Razom Recommends April 2026

Published: April 1, 2026   

April is a month of action. As we mark Earth Month and Volunteer Month, we’re reminded that the health of our world and the strength of our communities depend on what we choose to do — and what we choose not to ignore.

This April, Razom Recommends highlights events that invite you to engage more deeply: to learn, to show up, and to take part in shaping what comes next. As Russia’s war continues to impact not only Ukraine but global security, the environment, and fundamental freedoms, staying informed and involved matters. Whether through culture, community, or advocacy, these events are an opportunity to turn awareness into action — and to stand with Ukraine in ways that are both meaningful and needed right now.

9 Apr| 6:00-8:00 PM| NYC

Reading Pidmohylnyi in a New Century. Politics, Urbanism, Gender

Valerian Pidmohylnyi’s 1928 novel has aged very well. It is still a wonderful exploration of the challenges facing a young Ukrainian village boy who comes to the city in the years immediately following the revolution that brought the communists to power in the former Russian empire. It is also a deeply philosophical exposition of the human condition that puts us all between the physical demands of the world around us and the cognitive imperative of reason. But a century later, the elements that make up Pidmohylnyi’s novel and argument are not universally perceived as they were then. This lecture will explore the then and now of understanding Stepan Radchenko.

🔗More HERE. 

12 Apr|5:00 PM| NYC

Ukrainian Music Initiative: Introductions

The Ukrainian Music Initiative invites you to Introductions, an evening dedicated to elevating Ukrainian classical music and its place in the Western canon. Featuring acclaimed musicians — cellist Valeriya Sholokhova, pianists Pavlo Gintov and Margarita Rovenskaya, and contralto Vira Slywotzky — this concert brings together exceptional talent for a powerful and refined performance. Join us at All Souls NYC for a program that celebrates the richness and depth of Ukraine’s musical heritage. 

🔗More HERE. 

12-13 Apr|Cleveland, OH

Screening of We’re Fine at CIFF

Two and a half years after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a group of Ukrainian artists and volunteers converge at Burning Man to create a larger-than-life art installation. Responding to a Facebook post, this group of mostly strangers soon becomes a family as they work together to build this massive sculpture in the empty plateau of the Black Rock Desert. Composed entirely of real road signs collected from de-occcupied Ukrainian territories – each one bearing the scars of war –  the sign spells out the phrase “I’M FINE” in giant letters, a raw symbol of how people hide their pain behind words as life continues. 

🔗More HERE.

13 Apr| 7:00 PM| NYC

Book Launch: Mrs. Orwell by Andrea Chalupa in conversation with Nomiki Konst

Mrs. Orwell follows poet Eileen Blair and her husband, George Orwell, as they forge the professional and romantic partnership that will eventually bring us Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. From a honeymoon fighting in the Spanish Civil War to narrow escapes from Stalin’s agents and the London Blitz, the Blairs’ campaign against fascism brings them face-to-face with some of the greatest threats of the 1930s. But while George struggles to make his voice heard despite political censorship, Eileen must fight to preserve her own voice within a marriage that threatens to consume her.

🔗More HERE.

16 Apr| 6:30-8:30 PM | NYC

Ukrainian Institute Young Member Event

The Institute invites young members of the community for an evening of wine, conversation, and connection. The evening will begin with an interactive tasting of four wines from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, New York’s most award-winning winery. Afterward, guests can stay for a relaxed opportunity to meet and connect. This event is open to UIA Members, Annual Friends, and guests ages 21–40. Space is limited, and advance registration is required.

🔗More HERE. 

19-22 Apr| Washington, DC

Ukraine Action Summit

The Ukraine Action Summit (UAS) is your opportunity to take part in one of the largest gatherings of Ukraine’s supporters in the United States. From expert-led panels to coordinated high-impact advocacy on Capitol Hill, the Summit provides powerful ways to engage, learn, and inspire action. Over the course of these transformative days, you’ll learn best practices for civic advocacy, connect with a nationwide community of Ukraine supporters, and ensure that when you speak out for Ukraine—your voice is heard in Washington, DC.

23 Apr| Washington, DC

UAS Companion Event: Abducted Ukrainian Children

Razom and American Coalition for Ukraine are partnering to raise awareness about the abducted children of Ukraine at this UAS, Spring 2026. The issue of abducted children has always been on our agenda, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep it relevant in the current news cycle. We are determined to get the abducted children of Ukraine the public attention they truly deserve. On Thursday, April 23, 2026, Razom and ACU plan to display 20,000 stuffed teddy bears – a symbol of children – at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. This way, we aim to communicate the scale and seriousness of the crime to the media and decision-makers. This is an ambitious project, and we need your support to execute it: volunteers to help with the set-up, and participants to rally once the installation is done.

🔗More HERE. 

23 & 24 Apr| 7:00 PM| NYC

TAPESTRIES: Directed and Choreographed by Suzzanne Ponomarenko

Tapestries is an evening-length dance theatre piece told through the curious narrative of the Unicorn Tapestries (1495–1505) and a queer reimagining of Ukrainian folklore. It consists of eight vignettes, each representing a different tapestry and folklore, threaded together to tell the tale of the Magical Unicorn. This hour-length performance unfolds through rigorous and quirky dance vocabulary abstracted from Ukrainian folk dance, ballet, post-modernism, and modern dance, alongside projections of newly imagined tapestries illustrated in a surrealist, dreamlike form by Emmy Castellani, a meticulously crafted, eclectic score by Katie-James Rushin, and costumed by visionary designer David Quinn. This piece was developed in part during a Baryshnikov Arts Residency.

🔗More HERE.  

25 Apr| 6:00 PM| NYC

Screening of VIKTOR at ReelAbilities Festival

A Razom Cinema grantee, VIKTOR, is being featured at the ReelAbilities Film Festival in New York — the leading festival spotlighting stories by and about people with disabilities. This powerful film follows Viktor, a Deaf man in Kharkiv, as he searches for purpose in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion — navigating a war he cannot hear. 

Also listen to our Razom Talks with Viktor Korostovskyi and Olivier Sarbil. 

🔗More HERE. 

26 Apr| 2:00 PM| Chicago, IL

Exploring Ukrainian Literature & History

The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art invites you to an afternoon of learning and discussion as part of the UIUC Talk Series: Exploring Ukrainian Literature & History. This event features presentations by graduate student Joseph Mosse, who will share research on Ukrainian writer Natalena Koroleva, and Professor Valeria Sobol, introducing her course Kyiv: The Biography of the City. Together, these talks offer insight into Ukraine’s literary heritage and the historical and cultural evolution of Kyiv, from the medieval period to today.

🔗More HERE. 

29-30 Apr| Toronto, CA

Silent Flood at Hot Docs Film Festival

The serene banks of the Dniester River, which flows through Ukraine and Moldova to the Black Sea, serve as a timeless sanctuary for a pacifist community living by candlelight and horse-drawn labour. This atmospheric documentary captures the archaic beauty of a life governed by nature rather than the clock, until the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine shatters its isolation. A profound spiritual friction occurs when centuries of pacifist faith meet the existential demands of a nation under fire. By juxtaposing the stillness of the farm with the heavy longing of soldiers at the front, Silent Flood shows that resistance takes many forms, some as quiet as a shared meal.

🔗More HERE.

As the seasons change, our commitment cannot. We invite you to stay engaged, stay informed, and keep your attention on Ukraine — not only in moments of crisis, but in the ongoing work of resilience, culture, and rebuilding. Your continued interest, presence, and support matter more than ever.

How Six Counseling Sessions Can Change a Life: Inside the “Razom z Toboyu” Psychological Center in Dnipro

Published: March 30, 2026   

During wartime, psychological support becomes just as essential as medical care. In the city of Dnipro, the “Razom z Toboyu” Psychological Center, run by Razom for Ukraine, offers free counseling sessions to those in need. The center supports soldiers, their families, and civilians who are going through difficult life situations.

Natalia, the center’s senior psychologist, has been working on the project since 2023. She says that for many people, access to free counseling can make all the difference.

“I always say a big thank you to those who support this project. Many of our clients simply cannot afford mental health care,” she explains.

According to Natalia, the war has dramatically increased the psychological strain people are living under.. Constant tension, air raid alarms, and everyday challenges build up over time.

“I see how exhausted and irritable people are now. And that’s natural—we are all living in extremely difficult conditions. That’s why psychological support is so important right now,” she says.

The center offers both individual consultations and group sessions where participants learn about emotional wellbeing and coping strategies.

“When people begin to understand what they are experiencing, things start to feel more manageable. They start to see how they can help themselves and support others,” Natalia adds.

A Soldier’s Story

Natalia recalls the story of a soldier who came to the center after being injured.

At first glance, his injury was barely noticeable, but he had serious difficulties with hand mobility. After returning to civilian life, he struggled to adapt.

“He came to me because he struggled to find his place in civilian life again. There was a lot of tension, conflicts at home, and his relationships with loved ones had deteriorated,” Natalia says.

At the center, clients can receive a series of six counseling sessions. The goal is to stabilize a person’s condition and help them take the first steps toward recovery.

“We worked on self-regulation techniques — ways he could calm himself and better understand his emotions. ” she explains.

Over time, things began to improve. His sleep got better, and there was less tension at home.

“He even brought his wife to one of the sessions. It’s very important when family members become part of the process,” Natalia adds.

After completing the six sessions, the man decided to continue therapy.

“When he first came, he felt that nothing would ever change. But little by little he saw that things could actually improve,” Natalia says.

The First Step Toward Change

According to Natalia, six counseling sessions cannot solve every problem , but they often become the starting point for meaningful change.

Sometimes clients return months later when they face a new challenge or simply need someone to talk to again.

“Sometimes people call and say, ‘Can we talk again?’ And we continue working together,” she says.

Often, helping one person opens the door for others to seek support as well.

“First one person comes, then they bring their spouse, their children, or friends. People share their experience, and that’s how others learn that support is available,” Natalia explains.

She believes that centers like this play an important role not only today, but also in the future.

“All of this is aimed at helping Ukraine remain as mentally resilient as possible.,” Natalia says.

Sometimes change begins with a simple step—the courage to come in and ask for help.

Support Razom

Hosting Russian Duma Officials in Washington Will Not Lead to Peace

Published: March 25, 2026   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 25, 2026

 

Hosting Russian Duma Officials in Washington Will Not Lead to Peace

 

Washington, D.C. — “Supporters of Ukraine unequivocally condemn the decision to invite Russian war criminals to Washington for meetings with American government officials,” said Razom’s Advocacy Director Mykola Murskyj, responding to news that a delegation of Russian State Duma representatives will travel to the United States to meet with members of Congress and the Executive branch. 

 

“President Trump has said that he wants to stop the war and Ukrainians share that goal. But Russia’s invasion will end when one man – Vladimir Putin – decides it must. Poll after poll has shown that majorities of Americans support continued assistance to Ukraine. The White House should heed their view rather than host Kremlin functionaries for talks unlikely to yield results.”

 

“Ukrainians had a good look at Russia’s negotiating position earlier this week, when Russian Shahed drones slammed into a historic city center in Lviv, battering a Catholic church and maiming scores of civilians.” 

 

“Russia’s legislature has no genuine opposition parties. It serves chiefly to ratify Putin’s wars and human rights abuses. In the lead-up to Russia’s full scale invasion, the Duma voted 351 to 16 to recognize sovereign Ukrainian territory as part of the Russian Federation.”

 

“The members of this delegation are currently prosecuting a war of aggression against a neighboring country and the stakes are clear: If they achieve their goals – on the battlefield or in the negotiating room – Ukrainians will lose their lives, their freedoms, and their sovereignty. If Russia’s ambitions are thwarted, Ukrainians will consolidate their democracy and continue their movement towards the West.”

 

 ###


Razom for Ukraine is a U.S. nonprofit providing medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and a leading advocate for continued U.S. assistance to Ukraine. For more information or to request an interview, please contact: Ostap Yarysh, Media Advisor at Razom for Ukraine ostap.yarysh@razom.org

 

Razom and UCFP announce first Congressional Ukraine Policy Fellows

Published: March 23, 2026   

RAZOM AND UCFP ANNOUNCE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL UKRAINE POLICY FELLOWS

 

Release Date: March 23, 2026

Location: Washington, D.C.

 

Razom and the Ukrainian Community Foundation of Philadelphia (UCFP) are proud to announce the inaugural cohort of the Congressional Ukraine Policy Fellowship, a first-of-its-kind, year-long professional development program for mid-career professionals with deep expertise on Ukraine.

 

The Fellowship was created to give American professionals and academics with substantial knowledge of Ukraine a unique opportunity to develop as policy professionals through full-time work on Capitol Hill. Over the course of 12 months, fellows work in congressional offices, gaining experience in policy development, legislative drafting, oversight, and stakeholder engagement on issues related to Ukraine’s security, democratic resilience, and long-term recovery.

 

The inaugural fellows, Myroslava Gongadze and Michael Corcoran, were selected to serve in the offices of Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), two of the four co-chairs of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus and long-standing champions of Ukraine. These placements offer fellows the opportunity to learn within two of the strongest congressional offices working on Ukraine policy today while supporting bipartisan legislative engagement on issues central to the U.S.-Ukraine relationship.

 

“The Ukrainian Community Foundation of Philadelphia is proud to support a program that gives Ukraine experts in the United States an exceptional opportunity to grow professionally through direct service in Congress,” said Roman Petyk, Board Chair of the Ukrainian Community Foundation of Philadelphia. “Myroslava and Michael bring outstanding experience, judgment, and commitment to this work, and we are honored to invest in their development at such an important moment for both Ukraine and the United States.”

 

“This fellowship offers something rare: the chance for deeply knowledgeable Ukraine experts to gain first-hand experience in the legislative process at the highest level,” said Dora Chomiak, CEO of Razom for Ukraine. “By placing fellows in both Republican and Democratic offices led by two of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus’s co-chairs, we are helping build a stronger long-term bench of policy professionals.”

 

The Congressional Ukraine Policy Fellowship is designed not only to support the fellows during their year on Capitol Hill but also to cultivate a durable community of professionals with serious expertise in Ukraine and practical experience in American policymaking.

 

2025–2026 Congressional Ukraine Policy Fellows

 

Myroslava Gongadze – Office of Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R‑PA)

Myroslava Gongadze is a journalist and foreign policy expert specializing in Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and European Security. With more than two decades of experience reporting on democratic movements, Russian aggression, and regional security dynamics, she has contributed analysis and insight on Russia’s war against Ukraine and its implications for the transatlantic alliance. Most recently, she served as Voice of America’s Eastern Europe Chief. Gongadze has worked with policymakers, experts, and civil society leaders across Europe and the United States to advance discussions on democratic resilience, security cooperation, and Ukraine’s integration with Euro-Atlantic institutions. In Rep. Fitzpatrick’s office, she contributes her regional expertise while gaining direct experience with the legislative process shaping U.S. policy toward Ukraine and European security.

 

Michael R. Corcoran – Office of Rep. Mike Quigley (D‑IL)

Michael Corcoran is a national security professional with more than a decade of experience shaping U.S. foreign policy and international development. He has served across multiple federal agencies—including the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Defense, and the Department of State—advancing foreign policy and assistance initiatives throughout Eastern Europe and Africa. Most recently, he was Ukraine Deputy Team Lead at USAID, advising senior officials on U.S.-Ukraine cooperation and assistance during Russia’s full-scale invasion. In Rep. Quigley’s office, he applies his policy expertise to support congressional engagement on Ukraine and national security, while gaining deeper insight into the legislative process.

 

# # #

 

Razom (“Together” in Ukrainian) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and a leading advocate for continued U.S. assistance to Ukraine.

 

The Ukrainian Community Foundation of Philadelphia (UCFP) is a community-based 501(c)(3) philanthropic organization that strengthens Ukrainian civic, cultural, and educational life by investing in diaspora-driven initiatives that support a resilient, secure, and democratic Ukraine.



 

The female gaze in Ukrainian cinema and literature

Published: March 13, 2026   

Culture is the mirror of a nation’s soul, and throughout history, Ukrainian women have played a central role in shaping it. Over the years, particularly in recent times, they have used literature and film to navigate trauma, document diverse experiences, and shed light on their incredible resilience and unwavering strength.

The female gaze in Ukrainian cinema and literature always serves as a powerful force. The works in our curated selection address significant issues, including the tension between tradition and modernity, historical trauma, and personal development. They shed light on women’s experiences and challenge our views on masculinity, relationships, and cultural heritage.

By exploring this list, we invite you to gain a deeper understanding of the richness of Ukrainian culture, along with themes of identity and memory.

LITERATURE

Cassandra by Lesya Ukrainka
translated by Nina Murray

A dramatic poem by Ukraine’s most prominent woman writer, reimagining the myth of the Trojan prophetess Cassandra – a woman condemned to speak the truth and never be believed. The work becomes a powerful reflection on prophecy, power, and moral courage – themes that resonate strongly with modern Ukraine.

Buy and read

 

Olena Stiazhkina, a contemporary Ukrainian writer and historian from Donetsk, explores questions of national identity, war, and occupation in her work. Forced to leave her hometown after Russia’s occupation in 2014, she writes from lived experience in both fiction and nonfiction.

In Ukraine, War, Love: A Donetsk Diary (2020), translated by Anne O. Fisher, Stiazhkina offers a deeply personal account of the early days of Russia’s invasion and a deeply intimate portrait of her city and its people. 

Her novel Cecil the Lion Had to Die (2024), translated by Dominique Hoffmann, traces Ukraine’s modern history through the lives of several families in Donetsk, reflecting the country’s path to independence and Russia’s later attempt to take it away.

Both books offer powerful insights into the history and experience of Ukraine’s eastern region.

 

Dasein: In Defence of Presence by Yaryna Chornohuz
translated by Amelia Glaser

A testimony from the front lines of Russia’s full-scale invasion written by a woman who is at once a corporal in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a volunteer paramedic, a Marine, and one of Ukraine’s most celebrated poets.

Buy and read

My Women by Yuliia Iliukha
translated by Hanna Leliv

An urgent and poignant collection of stories 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.

Buy and read

Women and War Letters from Ukraine to the Free World edited by Aurélie Bros

How would you communicate the realities of living in a warzone to someone who has never had this experience? Thirty Ukrainian women, ages 10 to 72, answered this question in letters that emanate power, depth, pain, strength, and resilience.

Buy and read

Sweet Darusya: A Tale of Two Villages by Maria Matios
translated by Michael Naydan and Olha Tytarenko

In a remote Hutsul village in the Carpathians, Darusya – considered a mute “holy fool” by her neighbors – lives with excruciating head pain and a mysterious inner life. Across three interconnected timelines, Matios traces her story from WWII through the Soviet era to the early 2000s, exploring trauma, love, survival, and the everyday magic of rural life.

Buy and read

Looking at Women Looking at War by Victoria Amelina

A diary, a war crimes account, and a tribute to women on the frontlines, the book has been called an instant classic and a searing portrait of resistance and humanity.

Buy and read

Cinema

Traces, 2026
Alisa Kovalenko & Marysia Nikitiuk

From 2014 to 2023, six Ukrainian women, survivors of sexual violence and torture, share their experiences. Traces reveals their resilience and solidarity, transforming their testimonies into an act of remembrance and justice.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: soon

Cuba and Alaska, 2025
Yegor Troyanovsky

Two female medics in Ukraine’s army, whose lives are captured via phone and body cam footage, navigate the chaos of war with bravery, humour and friendship.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Butterfly Vision, 2022
Maksym Nakonechnyi

Returning home from the front line after being held captive for two months, soldier Lilia (29 y.o.) discovers that she is pregnant after being raped by her warden. Will she manage to survive this trauma and save the child in a society that is not ready to accept either of them?

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Nice Ladies, 2024
Mariia Ponomarova

With the recent escalation of Russia’s war on Ukraine, the seemingly unbreakable bond of a vibrant cheerleading team of 50+ year old women called “Nice Ladies” is challenged. They face impossible choices between motherland and grandmotherhood, between staying and leaving.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Forever Forever, 2023
Anna Buryachkova

Kyiv, late 1990s. Tonia transfers schools to escape violence, only to find herself drawn into a restless group of teenagers testing the limits of love, friendship, and cruelty. Between first desires and reckless games, she falls for the charismatic Zhurik while longing for Sania, caught in a swirl of emotions where innocence and danger intertwine. No one escapes unscathed.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Arte.tv

The Earth is Blue as an Orange, 2020
Iryna Tsilyk

Single mother Anna and her four children live in the front-line war zone of Donbas, Ukraine. While the outside world is made up of bombings and chaos, the family is managing to keep their home as a safe haven, full of life and full of light. Every member of the family has a passion for cinema, motivating them to shoot a film inspired by their own life during a time of war.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Ivan and Marta, 2022
Serhiy Bukovskyi

Ivan Dziuba was a literary critic, publicist, and a “symbol of Ukrainian sixtiers.” Lina Kostenko recalls him as a person who always had the courage to speak the truth. As the initiator of the famous protest against the mass arrests of Ukrainian intellectuals during the premiere of Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors by Serhiy Parajanov, alongside Vasyl Stus and Vyacheslav Chornovil, and as the author of the landmark book Internationalism or Russification?, he inevitably drew close attention from the KGB.

Through all the anxieties and repressions associated with his dissident activities, his wife Marta stood by his side. Together they spent 62 years. Ivan and Marta is a tender story of their relationship and Ivan’s active civic stance, told by his wife, who was his steadfast support and the love of his life until the very end.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Unavailable, 2018
Nikon Romanchenko

Lyuba works at a pastry shop. Her son is in the war zone and out of communication. The mother goes in search of her son in a territory unknown to her.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Intercepted, 2024
Oksana Karpovych

Juxtaposed with images of the destruction caused by the invasion and the day-to-day life of the Ukrainian people who resist and rebuild, the voices of the Russian soldiers – ranging from being filled with heroic illusions to complete disappointment and loss of reason, from looting to committing more horrible war crimes, from propaganda to doubt and disillusionment – expose the whole scope of the dehumanizing power of war and imperialist nature of the Russian aggression.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Blindfold, 2020
Taras Dron

Julia, a young MMA fighter, lost her fiancé in the war. She quits the sport and starts a new relationship to free herself from the role of the war hero’s widow, which is imposed on her by the environment.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix, dafilms

Diary of a Bride of Christ, 2022
Marta Smerechynska

For the young girls who choose to become the brides of Christ, their lives are full of His love. The nuns see its manifestation in everything – the removal of their hair and the renunciation of their names. 12 new Ukrainian future nuns take the cross in a remote village in Transcarpathia, near the border between Ukraine and Romania.

A large-scale celebration of the 20th anniversary of the serving of the Argentinean congregation in Ukraine. Hundreds of nuns from all over the world are at a meeting in Rome. And days of absolute silence and intimate personal stories from the nuns about the emergence of their vocation. What is it like to be a bride of Christ?

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

A Portrait Against the Background of Mountains, 2019
Maksym Rudenko

Deep in the mountains, a photographer, Paraska Plytka-Horytsvit, photographed people and the place where she lived for many years. After her death, a box with thousands of her negatives was found. This finding marks the start of the mysterious journey in search of the present and the past, as reflected in the photo negatives discovered by chance.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: dafilms

My Dear Theo, 2025
Alisa Kovalenko

Ukrainian volunteer soldier, filmmaker, and mother Alisa Kovalenko creates a testament to the power of love in the time of war – by balancing frontline routines, the horrors of the battlefield, and tender poetic letters to her little son, Théo.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: coming soon

Plai. A Mountain Path, 2021
Eva Dzhyshyashvili

This is the story of people who have saved more than they lost under the pressure of our ambivalent present, which has mixed up all the laws of earth and heaven. Their strength and weakness is their love: for their land, for their neighbours. They are both dissident and obedient at the same time, like the mountains.

They rebel against the injustices of life and bravely take all the blows of fate. To the human eye, the Malkovych family is lost among beautiful and harsh nature, but in fact, they are in a place where harmony and love, passed down through generations, have ruled since the beginning of time.

Watch the trailer
Streaming: Takflix

Lifting Sanctions Against Russia Would Prolong the War

Published: March 10, 2026   

Lifting Sanctions Against Russia Would Prolong the War

 

Washington, D.C. — Reacting to news that the Trump Administration is considering lifting sanctions against designated Russian entities, Razom for Ukraine’s Director of Advocacy Mykola Murskyj said, 

 

“President Trump said that Russia’s war against Ukraine has gone on too long. Lifting oil-related sanctions against Russia would make the war continue for far longer. Any move to welcome the architects of Russia’s war back into the global economy would leave more Ukrainians dead, infrastructure destroyed, and peace further out of reach.” 

 

“Today, Russia is helping Iran kill Americans: Ukraine is helping defend them. Russia is helping Iran target American servicemen and servicewomen, military bases, and allies in the Middle East. Ukraine is helping protect them with its drone defense technologies. That’s why polling shows that most of President Trump’s own voters see Russia as a threat, back further sanctions against Russia, and want America to stand with its European allies, including Ukraine.”

 

“The sanctions are working: if Trump wants the killing to stop, he must keep the sanctions in place. Russia’s budget is plagued by perpetual shortfalls, its companies are uninvestable, its currency sags from inflation, and its industry is in decline. Lifting sanctions on Russia’s only export of value would undo these hard-won victories and help Russia pay for the missiles that slaughter Ukrainian civilians every day.”

 

“President Trump has previously criticized European allies for purchasing Russian oil even as they call for more support for Ukraine. He should continue to call them out, instead of emulating these failed policies.”

 

“If you want the war to end sooner, don’t refill the Kremlin’s war chest.”

 

###

 

Razom for Ukraine is a U.S. nonprofit providing medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and a leading advocate for continued U.S. assistance to Ukraine. For more information or to request an interview, please contact: Ostap Yarysh, Media Advisor at Razom for Ukraine ostap.yarysh@razom.org

Razom I’mMortal / Безсмертні Fellowship 2026

Published: March 10, 2026   

2025 Impact Report: Building What Sustains Ukraine​

Published: March 9, 2026   

In 2025, Ukraine did more than endure. Under relentless attacks on infrastructure, hospitals, and civilian life, Ukrainians continued to function, adapt, and build for the future. And because of your support, Razom strengthened the systems that make that possible — not just emergency relief, but durable capacity: the local leadership, infrastructure, and institutional strength that allow Ukraine to function under prolonged attack. Here is what that looked like.

Strengthening the Survival Chain

 

When seconds determine survival, systems matter. In 2025, Razom reinforced Ukraine’s full chain of survival — from frontline stabilization to hospital recovery. We trained tactical medics, delivered 56 Mobile Stabilization Points to bring care closer to the front line, strengthened EMS capacity across multiple regions, and delivered over $15 million in lifesaving medical supplies through 147 in-country distribution trips.

We also scaled our advanced trauma training and surgical exchange programs through the Co-Pilot Project, bringing international collaboration to elevate Ukraine’s surgical capabilities.

That is what your support creates: conditions where lives can be saved

Powering Local Leadership for Ukraine’s Future

 

Resilience is not imported. It is built locally. When international funding disruptions placed enormous strain on Ukraine’s civil society, Razom invested in strengthening Ukrainian organizations themselves. Through Razom Sylnishi (“Stronger Together”), NGOs received training, mentorship, and institutional grants to stabilize operations and build for long-term growth.

We supported 15 workforce and reskilling projects across more than 10 regions, helping over 3,300 Ukrainians rebuild livelihoods. Veterans found new pathways to leadership through adaptive sports and professional programs. Medical and military leaders completed tailored Mini-MBA programs designed specifically to equip them for crisis leadership.

Ella Petrenko, founder of the Bilozerka Center for Regional Development in Kherson Oblast, described the shift: “Doing good work is not enough — you have to do it efficiently and sustainably. These grants are about more than money. They give us time to reflect, to grow, and to build organizations that will be here for the long run.”

Through intentional investment in local leaders, recovery becomes durable — and your support allows us to infuse targeted capacity building where it will make the most difference, creating ripple effects in numerous communities.

Inspiring the World with Ukraine

 

Ukraine’s story is not only one of war — it is one of creativity, expertise, and leadership. In 2025, Razom’s Ukrainian Cultural Festival transformed October in New York into a month-long celebration of Ukrainian cinema, theater, literature, and visual arts. Ninety percent of attendees were non-Ukrainian — expanding Ukraine’s cultural presence far beyond the diaspora and into mainstream artistic spaces.

One Ukrainian Cultural Festival attendee captured the shift:

Through Ukraine on Campus, Razom supported students and scholars across major universities, creating space for Ukrainian research, literature, and lived experience to enter academic conversations on their own terms. Ukrainian medics led record-breaking workshops at international medical conferences. Journalists traveled to Ukraine to report firsthand, replacing abstraction with experience.

In 2025, Razom also launched ImpactUA, an immersive, in-country internship program that brought U.S.-based and Ukrainian students studying abroad to work alongside Ukrainian NGOs. For many, the experience transformed into long-term commitment — with several choosing to relocate, launch initiatives, or return to Ukraine in professional capacities.

Throughout 2025, Razom ensured that Ukraine’s lived reality was present where global policy decisions are made. Working closely with more than 70 congressional offices across 41 committees, Razom helped advance pro-Ukraine priorities in U.S. legislation, including $400 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. In Europe, Razom elevated the strategic use of frozen Russian sovereign assets as a viable pathway to finance Ukraine’s reconstruction — co-organizing high-level discussions with partners such as the Atlantic Council and the Center for American Studies at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome.

That showcases the deeper impact of Razom’s work in bringing Ukraine’s inspiration to audiences worldwide:

 Ensuring Ukraine is understood not only through crisis, but
through contribution

Innovation Under Pressure

War accelerates innovation — and Razom helped Ukrainian professionals scale the interventions and inventions that prove to be most useful. From Ukrainian-engineered communication systems now achieving state certification, to nationwide Point-of-Care Ultrasound training influencing Ministry of Health standards, 2025 showed that some of Ukraine’s most consequential solutions are emerging directly from wartime necessity.

As Ukrainian ultrasound pioneer Dr. Oksana Popova explains:

Through Razom z Toboyu (Together with You), more than 11,000 individual counseling sessions were delivered in 2025 alone, expanding access to modern, evidence-based psychological care.

Tourniquet protocols were standardized nationally through the first-ever Tourniquet Forum.

Through Razom Cinema, we reimagined how Ukrainian films are distributed and experienced globally. We partnered for the first time with Metrograph in New York to present Soul & Soil: Ukrainian Poetic Cinema, a curated series of landmark Ukrainian films.

This is innovation that strengthens Ukraine today, enhances Ukraine’s capacity to rebuild, and informs global best practices for tomorrow. Razom is proud to act as a catalyst for developing Ukrainian-led innovation and invest in solutions produced by people who excel under the toughest conditions, often with no margin for error.

Investing in Ukraine’s Next Generation

Ukraine’s future is being built in classrooms, volunteer camps, robotics labs, and youth leadership programs. Razom supported 25+ STEM classrooms reaching 9,500 students, national education festivals engaging 2,500 teachers, and international Olympiad teams earning medals on global stages. Through entrepreneurship programs like Create HERE!, 783 young people developed business plans, with projects already implemented in frontline communities. 

Razom also invests in global exposure that strengthens Ukraine from the inside out. In 2025, Ukrainian theater professionals completed internships at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, gaining hands-on experience in large-scale production, fundraising, and institutional management.

At the same time, Ukraine’s Youth Delegates to the United Nations carried the lived realities of wartime Ukraine directly into global decision-making spaces, delivering more than 20 speeches and forming a cross-continental youth network spanning 20+ countries. 

One participant reflected: “We are not just coordinating projects — we are coordinating hope.”

Investing in youth is not symbolic — it is a structural decision that ensures sustainability of workforce and talent as well as sustained involvement of youth in Ukraine’s recovery.

Building Forward — Together

The work documented in the 2025 Impact Report reflects more than response. It reflects long-term systems building. As CEO Dora Chomiak writes:

That is what Razom is building — a Ukraine that can defend itself, sustain its people, and shape its own democratic future. Your support makes this possible. If you believe in a secure, livable, and connected Ukraine — one led by its own people — we invite you to continue building with us.

Stand with Razom.
Invest in Ukraine’s long-term resilience

read the full report
Donate now

Razom Recommends March 2026

Published: March 2, 2026   

After another long and brutal winter, Ukraine is stepping into spring. War has not paused, but the return of longer days and warmer light brings a familiar rhythm — a reminder that renewal is part of life, even in the hardest seasons.

As the sun returns and communities begin to gather outdoors again, there is a quiet but steady sense of hope. This month’s Razom Recommends reflects that shift. Just as spring nourishes new growth, we’re sharing events that invite connection, creativity, and renewed inspiration — opportunities to stay engaged with Ukraine’s culture, resilience, and future.

5 Mar| 6:30-8:00 PM| NYC

Signals of Being: An Evening With Writer Volodymyr Rafeyenko

Please join the Ukrainian Studies Program at the Harriman Institute for an evening featuring Ukrainian writer Volodymyr Rafeyenko in discussion with Mark Andryczyk. On the occasion of the recent publication of Andryczyk’s English-language translation of Rafeyenko’s play “Signals of Being or Verbum Caro Factum Est” (2025), the two will read excerpts from the publication and discuss how Ukraine’s culture continues to respond to Russia’s enduring drive to eliminate Ukrainian identity.

🔗More HERE.

5, 7, 14, 26-28 Mar|Washington, DC

Jewish Film x Music Festival: Segment on Ukraine

Jewish roots in Kyiv stretch back to the eight century, and it has served as fertile ground for Jewish art, philosophy, and culture. From the rise of the Hasidic movement to the flourishing of klezmer music, Jewish communities persisted and remained fully engaged in present-day Ukrainian society. This month we celebrate the Ukrainian spirit of resistance, a groundbreaking tradition of filmmaking, and the outpouring of creative energy that shines through ongoing conflict. The segment includes Second Wind (March 5), SHTTL (March 7), Man with a Movie Camera (March 14-15), and a suit of Ukrainian shorts (March 26-28).

🔗More HERE. 

6 Mar| 2:30-8:00 PM| NYC

Ukraine Tech: On the Battlefield and Beyond

The Ukrainian Institute of America will host a conference on Ukraine’s emergence as a key proving ground for advanced technology. Drawing on longstanding scientific and engineering expertise, Ukrainian innovations—from drones and AI to cyber capabilities—are reshaping modern warfare and global security far beyond the battlefield.

🔗More HERE. 

6 Mar| 3:00-5:00 PM| Princeton, NJ

Event with Volodymyr Rafeyenko: Signals of Being

In the early days of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine the residents of a small co-op community outside of Kyiv find themselves in increasingly desperate circumstances, surrounded by occupying Russian forces. Pinched between Bucha and Borodianka, cut off from aid, and unable to escape, their attempts at survival rely on connection: a cellphone signal in the forest, their bonds with each other, and, ultimately, new understandings of what it means to be Ukrainian. Weaving Shakespeare with both Ukrainian literary classics and contemporary works, “Signals of Being or Verbum Caro Factum Est” stages a captivating dramatic interpretation of a country at war.

🔗More HERE. 

7 Mar| 12:00-4:00 PM| Chicago, IL

L.A. Woman, Irene Antonovych

The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art proudly presents L.A. Woman, a memorial exhibition surveying the life’s work of model, actress, artist, curator, and documentary filmmaker, Irene Antonovych, née Zmurkevych.

The show also highlights her personal collection, which includes works by portraitist Julian Butsmaniuk; California artists Nick Brigante, Peter Max, Morgan Russell, and Volodymyr Balas.

🔗More HERE.  

9 Mar| 7:00 PM| NYC

Procrustean Bed Group Exhibition

On March 9, Mercury Art Center in collaboration with Rukh Art Hub and Fridman Gallery will present Procrustean Bed, a group exhibition that reflects on migration, conformity, and systemic pressure on the individual, featuring artists Taras Haida, Anna Luhovska, Yurii Syvyryn, and Nikita Tsoy. 

🔗More HERE. 

10 Mar| 4:00-5:30 PM| NYC

Perspectives on the Hidden Cost of War

This talk will bring together three perspectives on the hidden cost of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine. As questions about a prospective peace plan continue to circulate, Olga Rudneva, Roksolana Yurchyshyn, and Mary Jordan bring firsthand accounts of soldiers on the frontlines, Ukrainians coping with trauma, and rescued children from the Temporarily Occupied Territories. Together, their work paints the sweeping cost of war beyond the headlines and centers a conversation on what a just peace really means for Ukraine.

🔗More HERE. 

15 Mar| 1:00 PM| Chicago, IL

Testimony of a dissident: 16 years of imprisonment

The Ukrainian community of Chicago is honored to welcome a true living legend — Mykola Horbal, poet, dissident, former political prisoner, and member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group. A lifelong advocate for human rights and Ukrainian independence, Horbal’s voice has endured imprisonment and repression. On Sunday, March 15, he will speak at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago, offering reflections shaped by decades of resistance and cultural leadership.

🔗More HERE. 

19-21 Mar| NYC

Mosaics: Discover Ukrainian Composition

Opening our seventh season, UCMF teams up with International Contemporary Ensemble to showcase the diverse places that constitute Ukraine. The festival launches with Places on March 19, 2026, presented in collaboration with the International Contemporary Ensemble. This opening program explores the relationship between geography and imagination, portraying how Ukraine’s vast and varied landscapes — from the Carpathian Mountains to post-industrial mining towns — shape the sonic imagination of its composers. Featured works include Vela Invecti by Alla Zahaykevych, Branching by Ostap Manulyak, Voice of the Mountains by Victor Kaminsky, Terricone by Anna Korsun (new arrangement co-commissioned by International Contemporary Ensemble and UCMF), and Five Minutes After Leaving the Bomb Shelter by Ivan Nebesnyy.

🔗More HERE. 

26-27 Mar|NYC

Conference. 1990s Ukraine: Undertaken Initiatives & Squandered Opportunities

Please join the Ukrainian Studies Program at the Harriman Institute for the conference 1990s Ukraine: Undertaken Initiatives & Squandered Opportunities. Of late, several important scholarly publications have appeared that focus on the years leading to the Revolution of Dignity and Russia’s invasions of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 in search of roots for the dramatic changes in identity and civil society that Ukraine has undergone in the recent past. These volumes are very insightful and informative in tracing the trajectory of developments on those fronts in Ukraine since 2000, but they largely ignore the first ten years of Ukrainian independence—roughly the 1990s. However, that decade, in fact, featured many of the key initiatives and strategies that would be further developed in the country in the decades to come. 1990s Ukraine will look back at the 1990s and identify crucial areas that can be linked with more recent experiences in Ukraine.

🔗More HERE. 

28 Mar|3:30PM|Ann Arbor, MI

Ann Arbor Film Festival: Films in Competition from Ukraine

This special focus on Ukrainian films includes a poetic film essay set in purgatory; a story of survival; a search for a roommate in Budapest; a jovial rumination on love and the passage of time; the toxic legacy of a Khimprom chemical plant; and a surreal night in the wilderness. The organizers acknowledge the generous support of the U-M Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia, which covered the submission fees for all Ukrainian films this season.

🔗More HERE.

As the seasons change, our commitment cannot. We invite you to stay engaged, stay informed, and keep your attention on Ukraine — not only in moments of crisis, but in the ongoing work of resilience, culture, and rebuilding. Your continued interest, presence, and support matter more than ever.

The Missing Puzzle Piece: Svitlana Blinova and the Power of Local Leadership

Published: February 20, 2026   

It feels almost surreal to sit across from Svitlana Blinova in the basement of Lviv City Hall. Down here, in a concrete shelter, we are waiting out news of a possible missile strike. It is the safest place to conduct an interview today. Svitlana smiles softly as she speaks – composed, thoughtful, almost delicate in appearance. And yet, as she begins to tell her story, it becomes clear that she is exactly the kind of leader Ukraine has produced in wartime: steady, determined, and quietly transformative.

Razom first met Svitlana not at a conference or on a panel – but through partnership. Through the inaugural Impact UA internship program, developed by Razom and Brave Generation, Svitlana’s organization Cities4Cities hosted Aidan Stretch, a recent Yale graduate focused on history and journalism. From the start, Svitlana stood out.

She did not simply assign tasks. She took Aidan under her wing. She brought him into the real work of building international municipal partnerships. And later she went further,  bringing him to her grandparents’ village outside Lviv so he could experience rural Ukrainian life firsthand. Her grandmother cooked potatoes grown on their own land. Her grandfather, who does not speak English, offered a simple “hello.” It was not staged hospitality. It was trust.

That experience shaped Aidan’s reporting and the work he now continues as a freelance journalist based in Kyiv, contributing to outlets such as The Kyiv Independent and CBS. Through his writing, American audiences encounter Ukrainian municipalities not as abstractions, but as communities rebuilding, partnering, and leading. 

Svitlana’s commitment impressed us. And we kept watching her work. Born in 1991 – the year Ukraine regained independence – Svitlana’s life has unfolded alongside the country’s own search for voice and agency. She studied journalism and law, but her real education began during a summer internship at Lviv City Council. Officially, it was four hours a day. In practice, she stayed fourteen.

Before the full-scale invasion, she worked on municipal development strategies. On February 24, 2022, she packed a shelter bag for her family and went straight to City Hall asking one thing: How can I help? Within days, she helped coordinate international journalists. Soon after, she redirected humanitarian aid from Lviv to harder-hit communities. From that emergency response grew something more lasting.

Together with the City of Lviv, SALAR International (part of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions), and the German city of Sindelfingen, Svitlana helped launch Cities4Cities, which is now a robust platform connecting Ukrainian municipalities with European and American partners. Today, the network spans nearly 100 municipalities across seven EU countries and the United States. For Svitlana, sister-city agreements are not paperwork. They are relationships. “International cooperation is not magic,” she says. “It’s soft skills.”

Through the Cities4Cities Academy, her six-person team trains municipalities across Ukraine to identify their priorities, seek aligned partners, and build sustainable, win-win cooperation. There are over 1,400 municipalities in Ukraine. The scale of the task is immense.

And then came a moment that could change everything. Last year, Svitlana received an invitation to speak at the International City/County Managers Association conference in Florida, one of the most influential gatherings of municipal leaders in the United States. The registration fee was waived. She secured a visa just two days before the event. But she did not have the money for a last-minute plane ticket – nearly $1,000. For many civic leaders in Ukraine, that is where opportunities end. There is no simple travel grant to apply for on short notice. No rapid-response fund for moments like this. Conferences move on. Connections are lost.

Because we had already worked with Svitlana through Impact UA – because we had seen her leadership up close – Razom stepped in through our Razom Sylnishi program, which strengthens Ukrainian civil society leaders. Within days, the ticket was secured. “That ticket was the missing puzzle piece,” Svitlana says.

The impact was immediate. Standing before American city managers – in a country she had never spoken publicly in, in a language she only began studying after the invasion – Svitlana presented the case for partnering with Ukrainian municipalities. When she finished, there was a line of leaders waiting to speak with her. Today, she carries a stack of business cards from U.S. municipal officials eager to build sister-city partnerships. Those conversations are already translating into new connections – opening doors for Ukrainian communities seeking expertise, collaboration, and long-term integration with American counterparts. A $1,000 plane ticket did not just fund travel. It unlocked access. It accelerated U.S. engagement. It shifted the trajectory of Cities4Cities’ expansion into America. This is what catalytic support looks like. And Svitlana’s leadership does not stop there.

After burning out in a previous political communications role, she once spent a summer living in a tent in her grandparents’ village. Seeing its decline, she helped mobilize residents to rebuild it through securing grants, improving roads, creating a youth coworking and cultural space, and launching a regional tourism brand marking forest routes across multiple municipalities.

She and her husband built a small guesthouse in the village. When the war began, he became a defender. She finished the house herself. Today, it ranks in the top 10% of Airbnb listings worldwide. She personally communicates with guests and even offers “voluntourism” stays in exchange for beautifying the community. “This house is from my heart” – she says.

At the start of the invasion, Svitlana briefly relocated to Poland – only to return. “I didn’t feel that I was with my people,” she says. She later chose to have a second child during wartime. “We will rebuild Ukraine also with kids.”

In the quiet of the shelter beneath Lviv City Hall, it becomes clear that leadership like Svitlana’s does not seek attention. It builds systems. It strengthens communities. It studies English at night so Ukraine can speak to the world.

Razom did not create Svitlana Blinova. Ukraine did. But sometimes, what makes the difference between a missed opportunity and a transformative one is the ability to act quickly – to remove one obstacle at exactly the right time.

One plane ticket.  One missing puzzle piece.  And the ripple effect continues.

And when leaders like Svitlana are met with trust, flexibility, and timely support, their impact multiplies far beyond a single conference, a single partnership, or a single moment. It ripples outward – connecting cities, strengthening communities, and weaving Ukraine more tightly into a global network of solidarity that will help shape its recovery for years to come.

If you believe in leaders like Svitlana – pragmatic, courageous, and deeply rooted in their communities – we invite you to stand with them. Your support allows Razom to continue providing the flexible, rapid-response backing that turns pivotal moments into lasting impact for Ukraine.

Support Razom