News
During this period, VETERANKA managed to fulfill 206 requests for assistance for military personnel and civilians.
We allocated UAH 877,741 to support the army.
We repaired the vehicles of defenders for UAH 167,188.
We refueled our military vehicles for UAH 30,956.
We provided defenders with 3 vehicles free of charge—an ambulance and pickups.
The full list is provided below. But first, we would like to express our gratitude to our sponsors and everyone who supports our organization financially. Without you, this assistance would not have been possible!
In May, we closed[...]
12.06.2023
On how to gain authority in the army, not to go crazy from the most terrifying job, on motivation and inspiration, as well as plans after victory, - read in the interview below.
On motivation
I couldn’t not go to war, physically and morally. I completed the tactical medicine instructor course in 2015. But after that, I lived a civilian life for a while. I believe a person shouldn’t go to war to gain something. War gives nothing. The people who go to war because they cannot help but do so, have the best motivation, those are the “right kind” of military, let's say so.
On life[...]
05.06.2023
Death in war causes anger, sadness, emptiness, guilt, resentment, fear, shame, irritation, disappointment, or a combination of these feelings. It’s important to understand: every emotion is normal in such a difficult situation.
Joining forces with the defenders of Ukraine during a full-scale invasion does not always mean dying, but is often associated with war and death in the minds of the majority of civilians.
Death in war is different from the natural end of life (from old age or long illness).
The death of the soldiers cannot be explained by anything, it cannot be justified,[...]
21.05.2023
From volunteering to aerial reconnaissance: about the path of a volunteer from the Euromaidan(the uprising against pro-russian government in Ukraine 2013-2014, - editors’ note), sexism, ageism and "soviet union thinking" in the army, about building relationships in a male team and mastering a drone with the help of YouTube, - read all about it in our interview.
How and when did you join the army for the first time?
I joined the army for the first time as a volunteer in January 2015. At the moment, the Vinnytsia battalion "Horyn" was stationed at the Kramatorsk airfield, and I went[...]
18.05.2023
At the age of twenty, in 2014, Anna volunteered for the evacuation crew of the 25th Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kyivska Rus", all while pursuing her studies. Engaging in water purification and scientific endeavors, by the age of twenty-eight, she officially joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As a junior sergeant and paramedic, Anna Kuzminchuk shares her insights on the feminine side of tactical medicine, legalization, preparing for service, and sisterhood.
How did you end up in the military and what position did you hold compared to what you actually did in the[...]
11.05.2023
We are starting a new series of documentary stories "The New Recruits’ Diary", in which the VETERANKA sisters will share experiences of their own path to the Ukrainian army.
The first diary was prepared for us by Nastya "Press" Blyshchyk - a junior lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a journalist at the "Ukraine" TV channel in civilian life.
Monday
I am on my way to the Department of Labor and Social Protection of the Population for a resettlement certificate(- that’s an important document Nastya had to obtain in order to even start her enlisting process, - editor’s[...]
04.05.2023
In her original blog post for Veteranka, Nadia Haran, a sergeant in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a simultaneous translator, and a liaison officer, helps us understand...
The increase in the number of Ukrainian women in the defense forces has illuminated two aspects of a new reality: equal rights and equal responsibilities in the army. The former is often waved away, while the latter is not scrutinized enough: they say, you want equal rights, and yet demand special treatment, and my favorite, "they themselves don't know what they want."
In my view, female soldiers have long made up their[...]
03.05.2023
Valentina had to leave her hometown twice due to the war – in 2014 and in 2022. She had to start her life from scratch twice and adapt to new circumstances. But thanks to a clear motivation, she managed to overcome the homesickness and continue to help her country from abroad to improve the lives of those affected by the war. She organized large shipments of baby strollers, 9 tons of humanitarian aid, and other forms of volunteering in the UK. Let's also talk about reevaluating values and the power of sisterhood in this interview with Valentina from England.
When did the war start for[...]
30.04.2023
She could have been creating costumes for Beyoncé, but she turned down opportunities to work with famous brands and designers to tailor uniforms for Ukrainian servicewomen. "What Beyoncé is up to doesn't interest me as much right now as what our women are doing on the front lines," says Hanna about her decision to step away from the fashion industry. What began as volunteering and a desire to contribute to a common cause led to a reevaluation and new challenges in her career. This is how Hanna Suvorkina became one of the organizers of the VETERANKA sewing workshop from scratch and now[...]
28.04.2023
Diana is a social photographer and photojournalist who has been working in the genres of artistic and advertising photography for 11 years. She became acquainted with the VETERANKA movement in 2021 and, together with servicewomen, has completed several projects, one of which is titled "A Warrior Woman First and Foremost - Woman." During the fifth month of the full-scale invasion, Diana was forced to leave Ukraine and relocate to the United Kingdom for her family's safety. However, she did not abandon volunteering and continues to raise significant donations abroad, using her photographs to[...]
25.04.2023