Society & Culture

Russia is holding over 16,000 Ukrainian civilians captive, with 168 of them having been released. Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said this during his visit to Zaporizhzhia, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "We have a separate list, and according to preliminary data, more than 16,000 Ukrainian civilians are being held in Russian prisons," the ombudsman said. He also recalled that international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions do not allow for the exchange of civilian prisoners for prisoners of war. "This exchange procedure is reserved exclusively for prisoners of war. However, we have managed to release 168…

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and United Nations Global Advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations Giles Duley visited one of the rehabilitation centers for military personnel and veterans in the Kyiv region.   Shmyhal wrote this in a post on Telegram, Ukrinform reports. "The rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers returning from the frontline is a crucial aspect of the government's strategy for reintegrating them into civilian life. Therefore, the development and support of this area are among the government's key priorities. We have set ourselves the ambitious goal of opening modern rehabilitation centers for military personnel…

Scheduled inspections of pharmacies will resume on January 1, 2025. This will also apply to pharmacies operating on the territory of hospitals.   Health Minister Viktor Liashko said this in an interview with Ukrinform. “Until now, there had been a moratorium on inspections. However, the government has decided, and as of January 1, 2025, the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drugs Control will resume scheduled inspections of pharmacies. Previously, we responded to citizen appeals regarding violations at specific pharmacies on an individual basis. Furthermore, the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drugs Control had the authority to…

Videos of prisoners of war being interrogated by the Russians emerge as part of the ongoing information war, aiming to demoralize Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. That’s according to the Air Force press service, Ukrinform reports. “Enemy videos of interrogations of captured Ukrainian servicemen are part of the information war waged by the aggressor. When circulated, such materials are used to demoralize the Ukrainian servicemen and the civilian population in order to influence public opinion, both within Ukraine and beyond,” the statement warns. As noted by the Air Force, through such interrogation videos, the enemy seeks to spread propaganda narratives, creating…

The main goal of Russia's malign information attacks over the past year and a half is to disrupt military draft in Ukraine. This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by Maryna Vorotyntseva, a senior expert at NATO StratCom COE. "One of the key goals of Russian disinformation over the past 18 months has been the disruption of Ukrainian mobilization. In addition to actually undermining mobilization, it is also very important for the aggressor to undermine the morale of those already serving in the army. This Russian campaign was aimed at hitting a key point in Ukrainian security," Vorotyntseva said.…

In a prayer voiced during a visit to Corsica, Pope Francis referred to the peoples of Ukraine and Russia peoples as "cousins". This was reported by Vatican News, Ukrinform reports. "They are brothers, cousins. Let them come to an understanding! War is always a defeat. Peace to the whole world!" the publication quoted the head of the Catholic Church as saying. Read also: Ukrainian bishop elevated to Catholic Church Cardinal It is noted that Pope Francis said these words during a prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary for the "long-awaited peace for the Ukrainian people and the Russian people". As…

The Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, Kyrylo Budanov, presented the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War 2 with a set of cold weapons taken from the liquidated troops from the Russian special operations forces. This was reported by the HUR press service. The museum received the gift on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. The knives have been transferred to the exhibit fund. The Main Intelligence Directorate praised the museum team for actively documenting and preserving for future generations the artifacts of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. The exhibitions and events held…

Russians are trying to stimulate residents of temporarily occupied territories with promises of canceling debt to banks if they sign contracts with the Russian invasion army. This was reported by the Center for National Resistance, Ukrinform saw. "The invaders promise to write off loan debts if a debtor signs a contract with the Russian army. Therefore, the occupation administrations reach out to such debtors and their family to recruit people and at least partially cover the mobilization plan in the temporarily occupied territories. The Russians even promise to write off loan debts to those whose close relative signs a contract,"…

Police detained a man who, on the night of December 15, damaged flags and photos of fallen defenders in Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv. According to Ukrinform, this was reported by Kyiv police on Telegram. "Information about the incident was received this morning by the Shevchenkivskyi District Police Department. A local resident informed law enforcement that she discovered damaged flags and photos honoring fallen defenders in Maidan Nezalezhnosti," the statement reads. As a result of operational measures, police identified the perpetrator as a 36-year-old native of Sumy region. The man was detained by a police patrol unit. The offender was…

Ukrainian posters and leaflets with pro-Ukrainian content have appeared in the center of Luhansk, as well as in neighboring neighborhoods. According to Ukrinform, the Yellow Ribbon movement to resist the occupation reported this in Telegram. “Thanks to the activists of the Yellow Ribbon movement, more and more pro-Ukrainian posters, graffiti and patriotic postcards are appearing on the streets of the temporarily occupied Luhansk. In particular, the symbols of resistance are distributed near the college building of the Volodymyr Dahl University, the regional museum of local lore, as well as along the streets of the Haiovyi quarter,” the message says. As…