Members of the VETERANKA Movement Named Among the Top 100 Leaders of the UP 100: “Power of Women” Award

This year, women service members — members of the VETERANKA Movement — were once again included among the top 100 leaders of the UP 100: Power of Women award in the “Defenders” category.

Among them are Daria “Hilka,” Yana “Multyk,” Dzvenyslava “Mahura,” Tetiana “Tango,” Viktoriia “Smetana,” Yeva “Yunha,” Brittney “Zhuk,” Rina Rieznik, and Kateryna.

This year, the VETERANKA Movement became a partner of the UP 100: Power of Women award — another step toward increasing the visibility of women, which is one of the Movement’s core values. The jury in the “Society” and “Defenders” categories included the Movement’s head, veteran and combat medic Kateryna Pryimak, as well as Movement leader and Armed Forces weapons operator Adriana Arekhta.

During the event, a charity auction raised UAH 1,000,000 for the “Women Can Do Everything!” fundraiser supporting members of the Movement.

The unique lots were donated by world-renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and photographers Kostiantyn and Vladyslava Liberov:

• “Sunflower Seeds” — part of the globally known installation by Ai Weiwei — was sold for UAH 500,000;
• photographs by the Liberovs, created as part of a joint project with the Movement in the Pokrovsk direction, were sold for UAH 500,000.

All funds will be used to purchase Heavy Shot bomber drones for the National Guard’s Rubizh Brigade and to support mobile air defense units of the 37th Marine Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

During the ceremony, the Movement team presented the first special award, “Power of Sisterhood,” to its ambassadors — Emma Antoniuk and Yana Brenzey.

“For us, the power of sisterhood is about unity, support, and the contribution of civilian women on the home front to women at the front. We are grateful to Emma and Yana, who consistently respond to our calls and initiate their own projects so that members of the Movement receive even more support. Time and again, we see that women truly can do everything,” the Movement emphasized.

The VETERANKA Movement has been collaborating with Ukrainska Pravda for many years. Last year, Adriana Arekhta won in the “Defenders” category, while several other servicewomen and Movement members were also recognized as winners, including in “Defenders” and “Politics and Public Administration.” In addition, the 2025 award auction raised UAH 1,395,000 for women defenders and their units.

In 2024, the Movement’s head Kateryna Pryimak also won in the “Society” category.