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Lesia Bakalets

Produced by Lesia Bakalets

December 21, 2023
About 500 Houses of Worship in Ukraine Ruined Due to Russian Invasion

A Ukrainian group called 'Temples under Fire' is making expeditions to the front lines to document the damage to the spiritual and historical heritage of Ukraine.
December 20, 2023
Gifts for Ukraine's Frontline Soldiers: Candies, Children's Drawings, Warm Necessities

Volunteers in Ukraine are putting together holiday gift packages for the country’s estimated 700,000 men and women serving in the military, including the tens of thousands serving on the front line. Correspondent Lesia Bakalets met with some of those volunteers in Kyiv. Camera: Evgenii Shynkar.
December 13, 2023
Cyberattack Targets Ukraine's Largest Mobile Network Operator

A large-scale cyberattack hit Ukraine's biggest mobile network operator Tuesday, leaving millions of Ukrainians without connectivity. A day later, most customers still had no cellphone service, though services were being gradually restored. Lesia Bakalets reports from Kyiv.
December 13, 2023
US Charity Provides Free Housing for Displaced Older Ukrainians Outside Kyiv

By the end of the year, the organization says, all apartments will be occupied, mainly by new residents from Donbas and southern Ukraine.
November 21, 2023
Ten Years after Maidan, Ukraine's Activists Say Their Fight Continues

It has been 10 years since the start of the uprising known as Maidan, or the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine. The wave of civil unrest was sparked by the Russian-backed President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to not sign an association agreement with the European Union.
November 20, 2023
Aid Groups Accuse Russia of Forcibly Taking Ukrainian Children

To mark World Children's Day, human rights activists are drawing attention to what they call Russia's violation of international child protection laws
November 07, 2023
Polish Truck Drivers Block Ukraine Border Crossings in Protest

On Tuesday, Polish truckers blocked roads to three border crossings with Ukraine. The truckers say their Ukrainian counterparts have an unfair advantage due to regulations passed during Russia's war on Ukraine. Lesia Bakalets reports from the Polish-Ukrainian border. Camera: Daniil Batushchak.
November 06, 2023
Silent Victim: Environmental Damage From Russia-Ukraine War Totals $56 Billion

Activists say destruction of Kakhovka Dam is the second worst catastrophe in Europe after the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
November 01, 2023
Volunteers Sew Adaptive Clothes for Wounded Ukrainian Soldiers

Volunteers say all of them dream of the day when the adaptive clothes they produce are no longer be needed
October 13, 2023
Witnesses Speak of Fatal Blast at Russian-Run POW Prison in Ukraine

Fresh details are emerging about the explosions that killed more than 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war at a Russian-operated prison in eastern Ukraine in July 2022.
October 12, 2023
Ukraine’s Farmers Boast a Good Harvest but Face Plunging Profits

Farmers say the harvest season just ending in Ukraine was a good one, but they face another year of falling profits due to the skyrocketing costs of getting their products to international markets during wartime. Lesia Bakalets reports from the Kyiv region. VOA footage by Yevhenii Shynkar.
September 28, 2023
Ukrainian Soldiers Freezing Sperm Before Heading to Front Line

With their future on the battlefront uncertain, many of Ukraine’s soldiers are choosing to freeze their sperm in a bid to guarantee children in the future
September 26, 2023
Ukrainian Female Soldiers Get First Official Women’s Uniforms

Forty-two thousand women serve in the Ukrainian military, and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense recently officially approved a female uniform. Lesia Bakalets has the story from Kyiv. VOA footage by Yevhenii Shynkar.
September 20, 2023
Ukrainians Prepare for Second Winter at War

With home-canned vegetables, generators and gas burners, Ukrainians prepare for a second winter in war conditions
September 11, 2023
Dutch Athlete Runs 2,500 Kilometers to Support Ukraine’s War Effort

A runner has completed a 50-day ultramarathon from Amsterdam to Kyiv in a bid to raise money for ambulances on the front lines in Ukraine. Reporter Lesia Bakalets was at the finish line in Kyiv to see Dutch national Boas Kragtwik complete his 2,500-kilometer run. Camera: Yevhenii Shynkar
September 07, 2023
The Inside Story - The Price of Learning | Episode 108

Is higher education worth the cost? We will explore whether pursuing a higher education genuinely results in a lucrative career in today's rapidly evolving and technology-driven society. This week on The Inside Story, The Price of Learning.
September 01, 2023
Ukraine War Fuels Surge of Volunteers in Poland

Poland’s territorial defense force, the newest of its armed forces, is drawing a diverse mix of people, from professors and businesspeople to students
August 31, 2023
For Relatives of Ukraine’s Abducted Civilians, an Agonizing Wait

Ukrainian leaders and advocates say Russia has been holding in captivity more than 20,000 Ukrainians since the start of its full-scale invasion. VOA's Lesia Bakalets has the story of the agonizing wait of one woman whose husband was detained in October and taken to a prison in Moscow.
August 15, 2023
Huge Military Parade Shows Poland’s Changing Attitude on Defense

Poland on Tuesday held its largest military parade in 29 years -- a display of strength aimed at neighbors Belarus and Russia and a sign that Polish attitudes on defense are changing in the wake of Russian aggression in Ukraine. For VOA, Lesia Bakalets reports from Warsaw.
August 10, 2023
Group Helps Ukrainian Students Get Into Top US Schools

The volunteer-run Ukraine Global Scholars program uses grass-roots donations to prepare talented Ukrainian students for admission to American schools

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