Razom together with the famous Ukrainian travel blogger Anton Ptushkin, held a fundraiser in the United States to purchase 10 mobile bath and laundry complexes for the defenders of Ukraine on the front lines.
The fundraiser included two charity meetings with Anton Ptushkin in New York, which drew over 300 attendees, as well as an online auction where people could purchase valuable commemorative items to support the defenders of Ukraine.
Some of the items up for auction included:
A flag with the signatures of three Ukrainian generals — Zaluzhny, Syrsky, and Pavlyuk — which sold for $6,900.
A copy of Time magazine with Valery Zaluzhny on the cover and his autograph, which sold for $5,600.
A baseball bat signed by members of the New York Yankees baseball team, which sold for $3,700.
A bracelet with the “Azovstal” logo and the signature of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, which sold for $2,600.
Chevrons with the image of Patron the Dog, the hero dog who helped detect landmines in Ukraine, which sold for $3,700.
“Before I came to the United States, I tried to raise funds for one bath and laundry complex through my social media in Ukraine,” said Anton Ptushkin. “I was surprised to raise the money we needed in just two hours, and I raised the money for the second complex just within a day. This showed me that Ukrainians are willing to donate to humanitarian items for the military. However, people in Ukraine are also willing to donate to weapons and drones, while American people are more cautious about donating to these things and prefer to donate to humanitarian items. This is why I decided to try to raise money for mobile bath and laundry complexes in the United States. We did our first fundraiser and it was a success, so we decided to continue.”
Ptushkin also said that he chose New York as the starting point for the fundraiser because there is a large Ukrainian diaspora in the city. Jason Birchard, an owner of famous New York restaurant Veselka, generously donated $20,000 from his Stand With Ukraine Fund to the event.
Overall, the fundraiser raised $200,000, which will be used to purchase 10 mobile bath and laundry complexes. The showers are currently being manufactured near Kyiv and will soon be delivered to the front lines.
“It’s great to see that people from all over the world are coming together to support Ukraine,” said Olya Yarichkivska, one of the founders of the Razom foundation and the head of the Razom Heroes program in the United States.
“The money raised from this fundraiser will provide our defenders with much-needed bathing and laundry facilities, which are essential in this hot weather. We will continue to do everything we can to support Ukraine and its defenders.”
The Razom Heroes program is one of the many initiatives of the Razom foundation and the “Together for Ukraine” non-profit that are providing vital assistance to the defenders of Ukraine.
The program has already provided the frontline with over 130,000 tactical first aid kits, 3,000 combat medic backpacks, 100 pickup trucks/evacuation vehicles, 2,000 drones, walkie-talkies, repeaters, generators, starlinks, and other essential items for victory.
Thank you so much for your support and willingness to help Ukraine in such difficult times. So many of you are taking on efforts to support Razom and Ukraine that we are overwhelmed with requests, questions, and proposals. Our team is working tirelessly to scale our efforts to provide what is needed in Ukraine, which can change day by day. Before reaching out to info@razomforukraine.org, review our Frequently Asked Questions below.
We can do this. Together!
Whom can I talk to about corporate funds and/or donation matching?
To discuss donation matching and/or large corporate, organization and funds grants & donations, please send your inquiries to donations@razomforukraine.org. There are hundreds of companies running matching programs with Razom today. You can find ways to donate to Razom, including all banking information and Razom EIN, on our Donate page.
What to do if I want to change my recurring donations?
We’re sorry to hear you haven’t received a receipt for your generous donation to Razom! There are a few ways to troubleshoot this. First, check your inbox and spam folder for an email from donations@razomforukraine.org If you don’t find your receipt after searching for the Donations email address, this may mean that we do not have your email address or mailing address due to the form of payment or platform you used to make the donation. Typically, if you make a donation to Razom via Facebook/Meta, you will receive your donation receipt from Facebook/Meta. Similarly, if you made a donation to Razom through corporate matching or your employer, please ask your employer or company for a receipt. If all else fails or if you still have questions, please contact donations@razomforukraine.org and include your name, amount of donation, and the donation method used. Please wait up to a month for donation processing, especially if you sent us a check in the mail. Thank you!
Can I donate my time and volunteer with Razom?
Thank you for your desire to become a Razom volunteer. Volunteers are fundamental to Razom’s success and ability to make an impact for Ukraine. If you would like to become a volunteer, please fill out this form. Right now, we can’t promise to get back in touch with you immediately, but will email you as soon as we get a new volunteer request from our teams. That said, you don’t have to wait for us to reach out to be able to support and make an impact for Ukraine:
Participate in informational efforts by advocating for Ukraine on your social media. Follow our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter accounts for the latest action items and subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news on how you can advocate for Ukraine in your community and beyond.
Bookmark the Razom HeyLink page for a one-stop-shop of all kinds of links and resources to help Ukraine – and share it with your friends!
Run a fundraiser on behalf of Razom or other organizations doing great work and feel free to get as creative as you can. We’ve had people start personal fundraisers for Razom on social media, host benefit concerts, poetry readings, dinners, make tattoos, produce art, and so many creative ways that get people in their communities involved in helping Ukraine. If you’d like to start a GoFundMe campaign, you can choose Razom as the recipient at their platform here. Email your questions about personal and small fundraisers for Razom to donations@razomforukraine.org.
Can Razom help me volunteer in Ukraine?
Razom is not recruiting volunteers in Ukraine at this time. If you’re intent on going to Ukraine and volunteering, you may find the following resources helpful:
If you’re interested in volunteering for Razom, either remotely or in-person in the New York area, please fill out the Razom Volunteer Form.
If you are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, one of the most powerful ways you can support Ukraine is by becoming an advocate for Ukraine. Join the Razom Advocacy Network here and you’ll be sent alerts on the next important opportunity to contact your Representatives in Congress about legislation in support of Ukraine.
Please keep in mind that your donations to Razom go a long way in helping Ukraine as well. Consider making a donation to Razom or organizing a fundraiser in your community.
Thank you for your support and willingness to help!
How can I see an overview of Razom work in 2022? How can I catch up on reading the email newsletters from Razom?
Information on planned rallies around the world can be found here. The list is crowdsourced – you can add information about a rally in your city or town to the list by completing a form on their website. If you don’t see any rallies nearby – consider organizing one, reach out to your local Ukrainian community, start a group on Facebook. Be proactive! Be creative!
Razom regularly promotes rallies in the New York City area as well as rallies meant to bring people from all over the US together in Washington D.C. Just follow us on social media, especially the Razom Instagram, or subscribe to our newsletter to get alerts.
How does Razom spend its donation money?
Following russia’s full scale attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Razom quickly mobilized an emergency response to save lives. Our priority is to provide critical humanitarian war relief and recovery depending on the most urgent needs as they evolve. Right now this means delivering humanitarian aid in the form of tactical medicine, hospital supplies, and communication equipment, supporting the Ukrainian healthcare system by providing critical medical aid to hospitals and doctors, supporting on-the-ground efforts by distributing grants to hyper-local NGOs, and advocating for Ukraine. Razom maintains an admin rate of no more than 15% (historically averaged below 10%). Learn about the latest Updates on our project impact by checking out the July 2022 Razom Impact Report and stay tuned for an updated 2022 Razom Impact Report, which will be out very soon!
Are you a legit non-profit organization?
We are a US-based, registered 501c3 non-profit, started as a volunteer-driven organization founded after Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity in 2014. You can learn more about Razom on various pages of this website:checkout ourAnnual Reportsfrom the past eight years, ourBoard of Directors and Leadership Team, our projects and partnerships. Following russia’s attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Razom quickly mobilized its emergency response project to save lives. You can find regular updates on our Updates page.
How can a hospital in Ukraine receive aid from Razom?
Thanks to the incredible work of the Razom Health team, Razom provides aid to hospitals and nurses in the form of medical and hospital supplies and tools, which vary depending on the in-kind donations we receive and the procurement process. If you would like to request aid for a hospital or a medical institution, please visit this page.
How can someone on the frontlines (first responders and defenders) request aid from Razom? To request humanitarian aid for a Ukrainian military or first responder unit, please visit this page.
Do you help refugees?
We are aware of the large number of Ukrainians who fled or lost their homes as a result of the war. Razom is responding to this in a few ways:
Razom received a grant from the Mayor’s Office of New York City to support the Razom Ukrainian Response Initiative (URI), a program started by Razom volunteers to support newly-arrived Ukrainians in NYC via legal clinics, clothing drives, school supply distributions, and other efforts. Learn more about the Ukrainian Response Initiative. The URI team has a document of helpful public immigration information and updates here.
If you personally, or your organization, is willing to help displaced Ukrainians in a meaningful way, please fill out this form.
If you’re a Ukrainian migrant that needs help, fill out this form.
URI has an office at the address 98 2nd Avenue in New York City, but please email URI@RazomForUkraine.org first to check if the team can help answer your questions via email.
There are many other organizations, large and small, working in this area. Among them we recommend referencing the following resources:
If you haven’t found an answer to your question on this page, please write to info@razomforukraine.org. Please allow us 48 hours to respond. Our resources are limited, but we are doing our best to follow up as fast as we can. Thank you for understanding!
ПОШИРЕНІ ЗАПИТАННЯ
Дякуємо за підтримку та готовність допомогти Україні в такі важкі часи. Через таку велику зацікавленість підтримати Разом та Україну, ми щодня отримуємо велику кількість прохань, запитань, та пропозицій різного роду. Наша команда невпинно працює над збільшенням масштабу наших зусиль, щоб забезпечити те, що потрібно Україні, і ці потреби та виклики змінюються також щодня. Перш ніж звертатися до нас за адресою info@razomforukraine.org, перегляньте поширені запитання нижче.
Разом до перемоги!
З ким я можу поговорити про корпоративні пожертви та/або мечінг кампанії?
Щоб обговорити мечінг кампанії та/або великі корпоративні, організаційні та фондові пожертви та кампанії, будь ласка, напишіть на пошту donations@razomforukraine.org. Сьогодні існують сотні компаній, які використовують відповідні кампанії з Разом. Ви можете знайти всі способи фінансової підтримки Разом, включно із всією банківською інформацією та EIN номером Разом, на нашій сторінці для донатів.
Чому я не отримав(ла) квитанцію для своєї пожертви?
Дякуємо за вашу щедру пожертву Разом! Є кілька способів знайти квитанцію про вашу пожертву.
Якщо ви не знайшли свою квитанцію після пошуку, це може означати, що ми не маємо вашої адреси електронної пошти чи поштової адреси.
Як правило, якщо ви робите пожертву Razom через Facebook/Meta, ви отримаєте квитанцію про пожертву від Facebook/Meta. Подібним чином, якщо ви зробили пожертву Razom за допомогою корпоративного збору коштів або свого роботодавця, попросіть у свого роботодавця чи компанії про квитанцію.
Якщо ви досі не можете отримати квитанцію, або у вас все ще є запитання, будь ласка, напишіть на donations@razomforukraine.org і вкажіть своє ім’я, суму пожертви та використаний метод пожертви.
Будь ласка, зачекайте до місяця для обробки пожертви, особливо якщо ви надіслали нам чек поштою.
Чи можу я пожертвувати свій час і стати волонтером у Razom?
Дякуємо за бажання стати волонтером Разом! Волонтери є основою успіху Разом.
Якщо ви хочете стати волонтером, будь ласка, заповніть цю форму. Наразі ми не можемо обіцяти, що зв’яжемося з вами відразу, але ми надішлемо вам лист, як тільки отримаємо новий запит для волонтерів від наших команд. Більш того, вам не потрібно чекати, поки ми звяжемось з вами, щоб мати змогу підтримати Україну:
Долучайтеся до інформаційної підтримки України у своїх соціальних мережах. Слідкуйте за нашими сторінками у Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, щоб дізнаватися про останні дії та підпишіться на нашу розсилку, щоб отримувати останні новини про те, як ви можете відстоювати інтереси України у своїй громаді та у світі.
Слідкуйте за майбутніми подіями на сторінці Razom Events
Збережіть сторінку Разом в HeyLink, щоб мати доступ до ресурсів для допомоги України, і поділіться нею з друзями!
Проведіть збір коштів для Разом або інших організацій, які ви підтримуєте. Можна відкрити особистий збір коштів для Разом у соціальних мережах, організовувати благодійні концерти, поетичні читання, вечері, робити благодійні татуювання, творити мистецтво та багато іншого щоб залучити людей до допомоги Україні. Якщо ви хочете почати кампанію GoFundMe, ви можете вибрати Разом як одержувача на цій платформі тут. Надсилайте свої запитання щодо організації збору коштів для Разом на donations@razomforukraine.org.
Я хочу волонтерити в Україні. Чи може Разом мені допомогти з цим?
Разом наразі не приймає волонтерів в Україні. Якщо ви маєте намір поїхати в Україну та бути волонтером, вам можуть бути корисні наступні ресурси:
Якщо ви зацікавлені у волонтерстві для Razom, дистанційно або в районі Нью-Йорка, заповніть цю форму.
Якщо ви є громадянином або постійним жителем США, один із найпотужніших способів підтримати Україну – це стати адвокатом України. Приєднайтеся до адвокаційний мережі Разом тут, і вам буде надіслано сповіщення про наступну можливість зв’язатися зі своїми представниками в Конгресі щодо підтримки України.
Майте на увазі, що ваші пожертви на Разом також суттєво допомагають Україні. Ви можете зробити пожертву Разом тут або організувати збір коштів у своїй громаді.
Дякуємо за вашу підтримку та бажання допомогти!
Де я можу переглянути всю роботу Razom у 2022 році? Де я можу прочитати всі розсилки Разом?
Перегляньте наші інформаційні бюлетені тут і підпишіться на розсилку тут, щоб отримувати найсвіжіші новини Разом прямо в свою електронну пошту. Натисніть тут, щоб знайти звіт Разом від липня 2022 р., і слідкуйте за новинами про звіт Разом за 2022 р., над яким ми зараз працюємо і який буде опубліковано дуже скоро!
Коли і де наступний протест?
Інформацію про заплановані акції по всьому світу можна знайти тут. Ви можете додати інформацію про акцію у вашому місті до списку, заповнивши форму на сайті. Якщо ви не бачите жодних мітингів у вашому місті – організуйте! Зв’яжіться з місцевою українською громадою, створіть групу у Facebook. Будьте ініціативними! Будьте креативними!
Разом регулярно рекламує мітинги в Нью-Йорку, а також мітинги, які збирають людей з усіх куточків США у Вашингтоні, столиці США. Слідкуйте за нами в соціальних мережах, особливо Instagram, або підпишіться на нашу розсилку, щоб отримувати інформацію вчасно.
Як Razom витрачає зібрані кошти?
Після повномасштабного вторгнення росії в Україну 24 лютого 2022 року Разом швидко мобілізувало проект Emergency Response, для порятунку життів в Україні якомога швидше. Нашим пріоритетом є надання найнеобхіднішої гуманітарної допомоги. Наразі це – тактична медицина, медичне обладнання та комунікаційне обладнання, підтримка української системи охорони здоров’я шляхом надання критично важливої медичної допомоги лікарням і лікарям, підтримка громадянського суспільства шляхом розподілу грантів НУО, та адвокація подальшої підтримки України у Конгресі США. Разом відкладає не більше 15% (історично в середньому нижче 10%) коштів на адміністративні витрати. Дізнайтеся більше про роботу Разом, переглянувши звіт, що вийшов у липні 2022 року, і слідкуйте за новинами Разом щоб дізнатися про роботу Разом у повному звіті за 2022 рік, який буде опубліковано дуже скоро!
Чи ви легітимна/законна неприбуткова організація?
Разом – неприбуткова організація у США з офіційною реєстрацію 501c3, заснована волонтерами після Революції Гідності в Україні в 2014 році. Ви можете дізнатися більше про Razom на різних сторінках цього веб-сайту: перегляньте наші річні звіти за останні вісім років, нашу раду директорів і керівництво, наші проекти та партнерства. Після початку повномасштабного вторгнення 24 лютого 2022 року Разом швидко мобілізувало проект Emergency Response, щоб врятувати якомога більше життів в Україні. Ви можете знайти регулярні новини про нашу роботу на сторінці Updates.
Як лікарня в Україні може отримати допомогу від Разом?
Завдяки неймовірній роботі команди Razom Health, Разом надає допомогу лікарням та лікарям у вигляді різного медичного та лікарняного обладнання та інструментів, наявність яких змінюється залежно від того, що ми отримуємо від донорів, і процесу закупівлі. Якщо ви бажаєте подати запит на допомогу для лікарні чи медичного закладу, зайдіть на цю сторінку.
Як хтось на передовій (служби першої допомоги та захисники України) може отримати допомогу від Разом?
Щоб подати запит на гуманітарну допомогу українським військовим або підрозділу, зайдіть на цю сторінку.
Чи ви допомагаєте біженцям?
Ми знаємо про велику кількість українців, які були вимушені покинути Україну або втратили свої домівки внаслідок війни. Разом допомагає таким людям кількома способами:
Разом отримало грант від мерії міста Нью-Йорка на підтримку ініціативи Разом Ukrainian Response Initiative (URI), програми, започаткованої волонтерами Разом для підтримки новоприбулих українців у Нью-Йорку через юридичні консультації, роздачу одягу та їжі, медичні послуги та інші види допомоги. Дізнайтеся більше про Українську ініціативу тут. Команда URI створила документ із корисною публічною імміграційною інформацією та оновленнями тут.
Якщо ви особисто чи ваша організація бажаєте суттєво допомогти новоприбулим українцям, будь ласка, заповніть цю форму.
Якщо ви новоприбулий українець чи українка, якому потрібна допомога, будь ласка, заповніть цю форму.
URI має офіс за адресою 98 2nd Avenue у Нью-Йорку, але, будь ласка, спершу надішліть лист на URI@RazomForUkraine.org, щоб записатися на прийом.
Є багато інших організацій, великих і малих, які працюють у цій сфері також. Серед них рекомендуємо звернутися до наступних:
Національний банк України відкрив спеціальний рахунок для збору коштів на потреби Збройних Сил України
Якщо ви не знайшли відповідь на своє запитання на цій сторінці, будь ласка, напишіть нам на пошту info@razomforukraine.org. Дайте нам, будь ласка, 48 годин на відповідь. Наші ресурси обмежені, але ми робимо все можливе, щоб якнайшвидше відповісти та допомогти вам. Дякуємо за розуміння!
In acknowledgement of all the hard work volunteers, supporters, partners, and donors have put into Razom’s Emergency Response for almost five straight months now, we’ve put together an Impact Report. We’re making history together, #Razom, and we wouldn’t be able to do it any other way. So take a look, read it, share it, and help us continue this great work for Ukraine.
This fall season, DOC NYC is returning for its 15th annual edition, showcasing films at New York theaters like IFC Center, SVA, and Village East by Angelika. It’s the largest documentary film festival in the U.S. and Razom Cinema is proud to have two of our grantees being part of the line up. We invite you to join us in celebrating these powerful documentaries. Fill the theaters—this is an easy and meaningful way we can keep showing up for Ukraine. Our friends at DOC NYC have provided a discount code for you: DOCNYC_PTNRDISC_24.
Deep in a forest by the Baltic Sea, a group of Ukrainian families come together to start the healing process with the help of golden retrievers and palomino horses at an animal therapy retreat. In the safety of the forest, the children’s memories of being illegally deported to Russia and their families’ struggles to rescue them are unraveled with the help of skilled and sensitive counselors. The joy and humor the children discover during their time in the forest make it easy to forget that their stories are the reason the International Criminal Court recently issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin. Nearly 20,000 abducted children remain in Russian institutions.
In-Person Screening: – Thursday, November 14, 2024 6:30 PM | IFC Center Q&A with Director Sarah McCarthy, producer Olha Beskhmelnytsina and film subjects Inna Sidoruk, Yvgeny Matveii, Sviatoslava and Sasha Mezhevoy. – Friday, November 15, 2024 4:00 PM | Village East by Angelika Online Screening: – Friday, November 15 – Sunday, December 1, 2024
What is worth fighting for, if not culture? Three Ukrainian artists take up arms when Russia invades their country, but refuse to put down their drive to create. After enlisting to defend their beloved homeland, Slava, Anya and Andrey channel their art into their new roles on the front lines, and demonstrate their pride in the vibrancy, passion, and rich heritage of Ukraine.
In-Person Screening: Friday, November 15, 2024 8:45 PM | Village East by Angelika More about the film: www.porcelainwar.com Razom Cinema Grantee
Dark rooms, heavy doors. On the left are the names of the murdered, on the right those of the deceased. Children’s paintings and prayers, despair echoes off the walls. In March 2022, Russian troops invaded the village of Yahidne, Chernihiv Raion. The residents were locked in the basement of the school, packed tightly together, for 27 days. Among them 77 children, the youngest just six weeks old. Too little water, too little air. Some lost hope, others lost their minds. 51-year-old Olha kept a diary of the time as a testimony in case no one survived. When the Russian soldiers were driven out, the inhabitants rebuilt the village.
In-Person Screening: – Sunday, November 17, 2024 6:45 PM | Village East by Angelika
Online Screening: – Friday, November 15 – Sunday, December 1, 2024
Learn more about DOC NYC and the full festival lineup at www.docnyc.net.
The 2024 Ukrainian Cultural Festival (UCF), co-presented by Razom for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Institute, Kyiv, sponsored by Self Reliance NY Federal Credit Union and produced with key partners such as the National Ballet for Ukraine, the Ukrainian Museum, Yara Arts Group, Rukh Arts Hub, Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival, Kyiv International Shorts Film Festival (KISFF), Linoleum Animation Festival, 128 LIT, and Columbia’s Harriman Institute, ended on October 31st after two weeks of Cinema, Literature, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts events. This year represents the second year of programming for the Festival and its leadership, Polina Buchak and Maria Genkin, are excited about the future:
Polina Buchak, Razom Cinema Impact Producer, on the Success and Future of the Festival:
“Our festival’s goal is to create a space for American audiences and the Ukrainian community to come together for meaningful cultural exchange. It’s a place where we confront complex histories, challenge stereotypes, and discover shared values. Most importantly, this festival stands as a testament to the endurance of Ukrainian culture—it existed, exists, and will continue to exist, despite Russia’s centuries-old attempts to erase it. This year, we definitely achieved that goal.”
Maria Genkin, Razom Board Member, on the Festival’s Impact and Vision:
“Yes, we want American audiences to understand that Ukrainians exist. This is why it’s essential to experience Ukrainian poetry, music, ballet, and other arts. Over the past two weeks, we welcomed many new audience members, many experiencing Ukrainian culture for the first time. This is the kind of impact we want now and for the future.”
Cinema
Six film screenings took place in New York, starting with Slovo House. Unfinished Novel on October 16th, a story about Ukrainian writers from the era of the Executed Renaissance who were gathered in the Slovo cooperative house built in Kharkiv in 1927. Key highlights were on Porcelain War – winner of a 2024 US Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at Sundance Film Festival, and La Palisiada, Ukraine’s 2025 Narrative Feature entry for the Academy Awards – on October 22nd and 24th, as well as Forever-Forever on October 28th. Ukrainian Cultural Festival programming also included over 15 short films from two of the most renown Ukrainian shorts film festivals – KISFF and Linoleum.
There were seven literature events during the festival, starting with a discussion with Ostap Slyvynsky at Columbia’s Harriman Institute on October 17th. Immediately following this, Ostap joined poets Yuliia Iliukha and Alex Averbuch for “Amid All Losses: Ukrainian poets as witnesses” in Razom’s new Flatiron District office. Other program spotlights included The Voices of Babyn Yar book talk and reading by Marianna Kiyanovska,Writer as a Volunteer with Andriy Lyubka, A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails with Halyna Kruk, and a book talk for Olena Stiazhkina’s Cecile the Lion Had to Die. Stiazhkina has been a part of the Festival since it began last year.
Performance
The best in Ukrainian performing arts was highlighted in Yara Art’s Group’s “Slap!” album launch followed by the poetry of well-known Ukrainian poet Serhiy Zhadan and the National Ballet of Ukraine’s long-awaited return to the U.S. after 30 years with a performance at City Center. Yara continued through the week with bandurist Julian Kytasty. Performance events concluded with the Ukrainian Contemporary Musical Festival, led by Leah Batstone, talking with Victoria Poleva about her opening at Carnegie Hall the following day. Poleva’s music was played by Anna Shelest and Irena Portenko at Faust Harrison Pianos to close out the performance events for the festival.
Visual Art
The visual art events for the Festival were created by partners Rukh Art Hub and the Ukrainian Museum in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute, Kyiv. Rukh opened Nina Murashkina and Xavier Escala’sWater Drops on Burning Rocksat Mriya Gallery and Colors and Rhythms: Alexandra Exter in Ukraine, and A Guide to Decolonizing Ukrainian Art opened at the Ukrainian Museum, a lively discussion featuring Tetyana Filevska, Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, and Peter Doroshenko, Director of The Ukrainian Museum.
Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped organize this extraordinary celebration of Ukrainian culture and to all who attended.
In mid-August, Razom for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) launched a transformative Summer School on organizational development, drawing civil society leaders from across Ukraine to Lviv for a week-long program aimed at bolstering their organizations during these critical times. Held from August 11 to 17, 2024, this initiative brought together a diverse array of dedicated leaders from all corners of Ukraine, each focused on creating positive, lasting impacts within their communities amid the challenges of war.
The participants came from organizations committed to:
Delivering humanitarian aid to frontline and recently de-occupied areas
Coordinating evacuations for civilians in conflict zones near the front line
Supporting families with children, organizing extracurricular and recreational activities
Assisting families of fallen soldiers
Advancing educational development efforts
Preserving cultural heritage and celebrating regional cultures
Assisting frontline healthcare institutions under wartime conditions
Offering psychological support for frontline communities, families in crisis, and internally displaced persons (IDPs)
Promoting women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, and supporting women during the war
Shaping youth policy at the local level
Developing entrepreneurial opportunities for veterans and IDPs
A Unique Selection Process for a Diverse Group
Razom selected participants through an open call, carefully choosing five grantees with a focus on diversity. The selection criteria included gender balance, a range of activities and experiences, and varying team sizes. This diversity fostered a dynamic environment where participants could learn from one another, establish new networks, and explore partnerships that will extend well beyond the Summer School.
Learning, Networking, and Strategic Development
During the week, participants attended sessions on organizational policies, strategies, partnership building, communications, and fundraising. Special guest speakers—including historians, political scientists, and contemporary thought leaders—were also invited to offer broader perspectives, enriching the learning experience and reinforcing participants’ motivations to serve their communities and contribute to Ukraine’s future.
Feedback from participants reflects the program’s lasting impact:
“I’ve already started applying what I learned and sharing it with my team.”
“This training changed my approach—I now work more strategically and with greater clarity.”
“Since the Summer School, we’ve launched three new projects and drafted an operational plan.”
“It was inspiring to be among such experienced and passionate community leaders.”
“The atmosphere was welcoming, and we’ve stayed connected, sharing insights and ideas.”
One participant’s message captured the essence of the program’s transformative effect:
“I want to thank Razom for Ukraine for organizing this program. Since the Summer School, our team has undergone transformations in communications, fundraising, and strategy. You achieved your goal!”
Looking Forward: New Opportunities for Summer School Graduates
Since August, Razom has been working to create follow-up opportunities for Summer School graduates. Plans include mentorship programs and grants for institutional support, providing these leaders with additional resources to strengthen their organizations. By nurturing the growth of Ukraine’s civil society, Razom and UCU are helping build a future where local organizations are equipped to meet the needs of their communities, paving the way for a resilient Ukraine.
With these new programs in place, the legacy of the Summer School will continue to inspire and empower civil society leaders to forge ahead with confidence, resilience, and unity.
Together, we are building a brighter future for Ukrainians through education and support.
Stay tuned for more updates and stories from Razom Relief.
In the spirit of Razom’s mission, which exhorts us to work on initiatives that motivate us to meet, partner and do, we are pleased to highlight how Razom’s Co-Pilot Project has facilitated a very meaningful collaboration between American and Ukrainian neurosurgeons. Specifically, Dr. Rocco Armonda, Dr. Alex Valadka, Dr. Maksim Shapiro, Dr. Kim Nelson, Dr. Luke Tomycz and Dr. Conner Berlin, and Mechnikov neurosurgeons from Dnipro, Dr. Andrii Sirko and Dr. Yuriy Cherednychenko. This ongoing partnership has led to presentations at several international conferences and the co-authoring of 6 medical articles in prestigious journals. Together, these colleagues are advancing trauma care and elevating Ukrainian medical expertise on the global stage.
Last year, Razom organized a trip for Conner Berlin, who was a senior neurosurgery resident at the time. During his 16-day visit, he performed 20+ emergency surgeries and participated in reciprocal learning, helping to train the neurosurgical staff while gaining invaluable insights himself. After returning, Conner asked to write an article with Dr. Sirko. Along with Dr. Armonda, they co-authored ‘Wartime Penetrating Traumatic Brain Injury of the Anterior Skull Base Involving the Paranasal Sinuses: A Single-Center, First-Year Experience from Dnipro, Ukraine,’ which was published on November 31 in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Below are a few of the notable articles and publications that exemplify the groundbreaking research and clinical advancements emerging from this collaboration:
Each paper is proof of the dedication, expertise, and shared commitment of Ukrainian and American neurosurgeons. Their ongoing collaboration is setting new benchmarks in neurosurgical trauma care and creating a lasting impact on Ukraine’s medical landscape under extreme circumstances. Razom’s Co-Pilot Project is honored to support this partnership, which is as inspiring as it is transformative.
Your support is crucial in enabling Razom’s Co-Pilot Project to continue its life-saving efforts and drive global advancements in neurosurgery.
In the ongoing fight for Ukraine’s freedom, humanitarian civilian efforts are safeguarding lives every day. Razom helps to make a real difference through the delivery of essential equipment to protect Ukraine’s heroes. One of their most notable contributions is the provision of armored Toyota vehicles, specially equipped to offer protection and hope in times of violence and trauma.
Protection During Evacuation
Near Avdiivka, one of the hardest-hit areas in the war, an armored Toyota provided by Razom played a critical role in saving a life. During intense shelling, a Ukrainian defender was injured when a 152 millimeter shell struck their position. Amid the chaos, medics from a nearby unit acted quickly, using the armored Toyota to evacuate the wounded soldier. The vehicle’s design, built for comfort and safety, allowed rescuers to perform emergency care while en route to the hospital.
The soldier later recalled the experience:
“I remember everything vaguely, but those events will forever be etched in my memory. The explosion was so strong that I lost consciousness for a moment. When I came to, pain engulfed my entire body, and chaos reigned around me,” he said. “As soon as I was inside the Toyota, I felt relieved. The vehicle was surprisingly comfortable, allowing medics to give me first aid even while we were moving. The armor and reliability of the Toyota gave me a sense of safety—something I hadn’t felt on the battlefield. It became more than just transport, it was my hope that I could return home.”
Fortitude Under Attack
In another case, an armored Toyota provided to a Ukrainian unit showcased its strength and reliability during an attack. While on a mission, an FPV (first-person view) drone targeted the vehicle, delivering a powerful strike. However, the Toyota’s armored body and windows withstood the impact, shielding the crew inside from harm. Thanks to its strength and density, the vehicle averted a potential tragedy. The Toyota is now undergoing repairs and will return to the frontline areas to continue its vital mission.
“This vehicle became a hero in battle, withstanding a direct hit from an FPV drone,” the soldier noted. “The strike was powerful, but the armored capsule and windows remained intact. This allowed the crew to avoid serious injuries and successfully leave the scene.”
Your Support Makes a Difference
These stories illustrate the life-saving role played by Razom’s teams on the ground.. By delivering armored vehicles like these Toyotas, we are able to offer physical protection and a meaningful sense of hope for those risking their lives daily. These vehicles are not just machines; they are crucial resources that safeguard lives in the most challenging situations.
Your continued support and donations make it possible for Razom for Ukraine to do this work. With each contribution, you help ensure that Ukraine’s first responders have the tools they need to help defenders continue their fight. Together, we are making a difference, one life at a time.
Join Us in Saving Lives
Razom remains committed to providing life-saving resources for Ukrainians, ensuring they have the protection they need in the most challenging conditions. Every armored vehicle, every piece of essential equipment, gives these brave men and women the best chance to survive and continue their mission. Your support makes this possible.
Donate Your Vehicle We are excited to offer yet another way for you to contribute to our mission—by donating your vehicle. Through our partnership with NCS, you can easily and securely donate your car, RV, boat, motorcycle, or another vehicle. It’s a tax-deductible way to make a real difference in supporting Ukraine today and into the future. Vehicle donations are not only generous, but they also promote sustainability, ensuring that your contribution helps in more ways than one.
*Please note: your donated vehicle does not go to the front lines in Ukraine, but its value goes to support Razom’s mission delivery.
Your support, whether through a donation or a vehicle, directly saves lives. Together, we are stronger. Together, we can save lives.
The Ukrainian Cultural Festival is co-presented by Razom for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Institute, Kyiv and produced in partnership with the National Ballet of Ukraine, Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival, Yara Arts, Ukrainian Museum, KISFF, Linoleum Festival, and others and will take place October 15th through October 31st in New York.
Over the course of two weeks in October, you will have an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of Ukrainian poetry and prose and check out the best in contemporary Ukrainian cinema.
Meet writers Halyna Kruk, Marianna Kiyanovska, Ostap Slyvynsky, Yuliia Iliukha, Olena Stiazhkina, Andriy Lyubka, and Alex Averbuch. Watch “Porcelain War,” “La Palisiada,” and other award-winning films.
Below is the schedule of events. Please check in often for changes and ticket information.
Check out the highlights from our second UCF season:HERE
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15th AND WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH
Experience the magic of the National Ballet of Ukraine, one of the world’s top ballet companies and the country’s official ballet company, during their premiere tour of the United States, for the first time in over 30 years since the dissolution of the USSR. Straight from the historic Kyiv National Opera House, these world-class dancers will captivate you with a stunning program featuring timeless classics, including The Dying Swan, Don Quixote, and Giselle. The program tells stories of love, loss, and triumph, leaving you mesmerized by the company’s unparalleled grace and strength. Prepare to be swept away as the dancers defy gravity, their bodies soaring high above the stage with dance movements filled with intensity, emotion, and perfect harmony.
Yara Arts Group’s “Slap!” album launch followed by new poetry from Serhiy Zhadan and Friends
Join Yara Arts Group for the launch of their “Slap!” music album with Bob Holman, Susan Hwang & Julian Kytasty, from their show “Slap!” about the Ukrainian artist David Burliuk. This music album performance will be followed by a second event with new Ukrainian poetry from Serhiy Zhadan and Friends.
“Slovo House. Unfinished Novel” is a dramatic story about Ukrainian writers from the era of the Executed Renaissance who were gathered under the roof of one building and forced to work for the benefit of the Soviet system. The film depicts how the communist paradise turns into a communist hell. In 1927, Soviet Ukraine, by order of Stalin, the “Slovo” cooperative house was built in Kharkiv.
The most outstanding Ukrainian writers live in comfortable apartments. All of them became participants in an experiment aimed at deriving a new type of Soviet writer and establishing total control over the creative process in order to create a single artistic method of socialist realism. However, not every writer agrees to glorify Stalin’s cult. Unexpectedly for the residents of the “Slovo” House, an unknown young writer named Volodymyr Akimov moves in with them. Who is he? No one knows. With his arrival, strange events begin to happen in the “Slovo” House, events that its walls still remain silent about.
Yara Arts Group presents Julian Kytasty, performing traditional and new music on the bandura, including music from Yara’s “The Magic of Light”
Yara Arts Group will present Julian Kytasty, Master of the bandura, a traditional Ukrainian instrument, performing original and traditional music, including music from Yara’s new theater piece “The Magic of Light.”
A Ukrainian Dictionary of War: An Evening with Ostap Slyvynsky
You must register by 5pm on October 16, 2024 in order to attend this event.
Please join the Ukrainian Studies Program at the Harriman Institute for A Ukrainian Dictionary of War: An Evening with Ostap Slyvynsky.
Ostap Slyvynsky will present poetry and prose from the recently published, award-winning The Winter King (Lost Horse Press, 2023), translated by Vitaly Chernetsky and Iryna Shuvalova and the forthcoming A Ukrainian Dictionary of War (Lost Horse Press), translated by Grace Mahoney and Taras Malkovych. Also, in conversation with the Harriman Institute’s Mark Andryczyk, Mr. Slyvynsky will discuss his work today as a writer, scholar, and Vice President of PEN Ukraine.
Ostap Slyvynsky is a Ukrainian poet, translator, essayist, and scholar. He authored five books of poetry: Sacrifice of Big Fish (1998), The Midday Line (2004), Ball in Darkness (2008), Adam (2012), The Winter King (2018), as well as The Dictionary of War (2023), a documentary book based on a testimony of participants and witnesses of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. His books have been published in the USA (The Winter King, Lost Horse Press 2023), Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Macedonia. He is also known for translating the works of Derek Walcott, William Carlos Williams, Charles Simic, Czesław Miłosz, Olga Tokarczuk, Georgi Gospodinov, and many others.
Columbia University Harriman Institute Atrium
12th floor International Affairs Building, 420 W 118th St New York, NY 10027
When poets confront war, their writing transforms to both document and bear witness. Whether in Ostap Slyvynsky’s Dictionary of War, Yuliia Iliukha’s My Women or Alex Averbukh’s documentary poetry based on online conversations of Ukrainians living under Russian occupation, real people emerge with their stories, offering a harrowing account of what it is like to endure a violent invasion.
Razom for Ukraine Office 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010
Join us to celebrate the U.S. Book Launch of Yuliia Iliukha’s My Women, translated from Ukrainian by Hanna Leliv. It will be held at dear friend books on Saturday, October 19th @ 7:30 pm.
Winner of 128 LIT’s 2023 International Chapbook Prize, My Women is an urgent and poignant story collection of women confronted by the countless brutalities of war. It locates the voices and devastating experiences of those who have been silenced, those who have lost loved ones, those who have fought and persevered, and those who have broken down. Through poetic repetition, the nameless protagonists, My Women, bring succinct and emotionally charged stories that evoke life during war in Ukraine with an intensity that is at times excruciatingly difficult yet deeply moving.
Water Drops on Burning Rocks Nina Murashkina and Xavier Escala’s exhibition
Rukh Art Hub presents “Water Drops on Burning Rocks” — a new art show in NYC, featuring works by prominent Ukrainian and Spanish contemporary artists — Nina Murashkina and Xavier Escala. The exhibition will be on display from October 20th to October 27th at Mriya Gallery, — an art space showcasing Ukrainian artists in the US.
“Water Drops on Burning Rocks” is an artistic manifesto of multidimensional sensuality where candid and vivid canvases are balanced by the eloquent and tranquil silence of the sculpture, forging a space of an unrestrained experiment. The delicate harmony of contrasting artworks that are brought together, like water to a burning rock to form a mist of new, ethereal essence, creates a novel, multi-spectral creative realm.
Ukrainian Animation Shorts with Linoleum Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival
Together with LINOLEUM Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival, we are bringing you a program of 10 Ukrainian Animation Short Films.
Comma Sonia Leliukh Ukraine | 04:00 | 2023 A person with an overwhelmed mind is waiting at the station. They attempt to piece together a coherent story from fragments of newspapers, exploring how one can survive and continue walking the dog amidst large-scale disasters. Growths Elina Pupina Belgium, Ukraine | 07:19 | 2023 A young woman in search for her cultural identity is facing the pressures of oppressing neighbouring countries’ imperialist agendas. Sometimes it is difficult to stand free from the ties of others in order to identify your inner self and grow. Will she be able to go through this difficult path of self-exploration to gather all the pieces of her cultural background to free herself? Touch Anastasiia Martyniuk Ukraine | 01:26 | 2024 A story about the unpredictable journey of human birth and the courage it takes to overcome loneliness and find intimacy. Wheel Of Freaks Maksym Danylko Ukraine | 06:30 | 2023 On his birthday, Yellow is surrounded by a peculiar gathering of guests. Suddenly, mysterious figures materialise, each embodying different aspects of his past life. Through chalk animation depicting cold icicles, the story of Yellow’s existence unfolds before his eyes. The Town On The Sand Vladyslav Kalenskyi Ukraine | 05:50 | 2024 The Russian occupation attempts to invade the imprinted memories, where the light in Ukrainian cities is preserved. “Naukova—Derzhprom” Anastasiia Bondar Ukraine | 01:31 | 2024 “Naukova – Derzhprom” is a fiction film depicting the author’s longing for her beloved city of Kharkiv during her forced displacement. Through symbols and visual metaphors, the film captures the sense of loss and the journey of rediscovery in new surroundings. Central to the narrative is a pendant adorned with the image of the city centre, a gift from Anastasiia’s mother. More than a mere object, it embodies memories of home and family, serving as an anchor that prevents her from becoming lost in time and space. From the Past Hanna Palamarchuk Czech Republic, Ukraine | 01:16 | 2023 Memories surfaced through the smell of borscht, which once on a sunny day my grandmother cooked. They are never accurate, they are fast as lightning, but they carry in themselves a light nostalgia and calm. Moments that you want to remember forever: a song sung by mom, a clear sky above your head and the certainty of tomorrow, because there is still a whole summer of fun ahead. DEEP LOVE Mykyta Lyskov, 14:00, 2019 Deep love has finally happened in Ukraine. TROIA Andrey Naumenko, 02:34, 2022 TROЯ (Troіa) – these are the episodes of everyday life in the sleeping area of Kyiv called “Troieschyna”. Here I was born, raised and I live here now. Here you understand that clothes don’t make the man and events can have unexpected endings. THE WAR THAT IS ALWAYS AROUND Iryna Harkavets, 01:34, 2022 Experience from Russia’s war against Ukraine and its aftermath in the form of PTSD. An animated film about surviving horror and coming home. First use of neural network animation in a short film along with classic animation.
Regal Union Square Doors open at 6:00 PM Screening starts at 6:30 PM
The Voices of Babyn Yar: A book talk and reading by Marianna Kiyanovska
With this collection of stirring poems, the award-winning Ukrainian poet honors the victims of the Holocaust by writing their stories of horror, death, and survival in their own imagined voices. Artful and carefully intoned, the poems convey the experiences of ordinary civilians going through unbearable events leading to the massacre at Kyiv’s Babyn Yar from a first-person perspective to an effect that is simultaneously immersive and estranging. While conceived as a tribute to the fallen, the book raises difficult questions about memory, responsibility, and commemoration of those who had witnessed an evil that verges on the unspeakable.
About Marianna Kiyanovska: Award-winning Ukrainian writer, translator, literary scholar, and public figure whose works have been translated into eighteen languages. She is the author of more than a dozen books of poetry, prose, and literary translation. A winner of the Vilenica International Literary Festival and the CEI Fellowship (2007), she was also awarded the Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture in Poland (2013). In 2020, she was recognized with the prestigious Taras Shevchenko National Prize in Literature for The Voices of Babyn Yar. She is the Laureate of the Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Prize and was named the European Poet of Freedom (both in 2022). The English-language translation of The Voices of Babyn Yar has won the 2022 Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for a Translation of a Literary Work from the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the 2021–22 Translation Prize from the American Association for Ukrainian Studies (AAUS). This book was also shortlisted for the 2023 Best Literary Translation into English Prize from the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages (AATSEEL)
About Emily Hamilton (Moderator): Emily Hamilton is the producer of three documentary films, Why Ukraine, Slava Ukraini and Glory to the Heroes, by Bernard-Henri Lévy on Ukraine’s extraordinary resistance since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, and is the Executive Director of Justice for Kurds. Previously, she was the Director of Development and Communications at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Emily serves on the board of the Albertine Books Foundation and The Octavian Report.
Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010
Amid the chaos and destruction of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, three artists defiantly find inspiration and beauty as they defend their culture and their country. In a war waged by professional soldiers against ordinary civilians, Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrey Stefanov choose to stay behind, armed with their art, their cameras, and, for the first time in their lives, their guns. Despite daily shelling, Anya finds resistance and purpose in her art, Andrey takes the dangerous journey to get his young family to safety abroad, and Slava becomes a weapons instructor for ordinary people who have become unlikely soldiers. As the war intensifies, Andrey picks up his camera to film their story, and on tiny porcelain figurines, Anya and Slava capture their idyllic past, uncertain present, and hope for the future.
Regal Union Square Time: 7 PM Note: The film will be screened in Ukrainian with English subtitles.
The avant-garde artist Alexandra Exter lived most of her life in Ukraine. Her homeland’s rich cultural heritage had a great impact on her work. Dubbed the “avant-garde Amazon,” Exter influenced a whole generation of Ukrainian artists. Join us at The Ukrainian Museum for a presentation delving into the important milestones in Exter’s work when she lived in Kyiv and Odesa, Ukraine. The presentation will be followed by a walk-through of our current exhibition, Alexandra Exter: The Stage Is a World, and a Q&A session.
Our guest speaker, Tetyana Filevska, specializes in Ukrainian modernism and Ukrainian contemporary art. She is the Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, the author of a number of books, including Kazimir Malevich: Kyiv Period, 1928–1930, the producer of several films, among them Malevich: Born in Ukraine, and the co-founder of the non-governmental organization Malevich Institute. Ms. Filevska curated the public program for the Ukrainian Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale, dedicated to the decolonization of Ukrainian and Eastern European art.
A Discussion with Tetyana Filevska and Peter Doroshenko
Much of Ukrainian art history and many Ukrainian artists have been mislabeled as Russian as a result of Ukraine’s subjugation under imperial Russia and the Soviet Union.
A new guide for museums that focuses on the decolonization of Ukrainian art and artists is scheduled for publication in the winter of 2025 by the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, Ukraine. The project is the result of an initiative that began soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when preserving Ukraine’s cultural heritage adopted a greater sense of urgency. A partnership with the British Council, the Museum Association, ICOM UK, and ICOM Ukraine, the guide facilitates many of the questions that the international museum community has faced in its work since the invasion and includes guidelines on effectively identifying, collecting, researching, exhibiting, and labeling Ukraine’s cultural articles.
Join us at The Ukrainian Museum for an evening of lively discussion about this project with Tetyana Filevska, Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, and Peter Doroshenko, Director of The Ukrainian Museum. The Ukrainian Institute’s mission is to promote knowledge and understanding of Ukraine internationally and to develop cultural relations between Ukraine and other countries.
Join us for a screening of an award-winning narrative feature “La Palisiada” (FIPRESCI Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival 2023). Philip Sotnychenko’s meta-cinematic investigation into the alienated underbelly of post-Soviet Ukraine is a muted reckoning with a past that must be confronted before its insidious grip on the present can be loosened.
Philip Sotnychenko’s award-winning DV debut feature uncovers the hidden connections between the violence of the past and the present. Shot on raw DV cameras, “La Palisiada” centers around an investigation into the murder of a police colonel in 1996 that ultimately leads to the final execution to take place in independent Ukraine. Twenty five years later, a new generation of young Ukrainians are facing their own personal and political crises, with shocking consequences.
Writer as a Volunteer: How Ukrainian culture aids the war effort. Andriy Lyubka in conversation with Iryna Solomko
Amid the horrors of a full-scale invasion, many in Ukraine believe that Ukrainian culture has undergone a renaissance. New bookstores are opening, theaters are drawing crowds, and art exhibitions are breaking attendance records. During this meeting, Andriy Lyubka will discuss how, after the onset of the invasion, Ukrainian culture became a vital component of the country’s defense strategy. Beyond strengthening national identity and boosting morale, it has provided practical support, aiding the Armed Forces of Ukraine both financially and materially. The writer will present his nonfiction book War from the Rear, and share his volunteer efforts, which have raised over $1.5 million and resulted in the purchase of more than 310 vehicles for the front lines. He will also highlight other significant initiatives within Ukrainian culture and art that actively support the military.
Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010 2:00 PM
A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails: Reading by Halyna Kruk
Halyna Kruk (1974) is an award-winning Ukrainian poet, writer, translator, and scholar. She is the author of five books of poetry/ Two collections have come out in English in the past two years: Griffin Poetry Prize shortlisted A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails (Arrowsmith Press, 2022) and Lost in Living (Lost Horse Press, 2024) Her numerous literary awards include the Sundara Ramaswamy Prize, the 2023 Women in Arts Award, the 2021 BookForum Best Book Award, the Smoloskyp Poetry Award, the Bohdan Ihor Antonych Prize, and the Hranoslov Award. She holds a PhD in Ukrainian baroque literature (2001). Kruk is a member of Ukrainian PEN; she lives and teaches in Lviv.
Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010
After transferring from a downtown high school, Tonia (Alina Cheban) befriends a group of badass youngsters, trying to find protection from her past and a place she truly belongs. They spend time together, roaming around Kyiv’s post-socialist suburbs, having fun and getting in trouble.
Soon, Tonia falls in love with Zhurik (played by Zachary Shadrin, whose credits include HBO’s “Industry” and Apple TV+’s “Little America”). When she also falls for Sania (Arthur Aliiev), she finds herself tangled up in an alluring secret love triangle. But Tonia’s painful past still haunts her, challenging this newfound friendship and romance. Will she be able to find her own path or lose herself in this new controversial relationship? Set in the late 90s Kyiv, this is a story of the young and rebellious amid the ruins of the Soviet regime. Those who had to grow up faster due to the circumstances but got lost in the adult world. A story of which we need constant reminding, as some things only exist at the moment, while others last forever.
On October 30, the American Composers Orchestra will bring to the stage of Carnegie Hall the music of Ukrainian composer Victoria Polevá, one of Ukraine’s most important living composers. Polevá’s “sacred minimalism” has gained particular traction with international audiences since the full-scale invasion; Her Bucha.Lacrimosa for the victims of the Bucha massacre has been performed around the world by the Ukraine Freedom Orchestra as part of their Freedom Tour 2024. The inclusion of her Symphony No. 4 “The Bell” in the season of a legendary American ensemble speaks both to the power and transcendence of her music.
Join the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival and Razom for Ukraine on October 29th ahead of this important performance for an evening of her piano works, performed by Anna Shelest and Irena Portenko. Following the concert, Leah Batstone, Creative Director of UCMF, will speak with Polevá about her career, her compositions, and the role of music in contemporary Ukrainian culture.
Tuesday, October 29th
Conversation between Victoria Poleva and Leah Batstone
Weathering the Storm. Ukrainian Short Films with KISFF
HELLO, I’M ON THE HILL | АЛЛО, Я НА ГОРІ In the destroyed city of Izium, Kharkiv region, the Kremyanets hill has become an “island of communication”, where people can find mobile connection to get in touch with their families after months of Russian occupation.
TOO CLOSE | НАДТО БЛИЗЬКО Two friends return from a party and stay at the home of one of them. It would seem like an ordinary cozy evening but suddenly the heroes are caught in an air raid. BEWARE OF A GOOD DOG! | УВАГА, ДОБРИЙ ПЕС! Stepan regularly adopts old dogs from the shelter, who spend their last days beside him and die peacefully. It’s his own way of coming to terms with the end of his life. He dreams die peacefully in old age during the war in Ukraine. But peace is a privilege stolen by the young boy Gogo. What happens when two enemies of different ages but equally lonely meet at the cemetery at night? They’ll smoke, eat a basket of ice cream, and dance. WALK | ГУЛЯЮ This is an autobiographical story by Daria Zhuravel, dedicated to childhood and to those who are no longer with us, but whose presence accompanies us wherever we go. VOICE MESSAGES FROM BAKHMUT | ВОЙСИ З БАХМУТА A story about an attempt to restore intimacy at a distance of the war, told via the voice messages of a foreign correspondent in a front-line city. CHORNOBYL 22 | ЧОРНОБИЛЬ 22 During the Russian occupation of the Chornobyl Zone in early 2022, a local informant is clandestinely filming the Russian troops. The workers of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Station discuss their experiences during the Russian military takeover of their facility.
Olena Stiazhkina in conversation with Irena Chalupa
In Cecil the Lion Had to Die, Olena Stiazhkina follows four families through radical transformations when the Soviet Union unexpectedly implodes, independent Ukraine emerges, and neo imperial Russia occupies Ukraine’s Crimea and parts of the Donbas. Just as Stiazhkina’s decision to transition to writing in Ukrainian as part of her civic stance—performed in this book that begins in Russian and ends in Ukrainian—the stark choices of family members take them in different directions, presenting a multifaceted and nuanced Donbas.
Join the author in conversation with Razom Book Club’s Irena Chalupa for a deeper dive into the book and the process of writing it.
Olena Stiazhkina is from Donetsk, Ukraine. A historian by training with dozens of scholarly articles to her name, she taught Slavic history at Donetsk National University for over twenty years until Russia began another bloody chapter of that history with its 2014 invasion of Ukraine. Stiazhkina is also a writer who has published eleven books of fiction, from novels and short story collections to detective novels (the latter under the pen name Olena Iurska). Her historian’s background and writer’s acumen combine in a body of creative work that is gripping, sharply observed, and tender—yet hilarious, and furious, too. Stiazhkina has received numerous awards for her fiction over the years, most recently the 2023 Lviv UNESCO City of Literature Award for her novel Cecil the Lion Had to Die, a bilingual novel in Russian and Ukrainian. Cecil the Lion Had to Die (translated by Dominique Hoffman) and Ukraine, War, Love: A Donetsk Diary (translated by Anne O. Fisher) are now available in English from the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute.
Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010
We are excited to share that Razom Health’s Co-Pilot Project and OU Health have hosted the 15th participant of our 4-week observership program, focused on facial plastic reconstructive surgery and neurosurgery at the University of Oklahoma. A huge thanks to Dr. Mark Mims, Dr. Andrew Bauer, and the McGrail Family for leading this project.
One participant shared their experience:
“The acquired knowledge is extremely important, and I’ve already used it in practice. Every day, we face patients who need these life-saving reconstructive surgeries.”
This cohort included Dr. Andrii Kopchak, Dr. Tetiana Pavlychuk, and Dr. Ievgen Shumynskyi from Kyiv Regional Hospital and Bogomolets Medical University, who frequently collaborate on symposiums focused on the reconstruction of head and neck war injuries with the Co-Pilot Face the Future Foundation and Co-Pilot Face to Face Medical Trips.
Your support is crucial in enabling the Co-Pilot Project to continue its work of providing life-changing and modern medical care to Ukrainians. Please consider donating to Razom and help us bring hope to those who need it most. Together, we can make a difference.
Razom for Ukraine is proud to announce that this year we are supporting the book tours of prominent Ukrainian writers in collaboration with over 15 American universities and institutions, with events scheduled in cities across the United States. This literary tour offers audiences a unique opportunity to engage with Ukrainian voices through readings, discussions, and book signings.
Below, you’ll find the scheduled appearances and biographies of the featured writers and poets.
Featured Writers and Poets:
Marianna Kyianovska
Ostap Slyvynsky
Olena Stiazhkina
Halyna Kruk
Ostap Slyvynsky
Ostap Slyvynsky is a celebrated Ukrainian poet, translator, essayist, and scholar. He has authored five books of poetry, including The Winter King (2018), and The Dictionary of War (2023), a documentary book based on testimonies of witnesses of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. His poetry has been published internationally, and The Winter King was recently shortlisted for the American Translation Prize and the Derek Walcott Prize. Slyvynsky is also a professor at the Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv) and Vice President of PEN Ukraine since 2022.
Ostap Slyvynsky’s U.S. Tour Dates:
October 17, 2024 Columbia University, New York Event Link
October 18, 2024 Ukrainian Cultural Festival, New York Event Link
October 21, 2024 Princeton University, New Jersey
October 23, 2024 Cornell University, Ithaca, New York Event Link
October 24, 2024 Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts Event Link
October 26, 2024 Ukrainian Cultural Center, Philadelphia
October 28, 2024 University of Michigan, Michigan Event Link
October 30, 2024 University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois Event Link
October 31, 2024 Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
November 1, 2024 University of Wisconsin, Madison Event Link
November 3, 2024 House of Ukraine, San Diego, California Event Link
November 4, 2024 University of California, San Diego, California Event Link
November 5, 2024 University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California Event Link
Olena Stiazhkina
Olena Stiazhkina is a historian and fiction writer from Donetsk, Ukraine, who combines her historical expertise with sharp, tender, and furious storytelling. She is the author of 11 books of fiction, including the award-winning Cecil the Lion Had to Die and Ukraine, War, Love: A Donetsk Diary, which are now available in English. She is the recipient of the 2023 Lviv UNESCO City of Literature Award.
Olena Stiazhkina’s U.S. Tour Dates:
October 23, 2024 Miami University, Oxford, Ohio Event Link
October 24, 2024 Tomorrow Bookstore, Indianapolis, Indiana Event Link
October 25, 2024 Second Flight Books, West Lafayette, Indiana Event Link
October 27, 2024 After-Words New and Used Books, Chicago, Illinois Event Link
October 28, 2024 The American Literary Translators Association, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Topic: “I Chose to Stop Writing in ___”: How War Changes Language Choices
October 31, 2024 Ukrainian Cultural Festival, New York Event Link
Halyna Kruk
Halyna Kruk (1974) is an award-winning Ukrainian poet, writer, translator, and scholar. She is the author of five books of poetry/ Two collections have come out in English in the past two years: Griffin Poetry Prize shortlisted A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails (Arrowsmith Press, 2022) and Lost in Living (Lost Horse Press, 2024) Her numerous literary awards include the Sundara Ramaswamy Prize, the 2023 Women in Arts Award, the 2021 BookForum Best Book Award, the Smoloskyp Poetry Award, the Bohdan Ihor Antonych Prize, and the Hranoslov Award. She holds a PhD in Ukrainian baroque literature (2001). Kruk is a member of Ukrainian PEN; she lives and teaches in Lviv.
Halyna Kruk’s U.S. Tour Dates:
October 28, 2024 Ukrainian Cultural Festival Event Link
October 30, 2024 UCSD, San Diego, California Event Link
November 1, 2024 Stanford, Palo Alto, California Event Link
November 12, 2024 Penn State University, State College, PA
November 14, 2024 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Event Link
November 15, 2024 University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois Event Link
November 19, 2024 University of Kansas, Kansas
Past Tours
Marianna Kiyanovska
Award-winning Ukrainian writer, translator, literary scholar, and public figure, Marianna Kiyanovska has had her works translated into eighteen languages. She is the author of more than a dozen books, including poetry, prose, and literary translations. A winner of the Vilenica International Literary Festival and the CEI Fellowship (2007), she was also honored with the Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture in Poland (2013). In 2020, she received the prestigious Taras Shevchenko National Prize in Literature for The Voices of Babyn Yar. Kiyanovska is the Laureate of the Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Prize and was named European Poet of Freedom, both in 2022. The English-language translation of The Voices of Babyn Yar won the 2022 Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for a Translation of a Literary Work from the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the 2021–22 Translation Prize from the American Association for Ukrainian Studies (AAUS). The book was also shortlisted for the 2023 Best Literary Translation into English Prize from the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages (AATSEEL).
Photo by Valentyn Kuzan
Marianna Kyianovska’s U.S. Tour Dates:
September 18, 2024 Harvard, Cambridge, MA Event Link
October 18, 2024 University of Indiana, Bloomington, Indiana Event Link
October 21, 2024 Ukrainian Cultural Festival, Razom, New York
October 22, 2024 New York University, Jordan Center, New York Event Link
October 23, 2024 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan Event Link
October 23, 2024 Ann Arbor District Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan Event Link
Join us as we celebrate the resilience and creativity of Ukrainian writers. Their voices reflect the spirit of a nation overcoming adversity, and your participation in these events amplifies that message. For a complete list of appearances and to learn more about our writers, please explore the links provided.
As the war in Ukraine continues, grassroots initiatives are proving to be indispensable for community resilience and support. One such initiative is the NGO “Building Ukraine Together” (BUR), a longtime Razom partner, which is dedicated to empowering local communities through volunteer camps. Before launching these camps, BUR organizes a training school for teams who will lead local activities in collaboration with the organization. Recently, teams from three communities—Lypova Dolyna, Ladany, and Velyka Severynivka—gathered for several days of intensive lectures and workshops designed to prepare them for their roles.
Supported by Razom, BUR’s volunteer camps play a crucial role in restoring communities and empowering local volunteers. The training sessions emphasize essential skills such as volunteer management, effective communication, community engagement, team coordination, and resource identification.
A Community’s Vision: Yulia’s Story
Among the participants was Yulia, a representative from the Ladany community in the Chernihiv region. She successfully organized a team and applied to host a BUR camp with the aim of establishing a youth center in their community, which has become a haven for many displaced people fleeing Russian aggression.
Yulia expressed her motivation:
“I wanted to show our youth and our community that, with collective effort, we can achieve things we never dreamed of before.”
As the BUR camp unfolded, local residents actively engaged in the process, transforming their environment while also fostering a sense of ownership and pride in their community.
For Yulia’s team, this volunteer camp marked their first experience in organizing such an event. While they had previously participated in other projects, this challenge brought new learning opportunities.
Yulia reflected, “Everything was new to us—how to set up the camps, what their purpose is, and what the daily schedule looks like. The school helped us understand all of this. We also learned some team building games, like ‘Ladder,’ which helps teach us how to listen and ask the right questions. I work in the local government, so I’ve already started using these techniques at work.”
So far, two BUR camp sessions have successfully taken place in the Ladany community. The training school has significantly strengthened the team, streamlined the organizational process, and, most importantly, taught them how to engage people of all ages in community life.
Overcoming Fear: Bohdana’s Journey in Sumy
Another inspiring story comes from the recent BUR volunteer camp held in Lypova Dolyna, Sumy region, located just about 50 miles from the Russian border and is currently under regular attack. Here, volunteers worked together to create a bomb shelter, demonstrating their commitment to safety and community support. One volunteer, Bohdana, traveled over 500 miles from Zakarpattia to be part of this effort.
Bohdana shared her initial apprehensions:
“I was really stressed—it was a new city and my first camp—but I decided to join because I wanted to finally experience the BUR community vibe. The BUR team took the security aspects very seriously—checking air raid alerts, organizing shelter drills—and it almost felt like I wasn’t in Sumy, but somewhere much farther from the front line. I was scared I wouldn’t be helpful in construction. You know, when you first go to a camp, you feel like you don’t know anything about building and maybe you should just stay home. But with BUR, learning is fun and easy. Before you know it, you’re plastering walls like you’ve done it a hundred times.”
The first session of the BUR camp in Lypova Dolyna has already concluded, resulting in the creation of a shelter that will serve both as a refuge during air raids and a safe event space for the community. Bohdana not only contributed to a significant project but also formed lasting connections with fellow volunteers, making this experience a cherished memory.
This volunteer camp in Lypova Dolyna was made possible with the support of Razom for Ukraine.
Through initiatives like BUR, communities in Ukraine are finding strength and hope in each other, creating safe spaces and fostering resilience amid adversity. By empowering local leaders and volunteers, organizations like Razom and BUR are helping to build a brighter future for Ukraine. Thank you for your support!
Stay tuned for more updates and stories from Razom Relief.
