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Yuliia “Kuba” Sidorova is a volunteer, combat medic, and servicemember of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as a clothing designer who has turned creativity into both therapy and a way to support others. Design became not only the path that helped her adapt to civilian life but also her anchor today, even as she once again serves on the front line.
In 2019, after leaving the military, Kuba devoted herself to studying and working with clothing. She shared her process on social media, and soon servicewomen began reaching out, asking her to create “normal women’s[...]
02.09.2025
Motherhood during war is an act of courage that often goes unnoticed. Thousands of women serve on the front lines while raising children, yet their choice is too often met not with respect, but with judgment and painful words.
On social media, mothers who fight frequently face comments like: “You abandoned your child,” “What kind of mother doesn’t raise her own kid,” or “Why can’t you transfer to serve closer to your family?” Instead of receiving support when they share their stories, many women in uniform are met with a wave of hostility. They are cursed, accused of[...]
01.09.2025
A professional perspective on the role of women veterans in the family and the conflict of roles that arises after service, by Ellina Ilyinykh — certified psychotherapist, specialist in the EMDR method and sexology, facilitator of support and therapy groups, and psychologist with the VETERANKA Movement.
A Veteran in the Family: Between Expectations and Reality
When a woman veteran returns from the front, she does not simply come home — she faces a new challenge, as her military experience collides with expectations that she will “be the same as before.”
But how can she[...]
26.08.2025
Combat medic Olena Yeriomenko was killed in action while shielding a fellow soldier.
Olena Yeriomenko — call sign Leleka — a sister-in-arms from the VETERANKA Movement, was killed in action on June 29, 2025, while on a combat mission in the Sumy region. A service member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a combat medic of the UAV platoon, 3rd mechanized battalion of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade "Magura", Olena gave her life to save others. She absorbed the full impact of an enemy FPV drone strike, shielding her comrade.
She was posthumously awarded the Order “For Courage,”[...]
01.08.2025
This month marks seven years of the VETERANKA Movement — a powerful sisterhood born out of war, held together by solidarity, and driven by the fight for justice and equality.
VETERANKA has grown into a nationwide network of over 2,000 women veterans and servicewomen. Together, they advocate for rights, support military units, and help one another reintegrate into civilian life. The road ahead is still long — full of challenges and victories — but the Movement’s greatest strength already exists: a trusted community, ready to stand by each other even in the darkest moments.
To[...]
27.07.2025
Stereotypes and widespread myths often prevent veterans from seeking help from therapists, psychologists, or psychiatrists. But these are just misconceptions — barriers that stand between people and real support and understanding.Psychologist, biosuggestive therapist, veteran, combatant, and mother of two teenagers — Yuliia Skrypiuk — shares the truth behind the three most common myths about therapy.
Myth 1: “Veterans don’t need a psychologist — they can handle it themselves.”
The reality? A psychologist is not a “pity listener” or a “life coach.”
They are a[...]
25.07.2025
The story of Oksana Ivanets — a woman who served for 26 years, went through war, discrimination, and ultimately found her place in civilian life.
She’s a retired lieutenant colonel, mother of many, veteran of both the State Border Guard Service and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military journalist — and today, a communications specialist at the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP).
Her story is one of endurance, exhaustion, and the right to rest — and to honestly admit: “Right now, I’m just doing my job. Maybe later, I’ll be a leader again.”
For the[...]
24.07.2025
Mavka’s Story, Systemic Failures, and What Steps to Take if It Happens to You
Yelyzaveta, a 24-year-old squad leader in the reconnaissance and adjustment platoon of unmanned combat systems with the 115th Separate Mechanized Brigade—callsign "Mavka"—spoke out on social media about sexual harassment in the military.
We’ve put together a short explainer about why this continues to be a problem, what’s being done to address it, and what to do if you or your comrade experience harassment.
This week, yet another story of sexual harassment in the military became public.[...]
23.07.2025
Yuliia Skrypiuk is a veteran and combat psychologist who served for over two years in the Donetsk region. She started in the 109th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces, and later in the Mariupol Battalion within the same brigade. She went from a private to a senior officer. After demobilization, she faced a new city, a new reality, and many inner challenges.
“I didn’t return home after demobilization — I moved to a different city, where everything was new to me and no one was nearby. My kids finished the school year in the Poltava region and only joined me later. The[...]
24.06.2025
“After returning from service, you’re left alone with your emotions, memories, and experiences. The world around you seems the same, but inside — everything has changed. It’s hard to talk about what you’ve been through, and even harder to find someone who truly understands.”
Daria Halka is a veteran and senior combat medic who walked the path from the front line to owning her own massage studio in Kyiv. But this journey did not begin with a business plan — it began with an acknowledgment: you can’t deal with the psychological consequences of war on your own.
PTSD,[...]
18.06.2025