Society & Culture

Today is a the Day of Mourning in Kyiv to commemorate those killed in the massive attack on August 28. This was reported by Ukrinform. Today, flags are flying at half-mast on all municipal buildings in the city. In addition, it is recommended that state flags be flown at half-mast on state-owned and privately owned buildings. On August 29, all entertainment events are prohibited in Kyiv. August 29 has also been declared the Day of Mourning in the Kyiv region for those who died as a result of Russian shelling in Kyiv. Read also: Canada's senator says Ukraine deserves peace,…

Ukrainian soldier from Ternopil region Andrii Koval, who was released from Russian captivity on August 24, lost 55 kilograms during 20 months of imprisonment. His wife Olena Koval told a Ukrinform correspondent about his ordeal. “In captivity, Andrii lost weight from 120 to 65 kilograms and endured horrific torture. He was beaten, forced to run in place for ten hours at a time, tortured with electric shocks, exposed to freezing cold for long periods. Andrii admitted to me that there were moments when he simply didn’t know where to find the strength to endure it all. But during the hardest…

The State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (SSEFC) has recognized the Kyiv Metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) as affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). According to Ukrinform, this was stated in a press release by the SSEFC. As noted, the Service’s research revealed signs of affiliation between the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC and the ROC, which constitutes a violation of the Law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations.” Accordingly, the SSEFC issued an order to the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC to eliminate the violation of the law. “In his letter, the…

Queues at the Slovak border are not related to the Cabinet of Ministers' decision on the departure of 18-22 year old men abroad. This was reported by Olena Trachuk, spokesperson for the Chop Border Guard Detachment, in a comment to Ukrinform. “Yes, indeed, today there are queues at the exit from Ukraine to Slovakia; currently 35 cars are waiting to cross the border. But this is not related to the government's permission for men aged 18-22 to leave the country. It is related to the end of the holiday season,” she said. The spokeswoman for the Chop detachment also noted…

Russian invaders uncovered a Khazar settlement dating back to the 8th–10th centuries during road construction works near the occupied Novoazovsk. The Head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, Petro Andriushchenko, reported the news on Telegram, according to Ukrinform. “Russia is destroying the history of Ukraine. Near Novoazovsk, on the R-280 ‘Novorossiya’ highway, the occupiers ‘uncovered’ a Khazar settlement from the 8th–10th centuries. Formally added it to the register. Formally invited archaeologists. Formally talk about ‘conservation.’ But in reality, in a month there will be asphalt here,” Andriushchenko wrote. He emphasized that “Russian-style” conservation means “burying it under rubble”…

A delegation from the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) met with the leadership of Ukraine's Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications during an official visit to the country. The meeting, chaired by Deputy Minister Tetiana Berezhna, focused on ways to preserve and promote Ukrainian culture amid the ongoing war, Ukrinform reports, citing the UWC. Berezhna and the UWC delegation that was led by President Paul Grod discussed the key topics of securing funding for cultural projects, the law on philanthropy, the Cultural Resilience Alliance, the return of looted cultural assets, and showcasing Ukrainian culture at major international exhibitions and cultural venues.…

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has published a resolution amending the Rules for Crossing the State Border of Ukraine, which permits men under the age of 22 to travel abroad. The text of the document was made public on the Government portal, Ukrinform reports with reference to the government website. According to the resolution, men aged 18 to 22 inclusive will be able to leave the country during martial law. It is specified that the permit to cross the border applies to individuals of the relevant age group, except for the cases defined in paragraph 2 of the Rules…

Russia is expanding its recruitment for drone production in African, Asian, and Latin American countries, using the special economic zone Alabuga in Tatarstan as the center of the program. This was reported by the press service of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, according to Ukrinform. As noted, young women from poor countries are offered high salaries and career prospects, but they are not informed that the work involves producing strike drones used against Ukraine. In 2024, representatives from 44 countries participated in the Start program, including Mozambique, Colombia, Mali, and Sri Lanka. The target for 2025 is 77 countries.…

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has allowed female deputies of local councils, who work voluntarily, to cross the border freely during martial law. According to Ukrinform, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko announced this on Telegram. The government adopted a decision concerning female deputies of local councils working voluntarily: they will now be able to cross the state border without restrictions during martial law, said the Prime Minister. According to her, “previously, even on lawful leave, they could not travel abroad—to see relatives or deliver aid to our military. This limited volunteer activities and forced some to resign their mandates.” As Svyrydenko…

The Ukrainian and Russian sides have exchanged letters from prisoners of war on both sides and discussed arrangements for delivering humanitarian parcels. According to Ukrinform, this was reported on Telegram by Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights. “During the latest return of our citizens, there was interaction with the office of Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatyana Moskalkova. In the course of the dialogue, letters from prisoners of war on both sides were exchanged, and issues regarding the delivery of humanitarian parcels to prisoners of war and family reunifications were discussed,” he noted. Read also: Prisoner exchange…