Posted by | Apr 24 once a key battleground in the defense of Kyiv during the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion will soon be home to its first McDonald’s restaurant a 550-square-meter location slated to open near the city’s railway station The development marks a milestone in Irpin’s postwar recovery and ongoing reconstruction efforts The restaurant will be located at 4-B Tsentralna Street in proximity to the central transit corridor and within walking distance of the train terminal and dedicated parking spaces for drivers waiting on mobile orders “Like all McDonald’s locations in Ukraine the Irpin restaurant will follow expanded safety protocols,” said Angela Makeeva the restaurant will temporarily close so employees and customers can move to the nearest shelter Service will resume within an hour of the all-clear.” This will be the first McDonald’s to open in Irpin since Russia’s 2022 invasion devastated the city leaving approximately 70 percent of its buildings damaged or destroyed While other regions in Ukraine have seen international chains resume operations Irpin’s addition reflects an inflection point in the city’s reconstruction and a broader push toward normalized daily life A HERO CITY: IRPIN’S ROLE IN DEFENDING KYIV Irpin played a central role in Ukraine’s early wartime defense the city was among the first targeted during Russia’s ground assault in late February 2022 and the forced evacuation of thousands of residents as Ukrainian forces held the line Photos of civilians fleeing across the destroyed bridge over the Irpin River became defining images of the war Ukrainian engineers intentionally demolished the structure to prevent Russian armored columns from advancing into Kyiv — a tactical move that contributed to the eventual failure of Russia’s northern offensive Ukrainian forces announced they had fully liberated Irpin President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the city the honorary title “Hero City of Ukraine,” a Soviet-era designation revived during the war to acknowledge exceptional resistance and civilian courage under siege preserved intentionally as part of the city’s wartime memory MCDONALD’S BRINGS ECONOMIC STIMULUS TO IRPIN The new McDonald’s location is expected to employ roughly 100 local residents The company’s continued investment in Ukraine has been widely interpreted as both a commercial commitment and a morale boost the restaurant will be equipped with a generator — as are more than 90% of McDonald’s locations across Ukraine “This will allow operations to continue even during potential power outages.” The Irpin opening aligns with McDonald’s Ukraine’s broader post-invasion strategy the company paid ₴2.6 billion (Ukrainian hryvnia) in taxes to the national budget It employs approximately 10,000 people across the country and continues to expand despite the ongoing war “McDonald’s remains the leading fast-food chain in Ukraine “The company is regularly listed among the country’s top employers and largest taxpayers McDonald’s paid ₴2.6 billion in taxes to the state budget.” The company also serves as a founding partner and largest corporate backer of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Foundation in Ukraine providing services and infrastructure to support displaced and ill children The restaurant’s arrival is also prompting adjustments to Irpin’s public transportation grid “The final stop for several bus routes will be relocated to the opposite side of the Novus supermarket,” said Makeyeva “A new public transit stop will also be set up near the Alley of Glory These transport updates are part of a broader municipal effort to rebuild Irpin’s service infrastructure Since the end of major hostilities in the region the city has accelerated the reconstruction of residential buildings Irpin remains one of the most visible test cases of how local Ukrainian governments are attempting to restore urban life under conditions of persistent national insecurity Irpin’s postwar story is not unfolding in isolation the city has been officially partnered with Milwaukee initially intended for cultural and economic exchange took on new significance after the invasion began and civic groups mobilized to provide humanitarian support to Irpin Milwaukee Independent has reported on the relationship extensively documenting the destruction Irpin suffered – with eyewitness accounts as the only news team from Wisconsin to report from the frontlines and about the recovery work that has continued since the city was liberated from Russian occupation in March 2022 While the opening of a fast-food restaurant might seem minor in most cities The decision by McDonald’s — an international brand known for evaluating geopolitical risk — to open in a city once under siege signals something larger: confidence and in its ability to return to normal life — or at least No official ribbon-cutting date has been announced to mark a moment — not of forgetting what happened Live news reports from the frontlines of the war in Ukraine Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 6:22 am)Ukraine's drones target Moscow second night in a row, Russian official claims. Debris from one of the drones reportedly fell on the Kashirskoye Highway The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." A Russian drone attack on Odesa Oblast on May 5 killed one and caused damage to local infrastructure "We appreciate that Germany plays a pivotal role in supporting Ukraine throughout the years of war Ukraine is also grateful for your personal commitment," President Volodymyr Zelensky said MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition "It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said set to operate within the Council of Europe will focus on Russia's political and military leaders up to 20 Russian soldiers were killed and their equipment destroyed  (Updated:  April 24, 2025 3:50 pm) • 2 min readby Kateryna HodunovaIrpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn delivers a speech during the events marking the second anniversary of the liberation of the city from Russian invaders (Volodymyr Tarasov / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)Editor's note: The article was expanded with comments by Oleksandr Markushyn for the Kyiv Independent has been involved in smuggling cars under the guise of providing aid to Ukraine's defense forces according to NGL Media's investigation published on April 21 Markushyn created and led a volunteer territorial community formation (DFTG) in late March 2022, in the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion. Over the next few months, he personally applied for the duty-free import of vehicles to be used by the unit, NGL Media reported. and Volkswagen Transporter were imported into Ukraine as humanitarian aid at Markushin's request None of the vehicles were actually delivered to the Ukrainian defense forces Five cars imported to Ukraine duty-free were not registered in Ukraine's Interior Ministry's database either Investigative journalists suggested that the cars were dismantled for parts and later sold adding that there could be more such vehicles Markushyn denied signing the documents mentioned in the investigation dismissing the piece as a smear campaign linked to his political opponent "This case is not new at all—it started last year I explained this case to the police several times We cooperate with the investigation as much as possible to determine who is to blame for the situation," Markushyn said "I did not sign any acts of acceptance and transfer of these cars; I was not provided with them I have not seen these cars in person." The mayor also claimed the investigation's author did not contact him even though the article says Markushyn declined to comment Markushyn may face imprisonment for five to seven years and a fine of over Hr 435,000 ($10,400) if his involvement in the scheme is proven Markushyn was elected mayor of Irpin in October 2020 for the New Faces political party Kyiv's Pecherskyi Court briefly placed Markushyn in custody and suspended him from office amid suspicions that he falsified his grounds for a stay in Italy in August 2022 Men aged 18-60 are prohibited from leaving the country under martial law Markushyn is suspected of having visited his 2-year-old son in Italy even though he claimed to travel abroad to secure aid The mayor considers the court case to be "politicized and ordered by his opponents." Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Russia came dangerously close to capturing Kyiv in the early days of the Ukraine war and a businessman who blew up a dam saved the city — and Ukraine from losing the war That's the conclusion of American and British experts who examined the fighting along the Irpin River northwest of Kyiv Based on extensive interviews with Ukrainians who fought at the Irpin they describe an epic battle won by the narrowest of margins "The Battle of Irpin River was a close-run thing," wrote Richard Sladden, Liam Collins and Alfred Connable in an article in British Army Review Russian armored columns stationed in Belarus One Russian assault group advanced down the eastern bank of the Dnipro River This caught Ukrainian troops dangerously out of position "Russia's attack on Kyiv from the northwest was a shock but not a surprise," according to the British Army Review article "Ukrainian commanders had to make difficult resource allocation choices An attack on Kyiv from Belarus was the most dangerous course of enemy action but because it was audacious it was also deemed least likely An attack in the east and south of Ukraine was the most likely course of action therefore Ukrainian forces were primarily arrayed against this." Thus the understrength Ukrainian 72nd Mechanized Brigade was one of the few units left to defend Kyiv the brigade was mainly positioned to stop an attack on Kyiv from the east The exact strength of the 72nd isn't clear but a full-strength Ukrainian brigade might have around 3,000 personnel — and the 72nd was far from full strength They faced a Russian force roughly estimated at 10,000 soldiers This should have made it easy for the Russian column on the west bank of the Dnipro to quickly reach Hostomel Airport — also known as Antonov Airport just 80 miles away — to link up with the paratroopers a tributary that arcs through the city's outskirts and meets a dam by the Kyiv Reservoir "The defensive line around Kyiv was thin," the article said "The 5th Company of the 72nd Brigade deployed with only 22 soldiers Numbers swelled over the initial days of the invasion as newly mobilized troops arrived but the company and many of its sister units were persistently understrength compared to the Russian units across the [Irpin] river That the bridges along the river were not destroyed on the morning of the invasion nearly cost Ukraine its capital." In many ways, the Russian plan resembled Operation Market Garden in 1944 a bold plan to use American and British paratroopers to seize bridges across several rivers in Holland creating a corridor for British armored divisions to cross the Rhine River and into Germany Market Garden proved "a bridge too far," doomed by sloppy planning paratroopers were a shock force that lacked the armor heavy artillery and supplies needed to dislodge fortified positions The same issues afflicted the Russian drive on Kyiv possibly over concerns they would be downed It wasn't until February 25th that the westernmost ground column secured the airport by which time the Ukrainians had rendered the runways unusable a Kyiv businessman named Andriy (a pseudonym) realized that blowing the dam 14 miles north of Kyiv would cause the Irpin to flood its banks and slow the Russian advance A hastily arranged meeting with Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi then the commander of Ukraine's ground forces garnered a ton of explosives and an engineering officer The result was dumping 31 billion gallons of water into the Irpin Russian troops could have "bounced" the Irpin while Ukrainian defenses were weak by using undamaged bridges or building their own pontoons "The Russians easily could have crossed the Irpin had they been more aggressive," Liam Collins a former US Army Special Forces officer who co-authored the article as soon as the leading edge of the column reached the city's outskirts But since they had no plan for meeting Ukrainian resistance and they had to stop and build the plan which they should have already had This gave the Ukrainians time to blow the bridges "The Russians believed they would advance on the capital in what was basically a parade formation and not a combat movement," said Collins Russian columns eventually tried to cross the Irpin at the end of February and into March "Russian commanders had no option but to push forward in linear columns with ill-prepared forces into still thin but now far more robust and prepared defenses," the British Army Review article said The attempted crossings were halted by the 72nd Mechanized Brigade and hastily mobilized volunteers who learned how to operate their deadly Western-made Javelin and NLAW anti-tank missiles on the spot one soldier dug a hole while the other watched a YouTube video on how to fire it," recalled one Ukrainian officer These guided missiles and artillery shredded Russian tanks and perceptions of their inpregnability If Russian tanks had managed to cross the Irpin and entered Kyiv the war could have essentially ended in Russian victory within the first week and unexpected snafus — what the German military philosopher Carl von Clausewitz called the "friction of war" — inevitably disrupt the cleverest of strategies Ukraine also displayed a remarkable ability to quickly mobilize volunteers who proved effective Collins blames the Russian failure on shoddy preparation and unexpected Ukrainian resistance that should have been anticipated," Collins said "The mechanized forces should have rolled through this minimal defense like a hot knife through butter." You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed State Tax University of Ukraine and its partners announce an Open Competition for the best architectural solution for the design of the Main Campus building of the University in Irpin (Kyiv suburb) which was almost completely destroyed in the first days of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2022 We welcome participants from all over the world Participation is free and is open to design bureaus architectural firms and individual architects from every corner of the globe We believe that opening this international competition will allow a truly multicultural exchange of ideas in the field of architecture and design Whether you are an established firm or a solo architect this competition provides an excellent opportunity to showcase your talent on a global stage Don't miss this opportunity to propose a project of a new "dream" university building – innovative The WINNER of the competition will have a chance to proceed to the next stage and participate in designing the full "Project Documentation" for the Main Campus building reconstruction This competition was submitted by an ArchDaily user. If you'd like to submit a competition, call for submissions or other architectural 'opportunity' please use our "Submit a Competition" form The views expressed in announcements submitted by ArchDaily users do not necessarily reflect the views of ArchDaily You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Dismissed by JD Vance as a “propaganda tour,” Kyiv Post visited Bucha and Irpin two sites that fell under Russian occupation Bucha and Irpin – two names that shook the world US Vice President JD Vance dismisses them as part of a “propaganda tour.” Kyiv Post traveled to Bucha and Irpin to show what transpired there – the scars of war and the destruction left behind after Russia’s brutal occupation Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official Online media registration number: R40-05383 The second awards announcement covering the jury prizes were announced this weekend at the close of the 47th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (clermont-filmfest.org). The festival’s Partner Prizes were announced last week which presented a special focus on Lebanese cinema and highlighted the importance of sound in films broke a record with nearly 173 000 admissions and more than 4,100 professionals accredited for the Short Film Market While the Oscar-qualifying competitions went to live-action films animated shorts still made a strong showing in the awards and special mentions The International Grand Prix was awarded to Australian short Unspoken by Damian Walsh-Howling while the national Grand Prix was given to Genealogy of Violence by Mohamed Bourouissa was bestowed on Anastasiia Falileieva’s I Died in Irpin (Czechia / Slovakia / Ukraine) Previously awarded at Ottawa International Animation Festival Kyiv International Short Film Festival and others the autobiographical animated documentary is based on the director’s experience of the Russian invasion of Ukraine On February 24th in the morning my boyfriend and I decided to go from Kyiv to Irpin to see his parents It is hard for me to recall the chronology of those days my mind blocks and minimizes all the memories but the only thing I know for sure is that every day everything rapidly became worse Ship of Fools by Alia Haju (Germany/Lebanon) The colorful film stitches together the director’s lived experiences as a Lebanese woman with a fantastical twist Alia forms a friendship with a would-be superhero on the shore of Beirut called Abu Samra Alia and Abu Samra survive by finding comfort in the insanity that the city has sown in them When the Lebanese revolution starts on October 17 Composer Fredrika Stahl received the Award for Best Original Score for the animated short Ashen Sun (Soleil Gris | France / Belgium) The watercolor 2D short is produced by Novanima and Animal Tank Charlie is bored stiff and dreams of going to the seaside But she’s forced to stay in a dingy motel with her cousin Jess The two teenagers don’t get along and bicker at every opportunity the monotone voice of an eminent researcher in collapsology predicts the imminent end of the world the sun is beating down and the tension is mounting: the ecological apocalypse announced on the airwaves suddenly becomes real the Clermont-Ferrand juries also bestowed Special Mentions on several deserving films The Student Jury awarded one to Lab winner Ship of Fools the International Jury included the hybrid short My Brother My Brother (Egypt) by twin brothers Saad and Abdelrahman Dnewar in its four special mentions Combining 2D animation and live-action footage affectionate lifelong relationship between twins Omar and Wesam told through a split narrative offering dual accounts of their memories Twin brothers trace their bond from their mother’s womb to the moment they’re heartbreakingly separated We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Asman shared this on Facebook a special guest arrived in Ukraine—Pastor Mark Burns the personal spiritual advisor to President Donald Trump He is a prominent figure in the religious and political circles of the United States whose voice plays a crucial role in shaping America's new strategy and policy,” Asman stated Asman highlighted that Burns “witnessed firsthand the consequences of the Russian army's crimes against the civilian population of Ukraine and personally heard the stories of survivors who endured this horrific occupation.” “What he saw left a profound impression on him—he did not hide his pain and sincere sympathy,” Asman remarked He expressed his belief that “these emotions and testimonies will not remain with him alone Pastor Burns is a man whose voice resonates in places where significant decisions are made I am confident that the truth from Ukraine will reach the very heart of the new American leadership.” Asman added that he initiated an interfaith religious forum that brought together representatives of various religious denominations and communities working in Ukraine and hopes for a brighter future,” said the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Pastor Burns was a special guest at the forum “He listened attentively to everyone who spoke—every word carried weight as it reflected the voices of believers who serve their communities daily under rockets and sirens supporting souls who have lost their homes and faith in tomorrow,” Asman emphasized He also shared that he had the opportunity to personally address Pastor Burns and explain how the Jewish community of Ukraine is enduring this trial but every moment was filled with profound meaning I am convinced that the heartfelt words shared will resonate deeply with Pastor Burns and will later be echoed in places where pivotal decisions for the world are being made today,” Asman concluded the head of the German Chancellor's Office visited Irpin and Bucha to honor the victims of Russian terror Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Asman shared this on Facebook While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 Home page » Topics » War » How Irpin is being restored Irpin is one of the Ukrainian cities where reconstruction efforts have expanded into an extensive campaign involving numerous stakeholders Residents of apartment buildings independently repair roofs damaged by shelling and replace windows in their homes Lithuanian partners are engaged in restoring socially important facilities The Ukrainian authorities have launched the construction of a vital bridge next to the one that was blown up Ukrainian experts have created a comprehensive digital platform where affected communities and interested donors can find each other and develop transparent cooperation So far, the reconstruction of Irpin has been localised: residents take care of their homes, while foreign partners implement projects that mainly concern social infrastructure. However, compared to the spring of 2022, significant progress has been achieved in adopting a more comprehensive approach to recovery. In the new material of the multimedia project “Restoration of Cities“ we feature the governmental digital platform for raising funds for reconstruction – DREAM as well as the efforts of the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure their input in the restoration and memorialisation of the Irpin bridge we will explore the case of the Ruta kindergarten which Lithuania has committed to restoring and share the vision of Irpin resident architect Oleh Hrechukh on the further development of his city Ukraine established the State Agency for Infrastructure Restoration and Development based on the State Agency for Infrastructure Projects and the State Road Agency The body is subordinated to the Ministry of Community Territorial and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine Mustafa Nayyem (Mustafa Nayyem vacated the post in June 2024 – ed.) explains that the ministry develops a recovery strategy while the agency ensures its implementation The agency is currently undertaking plenty of crucial tasks including maintaining bridges and roads of national significance; constructing mechanical protection for energy facilities against debris; providing water supply in Podniprovia and Zaporizhzhia; developing infrastructure of checkpoints on the western border (a vital artery for delivering goods such as weapons); rebuilding social infrastructure; and restoring housing Mustafa illustrates the priority of the chosen directions using the example of a checkpoint; before the full-scale war so the load on roads and railways was much lighter 80% of everything that leaves the country is transported by road.” Mustafa says many similar challenges arise due to the all-out invasion: the country has never faced such extensive destruction and major projects like the 140-kilometre water pipeline were implemented long ago there is a need to establish the restoration and construction of housing The state currently lacks appropriate mechanisms as the real estate market has been privatised we are preparing our recovery vehicle to the maximum extent possible After the war it will handle modernisation One of our missions is being the most stable reliable partner trusted by all stakeholders in the construction industry – donors the agency presented the inaugural Recovery Guide detailing the sequence of actions and the documents required for recovery efforts Mustafa emphasises that it concerns the infrastructure that ensures the country’s ability to live and defend itself we have been focused on the survival stage rather than recovery The country must endure to the end of this war and prevail [we] have to do everything possible to ensure that people can live with as much comfort as they can [in these circumstances].” Mustafa believes that the public should be engaged in discussing nearly all projects funded by the public except for military or other closed facilities which comprises civil society representatives […] we always conduct public hearings There is a well-defined legal procedure for how they should be conducted – people participate by voting.” This mechanism was implemented during the discussion of the design code for Yahidne village and when deciding whether a school and stadium should be combined into one complex in Posad Pokrovskyi Mustafa says officials in different regions sometimes treat this procedure as a formality he believes ensuring the legitimacy of the decision and people’s trust in the authorities is crucial “I think that trust is the main asset that will allow our agency and the country to attract more resources and advance faster in the future.” many key events are associated with reporters’ photos One of ігср is the destruction of the bridge over the Irpin River on 25 February 2022 It halted the occupiers’ advance towards Kyiv but also trapped the residents of Bucha The footage of civilians evacuating on the planks under the ruins of the bridge is shocking “Hundreds of people were standing under the bridge when people were deprived of the opportunity to leave yet it was the only way to stop the occupiers,” Mustafa says After the Ukrainian defenders forced the invaders out of Kyiv a small temporary causeway was promptly constructed next to the destroyed bridge and food and facilitating the return of residents the decision was made to build a full-fledged bridge near the destroyed part similar to the one that existed before the destruction Mustafa highlights the promptness of actions which is unusual for publicly funded projects such decisions would have taken much longer.” He explains the practicality of restoring the bridge for the community’s convenience (the narrow causeway caused constant traffic jams) and as a vital transport artery logistics serves as a part of the military infrastructure this construction project bears a symbolic meaning it serves as a vivid example that life must go on despite the war People can’t give up on life because they still have tasks so they must continue fighting and endure through this time Mustafa’s team initiated the construction of a memorial at the site of the destroyed bridge This proposal was approved during the public hearings Plans have also been made to create a park and the drafts are already prepared for implementation once the war is over “The idea consists of preserving the bridge exactly as it was after the explosion even the vehicles that were blown up there will be kept in this form; nothing will be restored in the destroyed section.” Mustafa adds that he realises that this picture may be painful for people who drive by every day it is primarily about preserving the memory for future generations of Ukrainians “I do hope that our children and grandchildren will remember this will not allow the return of the same traditions when Ukraine was imbued with Russian influence at all levels This memorial should stand as a monument preventing that from happening again.” The restored bridge was opened on the Day of Dignity and Freedom in 2023 We didn’t do it intentionally; it happened due to the circumstances.” Oleksandra Azarkhina was Deputy Minister of Communities Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine from December 2022 to May 2024 She recalls that at the onset of the full-scale war following the initial de-occupations and counter-offensives the term “rapid recovery” was actively circulating The idea was that as long as attacks continued when partners asked about a recovery strategy the ministry lacked objective data on the scale of destruction failing to provide the foundation for its development This realisation led to the understanding that data had to be continually collected and updated as new destruction occurred it is anything but a competent strategy,” she says a country that has developed advanced recovery mechanisms due to its location making it vulnerable to tsunamis and earthquakes “They even have a special form of contract: before the destruction even occurs they have already selected approximate contracts that have to start work immediately so no time is wasted because they still need to rebuild They revealed to us that recovery priorities [include ensuring] the psychological stability of the population and creating workplaces The psychological stability of the population is linked to whether a person has a job After that comes social infrastructure and the rest; this was also a significant rethinking for us.” The Japanese approach highlights that recovery is a complex process in which enhancing the economy is as crucial for cities as rebuilding their walls and enable communities to have sustainable budgets The DREAM system was invented in the spring of 2022 following the first de-occupation of settlements during the full-scale war It became clear that many projects needed to be controlled and quality monitored so that all procurements were transparent fostering trust in Ukraine among its partners “The superpower of this system stems from the fact that it was born by the equal efforts of the state and international partners,” claims Oleksandra It was implemented based on previous experience including project management from the governmental Big Construction programme (E-Road online platform) and developing the ProZorro* procurement system It also utilised existing registers and ecosystems like Diia** the Unified State Electronic System in Construction the Register of Damaged and Destroyed Property and the Unified Web Portal for the Use of Public Funds Spending “DREAM” is an acronym for Digital Restoration Ecosystem for Accountable Management “This system is the only chance [for] us as citizens of Ukraine to get full transparency and accountability in the reconstruction process someone in Ukraine would have come up with it anyway we have already come a long way with Prozorro and Diia And we already have digitalisation in our state-building code.” which operates with the support of British and German partners The Ministry provides a legal framework for operation ensuring not only the technical implementation of this system but also its overall efficiency “Not only I but also other deputies and the Deputy Prime Minister himself oversee this within the Ministry For [the system] to work properly from a digital standpoint it requires a proper legislative basis and proper procedures to ensure that it is not just for display DREAM was publicly presented in June 2023 at a conference in London dedicated to the reconstruction of Ukraine the team is preparing for a similar conference in Berlin where they will talk about the updates that have been implemented over the year (the conference was held in June of 2024 – ed.) One example of restoration is the Ruta kindergarten in Irpin The DREAM website features comprehensive context and all project-related information the main users of DREAM are the communities affected by the shelling and donors interested in investing in the reconstruction Oleksandra’s team plans to expand this circle over time She notes that the restoration agency is a major client in this process as it focuses on flagship state projects that specific communities cannot be implemented relying on their own resources the use of DREAM for hromadas* is optional rather than obligatory but Oleksandra claims that the team is working on ensuring that in the future all major investments in hromadas go through the system “Are you sure you need to rebuild this particular school in its original format Or maybe you can buy buses and provide transportation for the children to the neighbouring village Or perhaps build a new modular one with less space but a good shelter?” In other words the system enables us to develop a better solution right from the start,” she explains Oleksandra emphasises that DREAM does not seek to centralise recovery Consolidating everything in one system prevents situations like the one in Borodianka when six donors were simultaneously ready to restore one kindergarten having to put in extra time to sort out this issue “I think we are all fortunate that Ukraine’s recovery is a highly decentralised process we have a lot of real beneficiaries and recipients: communities or an international financial organisation from one state And all these organisations interact and have [their own] priorities.” The prioritisation tool works as follows: if a donor is interested in or education within the context of recovery the DREAM system assists him with selecting suitable projects encouraging their responsible attitude to recovery and working transparently to attract more sponsors in the future municipalities can upload their development strategy to the system ensuring that reconstruction occurs systematically rather than pointwise avoids publishing sensitive information about strategic facility destruction Oleksandra says that when Russian hackers attacked the ministry’s website proving that Russians don’t grasp a notion of a truly decentralised system The ministry site mainly serves as an information service rather than a source of information that could be potentially valuable to the enemy “We say that it is similar to how the Russians bomb’ decision-making centres’ every citizen is at the centre of decision-making.” the team is trying to make the system user-friendly for everyone who can create their own page in the system where their projects will be integrated “The biggest challenge is for our partners to demonstrate the same transparency and accountability that Ukraine has shown now we have to reform ourselves?’ And Lithuania is leading the way in this regard.” DREAM serves as an informational source for investigative journalists and activists monitoring the recovery process Oleksandra jokingly says that if there is corruption it will be noticed online – highlighting that system transparency functions as a kind of safeguard Ukraine’s international partners also realise this “The four largest international financial institutions – the World Bank the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Council of Europe Development Bank – have signed a memorandum in which they said ‘We are using DREAM as the ground for managing reconstruction investments in Ukraine.’ It means that faith and trust in the system are already very high,” she says Oleksandra views DREAM as a promising development not only for Ukraine but for other countries as well “I want my parents to be able to access the system while walking in the Bucha community and see unfinished construction sites [They should be able to monitor] where the construction is [happening and] where it is not whether money has been paid to the contractors for works but the street lights have not been installed although it is reported that they have been this is a huge corruption prevention mechanism We can already take pride in this as a state because [even] the most developed countries do not have something like this yet Kseniia Katrych is the director of the Ruta kindergarten in Irpin residents from neighbouring houses took refuge in the kindergarten basement causing a fire that destroyed the roof and part of the building The damage inflicted by this and subsequent shelling and rainfall was so extensive that mere repair was unsustainable the Lithuanian government undertook the project The renovated facility opened its doors on 24 August 2023 a plant symbolic of Lithuania and with its name resonating in both Lithuanian and Ukrainian languages the facility was named “Joy” and stood as one of the largest in the city accommodating approximately 400 children in 12 groups including four specialised groups for children with autism The kindergarten employed about 70 staff members it has expanded to three floors after the renovation specifically for hosting classes with a speech pathologist The canteen and laundry room were redesigned the basement was expanded and modified as a shelter It now also features rugs for games and furniture everything is arranged the same as in the group rooms,” says Kseniia If the air raid alarm goes off during lunch The shelter also has three bedrooms available two- and three-year-olds sleep in the shelter And the kids spend their nap time in the shelter and the temperature is suitable for sleeping you don’t need to pick up this sleepy baby while an alarm is on and carry them downstairs in your arms So we are very grateful to have this opportunity.” “Ruta” recruited eight out of thirteen groups Kseniia says that many children who attended the kindergarten before the destruction returned they are aware of their kindergarten’s history but children have a different way of coping They live their preschool childhood as they should: with joy and friends they have had since the pre-war period (before the full-scale war—ed.) They brought all their best and ignited the spark of renewal in this kindergarten.” the kindergarten accommodates 230 children across ten groups “Educators call [the children’s parents]: ‘Hello we invite you to kindergarten.’ This joy is indescribable We still have many children [on the waiting list].” There was authority and cooperation; everything was excellent But my heart was drawn back to our community our education department offered [me] to lead this project I had already had the [relevant] experience: I had been working in another kindergarten in our community since 2017.” Kseniia’s husband has been serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces since the first days of the full-scale invasion although he had previously had a successful marketing career we live by the call of our hearts,” she says Kseniia took over as head of the kindergarten in May 2023 when the restoration process was underway She understands the immense effort required for rebuilding and emphasises that real recovery happens only after people return “The fact that our partners from other countries provide opportunities is great Architect Oleh Hrechukh appreciated Irpin’s green and low-rise nature driving him to buy an apartment there in 2014 Oleh wasn’t in the city in the early spring of 2022 After his return right following Irpin’s de-occupation he saw that nearly all the windows in his apartment building had been smashed and even some apartments had been destroyed the head of the condominium and several residents volunteered to cover the roof with cellophane in March 2022 making the building vulnerable to precipitation you won’t have to cover the repair of what’s underneath,” says Oleh Oleh recalls the city’s view right after the de-occupation: burnt houses and ruins everywhere interspersed with people cleaning the glass and covering the roofs with oilcloth “I just couldn’t pull myself together: how could this happen people are heating food over fire; there’s been no electricity after the Russians were driven out of Kyiv the residents of the building united to restore it It cost them UAH 100,000 (approximately $3,420 at the moment after Irpin’s de-occupation – ed.) or about UAH 1,000 per apartment (roughly $34 – ed.) Irpin was a city of thousands of broken windows asking to describe how he replaced his own and share his experience Oleh encouraged his neighbours in the house chat I changed the windows.’ And they start calling me: “Listen Because we are abroad – can we give you the keys Where did you order the double-glazed windows How much does it cost?” My energy motivated three neighbours to change their windows.” Oleh recalls that replacing double-glazed windows cost UAH 10,000-20,000 (approximately $340-680 after Irpin’s de-occupation) for one apartment so they did not anticipate compensation (from the government – ed.) not everyone could replace their windows immediately; some did so in December 2022 and the entire building is now fully glazed Oleh believes it is practical to assess the damage first; if it is relatively minor he recommends beginning restoration independently for people taking the lead and responsibility […] Even carrying bricks or helping with dismantling engages you in the work and co-creation it can be a heavy burden or a heavy blow for one person but when many people unite to work together making it stronger and able to address internal challenges.” Oleh is researching and writing about restoration in Ukraine with a particular focus on project estimates He is elaborating on a study of bridge construction in Ukraine there is little structured information on the Internet concerning financial flows [related to such projects],” summarises Oleh He is aware that certain information should be classified under martial law yet he believes that the public should be shown how tenders are held Oleh compares the bridge construction budgets allocated in the EU and Ukraine for projects sharing similar length His calculations reveal that construction in Ukraine often incurs higher costs Oleh observes that Irpin began to recover immediately after the liberation in the spring of 2022 and the current master plan continues the Soviet approach “There was a spike of enthusiasm but no understanding of how to do it all comprehensively People simply wanted to live here,” reflects Oleh the first steps towards a systematic approach have already been taken the Irpin Investment Council initiated uniting architects and other specialists from various cities into the Irpin Reconstruction Summit working group local authorities established the Irpin Recovery Fund and the Irpin Help information resource collecting official damage assessments of the social and residential infrastructure and data concerning the involvement of international partners in the city’s reconstruction prominent architectural firm Gensler is engaged in advancing Irpin’s development strategy Oleh emphasises the importance of completing the master plan as a starting point that should precede designing local standout landmarks like the area’s tallest or broadest structures it feels like Irpin is trying to compensate for its provincial status compared to Kyiv it should instead highlight its unique features “Irpin can offer more of something different that Kyiv can not and this should become the main feature: yes Due to the public transport service connecting to the nearest Kyiv metro station residents are often stuck in traffic jams trying to leave prompting Oleh to jokingly compare Irpin to a bedroom community of the capital But the way the [transport] infrastructure is designed An integrated approach could also make the city self-sufficient by fostering more workplaces why would you want to have all of that here […] The current development pattern of Irpin is buying a plot of land with private houses and repurposing them into multi-story buildings or townhouses new services are emerging in response to demand: residents establish private kindergartens where developers operate in a competitive environment Coordinator of the partnerships department: Involved in the preparation of the material 44 volunteers Project support: Fundacja Euromaidan-Warszawa Use of materials is only permitted upon providing the source: Ukrainer.net Дизайн — Артем Зубкевич Розробка — Deluxcode You don't have permissions to access this page Posted by | Jan 24 A somber reminder of the early days of the brutal Russian invasion now stands as a beacon of unity and rebirth in Milwaukee’s sister city of Irpin The memorial installation was unveiled last August on the site of the destroyed Romanivsky Bridge known as the “Road of Life.” It has since captured international attention for its unique lighting design The installation also received top honors in the “Religious & Spiritual Site Lighting Design” category at the LIT Lighting Design Awards regarded as one of the most prestigious competitions in the field of illumination By bringing worldwide recognition to a corner of Ukraine scarred by Russian war crimes the installation offers both a powerful statement of resilience and a tribute to those who endured the bloody occupation During the earliest phase of the Russian invasion in 2022 Irpin emerged as a crucial defensive stronghold at the edge of Kyiv To prevent Russian forces from using a direct route into the capital the Ukrainian military made the strategic decision to destroy the Romanivsky Bridge Its demolition effectively cut off one of the main avenues the invaders could have used to advance creating a bottleneck that forced them to seek alternative and less direct routes The tactic also crippled the enemy’s key supply and transport corridor Despite relentless artillery strikes and ground assaults that ultimately damaged 80% of the city Their sacrifices played a decisive role in stalling the momentum of the Russian offensive and saving Ukraine’s capital from being captured The destruction of the bridge also inadvertently projected a powerful message to a global audience in those early and volatile days of the invasion Photos of Irpin’s residents huddled under what remained of the obliterated bridge waiting to cross the river during the evacuation were some of the earliest images to document the civilian suffering caused by the Russians MEMORIES THAT ARE BOTH PAINFUL AND INSPIRING The “Road of Life” is one of nine locations selected for a larger commemorative project called “Kyiv Region Places of Memory.” Launched with the goal of creating something that would remain an indelible monument on Ukraine’s history the initiative identified places where some of the most tragic events unfolded during the war in early 2022 The overall vision was to help people understand the difficult experiences of residents in the Kyiv region both during the occupation and in its aftermath and how to process the emotions connected to those events Places of Memory” was fueled by a collective aspiration to give shape to memories that are both painful and inspiring Each of the nine sites conveys a specific narrative offering visitors insight into moments of immense challenge and instances of remarkable courage the Romanivsky Bridge site holds a special significance due to its role in saving countless lives during the height of the conflict Referred to by many locals as the “Road of Life,” it became the only viable path out of Irpin for civilians when the city was under heavy shelling In recognition of its pivotal role in halting the Russian advance and the resilience displayed by its residents Irpin was awarded the honorary title of “Hero City of Ukraine.” The title honors the city’s bravery At the heart of the memorial is a visual element that has drawn global acclaim that connect the severed parts of the destroyed bridge The threads are more than just an artistic flourish they represent the deep scars of war that have remained even after the rubble was cleared while the pulsating glow alludes to the continuous heartbeat of a nation that refuses to succumb to Putin’s campaign of genocide By employing narrow-beam isolated strokes of light the design focuses attention on each thread transforming a space of devastation into one of somber reflection and unyielding spirit The concept of “threads” also resonates with the broader Ukrainian experience Much like fabric stitches that hold torn material together the red strands demonstrate how people cling to hope and unity even when their world has been ripped apart reflecting the resilience and persistent will of those who have survived the invasion the destroyed bridge has become a place of mourning Despite the destruction of concrete and metal structures the installation points out that the essence of a community — its spirit a team known for its innovative approach to lighting Lead designer Mykola Kabluka worked in tandem with partners to realize a vision that would pay tribute to Irpin’s past while offering an emblem of hope for the future the “Road of Life” project was commissioned by the Kyiv Regional Military Administration the design team and administration emphasized that the installation should serve both as a memorial site and a rallying point for community renewal Irpin’s broader narrative is closely intertwined with that of the Romanivsky Bridge Civilians who managed to leave recalled harrowing journeys crossing planks and debris with children in tow While other civilians refused to abandon their homes surviving repeated shelling that struck their roofs visitors and future generations will have the ability to understand the depth of hardships endured by ordinary people It also offers insight into how cities like Irpin function under crisis it is a combination of shared responsibility and a sense of duty that holds a community together Streets once filled with life were left deserted Residential buildings bore the physical evidence of relentless bombing campaigns and the international community embarked on a restoration mission Construction crews and heavy machinery became a regular sight an estimated 85 percent of Irpin’s original population had returned The influx of returning residents underscored their determination to rebuild the city transforming Irpin into a powerful example of Ukraine’s broader reconstruction efforts Irpin’s resilience has been closely followed by its sister city where the community has followed and supported Ukraine’s ongoing challenges since the earliest days of the Russian invasion The bond between the two cities has transcended geography Residents in Milwaukee have organized fundraisers and support drives to assist those displaced in Irpin and the broader Kyiv region The spirit of solidarity behind Irpin’s recovery has resonated deeply with Milwaukee’s population The Mayors of both Irpin and Milwaukee have credited the sister-city relationship with fostering a unique understanding of each other’s cultural and historical experiences The memory of war is still etched into the Irpin’s landscape while reconstruction efforts help symbolize a fresh start But the impact of the war reflects a much larger story of destruction in Ukraine and educational facilities across the nation have suffered catastrophic damage more than 149,300 residential buildings were impacted in some way 330 hospitals and 595 administrative buildings were either destroyed or partially collapsed with more than 3,000 schools and university buildings damaged At least 2.4 million Ukrainians found themselves without a proper home As reconstruction projects unfold nationwide there is a growing emphasis on commemorating sites that have played pivotal roles The site in Irpin has become one of the centers of Ukraine’s remembrance efforts Its creative approach to honoring events — through light and symbolism — offers a blueprint for how communities might process collective trauma By focusing on both the tragedy and the spirit that survived it such memorials can serve as spaces of healing Irpin’s installation also refuses to let the pain of war have the final word and the power of remembering history in a constructive way Places of Memory,” each of the nine commemorative sites will tell its own story of sacrifice capturing the essence of a people determined to overcome their deepest scars and find a path toward healing Andrii Avdieienko and the Irpin City Council Evangelical minister and politician Pastor Mark Burns visited Ukraine and heard testimonies from survivors of Russian occupation which the Chief Rabbi hopes he will share with the US Donald Trump’s personal spiritual advisor, Pastor Mark Burns, has visited Ukraine, Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi Moshe Azman announced on Monday During his visit, Pastor Burns traveled to Bucha and Borodianka in the Kyiv region – cities that had endured Russian occupation Burns was deeply shocked and outraged by what he witnessed after having heard firsthand testimonies from survivors “I am confident that these emotions and testimonies will not remain with him alone Pastor Burns is someone who has the ability to be heard in places where major decisions are made And I believe the voice of truth from Ukraine will reach the very heart of the new American leadership,” Azman wrote on Facebook “He was deeply affected by what he saw – he did not hide his pain Burns also attended an interfaith forum that brought together representatives of several different religious communities active in Ukraine Burns was told how Ukrainian believers continue to serve their congregations despite constant bombardment and air raid warnings the pastor is actively involved in US politics having though unsuccessfully run for Congress several times he became one of Donald Trump’s most visible religious supporters and served on the board of the “Pastors for Trump” organization After the 2020 US presidential election, which Joe Biden won Burns was one of those who publicly claimed the election had been rigged insisting that Trump was the rightful winner Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995 Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice The 26th Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF 2024 | biaf.or.kr) has announced the awards winners from the Korean event’s competition The top feature film award went to the Australian stop-motion indie Memoir of a Snail while the hand-drawn war documentary I Died in Irpin received the Academy Award-qualifying short film prize Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail took home the BIAF Grand Prize for Feature Film praised the film for its delicate stop-motion animation that explores life’s traumas with dark yet warm humor and childlike wonder Jury President Fleming described Memoir of a Snail as “a unique work that delves into life’s traumas through intricate stop-motion animation blending dark humor with a sense of childlike wonder.” The Jury Prize for Feature Film was awarded to Kim Yong-hwan for Your Letter “Your Letter signals the emergence of a promising new director in the Korean animation industry and I look forward to seeing the director’s future growth.” Your Letter also won the Cocomics Music Prize judged by Yoon Sang and Ryu Su-jeong of Lovelyz as well as the Korea Animation Industry Association President’s Prize for Technical Achievement The Special Distinction Prizes for Feature Film were shared by Jean-François Laguionie’s A Boat in the Garden and Masahiro Shinohara‘s Trapezium Woo-hyuk praised A Boat in the Garden as “a beautifully understated portrayal of simple joys in dreams.” The jury also commended Trapezium for its “sincere depiction of the complex relationships and sacrifices in the idol world deeply expressing the protagonist’s growth.” The Audience Prize went to Akira Amemiya’s Gridman Universe which garnered significant attention and applause awarded the BIAF Grand Prize for Short Film to Anastasiia Falileieva for I Died in Irpin making it eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film category of the Academy Awards Buda praised the short as “an outstanding work that powerfully portrays the physical and emotional pain of war through the intense technique of charcoal animation.” The Jury Prize for Short Film was awarded to Nina Gantz for Wander to Wonder Deutz described it as “a precise yet spontaneous black comedy with excellent narrative and visual quality.” The Special Distinction Prizes for Short Film went to Veronica Martiradonna for Supersilly Mario Radev for [S] and Jung Yu-mi for Circle Juror Ushev praised Circle for “expressing complex emotions within simplicity portraying the alienation and isolation of modern society with sophistication.” The Audience Prize for Short Film went to Torill Kove for Maybe Elephants Pola Kazak’s Weeds received the Jury Prize Jang Won-young commended the film for “its excellent combination of striking visual direction and heartwarming storytelling.” The Jury Prize for TV & Commissioned Film went to Kim Ju-eun for Dandelion Kid And Nagai Tatsuyuki’s FURERU won the Korean Society of Cartoon and Animation Studies President’s Prize for the most popular film the DHL Diversity Prize (Music) and the Kinolights Feature Film Prize achieving three awards alongside Your Letter A thousand days of war has passed and after Ukraine defended the city and the town is healing from memories of being a battlefield and its occupation Irpin’s cemetery has a separate section dedicated to the victims of Russia’s crimes but you can never miss it: almost every grave is marked with a Ukrainian flag.  Not far away another section is dedicated to the military who died defending the town and liberated it from Russian forces.  Less than a kilometer (half a mile) away from the graveyard is a site that is a complete opposite to the gloom one feels in the cemetery It’s one of Irpin’s many parks it is full of life: children play and yell on its playground tea and street food stalls see brisk business from visitors including those who have been to the nearby church to pray.  most of them higher than the apartment blocks opposite the park which were built in the five years before the war The flats there were almost all bought by those Ukrainians who had left the Russian-occupied Donbas and Kyiv citizens who thought Irpin would be a better place to live rather than crowded districts of the capital.   While many of them left the flats in February 2022 as the Russians advanced quite a few remained because they could not believe it was the start of a real war let alone that it would still be continuing after a thousand days.  The question I always ask myself is how much longer will it continue?  My parents did not believe Irpin would become a battlefield “We will quickly drive you west and then come back after a while,” they told me as I sat in our car and drove west to a house I had rented from the parents of a colleague.  From western Ukraine my parents found out Irpin had been undergoing a three-day curfew and in March All I heard was “it is currently impossible to contact your subscriber” – a phrase that often irritates me even now The horror of realizing that the city that has been your home for twenty years Two artillery shells broke through the roof of its sports hall in my old school Luckily the pine forest I passed on my daily to walk to school is still there.  The thought that was spinning in my head during the whole of that spring in 2022 was: “I can never return to my neighborhood.” Memories of a life that filled me with joy are in danger of being lost as the place where it all happened was brutally invaded and mutilated.  An artillery shell hit a supermarket in our district and killed three A Russian soldier threw a grenade in the gym I had regularly visited Administrative buildings in our district were damaged by artillery fire One of my neighbors who had stayed in the town decided to leave after the flat close to his was hit.  Irpin had been a small cottage town that became popular as newer apartment blocks were erected Many cottages remained but they were more vulnerable to Russian weapons.  Today many cottages remain that are nothing but walls after an artillery shell or a missile hit the house.  but worse was how Russian occupiers searched the town shoot and rape – as we were to later to find out from media reports.  Ukraine’s armed forces officially liberated the city on March 28 forcing the Russians to withdraw to their own territory No more Chechens searching for more victims – but that was only the 35th day of war.  My parents returned to our house in May 2022 shortly after officials gave the green light that the city had been demined.  they could not open the doors of their house because nearby explosions had caused parts of the ceiling and plaster to fall down their two cats and the dog had miraculously survived.  the focus was on rebuilding the basic infrastructure of the town.  “I tell you they started installing new Internet wires [just] days after the official liberation announcement,” a volunteer I know told me when I returned He stayed in the city and delivered parcels from Kyiv to the elderly and military who stayed in Irpin.  I made friends with another volunteer whose team helped evacuate people from Irpin If they hadn’t had to we would probably never have met Both of them now continue to gather donations and deliver aid to the military around the country.  which was damaged by fragments from the walls of our neighbor’s house after it was struck by a missile The same neighbors had to rebuild their house from scratch.  Ukraine’s state officials were able to support us thanks to increasing support from Western donors who funded reconstruction of Irpin’s apartment blocks flowers bloomed in the backyard of our house Citizens of a townhouse burnt to ashes near my home found the funding to restore their home.  A living organism does not easily forget trauma but you will notice shrapnel holes in fences remnants of shrapnel in the walls of houses Most of Kyiv’s streets look much less bruised than that and I hope they never will be although things appear to have returned to normal but then return if you hear a sound related to those events see something relevant or look at another photo of debris elsewhere.  And sometimes it is not the sadness that swallows you – it is anger for the injustice so many suffered.  This was your hometown that was invaded by foreigners you never asked for drove around in tanks stealing whatever they could even though they live so far from civilization that they couldn’t use them even if they knew how It is not the first time they have invaded a country It is not the first time they have ignored international law and common sense.  “We just pay for our mortgage, we won’t go,” a soldier once said to my university friend’s mother on a market in a Russian-occupied village in the Kherson region.  Monday marks three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in clear violation of the UN Charter and international law and the UN Secretary-General has renewed his call for de-escalation and an end to the conflict He noted that 80 years after the end of the Second World War the war in Ukraine stands as a grave threat not only to the peace and security of Europe but also to the very foundations and core principles of the UN “After three years of death and destruction I once again call for urgent de-escalation and an immediate end to the hostilities.” The Secretary-General said he welcomes all efforts to a just and inclusive peace adding that the UN stands ready to support these initiatives As the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine reaches its third year a flurry of diplomatic activity has led to a growing expectation of a ceasefire although the situation remains extremely fluid the UN is planning how to best support the country when the fighting finally stops Footage of the construction of a new bridge across the Irpin River which has become a symbol of recovery in the most difficult times is now available to the international construction community This year for the competition ENR 2024 Year in Construction Photo Contest Over 1000 photos were submitted from around the world, from professional photographers to construction companies capturing unique moments of construction. A photo taken by the team ONUR GROUP (author – Oleksandr Kulyk A photo of the construction of the Irpin Bridge is among the winners of the ENR 2024 international photo contest The photo shows the bridge destroyed in 2022 which played a key role in the evacuation of thousands of people during the fighting Nearby is a new bridge built by ONUR GROUP after the de-occupation which restored transport links between Irpin The composition emphasizes the resilience of the Ukrainian people in the darkest times and moving forward with the memory of the past.  “The restoration of this bridge was not only an engineering challenge but also a matter of honor for our team,” says Emre Karaahmetoglu “Being among the winners of the ENR Photo Contest for the second time is not only an achievement for our company but also an opportunity to draw the attention of the international community to Ukraine.” Previously ONUR GROUP company won in 2022 with a photo of the construction of a cable-stayed bridge in Zaporizhia A new bridge was opened over the Irpin River instead of the one blown up in February 2022 Architects created 20 projects of the future city of Irpin: visualizations of the first proposal In the Kyiv region, the repair of the railway bridge over the Irpin River was completed +380 (44) 465 53 41 +380 (67) 638 76 00 hello@pragmatika.media https://pragmatika.media The animated film "I Died in Irpin" by director Anastasia Falileeva won an award at the International Short Film Festival in Clermont-Ferrand won in the category Best Animation Film Award - 2025 my boyfriend and I fled from Kyiv to Irpin We spent 10 days in the blockaded city and managed to escape with the last evacuation convoy but the feeling that I died in Irpin never left me since then The film reconstructs this true story of survival through a personal and subjective lens The director of the film is Anastasia Falileeva The International Short Film Festival in Clermont-Ferrand is one of the most prestigious short film festivals in the world This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Serhiy Velichanskyi is a serviceman of the 130th battalion of the forces of the TDF He has been in the ranks of the Armed Forces since the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine Before the morning explosions on February 24 presenter, official MC Euro Club and did not even think about military affairs The bright image with colored hair remained a thing of the past and the concert suit had to be changed to a military uniform Serhiy fought in Kyiv region and Kharkiv region the husband underwent an operation and Serhiy is currently recovering in order to return to the army and continue to defend the country We talked with our hero about the beginning of the war and whether it is appropriate to conduct tours of hero cities - What were you doing before the full-scale invasion of Russia What was my occupation before February 24th was engaged in personality development through improvisation I was the official presenter of Euro 2012 - I played matches at the stadium In other words I was engaged in creative teaching activities I had nothing to do with the Armed Forces at all the only thing was that I liked watching combat films But this [military business - ed.] was not mine even though I knew already in January that there would be an invasion and I started the training together with the 130th Battalion of TDF forces - What have you been doing since the first days of the full-scale war On February 24 at 6:30 I woke up to a big explosion in Gostomel But I knew that this was what we were preparing for in the TRO - so my backpack was already ready I got dressed and went to the rendezvous point for our battalion Our company was one of the most ready for action so on the first day we went to the airport Zhulyany defence At the airport we stayed for about 10 days but it was a cool time of moral preparation and cohesion for us to replace the local TrO fighters who had joined the battle from the first hours and it was there that we held our defenses held our positions until the complete liberation of the North behind Kiev The tasks were such that we held sectors at "zero" one of our fighters with the pseudonym Mars gave his life there when the battle was fought We stood in the area near the Giraffe Mall - all the time under fire we have been here all the time: at different positions and locations - mainly on the borders and lines of contact The photo shows Sergey and his brothers on the day they learned that the Russian army retreated from Bucha and part of Irpin What I can advise is to listen carefully and not ignore the warning of any danger And if there is still an opportunity not to return to Kiev - Now there is a certain resentment in the society for conducting tours by "bold cities" As for tours of "brave cities" or "places of military glory" my brothers and I were shocked when we found out that many people in Irpin are now swimming in the very place where there was a very fierce battle and where our brother died But there are still a lot of shell casings there.. It seems to me sometimes that it is the people who ignore such things - they are just against creating a new culture of introducing battle stories to guests and foreigners So I think it's even the right thing to do I would like people to know the names of those who died standing there I know that in Irpin 43 people just stood up to defend they were in the DFTG (volunteer formation of territorial societies) So it would be cool to reconstruct all the facts memorials in places where either people died or important defense events took place Several foreign friends have already visited - I personally showed them the places where we held the defenses and told them how everything happened - Do you think such tours can be conducted now Or after our victory and the end of the war I think that some places can already be shown now to which I have already conducted several excursions for foreign guests so that they understand and pass on what and how it happens I think that here it is possible to tell stories in stages: first to tell about the combat moments I think that such a format of these stories can be developed here - Tell me as a military man - is it safe now So it is necessary that each participant of such a tour understood it and took personal responsibility for it Bucha - these are more secure cities than Chernihiv Therefore here it is necessary to introduce some or other tours step by step I believe that it should be just introductions and then victorious battles in certain cities - What should not be shown and mentioned in such tours in any case I don't think it's outright "impossible" to show anything right now things - there's a lot of filming about all that here it is possible to use quietly what is in reports There is a lot of interesting information that can be used to tell people what and how it happened.. some locations where it is possible - stands an example would be a memorial location in Washington where all those who died in Vietnam are mentioned by name family or friends visit tours of "brave" cities na którym użytkownicy z ponad 200 krajów mogą znaleźć aktualne informacje na temat wjazdu na Ukrainę zakupić rozszerzone ubezpieczenie od ryzyka wojny markowe towary i zarezerwować bezpieczną wycieczkę po kraju Obecnie posiadamy jeden z największych banków wycieczek w Ukrainie i aktywnie pracujemy nad jego rozbudową Zapraszamy do współpracy przewodników i touroperatorów organizujących wycieczki do Ukrainy. Jeśli jesteś zainteresowany partnerstwem, wypełnij krótki formularz a nasz menedżer skontaktuje się z Tobą w celu omówienia szczegółów Strona zawiera również niezbędne i najbardziej aktualne informacje na temat: Wszystkie informacje na stronie są aktualizowane codziennie i są dostępne w trzech językach - ukraińskim Obsługa klienta (anglojęzyczna) jest dostępna - czaty online i call center (przez całą dobę) - jeśli potrzebujesz wyjaśnienia podanych informacji lub szybkiej pomocy w rozwiązywaniu problemów i nieporozumień związanych z zamówieniem Portal został opracowany przez ukraińską organizację Visit Ukraine Oprócz portalu pomocy stworzyliśmy kilka innych projektów: 1. Visit Ukraine Tours - największa internetowa baza wycieczek do Ukrainy na każdy gust 2. Visit Ukraine Merch - odzież patriotyczna i akcesoria z dostawą na cały świat 3. Cooperation - współpraca i integracja reklamowa z projektami Visit Ukraine i Visit World 4. Visit Ukraine Tickets- zakup biletów na kilka rodzajów transportu - autobusy pociągi (w Ukrainie i Europie) oraz loty (w Europie) 5. Visit Ukraine Hotel to wyszukiwarka w której można łatwo i tanio zarezerwować hotel w wielu ukraińskich miastach 6. Visit Ukraine Donate to projekt charytatywny który organizuje zbiórki pieniędzy w celu wsparcia Ukraińców i potrzeb wojska Każdy może przekazać dowolną kwotę w wygodny sposób z dowolnego miejsca na świecie 25% dochodu ze sprzedaży przekazujemy na Siły Zbrojne i pomoc dla ukraińskich uchodźców and Hostomel – the names of these Ukrainian cities spread worldwide in the first days of the full-scale invasion Those who witnessed these events firsthand remember everything down to the smallest details RBC-Ukraine publishes the stories of a family from Bucha who survived the occupation and a veteran who defended Irpin in the first weeks of Russia's large-scale invasion of our land Russia brought war to every Ukrainian home and Hostomel were among the first cities to take the hit — places that became symbols of resilience and resistance against the occupiers Fierce battles were fought in Hostomel over the airport which the enemy sought to use as a foothold for the rapid capture of Kyiv destroying dozens of enemy helicopters and preventing Russian troops from securing the area The atrocities committed by the enemy in Bucha became known worldwide while the battles for Irpin went down in the history of modern warfare Despite the immense pressure from the enemy thousands of defenders continue to protect the country today — marking the fourth year of the large-scale invasion and the 11th year of the war RBC-Ukraine spoke with a veteran of the Russia-Ukraine war and a family from Bucha who are still waiting for a new home which lasted from late February to early April 2022 Russian troops unleashed terror on the civilian population — people were shot in the streets After Bucha was liberated by Ukrainian forces hundreds of civilian bodies were found on the streets and in mass graves Many of the victims were discovered with their hands tied and gunshot wounds to the head Investigations by international organizations confirmed the mass killings in Bucha insists on bringing those responsible to justice The crimes committed by Russia in Bucha at the beginning of the invasion became some of the first pieces of evidence that Russia was waging war not only against the Ukrainian army but also against civilians The Patkivskyi family was at home on the corner of Franka Street in Bucha when the invasion began on February 24 who was not even two years old at the time survived the occupation and threats from Russian soldiers and were left without neighbors— Russia had killed them they heard the news that the war had begun then picked up my daughter and granddaughter We watched as helicopters landed at Antonov We didn’t leave here until March 10," he says The Patkivskyi family survived the occupation evacuation and loss of their home (photo: RBC-Ukraine) The family spent the days of occupation mostly in the basement they stayed underground for extended periods Russian troops moved into the neighboring house — these were tank crews they drove a tank into the neighbor's house You have ten minutes for us to let you out we're staying here now.' I ran to the neighbors and my husband went through the forest to the cellar to grab documents Our daughter collected what children's things she could quickly grab," Hanna recalls They were led to the railway under the barrel of a gun and his rifle almost dragged on the ground as he cocked it There was a place where people used to dig for clay I understood that if I could push her in time at least the children would get bruised but would stay alive," says Hanna they heard gunshots but didn’t know who was firing they found out — Russian snipers were sitting nearby These were the same snipers who shot people in the streets A dozen Russian soldiers surrounded the family Vasyl was the first to return home — on April 11 I was back on the street — nothing was left There was a destroyed tank here and a pile of burned-out cars there We filed a report that we had nowhere to live," Vasyl recalls Hanna near the house destroyed by Russians (photo: RBC-Ukraine/Vitalii Nosach) The houses opposite remained empty—neighbors who lived there had been executed four more there — four directly across from us," says Hanna One of the Patkivskyi family's neighbors was the Shepilo family The Russians brutally killed them for no reason it was revealed that the teacher's hand had been severed up to the elbow elderly residents who kept a farm were murdered and thrown into a ditch the Patkivskyi family's house is being gradually rebuilt the process is slow – the new home for war victims is being constructed by the state for the second year now "Some installation works are still unfinished she did not receive it because they did not know if we were alive Only when we provided documents did she finally get those 860 hryvnias," says Hanna they were supposed to be settled in modular houses on the "Warsaw Highway" – the Warsaw route that runs through the city Lithuania provided individual modular cabins in Bucha and we are very grateful that we are at home I was happy that I could take shelter from the snow and rain They were advised to turn on the heaters to warm everything up They also washed everything inside three times with vinegar The daughter and granddaughter moved to an apartment after some time The family is still living in a modular house waiting for the house to be rebuilt (photo: RBC-Ukraine) Hanna still cannot comprehend the horrific atrocities committed by the Russians in Bucha "No one expected that they would shoot, kill, and torture," she says. "How can I forgive? We have somewhat learned to live in these conditions and under air alarms, but it is still all right before our eyes. We will recover. There is no way Ukraine will not recover. I don’t believe in that. Little by little, gradually, but we will rebuild. The most important thing is for everyone to return home The landing of Russian paratroopers in Hostomel on February 24 became one of the key events of the first days of the invasion The enemy tried to quickly capture the airport to transfer troops to Kyiv inflicted significant losses on the enemy and thwarted their plan for a blitzkrieg The military held back the paratroopers under constant airstrikes artillery and reinforcements ultimately expelled the enemy a serviceman of the "Rubizh" Operational Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU) He witnessed those events and actively resisted the enemy He was captured by the Russians and saw firsthand what they did at the Hostomel airport he was exchanged and is now back defending Ukraine we were conducting various maneuvers in the airport area I didn’t take it seriously; I thought they were just exaggerating Serving as a gunner-operator in an armored personnel carrier (APC) Dmytro was assigned to duty a couple of days before the invasion it was his last "normal" duty before the full-scale war very worried about what was being reported in the news He reassured her but asked her to pack a bag and go to relatives in western Ukraine just in case a defender of the Hostomel airport and a soldier of the "Rubizh" Operational Brigade of the NGU (photo: RBC-Ukraine) he woke up to his comrades shouting: "Alarm alarm!" He thought it was just another drill He remained calm because they had been training daily for a month "We started up the APC and began inflating the tires Dmytro was interested in cryptocurrency and around 6 a.m. he checked Telegram channels and saw the entire market collapsing This only happened when a major global event occurred People were saying that a full-scale invasion of Ukraine had begun "The war felt real for the first time when a cruise missile hit one of our brigade’s barracks I realized that all military units across the country were being attacked," he adds The soldiers positioned themselves inside and around the airport in the tree lines They heard reports of enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups (DRGs) operating in their area There were also reports that Russian soldiers disguised as Ukrainian troops with red armbands were in the area "We were loading machine-gun belts when I first heard the sound of helicopters I thought it was Ukrainian Special Operations Forces or military intelligence reinforcements I didn’t think the enemy would be so bold as to break through to us," Dmytro recalls The soldier says more than half were attack helicopters – Ka-52s and Mi-24s Then came transport helicopters carrying troops and ammunition Consequences of enemy arrivals in Hostomel (photo: Getty Images) and the Russian soldiers were waving at us This continued until the first shot was fired from our side," he adds the now-famous soldier with the call sign "Phara" fired a shot from a MANPADS Igla The first helicopters were shot down right over the Kyiv Reservoir I thought it was impossible to take it down – it’s like an armored tank in the sky I saw our anti-aircraft guns damaging many helicopters and we were firing right into them," says Dmytro He realized this was a paratrooper landing and that between 300 and 500 Russian soldiers were storming the airport there were no more than a hundred Ukrainian defenders there The command decided to withdraw the National Guard troops Some soldiers were positioned at the far end of the runway That’s where the enemy paratroopers were landing and where the assault on the airport began The road to them was cut off," says the defender Dmytro decided to withdraw with his unit to the area of the village of Ozera he did not know that a couple of helicopters of the Russian military had mistakenly landed there instead of on the runway of Hostomel Airport but it played a cruel joke on Dmytro and his comrades A Russian clearing group was following them literally on their heels we saw the silhouettes of Russian servicemen ahead of us The one closing our group signaled to me with gestures that there were already Russian servicemen behind us," says the National Guardsman They decided that they would fight to the last The soldier recalls: "I thought — that's it Dmytro and other captured comrades spent about two weeks in captivity they learned about everything happening at the airfield from the Russians themselves no one was really dealing with the captives—the enemy was fortifying positions He heard how fierce battles took place near the checkpoint on February 25 The Russians kept shouting that a tank was about to break through Dmytro learned that Ukrainian servicemen had tried to rescue them the Russians destroyed the world's largest cargo plane "There were massive shellings from our side they (the Russians) were constantly running into the bunker they started building fortifications and digging trenches it led to nothing," the interlocutor recalls He especially wants to highlight the work of Ukrainian aviation at that time a Ukrainian pilot flew out daily to bomb the runway They called him "kamikaze": he continuously refueled but he did everything possible and impossible to prevent Russian troops from securing their position in Hostomel the soldier remembers these events as one of the defining moments when thanks to the heroic efforts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces the Russian advance on the capital was prevented Even their highly experienced airborne troops faced fierce resistance and found themselves trapped under constant strikes from our artillery and MLRS The actions of Ukrainian troops bought time for reinforcements This became key to the defense of the Kyiv region the Russians lost their most valuable resource — time That is why the defense of the capital was successful Dmytro himself spent an entire year in captivity he was held in complete informational isolation The Russians constantly tried to convince him that Kyiv had allegedly already been captured But he held onto hope that all of it was a lie "I have lost so many comrades. But their deaths must not be in vain. I want the fighting to end on the most favorable terms for us. Victory, for me, means negotiations from a position of strength so that our comrades stop dying," the defender emphasizes Irpin became one of the key cities that held back the advance of Russian troops in Kyiv the enemy tried to break through the city but encountered fierce resistance The battles in Irpin lasted throughout March Residents were evacuated through the destroyed bridge in Romanivka often under fire from Russian sniper— this route was called the Road of Life Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive becoming one of the symbols of Ukrainian resistance and resilience A veteran of the Russia-Ukraine war and a participant in the battles for Irpin Volodymyr Parkhoniuk now heads Veteran Space.Irpin I believe I can contribute much more in this field," he notes A veteran of the Russia-Ukraine war and head of the veteran space Volodymyr Parkhoniuk (photo: RBC-Ukraine) Our interlocutor is a soldier with extensive experience He defended Ukraine long before the full-scale war began we walked through places in Irpin that became historic battlegrounds he recalled one of the first battles he participated in at the beginning of Russia’s invasion "When the Russians broke into the city from the Synerhiya residential complex they tried to go through the parking lot and the water utility into the city itself Higher command ordered us to fall back to Irpin The enemy's numerical superiority meant that we had to preserve our forces for future battles rather than waste them on a single engagement the veteran points to a fence still riddled with bullet holes—a stark reminder of the horrifying events that took place here nearly three years ago This was a former checkpoint in the military called the Karavan Gala one of the most significant and brutal battles for Irpin took place here Russian invaders tried to penetrate the city through the military hospital My position with a comrade was right behind this fence Vitaliy Popovych (Volodymyr’s comrades—ed.) was wounded and taken prisoner," the veteran recalls Ihor Krotkykh stood shoulder to shoulder with Volodymyr and died in his arms our defenders managed to eliminate many Russian troops in that battle The residential complex near which fierce battles with Russian forces took place (photo: Getty Images) "They broke through from the military hospital area and tried to cross the road into Irpinski Lypky but most of them were left lying on the road they were trying to cross," says Volodymyr the area near the Irpinski Lypky residential complex became a crucial strategic point in Irpin’s defense Russian troops attempted to break through this area to gain control and expand their zone of occupation trying to advance through nearby roads and territories During one of the most intense battles on March 21 the enemy's objective was to break through the city's defenses in this sector "Tanks kept rolling out from Hostomel’s motor depot but then it became clear that they were deliberately destroying cover to secure a landing for their forces This spot was meant to serve as a reinforcement area for personnel arriving from Hostomel They were already in Bucha and were supposed to break through and fortify in a strategic location," he adds During the battles that spring, nearly 70% of Irpin’s buildings were damaged—from private homes to apartment complexes. After liberation, the city united, held meetings with residents Commissions were formed to assess buildings for repair suitability when the city was surrounded by Russian troops thousands of Irpin residents were saved by the Road of Life The only way out of the city was through the Romanivka neighborhood where people risked their lives to escape the shelling and mines This route became the only hope for hundreds of civilians during those dark days Stoyanka and Bucha were occupied by Russians The only way out was through the Romanivka neighborhood were able to escape from a city engulfed in intense battles," says Volodymyr she carried out combat missions assigned to her by command Their children and mother-in-law remained in a basement until March 12 Volodymyr evacuated them along that very Road of Life Footage of the evacuation through the bridge went viral worldwide This route was called the Road of Life (photo: Getty Images) on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Volodymyr has one main thought — about victory He also thinks about helping veterans and rebuilding the city and the country Despite media discussions about ceasefire negotiations he is convinced that Ukraine must fight until the end until full victory and the restoration of the 1991 borders we will always remember who was involved in these events he remembers the comrades he fought with to defend Ukraine He says volunteers are people who took up arms not for financial incentives but to protect their city and country Everyone united for one goal — to drive out the enemy and prevent the city from falling Someone could give away their last possession if needed The same applied to food—we shared everything and helped civilians with medicine and bread The concept of 'comrade-in-arms' is not just a word A comrade is someone you share your last piece of bread with and do for them what you might not even do for yourself," Volodymyr firmly believes The veteran remembers fallen comrades at the Alley of Fallen Heroes in Irpin (photo: RBC-Ukraine) At the Alley of Fallen Heroes on the pedestrian square in central Irpin the faces of those who gave their lives in battles for Ukraine are displayed today "More than 170 guys from Irpin gave their lives for Ukraine’s freedom and independence They are true patriots and defenders of Ukraine We must always remember them," the veteran emphasizes Construction of the open-air RIVIERA CLUB water park has begun in Irpen It is being built near the city's embankment by Riviera Gold LLC it will be one of the largest water parks in Ukraine and the largest entertainment complex with water attractions in the Kyiv region the community has questions about the intended use of the land plot where the new facility will be located The local publication Irpin.Online noted that 9 hectares of the plot in this area were transferred from agricultural land to residential and public development and also noted that the construction of the residential complex had already led to flooding of the private sector during spring floods.  and asked where exactly the new entertainment facility will be built how important it is for the community today and whether it is advisable to build water parks when a full-scale war is still ongoing in the country and air raids continue in the capital and its surroundings the total area of ​​the complex is 2,0385 hectares of which the entertainment complex occupies 1,6385 hectares RIVIERA CLUB will be able to receive up to 1000 visitors daily Visualizations provided by Irpin City Council The construction of the complex will take place in two stages The first stage will include the construction of a water attraction with six slides for adults an administrative and residential building with a dual-purpose protective structure The second stage involves the construction of a cafe and a swimming pool with a jacuzzi in the VIP area RIVIERA CLUB will have two main recreation areas The water park will include six water slides for adults a 621,8 m² swimming pool and an area for private events A modern venue for creative and musical events will also be created including a 49 m² stage with powerful lighting and sound equipment The developer notes that all buildings and structures of RIVIERA CLUB will be equipped with modern communications: water supply elevators for people with limited mobility The complex will comply with all fire safety standards and will be equipped with automatic alarm systems with indoor spaces and venues for various activities and events in a short interview for PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA spoke about the pitfalls of construction and commented on the community's concerns about flooding and the legality of construction PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA: Why did Irpin decide to implement the project to build an aqua park Angela Makeeva: The construction of one of the largest open-air water parks in Ukraine is an important event for our city and it is there that the water park is being built PM: The Irpin media reported that the land plot was intended for agricultural use but it was changed to build a residential complex M.: All issues related to the intended use of the land plots were settled before the full-scale invasion We understand that such changes are impossible during martial law The water park at this location was planned a long time ago Now such an entrepreneur has been found and is implementing the project PM: How appropriate is it to build an entertainment complex of this scale during a war M.: This is a private initiative of developers Irpin transferred 72 million hryvnias for the needs of the army and such projects contribute to filling the budget it is important to support children's mental health Not all families can go to the sea or vacation abroad and no war has the right to take away children's childhood PM: The water park will be built next to the Synergy residential complex The community has already had complaints that the construction of this residential complex has led to flooding during spring floods Will the situation worsen after the construction of the water park there are activists who criticize new projects some protested that forests were being cut down when they see modern parks with infrastructure all urban planning conditions were obtained officially through "Diya" but entertainment infrastructure that will not create a large load And the statement that construction is taking place in the floodplain is manipulation the water park is located outside its borders Two memorials, a stadium, a monorail. How the Irpin Reconstruction Summit plans to rebuild Irpin, destroyed by the war Inclusivity as the new architectural norm: humanity that cannot be ignored One of the many “collateral” damages caused by war is the disruption of educational systems in the affected countries some 200,000 children in war-torn Ukraine were reportedly deprived of access to education due to bombings and temporary occupation of territories by Russian armed forces This adds to the heavy toll already paid by Ukrainian children in terms of deaths (nearly 2,000 according to U.N physical injuries and psychological trauma which coordinator of the non-profit organization “Epicentr for Children” has noted in the faces of the many internally displaced children forced to leave their homes along with their families in Mariupol and other cities in Eastern Ukraine or who have undergone the temporary occupation by Russian troops of their villages or cities The Ukrainian non-governmental organization co-sponsored by a Ukrainian hypermarket chain is a branch of the Real Madrid Foundation of the famous Spanish football club which sponsors social sports schools focused on supporting the education and holistic development of minors living in vulnerable situations around the globe as well as promoting development cooperation in the five continents in conjunction with leading NGOs and international organisations working in this field Ms Yatsiuk told Vatican News that since the war between Ukraine and Russia broke out in 2022 the Epicentr for Children has extended its scope  Whereas before the conflict its focus was on vulnerable children from disadvantaged families the NGO now also takes care of the children of internally displaced families who have fled to Western Ukraine or who have undergone  Russian occupation.  Overall the social sports schools take on some  1,000 children every year.  she explained  “is offer these children psychological assistance and help them integrate in their new environment through sport.” In fact,  “by teaching them  to practice the values of sport we help them manage their trauma and emotions This effort helps their resilience which is important ”because children are our future,” Ms Yatsiuk said: "I remember that when I spoke to some children in Irpin soon after the city's liberation from the Russians in March 2022 and they told me about the bad things that had happened there I was struck by the fact they had no smile on their faces.” “But in the photographs and videos we took after some sports events we had organized for them they looked relieved and happy After what they had gone through,  they felt they weren’t alone anymore” This is especially important for internally displaced people as many of them have problems integrating into host communities in Western Ukraine “So the sports training and events we organize along with psychological assistance help this integration process,” Ms Yatsiuk said  Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here According to NV this was announced by the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Burns was shocked and outraged by what he saw in the cities of the Kyiv region that survived the Russian occupation He personally heard the memories of witnesses “I am sure that he will not keep these emotions and testimonies to himself Pastor Burns is a man who has the ability to be heard in places where big decisions are made And I believe that the voice of truth from Ukraine will be brought to the very heart of the new American leadership,” the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine wrote on Facebook Burns also took part in an interfaith religious forum that brought together representatives of religious denominations and communities working in Ukraine He was told about Ukrainian believers serving their communities under fire and sirens marked three years since Bucha in the Kyiv region was liberated from the Russian occupiers the entire Kyiv region and northern Ukraine were liberated The Russian military shot and tortured Ukrainians; during the occupation and about 1200 people died in the entire Bucha district In Irpin, Ukraine's first textile waste recycling line has been launched, as reported by Dmitro Kysylevskyi Deputy Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development The line processes textile scraps left over from the production of clothing Special equipment is used to break down these scraps into fibers which are then recycled into yarn and fabric the line is operating in experimental mode processing waste from its own production as well as from several other light industry enterprises The line has a capacity of 2,500 tons of waste per year The initial investment for the Re:inventex project is about 30 million UAH with 8 million of that being a state grant for recycling industry enterprises The project is being developed by a team linked to the nonwoven materials production company K.Tex and the Ma'Ryzany industrial park which specializes in the processing of industrial hemp The project team is preparing to import raw materials for recycling from abroad to process in Irpin Textile products account for up to 10% of all household waste in Ukraine each Ukrainian generates 15-20 kilograms of textile waste annually Today's print edition Home Delivery A school near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv is enthusiastic about teaching Japanese and other foreign languages believing that war will not happen if friendship is deepened through international exchange Using textbooks provided with the aid of Japan which sustained severe missile attacks at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion nearly three years ago.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); "I've been studying Japanese for two years That's because I like Japanese culture," Tania Yurasik said in a speech in Japanese at the school In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division When the Russian occupation of Bucha in the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine ended in March 2022, widespread destruction was revealed, and a UN commission concluded that war crimes had been committed against the civilian population life is returning to the town on Kyiv’s outskirts and nearby Irpin "They were flying by helicopter from the direction of the cargo airport in Hostomel [north of Bucha]. Then they marched with tanks along Vokzalna Street, crossed the railway and moved in the direction of Kyiv," said Mykhaylina Skoryk-Shkarivska, founder of the Institute for Sustainable Development of Communities in Bucha and deputy of the Irpin City Council recalling the first days of the full-scale Russian invasion The occupation by Russian troops lasted almost a month and when the city was liberated on 31 March 2022 torture and other crimes committed by the Russian military as well as widespread destruction was revealed said that it was hard for him to think about what the population of Bucha had to go through: "You hear about soldiers coming to your village or your town you see them start killing people in the streets The report of the UN Monitoring Mission in Ukraine refers to documented killings of local residents often carried out summary executions at checkpoints; a text message on a phone an item of military uniform or a certificate of military service in the past could lead to fatal consequences.  In September 2022, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, spoke to the members of the UN Security Council about the consequences of the occupation where I saw bodies hidden behind a building As I walked through the streets of Borodyanka This is real destruction; I saw it," he said at the time It has been estimated that thousands of buildings in Bucha were damaged and more than 100 were completely destroyed.  The UN has worked closely with the local authorities to ensure the city could come back to life as quickly as possible everything was destroyed during the occupation it has been almost completely rebuilt,” said Ms "All the damaged apartment buildings are being repaired in a comprehensive manner: the roofs are completely replaced so that the building will retain heat better It is hard to imagine that two years ago there was a convoy of heavy Russian military equipment here and most of the houses were smashed or burned,” she said "Sometimes I hear discussions about whether it is necessary to rebuild,” she continued the Kyiv region is not under such massive Russian fire as People are coming back; they need to live and work There is nothing for many citizens to do there The rehabilitation of the housing stock is being supported and financed by international partners, including UN agencies, which are also engaged in clearing rubble and demining in the Kyiv region, particularly in Bucha. A school in Irpin, that was at the centre of fierce fighting in 2022, has now been completely restored by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and is today one of the most modern educational institutions in the city with a well-equipped shelter and an inclusive space.  "As soon as Bucha and Irpin in the Kyiv region returned to government control UNICEF began rehabilitation initiatives and providing comprehensive support,” explained Munir Mammadzadeh More than 5,000 children in Bucha and Irpin are studying in rebuilt schools which was 70 per cent destroyed and whose restoration was funded by the European Union this school is fully operational and provides 1,700 students including children of internally displaced people the war has taken away two years of school time to play with friends and the opportunity to communicate with loved ones," he added It has had a devastating impact on their mental health who are now trained to provide psychosocial and psychological assistance to children are better able to support them during such a difficult period."  Donate Irpin Dam is located near the village of Kozarovychi, 30 km north of central Kyiv. The dam was built at the point where the River Irpin meets the River Dnipro, which was impounded forming the Kyiv Reservoir. As the level of the Kyiv Reservoir is three metres higher than the Irpin, the dam was built to reclaim the Irpin’s floodplain allowing water to be pumped from the Irpin into the reservoir The floodplain saw intense battles in the early weeks of the invasion as forces sought to reach Kyiv from the northwest The River Irpin provided a natural obstacle in the path to the city and the destruction of the dam offers insights into the use of the environment as an instrument of war and of the role environmental risks play in military decision making a small explosion was used to introduce a steady outflow of floodwater from the reservoir left the Irpin shallow enough for military crossings by the village of Moschun Pontoon bridges had been emplaced across the Irpin near Moschun one pontoon bridge remained but onwards military movement towards Kyiv appeared likely paired with the fact that the initial explosion reduced water pressure prompted a reassessment and a larger explosion was carried out to destroy the dam entirely The floodwaters prevented further crossings contributing to preventing the capture of Kyiv The Irpin valley was left littered with military materiel, particularly from failed river crossings. At least 12 tanks, four heavy vehicles and multiple pontoon segments could be seen in drone footage together with intense cratering; the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance was likely Some of the most intense fighting took place in the urban areas in the basin: Hostomel In early 2024 it was announced that the dam would be rebuilt with help from South Korea in order to protect communities from flooding Pollutants mobilised by the flooding in settlements included sewage from household latrines construction materials from building sites paints from a metal shop and heavy metals from electrical infrastructure including vulnerable species such as the red-footed falcon and lesser white-fronted goose Local conservationists had long advocated for a planned rewetting of the valley to improve biodiversity whilst the habitat for species that prefer flowing water is now reduced Ecological monitoring will be needed to track how the habitat is changing In the days after it was destroyed, uncertainty was rife over who had caused the damage to the dam, with the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s office stating that the pumping station was destroyed ‘as a result of aggression of the Russian Federation’ Ukraine conflict environmental briefing: water | CEOBS and Zoï Environment Network Return to the country map here © 2025 Conflict and Environment Observatory | Charity No: 1174115 | Design by Open & Honest The company Expolight has created a memorial installation titled "Road of Life" at the site of the destroyed Romanyiv Bridge in Irpin This installation symbolizes the healing process following the tragedy that occurred in the early days of the Russian invasion The light effects highlight red threads that represent the healing of wounds and connect parts of the bridge reminding us of the steadfast spirit of the Ukrainian nation The project is part of the "Kyiv Region which preserves the history of spring 2022 We tell you something.Sign up for the newsletter now you are directly in contact with us.Get the weekly SPARTANAT newsletter Your bonus: the free E-Book from SPARTANAT With your registration, you confirm that you have read the privacy policy BRITISH ARMY REVIEW online SPARTANAT is the online magazine for Military News, Tactical Life, Gear & Reviews. 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Send us your news: [email protected] The first house in Ukraine built with the help of a 3D printer was constructed in Irpin, as reported by the Mayor of Irpin The house was given to the family of the fallen soldier Yaroslav Berezov The house where his family lived was destroyed by two Russian missiles at the beginning of the full-scale invasion The 3D-printed house was erected on the same site where the Berezov family lived before the war and household appliances participated in the construction Markushyn noted that over a hundred benefactors contributed to the project The walls of the house were printed in 58 machine hours The construction used 72 tons of a special fast-setting cement-sand mixture The printer simultaneously prints the interior and exterior One room in the house has a security function The cavity in the wall is filled with monolithic concrete The window in the room has a unique mounting system The printer for this construction was provided by the Ukrainian company 3D UTU as part of the charitable project "United for Help." The team can print approximately 190 houses using ten printers per year although future plans have not yet been disclosed 3D UTU is a Ukrainian company that invented the first domestic construction 3D printer It is easy to move around the construction site due to its light weight and the process of folding/unfolding the device takes up to three hours The Ukrainian project 360war.in.ua created 360 ° panoramic photos from liberated cities of Kyiv region - Bucha these cities of the Kyiv agglomeration were subjected to massive air strikes and atrocities of occupation civilians shot in evacuation vehicles from Irpin the most destroyed city of Kyiv region Borodianka flew around the world The project allows everyone to see in 3D the appearance of deoccupied cities that bravely defended Kyiv at the cost of destroyed homes and lost lives footage of the ruins of the Mriya aircraft the largest and most powerful cargo ship destroyed as a result of a Russian airstrike on Hostomel You can also see the hangar and the surrounding airfield where attempts were made to land Russian troops in the early days of the war The city was subjected to daily artillery fire in residential areas its destruction is often equated to Mariupol In addition to high-quality panoramic shots by photographer Dmytro Malyshev a brief description of each city's tragic events since the start of the war is also provided 6. Visit Ukraine Donate to projekt charytatywny, który organizuje zbiórki pieniędzy w celu wsparcia Ukraińców i potrzeb wojska. Każdy może przekazać dowolną kwotę w wygodny sposób z dowolnego miejsca na świecie. Razem przybliżmy zwycięstwo! 25% dochodu ze sprzedaży przekazujemy na Siły Zbrojne i pomoc dla ukraińskich uchodźców. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Oksana Lyul’ka collects broken glass in her war-damaged apartment in Irpin, Ukraine, on Monday, April 11, 2022. Heartened by Russia’s withdrawal from the capital region, some residents have been coming to what’s left of home. (AP Photo/Cara Anna) A child’s breakfast sits abandoned for weeks in a war-damaged apartment in Irpin, Ukraine, on Monday, April 11, 2022. Heartened by Russia’s withdrawal from the capital region, some residents have been coming to what’s left of home. (AP Photo/Cara Anna) A stuffed toy lies abandoned amid broken glass in a war-damaged apartment in Irpin, Ukraine, on Monday, April 11, 2022. Heartened by Russia’s withdrawal from the capital region, some residents have been coming to what’s left of home. (AP Photo/Cara Anna) A bullet-marked windshield is seen amid cars abandoned by residents who fled the war in Irpin, Ukraine, on Monday, April 11, 2022. Heartened by Russia’s withdrawal from the capital region, some residents have been coming to what’s left of home. (AP Photo/Cara Anna) Broken glass is seen at a war-damaged apartment in Irpin, Ukraine, on Monday, April 11, 2022. Heartened by Russia’s withdrawal from the capital region, some residents have been coming to what’s left of home. (AP Photo/Cara Anna) IRPIN, Ukraine (AP) — Pounding sounds came from a sixth-floor window, along with the risk of falling glass. For once, it was not destruction in the Ukrainian town of Irpin, but rebuilding. Heartened by Russia’s withdrawal from the capital region, residents have begun coming home, at least to what’s left. Irpin just weeks ago saw desperate scenes of flight. Terrified residents picked their way across slippery planks of a makeshift bridge after a concrete span was destroyed by Ukrainian forces to slow the Russian advance. But on Monday, a long line of cars waited to cross a recently improvised bridge allowing access between the town and the capital, Kyiv. The early returnees are among the 7 million Ukrainians displaced inside their country by the war. They are crossing paths with the elderly and others who waited out Russia’s assault in cold, damp basements, numbed by the sounds of shelling, and who have emerged into a landscape of ruined tanks and splintered homes. In colorful Irpin apartment blocks where cafes and salons are still silent, the first signs of life stir amid the shattered glass and scorched walls. It feels like a turning point, even as police officers with flashlights continue to walk through near-empty buildings, looking for bodies and mines. The Russians left messages in some apartments, according to photos posted in one building’s social media group and shared with The Associated Press. “Hello from the Russians,” read one taunting note written on a piece of paper. “We didn’t want to, you started the war yourself. Sorry if something is wrong :)” Another message, left in a child’s bedroom, said, “I fed your fish, princess.” The fish are still alive. Tenant chat groups now full of questions for Irpin’s returnees about the state of their homes. Upstairs and down a darkened hallway, Olexiy Planida, 34, worked to place a sheet of plastic over a large window facing a damaged playground. This was his first time home since he fled with his wife, two small children and their dog. The remains of breakfast, including a half-eaten bowl on a high chair, were where they left them. Nearby, pots of flowers had wilted. A stuffed toy lay amid broken glass. “It hurts,” Planida said. The Russians broke open all the apartment doors and took a laptop, iPad and jewelry, he said. He’s sure it was the Russians because local thieves pick the locks instead. “I think for a couple of years it can’t be fixed,” Planida said of Irpin’s homes, many of which have suffered similar damage or worse. He hopes his children, ages 2 and 4, will never see their home the way it is now. He hopes they’ll never remember the war itself, which he and his wife have tried to explain in the gentlest of terms. “We’re just talking to them like, ‘Hey, some bad guys came to us,’” he said. “They shouldn’t see such things.” Even he was shocked by the ruins in parts of Irpin and in Bucha nearby. Down the hallway, Oksana Lyul’ka cleared the broken glass from her living room floor, using work gloves to carry pieces as large as dinner plates. Just months ago the 28-year-old had returned to Ukraine from Cyprus to start a new life closer to home, and she renovated the apartment. Now the structural damage alone is a concern, along with her missing jewelry. She had arrived at the apartment an hour earlier. Downstairs, she cried. She fled Irpin on the second day of the war and moved in with her parents. Now she is based in Kyiv, not so far away. “We can’t make plans for now,” she said. “Our plan is to win the war, and then we will decide what to do with the apartment. It’s not that important now.” Because the Russians remain in Ukraine they complicate any real recovery, she said. “We all feel pain and it’s hard and it’s terrible, but people are suffering, people are dying, and this is the main problem.” Near the slowly reviving bridge linking Irpin to the capital, dozens of cars abandoned by fleeing residents were being placed in rows. Some were burned. Some were smashed. Some vehicles had the remnants of their owners’ last seconds before giving up and going on foot: a coffee thermos. Face masks. Glove compartments left open, documents scattered. People have started showing up at the lot to look for what they left behind. Not all find it. One man sat on the curb, holding two photographs, and wept. His brother was gone. David Keyton in Stockholm, Sweden contributed. Olena and Natalia are two women from the town of Irpin, Ukraine, who have hit the road to help their community recover from the unseen wounds of the war - especially gender-based violence.  The people of the town had endured weeks of horror when Irpin became a battlefield after the escalation of the war in February 2022. Russia’s invasion left a path of destruction in the town, and the community is still trying to recoup. They regularly visit schools and community centres with a group of mobile teams to create awareness about the abuse to address its root causes and inform people of their options for support. And they also assist survivors.  The teams are backed by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), with funding from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund and other donors. UN agencies are working together with local partners and authorities to meet the growing needs and count on donors’ support to be able to continue their work. You don't have permission to access the page you requested. What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed. Kyiv repelled Russian forces by opening a Soviet-era dam on the Irpin River. Now, ecologists hope Ukraine’s newest wetlands can survive, or even thrive, after the war This article is more than 2 years oldUkraine’s ‘hero river’ helped save Kyiv. But what now for its newly restored wetlands?This article is more than 2 years oldBefore and after: how the destruction of the Irpin dam changed the landscapeKyiv repelled Russian forces by opening a Soviet-era dam on the Irpin River. Now, ecologists hope Ukraine’s newest wetlands can survive, or even thrive, after the war framed by tree branches amputated by tank shells and mortar fire the sky is reflecting brilliantly on the shimmering flood waters After negotiating more than a dozen army checkpoints within the thick forests of Kyiv’s outer boundary we have reached the flooded village of Demydiv on the Irpin River and the long-lost wetland basin which has returned after the dam was opened by Ukrainian troops defending the capital from Russian army units The newly restored wetland basin in Demydiv The breaching of the Irpin dam at the end of February held back the Russian soldiers and tanks and reflooded 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres) of wetlands that were drained by the Soviets in the 1960s the floodplain was due to be become the foundations of a massive new housing development But with the waters possibly back for good the future of the fragile ecology – and that of local communities – is uncertain Local ecologist Volodymyr Boreyko is calling for the Irpin River to be given the title of “Hero River”, and for Ukraine to follow the precedent set by Ecuador in 2008, when it became the first country in the world to recognise the rights of nature in its constitution “I think the Irpin River should be awarded the title of ‘Hero River’ and be given strong environmental protections in tandem with the UAF [Ukrainian armed forces] and territorial defence forces played one of the most important roles in the defence of our capital for the last 1,000 years,” says Boreyko The damaged Irpin dam and the flooded landscape around the village of Demydiv although the waters are gradually receding The large construction projects previously approved for the Irpin floodplain should be cancelled The battle for Kyiv wasn’t the only time the Irpin has saved the city and Kyiv would be left vulnerable to attack in the future the Irpin River repeatedly protected Kyiv from the north and north-west from the attacks of the Polovtsians and Pechenegs “If Putin had attacked in a year or two from now the river Irpin would not have been able to defend the capital because its entire floodplain would have been cemented over and the river itself would be hidden in a collector and be no obstacle whatsoever to enemy tanks.” The aftermath of the war in the town of Hostomel which was occupied by Russian forces unable to push forwards due to the floods Before Soviet occupation, says Bohdan Prots of the National Museum of Natural History and CEO of the Danube-Carpathian Programme the Irpin floodplain was a biodiversity hotspot swamps and marshes that thrived along riverbanks of thick reed beds and dunes of golden sand as well as now-missing wetland bird species and birds of prey The remnants of a rocket in an agricultural field near Hostomel Soviet dams on the Irpin and Dnipro had a catastrophic impact on the ecosystems of the Irpin and its many tributaries that once thrived here Many housing developments were built on the old floodplain putting further pressure on the dying river ecosystem Just because the water has returned it doesn’t mean we are looking at a new wetland rich in biodiversityBohdan Prots“Wetlands can’t be restored just like that,” says Prots “They [the Soviets] created huge environmental problems by damming and adding locks to the Irpin which over the years steadily reduced the volume and flow velocity of water which encouraged excessive algae that in turn reduced water oxygenation to the point where big fish could no longer breathe “Just because the water has returned it doesn’t mean we are looking at a new wetland rich in biodiversity The ecology has been very badly degraded over many It would need many years for ecological improvements to be observed,” he adds it will take years for biodiversity to be restored The sudden re-flooding of the old Kyiv-Irpin wetlands which was also used as a first defence by Ukrainians defending Kyiv against the Germans in 1941 is very unlikely to have the kind of ecological benefits a carefully managed rewilding project would produce “War doesn’t do rewilding – there was no research It might have helped us defend our capital but before long there will be pressure to redrain this area Can you imagine how many trillions of mosquitoes will be here this summer?” Clockwise from top left: the flooded village of Demydiv was mainly swamp and marshland until dams were built in the Soviet era; water is pumped from Demydiv village; the village of Rakivka is still without power; local municipal workers remove containers Prots says he thinks the local government will come under pressure to rebuild the Irpin dam But while the war is still raging and the Kyiv region still littered with mines it could be some time before any attempt could begin “I think there’s a good chance it [the dam] will be rebuilt eventually but right now all our energies and thoughts are on defeating the invaders because this is an existential issue for us Until it is resolved and the Russians are kicked out of our lands A black-headed gull searches for food on deadwood beside the Dnipro River “Hypothetically speaking, it might become a very good spawning ground for fish that have dramatically declined here over the last decades, and also become an important breeding ground for many species of rare wetland birds,” he says. A flooded area near Kozarovychi town, north of Kyiv But, says Vasilyuk, the return of the water could pose as many problems as opportunities. “The local ecosystem of the Irpin River basin was in a bad way before the dam burst,” he says. “And now, a lot of Russian tanks and military equipment are underwater here. The mixing of chemicals and oils from fuel tanks with pollution from inundated landfills is a big threat,” he says. many parts of the land were sprayed with pesticides and fertilisers so there are many threats for humans and wildlife that should be resolved.” Vasilyuk remains optimistic that solutions can be found and that Kyiv’s ancient wetlands may be back for good “While the soldiers of the Ukrainian armed forces are fighting to stop the genocide of the Ukrainian people we think that the environmental front should take care to prevent ecocide,” says Vasilyuk “This is possibly the most precious and important wetland in Ukraine not because of its fragile or unique biodiversity the battle for Kyiv might have had a very different outcome.” A bird of prey flies over the Irpin River floodplain Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on Twitter for all the latest news and features This article was amended on 11 May 2022 to correct Bohdan Prots’s title. He is no longer director of the Centre for Environmental Studies and Nature Conservation. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker 7:04 PM EESTThe Minister of Defence of Ukraine visited the Irpin Military Hospital where he spoke to service members undergoing rehabilitation after sustaining severe wounds in the fight against russian aggression Rustem Umerov listened to the defenders' suggestions and remarks concerning support and rehabilitation issues He instructed his deputy to promptly address all the problems raised The Minister of Defence presented ministerial awards to the wounded service members for their heroism and unyielding spirit expressing profound gratitude for their dedication to defending Ukraine “I sincerely thank you for your self-sacrifice in the fight against the russian aggressor supporting our defenders and providing them with everything they need,” Rustem Umerov emphasized The minister also specifically praised the efforts of the hospital's medical staff who daily assist wounded defenders in overcoming the challenging path to recovery The medical staff also received ministerial awards for their exceptional professionalism and dedication to their work BETAThe functionality works in the mode of experimental operation