Imagine the situation: a man, a veteran, returned from the war. He is trying to gradually adapt to the realities of civilian life after the hell he has been through. And so one evening the veteran sat down to play a computer game. His son is playing calmly next to him. And so the boy decided to play a joke with his father: he crept up behind him and closed his eyes with his little hands… The man quickly grabbed hold and turned sharply towards the probable “danger”, ready to fight back. A second of analyzing the situation, and the veteran tightly hugs his frightened son. He is no longer at war.
What are the stories of veteran Ilya Shpolyansky about
This and other stories are told by ATO/JFO veteran, serviceman Ilya Shpolianskyi. Some of the stories are from his own experience, some are from the stories of other veterans. Ilya is a member of the NGO “Association of ATO Participants and Disabled Persons” in the city of Mykolaiv, working to ensure that veterans and their children learn to understand each other in the new reality. The team implements the project “My dad returned from the war” within the framework of the “VARTO+NGO” competition from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. This is a comic book that will help explain to children how to deal with parents who have returned from the war, how to support and understand them.
The idea of the project arose in Ilya Shpolyansky 5 years ago. The veteran is a father of 3 children and knows from his own experience what it is like to adapt to civilian life. Together with his brothers, Ilya defended the country in 2014-2015. And upon his return, he became one of the founders of the NGO “Association of ATO Participants and Disabled Persons”. The non-governmental organization implemented many projects, and after the full-scale invasion of the Russians, Ilya and other members of the organization returned to the army. Currently, Ilya is the commander of the combined detachment of the “Angry Birds” attack UAVs.
During the full-scale invasion phase of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the idea of helping children better understand their parents returning from the front became even more urgent. Therefore, the team of the public organization undertook its implementation. The Ukrainian Veterans Fund helped in this.
“I thought, it is necessary to explain to the veteran’s child in an understandable language: what happened to me at the front? Why am I not like everyone else? How should we continue to live together? So, at the moment, we are producing a comic book “My dad came back from the war”, with a publishing run of 1,500 copies. Leading psychologists of Ukraine work in the team. We approach every issue in the project in great detail. We discuss every frame, every picture so that, God forbid, we do not harm children or their parents. Because this is a difficult topic. We approach it from different sides. What does it look like through the eyes of a veteran? And through the eyes of a child, a wife?”, the author of the idea says.
Why comics are effective for children
The head of the project, Ksenia Davchenko, is sure that comics are the most effective way to explain complex things to a child in simple words.
“Literature does not allow visualization, and cinema greatly limits our imagination, sets certain images. Children are interested in comics because not everything is depicted, something remains “out of the frame” – it is intriguing. The artist seems to be clinging to a thread and unwinding a tangle of images in the imagination of young readers. Easily and unobtrusively, as if playfully giving answers to difficult questions. And you don’t notice how you become the Hero of the comic!”, Ksenia says.
Ilya adds that all the events in the comic are realistic, so that not only the child, but also his father, a veteran, or his mother, a veteran’s wife, believe in them.
“So that it doesn’t turn out that the child brings it to dad and says: “Look, what a comic.” And dad will answer: “It’s not like that at all. Everything is not like that at the frontline.” This will definitely not happen. After all, this is a project created by veterans for veterans and their families. We understand what we are talking about,” Ilya Shpolianskyi explains passionately.
Who is the main character of the comic?
The main character of the comic, Patron the cat, will help to talk about such a complex topic.Yes, you are not mistaken, it is a cat.
“This is not a plagiarism of a well-known, beautiful dog. Patron is my real cat. – the veteran says with a smile. – He went through combat operations in Donetsk region with me and I brought him home. He lived with us for a long time, but Patron is very free-spirited and ran away to live on the street. And now the hero of the comic Patron explains to the children what is happening with their father. Explains that dad isn’t bad, he’s just different. Because dad is a hero”.
Families of veterans will be able to get a comic free of charge by filling out an application. The team of the public organization is confident that the project will help in communication of veterans families.
The project provides a number of tasks for the child to complete after reading the comic, and as a result (in case of successful completion of the quest) they will receive a gift from the project team.
Next, the NGO plans to create a comic book: “My mother returned from the war”, because tens of thousands of women serve in our army.
“This comic will be popular both in the USA and in Israel. I’m just sure of this, because these are also countries of veterans and these problems in families are relevant for them as well,” says Ilya.
Lawyers of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation have prepared several tips for those participants in hostilities who are car owners and what benefits they can use.
Who is exempt from compulsory insurance
Each car owner must issue a “civil liability insurance”. However, the following groups are exempted from compulsory civil liability insurance on the territory of Ukraine:
participants in hostilities
victims of the Revolution of Dignity
persons with disabilities as a result of war
persons with disabilities of the I group who can personally drive their own vehicles
persons driving a vehicle belonging to a person with a disability of group I, in his presence
Vehicles owned by them are cars that privileged categories of persons own not only on the basis of ownership, but also on any other legal basis:
contract
lease etc
To confirm the right to a benefit, you must have:
certificate of a participant in hostilities
documents confirming the right to own or use a car
Power of attorney for driving a car is not suitable for exemption from obligatory car insurance. This document does not confirm that a person is the legal owner of a vehicle.
This benefit is personalized. If a car belonging to a person with the status of a participant in hostilities will be driven by a person without such status, then it is necessary to have car insurance. Otherwise, the Patrol Police officers will have the right to issue a fine, and the payment of damages to the victims will be made at the expense of such a driver.
How to receive legal advice from the UVF
Need advice on using benefits for combatants? Contact the lawyers of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. Leave an application at the link, it’s free: https://cutt.ly/s9Asnpo
Requests for assistance can be submitted daily and around the clock. Consultations are provided daily, free of charge, on working days from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The project is implemented jointly with the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission – NAKO – an organization that works to reduce the level of corruption in areas important for the national security of Ukraine and with the support of the Office of the United Kingdom Special Defense Advisor: Ukraine.
“There were times when we had to tame not fear, but excessive fighting enthusiasm…” – the commander of a reconnaissance platoon of the Territorial Defense Forces shares about his service.
Oleksiy commands a reconnaissance platoon of one of the battalions of the Territorial Defense Forces which is currently defending Bakhmut. AAt the beginning of the year, he was awarded the “Steel Cross” – an honorary singn from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – for completing combat missions. And he is also a recent graduate of the training program for commanders called “Captains’ Training”.
Oleksiy comes from a small town in Sumy Oblast. Studied at the Kharkiv Aviation Institute, graduated from the military department. Later he moved to Kyiv, where he worked in the aviation industry. This was before the full-scale invasion of Russia.
On February 25, he joined the ranks of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. “I was immediately enrolled in scouts. True, at first my platoon in the Kyiv region performed the functions of a kind of “quick reaction group”. At that time, a lot of the work of finding and countering the DRG was entrusted to the Terrodefense Forces. And in particular on our unit,” he says.
After the Kyiv region, the unit was moved to the Kharkiv region, where they performed reconnaissance work on the entire section of the front held by their battalion. They were engaged in aerial reconnaissance, adjusted artillery fire. “It was possible to destroy enemy formations, equipment, and manpower. hen, after a short recovery, we went to Donetsk region, where we are still fighting with our boys.”
In the summer of 2022, Oleksiy assumed the position of commander of the reconnaissance platoon. For the project “Those who multiply strength” from shared his experience.
Not only artillery and drones
Modern warfare is primarily a war of artillery and drones, but it all depends very much on the area of operations. When we were in Kharkiv Oblast, it was true that mostly artillery aviation, counter-battery, etc. everything was there.
Here, in Donetsk region, in the suburbs of Bakhmut, the situation is somewhat different. In addition to what is usual for us, artillery, mortars and aviation are working (and much more widely and intensively than in Kharkiv region), and subversive groups of Wagnerites are also very active, approaching us at very short distances.
For example, during one of the last battles, the distance between us and the enemy was only 17 meters. This is the distance when the facial expression and emotions of the enemy soldier are clearly visible. And in general, the distance between positions here is, on average, 30-40 meters. You can literally fight with grenades, throwing them at each other.
A scout must be able to do everything
The reconnaissance platoon combines the best of what the fighters of other units are capable of. Scouts are “specialists of a wide profile” who are well versed not only in traditional shooting skills, but also know how to “oper” a drone, mine, demine and much, much more.
We shoot much less than others. It is said that when a scout shoots, it means that the mission has failed and he has “burned out”. However, I understand the feelings of my boys, who also want the usual fighting courage. Therefore, sometimes I allow them to work together with rifle units.
I manage great people. In civilian life, these people held important positions, were fully realized and stood firmly on their feet. And here, in the war, their intelligence and zeal were very useful.
Platoon is like a family
My unit has gone through its own path of improvement. Now there are not and cannot be random people. Those who were alien to our values have long since weeded out. Now this is a strong team of people who have already been “shot at”, who have overcome many difficulties together, survived combat clashes together, and each of them has shown their character and their resilience.
We never once had to overcome panic or uncontrollable fear. On the contrary: there were cases when it was not fear that had to be curbed, but excessive fighting enthusiasm.
My unit is highly motivated. I don’t need to invent any emotional incentives for them. There is one thing that everyone understands: this war must end with our victory. Only then can we return home. And to his previous life.
Behind the scenes of our department, as much as possible, there is an atmosphere of humor and mutual jokes. Such things unite.
Both I and the master sergeant try to constantly remind that we are not just a unit, but a family that has already been through a lot as a group. Although, to be honest, there is no need to remind. Everyone knows and remembers this very well. We don’t have a so-called “army order”. It just cannot be. I started serving with these guys before I was even their commander. We are not just a division. We are a community with the same values. And not only in the army, but also outside it.
The worst thing that can happen to a commander is the death of one of his soldiers. When I have to call his relatives later… That’s why I do everything to minimize the risks to my boys’ lives. So far it works. We are alive and at the same time doing our work efficiently.
Before leaving Kyiv, I promised them and their families that we would all return home. Therefore, I do everything to keep my word.
Captains’ Training
He recently graduated from “Captains’ Training” — a unique course of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for company commanders, platoon commanders and battalion staff officers. Studied battle planning procedures according to the standards of NATO countries, taking into account the experience of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The instructors are combat officers who have been trained abroad.
It was under Bakhmut when I realized the true value of the knowledge I received, and I began to look at some things differently. Starting from organizational points and ending with protocols that are guided by the commander when executing a combat order. Sometimes I jokingly say that Captain’s Training is the best thing that happened to me in the whole war.
“Those who empower” is a project of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which tells about the combat commanders and military leaders who proved their professionalism while repelling the Russian invasion. High-quality and capable military leadership is our powerful weapon capable of deterring and defeating our enemy.
The Ukrainian Veterans Fund will return up to 20 thousand hryvnias for the purchase of equipment for the sewing business.
How does it work?
You don’t need to collect a lot of documents, go through a competition and wait a long time for a decision. We explain step by step:
you have to fill out the application on the website using the link;
purchase a product that corresponds to the KVEDs of your business (FOP)
attach copies of documents (passport + residence permit, statement or extract from the Unified State Registry about the FOP, a receipt for a purchase you made after February 24)
you will receive funds within 10 days after the application was approved
Under this program, we have already helped 185 businesses of veterans and their families. And we are ready to support even more.
Use this opportunity and share with those who may benefit from it. The program is valid until the end of martial law.
Photo by Elle. Stanislav Bitus sews a military uniform from TM “Veteranka”. These are the winners of our competition program #Varto.
We are often asked about one-time financial assistance to military personnel with disabilities as a results of war and injuries. Our lawyers have prepared answers to the most common questions.
Which document regulates the receipt of one-time assistance (OFA)?
CMU Resolution No. 97 of 12/25/2013.
From what moment do I get the right to recieve OFA?
The date is noted by the medical and social expert commission in case of disability.
From what does the size of the OFA depend?
From the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons and other factors:
disability group
what caused the disability: injury or military service
the status of a military serviceman
Where can I find out the specific dimensions of the OFA?
In Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 97 dated 25.12.2013 (clauses 6-7).
Who should I contact to get an OFA?
The Commission of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for consideration of issues related to the appointment and payment of one-time financial assistance and other compensations.
What documents you should submit?
application for the payment of a one-time financial assistance in connection with disability or partial loss of working capacity without establishment of disability status.
a certified copy of the reference to the MSEС (Medical and social expert commission) review report on the establishment of the disability group or the percentage of the loss of working capacity with an indication of the causal relationship of the disability or loss of working capacity
Attach copies to the application:
resolutions of the relevant Military Medical Commission (VLK) on establishing the cause of an injury (contusion, trauma or mutilation), or disease
a document testifying to the causes and circumstances of the injury (contusion, trauma or mutilation), in particular, that it is not related to the person committing a criminal or administrative offense or is not a consequence of his actions while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other toxic substances, or intentional self-inflicted injury
passport
registration confirmation of the taxpayer’s account card number
Do you need advice on obtaining an OFA? Contact the lawyers of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. Leave an application using the link, it’s free.
Requests for assistance can be submitted daily and around the clock. Consultations are provided daily on working days from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The project is implemented jointly with the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission – NAKO – an organization that works to reduce the level of corruption in areas important for the national security of Ukraine and with the support of the Office of the United Kingdom Special Defense Advisor: Ukraine.
…It’s the beginning of the 2000s. A small village in the Dnipropetrovsk region. A 13-year-old boy eagerly watched the new episode of his favorite sports TV show “Heroic Games”, the boy went outside and ran. After a decent distance, he pulled himself up several times on the horizontal bar on his parents’ backyard. Then he did push-ups from the ground.
In the end, he went to a homemade barbell made of pipe and wooden stumps and did a few bench presses. After the rain, the logs got wet and became heavier, but the young man was happy: more mass means more excitement. The boy was sweating profusely, and he was pleased with himself – he was preparing to enter the military college.
In a few years, he will become a young paratrooper officer, he will plan to go on a peacekeeping mission to Africa, where he will serve eight months as a peacekeeper. Then enemy Russian troops will invade his native country. He will receive a serious injury, but after that his spirit and body did not weaken.
This is a story of Viktor Legkodukh. In 2014, he was an officer of the 25th separate airborne brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the battles with the Russians in August 2014, he was seriously wounded – since then, due to damage to the spinal cord, he moves around in a wheelchair. And in the gym, he also works out on a wheelchair.
Victor is a Warrior Games and Invictus Games medalist. He won gold, silver, and bronze. Now he is a candidate for master of sports, plans to become a master of sports of international class. And also – he is writing a dissertation on a topic related to Russian aggression.
This lieutenant colonel of the Armed Forces shows by his own example that the symbiosis of strength and intelligence in an officer’s body is about the image of the Armed Forces, state security and national stability.
The following is the story of a stubborn man, professional officer Viktor Legkodukh, for whom his passion for sports during the teenage years grew into something more important. Sport led him to the army, sport helped him during rehabilitation, sport gets him through life.
Military Academy: they did not us prepare for war, everyone wanted be on a peacekeeping mission
Viktor entered the military college in 2009.
I chose the faculty of aeromobile troops and intelligence and consciously planned it since the 9th grade – I ran a lot, worked out.
“At the entrance exams, I had a 3 km run, did pull-ups and a 100-meter run. I passed everything. Although I don’t see the point of running 100 meters, 20 kilometers is easy, but 100-meter run is not interesting” he says, laughing.
He says that he got hooked on sports since he was 13 years old.
“I really liked watching “Heroic Games”, bodybuilding competitions TV show. There were no sections or sports halls in the village. I come from a very small village, but I wanted to be athletic and look fit. It all started with running. Then – push-ups. Later, at home, he made a horizontal bar and bars, a primitive barbell from a pipe and two tree stumps. When they got wet, they became heavier. Later, I already bought dumbbells,” he recalls his youth.
The future paratroopers at the academy were hardened and trained to a great extent, and the combat training was up to par. There were also plenty practice.
“It seems that our faculty did not shoot only from tanks and artillery. Of all the other weapons, we had shooting practice, and quite often. At every meeting at the training ground, we had themed competitions – a 10- or 20-kilometer run, orienteering, etc. For example, we were driven blindfolded around the landfill, scattered through the forest, and had to reach a certain point with the help of a compass and a map. Combat training was up to par. And it showed its results – in 2014, only airborne and airmobile units were trully combat-capable,” Victor emphasizes.
During the four years of studying at the military college, Legkoduh jumped with a parachute 38 times – although, according to the program, there should have been 28.
I ask whether young officers were prepared for any war, with any enemy.
“You want a fair answer? No. Back then, when I was studying, the main goals were what? We studied, received the rank of officer, served – and went on rotation. To Africa, for example. Everyone had plans to go on a peacekeeping mission, and if it’s for a year, that’s great. Plus, decent money could be earned, and that’s normal – we live in a material world. No one considered the option that Moscow would fight with us. But I definitely remember how one teacher told us: “I feel that your graduation will end up hard,” recalls Legkoduh.
The knowledge gained at the military college came in handy for the young 21-year-old corporal.
“I had people from 19 to 46 years old in my unit. Some of them had children older than me. Therefore, you need to be someone and know something to earn authority. Much depended on personal skills, abilities, psychology. I knew that sports also help in this. Because when you show the staff what you can do, your authority rises quite a bit. Here is an example: I personally checked the fitness of all those who came for a contract in the platoon, ran with them. When the exam was passed, none of the soldiers could outrun me at a distance of 3 km. Strength exercises, endurance exercises – the same. They saw it – and I immediately gained authority,” he recalls one of the many cases when authority and sports as interconnected things helped to communicate with subordinates.
“Peacefully” Viktor served for only eight months. And already on March 1, 2014, the military unit left for Crimea.
“But we did not reach the peninsula. The task was changed on the way, and we stopped in Melitopol in the transport aviation brigade,” he says.
Rehabilitation: “You feel alive again when you pull that weight”
Next was the East. Paratroopers fought tough battles as one of the most combat-ready units of the Armed Forces. At the end of August 2014, while performing a reconnaissance mission, Viktor was injured – the spinal cord was damaged.
Sports certainly helped a lot during treatment and rehabilitation.
“At first, I started doing push-ups while standing on my knees. Then they put 20 kg on my back, then 40, then 60. When the head of the department came into my room and saw this picture, he was shocked. Later, I asked my rehabilitator, Maryana Gordynska, for some serious iron, because the small dumbbells that were in the hospital no longer suited me. The following week, a barbell was brought to the hospital. 180 kg (laughs – ed.). It was for me. What are the feelings of working with metal for the first time after the injury?… You feel that you are alive again – when you pull that weight.”
In 2019, after rehabilitation in the USA, Viktor returned to service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“I planned to renew even before the rehabilitation, but then the appropriate legislative framework was not adopted. But the guys and I managed to pass a law in 2018, according to which servicemen with disabilities could stay or be renewed in the service. They were already waiting for me at the academy. Why did I return to the army? You see, a military man should be a careerist. A military man should not say: “I would serve in this position as a captain until retirement.” What the hell, then that’s all?”, the officer asks.
– That is, now you are a lieutenant colonel, and you have ambitions to get the rank of general?
– General – I don’t know, because I haven’t seen generals on carts yet. Of course, anything can happen (laughs – ed.). But the colonel – for sure.
After his return to the service, Viktor began to teach at the department of fire training at the Hetman Petro Sahaidachny National Army Academy. At the same time, he was preparing for veteran sports competitions, and of course, he trained a lot.
His name is known not only in Ukraine, but also far beyond its borders.
So, only in 2022, the officer won seven medals (four gold, two silver and one bronze) at the Warrior Games in the USA. He became one of the best participants in the competition. Viktor also won gold and silver awards at this year’s Invictus Games in The Hague.
Now Victor trains at least three times a week for at least one and a half hours. Favorite exercise – bench press. Working weight – 100 kg, pulls 125 kg at a time. Can’t do without sports nutrition.
“I don’t use protein because it doesn’t work for me anymore (laughs – ed.). Amino acids are a must. They are necessary for recovery, given the loads I do. Moreover, after you have left at least 50 percent of your health there, sports supplements are really necessary.” Now Viktor is a candidate for master of sports. By the end of the summer, he plans to become an international class master of sports.
– What does a person who wins gold under the flag of Ukraine feel?
– You simply cannot describe those emotions… You are proud to represent your country… But… You are not shocked by this. You know you put in the effort and time you put into it, and your discipline has led you to the reward. You don’t get first place without it.
– What would you advise the soldiers who are now seriously injured in the war? Their relatives? Of which, unfortunately, there are many now.
– After a full-scale invasion, I once went to the hospital – and I have never seen anything like this before. The wards are full, many soldiers with similar injuries as mine. Sometimes they ask me, do I have hope that I will still be able to walk?…
I will not leave unless something is invented in the world. And no one in the world has yet figured out how to restore the spinal cord. But for everyone with a spinal cord injury, not being able to walk is the least of their problems, honestly. In fact, there are even more health problems. I know that I will not go – already accepted as a fact and forgot about it.
Yes, a soldier may be in a mental hole for the first six months after being wounded, because he still does not understand what happened to him. The first thing is to accept your injury as a fact. The second is to focus not on what HAPPENED to you, but on how to live with it, how to live in the best way. Not just to exist, to receive a pension for the rest of your life, etc. You are a young person. You have to live actively. This must be understood.
– In your opinion, are our society and the state ready…
– No! I don’t see it! For example, I was in the States for rehabilitation. I went to the church in the diaspora. I was dressed in a Ukrainian-style military uniform. In the middle of the intersection, a dark-skinned woman stopped, opened the window of her car, and said to me: “Men, thank you for your service.” She didn’t care that I wasn’t in an American uniform. She understands that I am a soldier. They have respect for the military at the national level. It’s like wearing an embroidered shirt on Independence Day. You drive down the road in the USA – and on the cars there are stickers: “My son is in the marines”, “My daughter is in the army.” They have it naturally and from the heart. And this despite the fact that the Americans never fought for their land – they fight for peace and democracy in the world. And they don’t know what it’s like when your house is destroyed, when your relatives are killed, etc.
– So, actually, how to raise respect for veterans in society?
– You can’t. It is necessary to educate them physically (he laughs ironically – ed.). We have no punishments for disrespecting veterans. Someone beat the defender, sent him away, and then filmed an apology on camera – and that was it. There should be at least 15 days of imprisonment! Any fines or other administrative penalties. But we don’t have that, it’s not developed.
– Nine years of war. In your opinion, have the approaches to the work of the state and the public sector on the accessibility of infrastructure in Ukrainian cities changed? The Uklon taxi service, for example, is launching an “Inclusive” class for people in wheelchairs. How else, according to your observations, is the state preparing to become a veteran state in the center of Europe?
– Do not think that accessibility is only for veterans. How many mothers with strollers do we have? Elderly people in wheelchairs? Elementary – you broke your leg and you need a ramp. Yes, all these changes are happening, but slowly, too slowly…
– What should become a catalyst for faster changes, in your opinion?
– If they don’t understand this in 9 years, it won’t change… I can say about myself: I try to arrange my life so as not to waste my nerves. I drive a car, because the car is my legs, for example. That’s all.
– Tell us about your scientific work at the Academy, which you are currently working on.
– I am now a full-time adjunct of the scientific and organizational department. I am studying at an adjunct school, I joined last year. In civilian terms, this is graduate school. I will write my thesis for four years. The topic is very interesting – related to Russian aggression against our country.
– At one time, you taught at the fire training department of the same university. Are the cadets motivated now?
– Cadets who enter a higher military institution during the war understand perfectly well that they will end up in the war anyway. I believe this is heroism from the start.
– Does our military education need to be reformed, in your opinion?
– Changes are already coming. Many young officers become teachers. I can already see the changes.
– What will be a victory in the Russian-Ukrainian war for you?
– This should definitely not be limited to the exit to the borders of 1991. So we will go to the borders – and what next? And the Russians will not stop, and there will be new missile strikes, because we have reached our borders and pose an even greater danger to them.
The Russian Federation must admit its defeat, officially capitulate and disintegrate. Peoples living on the territory of the Russian Federation should become “people’s republics” – Buryat, Yakut, etc. Swampy Muscovy should remain, and that’s all.
H*ylo (Putin disrespectfully) should be in the dock if he will be not dead by then. Although I’m generally surprised how he hasn’t been slapped by his own environment so far.
And of course I have to get reparations. Like all the wounded. All parents and relatives of the victims should receive reparations. The family of each victim should receive at least a million dollars. At least. Injured – you can start from 500, 400, 300 thousand dollars, depending on the disability group. This is “minimum”.
The Russian Federation must be disarmed, without the right to produce weapons. Its army should not exceed 20,000 people with a certain type of weaponry (light rifle, armored). Russia must become a rogue country. Then I will feel the victory.
… 2023 year. Corridors of the National Academy of Land Forces named after Hetman Petro Sahaidachny. It’s noisy all around. A group of cadets is actively discussing the seminar that has just ended. Someone has a fashionable hairstyle, someone already has their first bristles, and someone has not yet gotten rid of teenage acne. But all of them are stubborn, because they are studying to become officers of the army that is at war. They all know that war awaits them.
One of the teachers of the academy is driving down the corridor in a wheelchair. Even through14:46the uniform, the relief muscular body of the man is visible, his broad shoulders. The cadets sincerely give a military salute. Then they shake his hand, lining up one after the other. In their eyes, you can read respect for this stubborn man – he did not give up his army, teaches, does sports, participates in competitions, wins prizes, is talked about in the news, is witty and has a good sense of humor.
Cadets look at this officer and want to be like him – a stubborn careerist who does not stop developing and growing.
And they will all go to the gym in the evening. Because they have an example to follow
A charity evening with a silent auction, “Heroes Support Heroes” was held in Washington on April 20.
A special part of this event was the performance by the famous Ukrainian violinist and future veteran Moisei Bondarenko, whose performances from the front lines inspire thousands of people all over the world.
An auction was also held during the evening, where painting made Ukrainian defenders, postcards with signatures of Ukrainian military leaders, and other unique items were sold. About 700,000 hryvnias were raised at the auction to support veterans, their families and children.
“The United States of America has the longest experience in the world in terms of developing veteran policy. We are using their best practices that will be able to meet the needs of our veterans,” Yulia Laputina, head of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, said during the event.
This event was organized as a part of the visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, headed by its Minister Yulia Laputina, as well as representatives of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. The delegation also included Ukrainian veterans: Moisei Bondarenko and Oleksandr Holopotelyuk.
“Organizing such an event is not about “collecting money”. We establish contacts with representatives of the American Congress, other governmental and non-governmental institutions, and businesses. Over time, this will open up broader perspectives and opportunities for our veterans. And also, the world becomes one big veteran community where we all know each other through a single handshake,” emphasized Nataliia Kalmykova, The CEO of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
The largest amount of money was collected from the sale of the Special Operations Forces flag. It was purchased for 185 thousand hryvnias.
The second most expensive item was the battle flag of the “Badgers” – a separate battalion of Ukrainian marines. Visitors bought it for 130,000 hryvnias.
Only 2% of Ukrainians support the opinion that defenders who have been disabled can continue to serve in combat units. Another 60% of respondents indicated that such fighters should serve in the rear.
This is evidenced by the data of a sociological survey of the Rating group, conducted on the initiative of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine in March. The UVF investigated the level of discrimination in society against different categories of defenders.
“Servicemen with disabilities can be responsible for themselves. If a soldier’s health does not allow him to perform certain types of duties, for example, to enter the enemy’s rear 20 km deep, nevertheless these people have the most valuable thing in the army – experience. In the combat unit, a person with this experience can perfectly occupy a sergeant, instructor or managerial position. Their experience will help to train and prepare new people, to show by their own example that everything is possible. These people should not be deprived of the opportunity to serve the country, because this is wrong. If a person with a disability wants to continue his service, his experience must remain in the army. The service algorithm of such soldiers should not be a “call-to-call contract”, but it should have the possibility to retire when the soldier himself decides. And no one should condemn them,” says Roman Kulesha, a soldier of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a veteran, and a mobilized worker of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
At the same time, people aged 18-29 feel the most sadness when they think about people with disabilities serving in the army, 39% of the respondents experience that. Guilt towards defenders is also more often felt by young people, 7% for the 18-29 and 30-39 age groups. In general, in these two age groups, only 3% of surveyed Ukrainians feel indifference towards these people.
More details on other research categories are available at the link.
Survey dates: March 27-29, 2023. Sample population: 2,000 respondents. Survey method: CATI. The error of representativeness of the study with a confidence probability of 0.95: is not more than 2.2%.
The Executive Director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation Natalia Kalmykova and veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian are currently on a working trip to the United States of America.
With whom did the UVF team already meet and what did they talk about?
Nataliya Kalmykova, CEO of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, and Ukrainian veterans Oleksandr Holopotelyuk and Moisei Bondarenko met with representatives of the U.S. Department of State: Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations protects global democratic values.
Together with American partners, we shared our experiences and discussed the future vision of supporting veterans. They also stressed the importance of veterans in restoring Ukraine after the victory. In particular, by opening and developing veteran businesses.
Experience exchange forum: why it is useful for our veterans?
In addition to this, the People of Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine held the Second US-Ukraine Veteran Entrepreneur Exchange Forum in Washington. It was held at the Army Navy Club.
The forum participants exchanged the best practices for creating and running a veteran business. After all, we can help support veteran initiatives. And the discipline and determination of Ukrainian defenders will help to provide a powerful result for their families and the country’s economy as a whole.
Ukrainian veteran entrepreneur Oleksandr Holopotelyuk was present at the meeting. Oleksandr is the leader of Veteran Hub Odesa and a pizzeria owner.
He has an economic education and business experience. The veteran said that starting his own business was a way to return to civilian life after the war. And if we support veteran entrepreneurs now, it will give them an advantage in the future postwar market.
We were happy to welcome at the forum the Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, Yulia Laputina, Yaroslav Brisiuck, Counselor & Deputy Chief of Mission, who represented the Embassy of Ukraine in the USA.
Meeting with representatives of US veteran organizations: what was interesting
Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine Yuliya Laputina and CEO of the UVF Nataliia Kalmykova met with leaders and representatives of American non-governmental organizations that provide social, advocacy, psychological and humanitarian services to veterans and their family members.
The American colleagues were introduced to the projects and programs of the Ministry and the Foundation regarding the support of veterans, members of their families and families of fallen Defenders of Ukraine, which are implemented within the framework of adaptation of these persons to a peaceful life, their broader involvement in the economy of the country.
Among them are such well-known organizations as the Union Veterans Council, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Wounded Warriors Project, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).
The flag for the US congressman from Ukrainian veterans – as our gratitude for the unconditional support Ukrainian veterans, Oleksandr Holopotelyuk and Moisei Bondarenko, signed a Ukrainian flag to Ted Lieu in memory of the meeting. The flag would serve as a symbol of gratitude for unconditional support of our country. “Was an honor to meet with two Ukrainian servicemembers today through the Ukrainian Veterans’ Foundation.
We stand ready to support Ukraine however possible, and will continue to advocate for funding for Ukraine,” Ted Lieu wrote on his Twitter. Ted Lieu is a US Congressman, Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, lawyer and retired military officer. He sincerely wishes Ukraine victory and advocates for the empowerment of veterans. Therefore, the delegation of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation had the honor of meeting and getting to know Ted personally.
Department of Labor, USAID, College of William & Mary – why these dialogues are important for the UVF
The UVF team also held a meeting with the US Department of Labor.
The Department’s functions include ensuring workers’ rights, improving working conditions, increasing employment opportunities, and protecting pension and sick pay.
The Department has developed several programs and legislation, and the Department is actively working to reduce unemployment among American veterans. This meeting is important for the UVF to share experiences and implement best practices in veteran employment.
We also had a dialogue with the US Agency for International Development. It is an independent agency of the US federal government that is responsible for US non-military assistance to other countries. The Agency’s main areas of work include support for trade, agriculture, economic growth, health care, conflict prevention and democracy support. The agency is a significant financial donor and supports a significant number of projects in Ukraine, including veteran organizations.
Another meeting was with the College of William & Mary, W&M. It is a public research university in the city of Williamsburg.
Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine Yulia Laputina and CEO of the UVF Nataliia Kalmykova met with representatives of the college. They discussed, in particular, the transition of veterans to civilian life, heard about the experience of William & Mary to implement the best practices in Ukraine 18:28 American presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Tyler studied at the college, as well as such famous American figures as Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court John Marshall, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Henry Clay and 16 American statesmen who signed the Declaration of Independence.
The institution has an Office of Student Veteran Engagement and has launched a new certified program that prepares veterans and members of the intelligence community to transition into high-level civilian leadership positions. The Office of Student Veteran Involvement supports student veterans in a variety of ways, from supporting the efforts of student veteran organizations to helping with applications and obtaining benefits. Staff assists in finding internship and employment opportunities, and coordinates initiatives across schools and programs, working to increase the number of veterans among the student body. 18:32 Congress, congressmen, veterans and the UVF – where else was the dialogue held
Our delegation also held a meeting with the Ukraine Caucus of the US Congress, with the participation of Minister Yulia Laputina and veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. We remind you that the Ukraine Support Group in the US Congress is a bipartisan support group for Ukraine in the House of Representatives of the US Congress, created in June 1997 in Washington.
There was also a meeting with the Office of Congressman Don Bacon represented by his Chief Counsel, Valerie Foy.
Don Bacon is a member of the US House of Representatives from Nebraska (Republican), retired US Air Force Brigadier General. He received a political science education, but gave 30 years of his life to the American army. During his Air Force career, Congressman Bacon specialized in electronic warfare and intelligence, he had flying 16 combat missions, including 4 in the Middle East.
Congressman Bacon currently serves on two House Committees: the House Armed Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee. His professional interest include: agriculture, foreign policy, labor market and economy, national security and veteran policy. In particular, he was one of the initiators of the document supporting veterans who have experienced sexual violence, he is also concerned about veterans’ access to quality medical care, etc., Mr. Bacon regularly meets with veteran organizations, Rotary clubs, supports Ukraine, for example, he initiated the resolution on the abduction of Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation, he also protects the rights of Ukrainian refugees in Nebraska. We are also impressed by the productive meeting with NDI and Kristina Jeffers, Program Director (Eurasia). The topic of the meeting is inclusiveness, LGBT and women in the armed forces.
The National Democratic Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to strengthen democratic institutions around the world by engaging civil society, promoting openness and accountability in government.
Since its foundation in 1983, the Research Institute and its partners have been working to ensure fair elections, involve citizens in public processes, promote the openness and transparency of government, and increase the level of political participation of women.
Next was a meeting with the “Open World” Leadership Center. This institution executes the Open World program, one of the most effective US exchange programs for the post-Soviet countries. The program enabled more than 29,000 current and future leaders from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan to meaningfully engage and interact with members of US Congress, congressional staff, and thousands of other Americans, many of whom are direct professional colleagues of the delegates.
The UVF team also spoke with Tina Swaranowic, Director of Procurement Management and Oversight at the US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Program Manager of the US Department of Defense Warrior Games and the Invictus Games.
They also had a dialogue with the executive director of the Union Veterans Council – Will Attig.
The Union Veterans Council is known to bring together working-class veterans to give them a voice on the issues that concern them most. Especially regarding the need for good work and the adequate provision of veteran benefits and services. The Union provides employment assistance to veterans and conducts retraining courses for veterans, including with the USPS (United States Postal Service). It has an extensive system with a large number of affiliated institutions throughout the United States.
In addition, they monitor private businesses and public officials to hold them accountable for their words and actions that violate their promises or the rights of veterans.
Will was a guest at our “Heroes Support Heroes” event and bought a painting at an auction from the wife of a fallen defender of Ukraine.
We would like to remind you that on April 20, Ukraine House in Washington will host “Heroes support heroes” charity event in support of the children of Ukrainian veterans and fallen defenders.
Heroes support heroes, this is not just a motto, this is exactly the thought we want to share with the world, because real heroes deserve to have their voices heard. To express this sentiment, Ukrainian Veterans Foundation is organizing a charity evening “Heroes support Heroes” in honor of Ukrainian veterans and their family members.
Event supported by the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States of America. The partners of our event are the People of Ukraine Foundation, Ukraine House and the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council.
Our charity fundraising evening will take place on Thursday, April 20, at 5:00 P.M, in the Ukraine house, 2134 Kalorama Rd NW, Washington, D.C.
This event is organized in the frame of an official visit of the Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, Yulia Laputina, Ukrainian veterans and active services, and the team of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. This event is dedicated to receive support in providing services for veterans, their families, and their children.
The event will be held in the format of a charitable evening, which includes presentations of projects supporting Ukrainian veterans, speeches by honored guests and members of the Ukrainian delegation, and a silent auction with unique items made by Ukrainian artists – veterans.
A special part of the event will be a musical performance by prominent Ukrainian violinist, singer, and active service military Moisei Bondarenko.
Moisei became famous for his impressive performances on the violin from the Ukrainian frontline. Videos of his performances, which he shares on social media, continue inspiring thousands of people around the world!
Scan the QR to read the catalog of lots of our charity event:
We thank everyone who will be able to join this event, because we and all Ukrainians greatly appreciate your support in the struggle for our common values. Together we can empower the strongest!
