Society & Culture

Russia's strategy in its disinformation campaigns in Austria is to demonize Ukraine, shift the blame to the victim, and divert attention from Russia's aggression and responsibility. This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by Dietmar Pichler, an Austrian expert on countering disinformation, founder of the Disinfo Resilience Network (Vienna). “The Kremlin's strategy is to demonize Ukraine, shift the blame to the victim and divert attention from Russia's aggression and responsibility,” the expert commented on the question of what are the main themes and images about Ukraine in the Kremlin's narratives aimed at the Austrian audience. According to him, old…

The Office of the President of Ukraine is considering expanding the “Contract 18–24” program to include specialities related to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones). This was announced by Deputy Head of the President’s Office Pavlo Palisa on Facebook, as reported by Ukrinform. According to him, “80% of enemy equipment and personnel losses are thanks to drone crews.” “There may be long debates about the role of tanks in modern warfare or the methods of using artillery, but denying the importance of drones is impossible. We are considering expanding the ‘18–24’ program to include training drone-related specialists,” said Palisa. He…

The band Ziferblat, which represented Ukraine at Eurovision 2025, has raised 2 million hryvnias for demining systems during a charity fundraising campaign. This was announced in a press release provided to Ukrinform. It is reported that the band has already collected UAH 2 million, and the funds will be used to purchase two Zmiys — specialized demining vehicles. “We plan to complete the fundraiser soon, purchase the equipment, and send it to the training grounds. We might even go there ourselves — to oversee everything and report back,” the musicians said. Read also: Austria wins Eurovision 2025, Ukraine takes 9th place…

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, approximately 100,000 foreign students were enrolled in Ukrainian universities. Today, only about 10,000 remain. Olha Budnyk, Adviser – Commissioner of the President on the Fund for the Support of Education, Science, and Sports said this during the Education of the New Ukraine conference, as reported by Ukrinform. "Our goal is to create opportunities that encourage not only Ukrainian students to choose domestic universities but also bring foreign students back. Before the war, there were over 100,000 international students in Ukraine; today, that number stands at approximately 10,000," Budnyk stated. Read also: Ukraine plans to open over…

Recently, Austria's state security reported the exposure of a large-scale Russian disinformation campaign aimed at influencing public opinion in Austria and turning it against Ukraine. To achieve this, Russian agents sprayed graffiti (allegedly created by "Ukrainian activists") featuring content that was unacceptable and offensive to Austrians. Leading Austrian disinformation expert Dietmar Pichler points out that although most disinformation campaigns take place online, the real focus should be on targeting the actual organizers of such psychological operations. Efforts should be combined with public awareness initiatives and strengthening society's "immunity" to disinformation — particularly through greater awareness about Ukraine and the mechanisms…

President Volodymyr Zelensky presented state awards to soldiers of the Special Operations Forces and handed over the Golden Star Orders to the families of fallen heroes who were posthumously honored with the title. The Head of State announced this on Telegram, as reported by Ukrinform. “For the first time, we celebrate the Day of Special Operations Forces in May. On this occasion, I personally thanked the soldiers, presented state awards, and handed over the Golden Star Orders to the families of the fallen heroes who were awarded the title posthumously,” Zelensky stated. [embedded content] He highlighted the crucial role of…

In the frontline regions, 15 educational spaces for schoolchildren have been built, and more than 180 underground facilities are planned to be commissioned by the end of the year. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during the conference “Education of a New Ukraine,” Ukrinform reports citing his Telegram. “Children, their safety, interests and needs should be at the center of all changes. Over two years, the government has allocated about UAH 14 billion for the repair and construction of shelters in schools. We have already built 15 underground school spaces in the frontline regions and plan to commission…

In 2024, 213 servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine received housing from the state, and another 30 guardsmen - Heroes of Ukraine and family members of the victims - received apartments as part of the President's initiative to support the military and strengthen social protection for defenders. According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the National Guard of Ukraine. The National Guard is also actively working on the construction of service apartments and family-type dormitories. “This is part of a strategic course to strengthen the Defense Forces not only in the frontline but also in the social dimension. Service…

As part of the 1,000 for 1,000 prisoner exchange, two volunteers from Berdychiv, Zhytomyr region — Oleksandr Trushevskyi and Vladyslav Kondratiuk — have returned home from Russian captivity. Both served in the 139th Battalion of the 115th Territorial Defense Brigade and were captured together. The news was shared with a Ukrinform correspondent by the soldiers’ mothers. “My son, Vladyslav Kondratiuk, took part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in 2015–2016. When the full-scale war began, he volunteered for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 139th Battalion of the 115th Territorial Defense Brigade and was captured near Kupiansk on March…

As part of the initiative of the President of Ukraine Bring Kids Back UA, another Ukrainian teenager was rescued from the temporarily occupied territory. This was reported in by Bring Kids Back UA's Chief Operating Officer Daria Zarivna, Ukrinform reports. “The 17-year-old boy spent most of his teenage years in the occupation with his mother, who has a disability. Due to his older brother's service in the Armed Forces, the family had to live in constant fear - even one careless word could turn into a threat to their lives. And when the boy turned 17, another danger appeared -…