European Parliament Andrius Kubilius attracted special attention of Censor.NET. A two-time Prime Minister of Lithuania, a veteran of Lithuanian and European politics, Mr. Kubilius is a loyal friend of Ukraine, a lobbyist for its interests in Europe, doubly important right now, in the midst of our exhausting war with the Russian monster. 27.03.24 16:50 7 882 16 Ukrainian Politics

Pavlo Kuzmenko, mayor of Okhtyrka (Sumy region): "We have hits in 40 seconds if it’s ballistic missile. If it’s launch from airplane, it takes 2-2.5 minutes. I was counting at beginning of war." Sumy region is currently under attack. The whole world already knows about the horrors on its border areas, about the completely destroyed villages and total evacuation, but many cities in the region - Sumy, Shostka, Konotop, Trostianets, Bilopillia and others - are also suffering from regular shelling. 25.03.24 19:30 5 187 8 Society

Artem Kariakin, soldier of AFU: "What would I ask President during meeting? In some places, fortifications are being built, and in others, there is nothing at all." Recently, a photo from the town of Chasiv Yar was shared on Ukrainian social media and in many international media outlets: a Ukrainian soldier is shown against a wall with an inscription in English. The inscription is addressed to Ukraine’s Western partners: "We are not asking for too much. We only need artillery shells and aviation. The rest we do ourselves. The Armed Forces of Ukraine". 05.03.24 10:25 7 774 2 Previously in trend: War

Former MP, Senior Lieutenant Andrii Illienko: More than 90% of people who joined "Svoboda" battalion had no military experience. Everyone was beginner Andrii Illienko was once considered a political prodigy of the "Svoboda" party. To be elected as the youngest member of the 7th Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at the age of 25 is, to put it mildly, a remarkable achievement. And in personal communication, Illienko made an impression - erudite and well-read, he tried to take his way not by force of arms, but by thought and argument. 28.02.24 09:25 11 024 31 War in Ukraine

"Burning Watermelon" for Putin, or How lighter for 450 UAH destroys Russian tanks War changes not only a person’s way of life but also their daily vocabulary. Nowadays, each of us has heard about drones, many have seen enemy drones with their own eyes; some can even decipher the abbreviation "fpv". The public space is full of reports of Shaheds attacks, drone drops, the new Deputy Chief of Staff for the development of unmanned systems... 20.02.24 11:20 25 309 10 War in Ukraine

Belarusian volunteer Svitlana Shatilina: "There are Ukrainians in Ukraine whom I respect immensely. And there are Khokhols; those who steal, who hand over, who seem to have no war." Logic and order reign in everything she does as a manager. That is why, when the doctors and interns go to the de-occupied villages with the charity-run "Medical Assault", they know that they will be fed on time, put to bed, and provided with good working conditions - just go and work. And the locals, when they come for an appointment with the "doctors from the capital," see an elegant, smiling woman at the head of the medical team, who is introducing the logistics of a European hospital in the makeshift registry. "She’s so nice, I don’t want to leave her," the elderly patients share their impressions. 15.02.24 09:25 13 702 54 War in Ukraine

Military man and writer Vlad Ivchenko: "If there had been no UPA then, there would be no resistance now. They would have come and captured Sumy on the first day, Kharkiv on the second, and Kyiv on the third." For Vladyslav Ivchenko, 24 February 2022 also became a watershed in his life, just like for his readers. The shock of Putin’s direct aggression, accompanying his wife and daughter to the border line, returning to Sumy, living and writing in a city half-encircled by the enemy - that spring held a lot for Vlad. 01.02.24 07:50 8 064 20 Previously in trend: War

Yevhen Rohachevskyi, combat medic and "VV" guitarist: Creativity? It’s not time for that. There are other tasks here: to survive, to recuperate, to sleep. And, of course, to fulfill the tasks ...In February 2022, Yevhen Rohachevsky and his son Max went to the military enlistment office together. The long-time guitarist of "VV" says this about his motivation at the time: "We were attacked with weapons, and we had to respond with weapons. Motivation? Two words: we had to do it together." And with his usual self-irony, he talks about Max’s role in this choice: "He probably sped me up a bit. If he hadn’t, I might have scratched the back of my head for a couple of days. But it became clear that there was no time. I had to go now. He’s young, hot, fast. That’s why I was already chasing after him." 16.01.24 12:25 9 289 6 Previously in trend: War

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets: "Russians are trying to re-educate children stolen from Ukraine in spirit of "Russian world". There are separate special camps for "difficult children" In Ukraine, which has been at war for many years, citizens, even children, are being killed, tortured and abducted by Russians. The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights is an incredibly busy person. The list of areas covered by the Ombudsman and her Office alone is several paragraphs long. And each of these areas has a number of subdivisions... 03.01.24 09:15 3 395 8 Ukrainian Politics

Sniper commander Vlad, call sign Santa: "I am still walking between drops. My armor was torn off, it happened..." ...At first, Vlad did not want to be a sniper. "The risks are too high," he explains his attitude now. - "Sniper raids pose a high level of threat to your life. Not to mention your psychological health." But the war and fate, as well as Vlad’s inherent passion and responsibility, had their own way. 28.12.23 09:05 14 368 8 Previously in trend: War

Rifleman - Signaller Olha Yehorova: "Attitude to snipers among our own people is 60 to 40. 60 are afraid, 40 are happy when we appear" ...She sat down across from me-smiling, cold-minded, friendly, beautiful. She introduced herself: "I’m Olha Yehorova, call sign Vysota (Height-ed.), and my rank is a Rifleman - Signaller. I’m part of the Surma sniper team. We work in the eastern direction". 22.12.23 15:00 108 502 39 Previously in trend: War

Shameful agreement on Russian Black Sea Fleet: will it be canceled? There is no unified position even within Ukraine On December 5, 2023, the Grand Chamber of the Constitutional Court continued consideration of the case on the constitutional appeal of the 49 People’s Deputies of Ukraine to provide an opinion on the constitutionality of the Agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the Presence of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation on the Territory of Ukraine of April 21, 2010, ratified by the Law of Ukraine "On Ratification of the Agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the Presence of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation on the Territory of Ukraine" of April 27, 2010 No. 2153-VI. 12.12.23 19:25 20 052 45 Ukrainian Politics

Philosopher and Armed Forces officer Oleksandr Komarov: "Drone’s role in this war is increasing every month. In 2024, they may become primary means of both reconnaissance and destruction." Last year, our conversation with artillery gunner (and in his civilian life, philosopher, organizer and participant in many projects) Oleksandr Komarov was about his motivation to fight and defend Ukraine, his artilleryman’s credo and his experience of being wounded. 07.12.23 18:52 5 480 16 War in Ukraine