Leaders of the Veteran Movement of Ukraine
11. 11. 2024
Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine
Veteran, lawyer by education, board member of the NGO “Women’s Veterans Movement”, and coordinator of the organization’s social department.
Since 2014, she has been an active volunteer and paramedic-volunteer. In 2015, she was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a clerk in the 25th Battalion “Kyivska Rus.” She was later transferred to the position of reconnaissance grenadier and, from 2016, served as a medical instructor at the military unit’s medical station.
In October 2016, she left the army and began her public activities. In 2018, she joined the formation of the Women’s Veteran Movement, where she currently leads the social department, helping female veterans adjust to civilian life after returning from war.
In 2019, she received a scholarship and enrolled in a master’s program in “Public Administration and Management” at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
In 2019, she was among the Top 50 finalists of the “New Leaders” project with her project on “Socio-Psychological Readaptation for Veterans,” and she continues to successfully implement psychological rehabilitation projects for male and female veterans.
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Combat veteran.
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Military Analyst, Head of the “Come Back Alive” Foundation
He was a coordinator for the civic network OPORA in the Zhytomyr region.
With the onset of the war, he actively supported the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a volunteer and coordinated the “Military Assistance” project created by the Ukrainian Military Portal team.
In 2015, he completed his master’s degree at the NAU, earning a qualification as a researcher in “Avionics,” after which he decided to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served on a contract basis with the 501st Separate Marine Infantry Battalion as a rifleman.
He served in the marines for 2.5 years and was the commander of the reconnaissance platoon of the 137th battalion. He participated in battles near Shyrokyne and Pavlopil. He was discharged from the Armed Forces in 2017 with the rank of sergeant.
After demobilization, he worked at the Ukrainian Military Portal and co-founded the analytical department of the “Come Back Alive” foundation.
As of July 2020, he was the head of this department. On November 24, 2020, he became the head of the foundation.
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Combat veteran.
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Priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, chaplain, representative of the public organization “Life After War,” Deputy Head of the Military Chaplaincy Department of the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC, political scientist, lecturer at the Ukrainian Catholic University, co-founder of the Ukrainian Leadership Academy, and author of books
He received his philosophical education at St. Basil College, Stamford, USA; his theological education at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy; and his political science education at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy,” Kyiv. His primary areas of academic interest and pastoral activities include Christian spirituality in the context of contemporary culture, the ideology of national security, and addressing the spiritual needs of military personnel.
He began his chaplaincy service among military personnel in 2006 at the Land Forces Academy in Lviv.
In 2014, he became the first military chaplain at the headquarters of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Later, he served as a full-time military chaplain with a Marine Brigade.
Since April 2022, he has been the Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Veterans’ Fund.
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Combat veteran.
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Ukrainian lawyer, founder of the law firm “Miller,” serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, public figure, and human rights defender
In 2007, he graduated from the Faculty of Law at the International Solomon University, earning a specialist degree in law. He is an alumnus of the Ukrainian School of Political Studies. In 2018, he studied at the Aspen Institute Kyiv.
Masi Nayyem is known for his involvement in a number of high-profile legal cases. He defended witnesses in the case of the murder of Kateryna Handziuk. He served as a lawyer for participants in the “Who Ordered the Killing of Katya Handziuk” protest on February 9, 2019, for whom criminal proceedings were initiated. He also defended the art club Closer in a case involving searches conducted on its premises by the National Police.
He provides legal assistance to veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian War.
He is a co-founder of the public organization “Principle,” which focuses on defending the rights of military personnel.
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Combat veteran, wounded.
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Ukrainian political figure, leader of the “Democratic Axe” Movement, serviceman, retired junior sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; formerly a blogger, TV host, and publicist
He began his political activities within the nationalist movement and was one of the leaders of a small nationalist organization.
In 2010, he became a member of the All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda” and Deputy Head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Organization for Youth Affairs.
In the spring of 2018, together with several other bloggers, he initiated the creation of the political party “Democratic Axe,” focusing on organizing public actions for the party. He was notably involved in organizing rallies for the right to own land, in support of the capital withdrawal tax, and the march for the right to self-defense (“March 11%”) in Kyiv.
On the day of the full-scale invasion, he was in Mariupol, where he was engaged in volunteer work. Following the Russian invasion, Yuriy Hudymenko joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served as a sapper in the 130th Battalion of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Since May 2022, he has been the commander of the sapper unit of the 130th Battalion, 241st Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Yuriy took part in the battles for Kyiv, including the liberation of Irpin, and also participated in battles in the Kharkiv region.
On June 27, 2022, he was wounded during an artillery shelling near Kharkiv.
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Combat veteran, wounded.
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Ukrainian scientist, publicist, serviceman, and public figure
Since 1989, he has been a member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Union and, since 1990, an activist of the Ukrainian Student Union.
In 2006, he was a member of the Civic Party “Pora” and ran for the parliamentary elections in 2006 as part of the Civic Bloc “Pora-PRP” list under number 60, but was not elected. He served as an assistant to Andriy Levus, a Member of Parliament of the 8th convocation of the Verkhovna Rada.
In May 2014, he volunteered to serve in the war in Donbas. He performed the duties of a company commander in the “Aidar” battalion and participated in battles during the summer of 2014. He was demobilized due to a combat injury.
He is an expert at the International Institute of Democracies, specializing in ecology, sustainable development, science and higher education management, interethnic conflicts, local wars in the former USSR, and human rights.
He is also a member of the Board of the All-Ukrainian Coordination Council of ATO Veterans and the Society of ATO Veterans.
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Combat veteran, wounded.
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Head of the Council of the NGO “Union of ATO Veterans”
From 1993 to 1995, he served in the National Guard of Ukraine. From 1996 to 2014, he worked in the construction sector, initially with the “FORT” corporation and later as a private entrepreneur.
In 2014–2015, he served in military unit 3005 of the National Guard of Ukraine, participated in the anti-terrorist operation, and was awarded the Order “For Courage” III degree.
After completing his military service, he became actively involved in public activities aimed at supporting veterans. He chairs the board of the sports club “ATO-M,” which focuses on the psychological, sports, and patriotic rehabilitation of combat veterans through sports engagement.
In December 2021, he was elected as the head of the Council of the NGO “Union of ATO Veterans.” Under his leadership, the organization implements projects aimed at veteran reintegration, provides psychological, legal, and social assistance, and supports the development of veteran businesses.
Serhiy Babayev is also an active athlete, participating in triathlons, marathons, and winter swimming competitions, promoting a healthy lifestyle among veterans.
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Combat veteran.
Veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian War, volunteer, and film actor, ex-Director of the Military Department of the charitable organization “International Charitable Foundation ‘Come Back Alive’
In 2015–2016, he served as a reconnaissance soldier in the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
After completing his service, he joined the “Come Back Alive” charitable foundation, where he led the military department, focusing on communication with the military, procurement, and delivery of supplies to the front lines.
In 2018, he made his film debut, playing the lead role in the movie “Atlantis,” directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych. The film won the top prize in the “Horizons” program at the 76th Venice Film Festival.
He later appeared in the films “Reflection,” “Maria,” and the short film “Optics.”
Andriy Rymaruk continues to actively support Ukrainian military personnel and participate in cultural projects aimed at highlighting the events of the Russian-Ukrainian War.
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Combat veteran.
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Ukrainian military officer, Minister for Veterans Affairs, Temporarily Occupied Territories, and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine (2019–2020). Colonel (Reserve)
From 2003 to 2015, she worked at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, including serving as the head of the MIA press service in 2013–2014.
From 2015 to 2017, she served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, leading the communications and press department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
On March 13, 2019, she was appointed Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.
On August 29, 2019, she was appointed Minister for Veterans Affairs, Temporarily Occupied Territories, and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine. She resigned on March 4, 2020.
Oksana Koliada is a reserve colonel. She is actively involved in supporting veterans and internally displaced persons, as well as promoting veteran business development and the reintegration of veterans into society.
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Combat veteran.
Ukrainian volunteer for the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO), officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, servicemember, assistant to the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff (since 2015), and Member of the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada, 8th convocation) (since 2016)
At the beginning of the ATO (Anti-Terrorist Operation), Tetiana Rychkova joined her husband on the front lines and began supporting Ukrainian military personnel. She founded the Dnipro branch of “Wings of the Phoenix.”
In November 2014, she started working at the Ministry of Defense. She headed a new state enterprise responsible for providing material support to special operations forces and airborne troops.
On January 26, 2015, she signed a contract and became an officer in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. She was appointed as an assistant to the Minister of Defense for reforms. Later that spring, she became an assistant to the Chief of the General Staff.
She has been involved in developing a psychological support program for military personnel and establishing centers to assist ATO participants at regional state administrations. She also worked on creating the Center for the Development and Support of Material Supply for the Armed Forces.
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Combat veteran.
Ukrainian political and public figure, retired major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, participant in the Russo-Ukrainian War, and former commander of the 13th Separate Airmobile Battalion of the 95th Separate Airmobile Brigade. Hero of Ukraine (2015)
In August 2008, he began his military service in the 13th Separate Airmobile Battalion of the 95th Separate Airmobile Brigade of the 8th Army Corps of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. He rose through the ranks from platoon commander to battalion commander.
Since March 2014, he has participated in military operations in the southern and eastern regions of Ukraine.
From April 23, 2020, he served as the First Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.
On February 9, 2024, he became First Deputy Minister of Veteran Affairs of Ukraine.
In 2017, together with combat veterans, he founded the NGO “Sports Shooting Club ‘Kupol'” and the public organization “Association of Veterans and Combatants ‘Kupol’.”
Since February 2019, he has served as the head of the public organization “Union of Heroes of Ukraine,” which he co-founded with Hero of Ukraine Ihor Herasymenko in December 2018.
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Combat veteran.
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Former serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, defender of Donetsk Airport, and People’s Hero of Ukraine. From March 2019 to April 2021, he served as Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine
He worked as a videographer for ICTV and the Mykolaiv television company “NIS-TV”. During the war, he volunteered to serve.
While defending Donetsk Airport on October 15, 2014, he was severely wounded during a terrorist shelling.
After treatment, he founded and led the Mykolaiv Regional Organization “Association of ATO Participants and Disabled Veterans” and worked as Deputy Head of the Patrol Police Academy for Social and Humanitarian Affairs in Kyiv.
In 2015, he ran for the Mykolaiv Regional Council as a candidate from the “Petro Poroshenko Bloc” party.
From March 13, 2019, to April 14, 2021, he served as Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine (from September 6, 2019, to May 13, 2020, the ministry was known as the “Ministry for Veterans Affairs, Temporarily Occupied Territories, and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine”).
The “Oleksandr Tereshchenko International Charitable Foundation” was established in Ukraine in 2016. In 2022, following Russia’s large-scale invasion, the “Oleksandr Tereshchenko Charity and Support Foundation” was registered in the Republic of Lithuania.
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Combat veteran, wounded.
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Ukrainian politician, volunteer, public activist, and veteran of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO). He is a Deputy of the Kyiv City Council, a member of the “European Solidarity” political party, and a member of the public organization “Sprava Hromad” (“Cause of the Community”)
From 2014 to 2015, he was involved in volunteer activities.
From 2015 to 2017, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a soldier, serving as an assistant grenade launcher.
In 2017, he was discharged from the Armed Forces with the rank of sergeant (chief sergeant of a grenade launcher platoon).
In 2018, he began working on a project for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to construct 184 dormitories for servicemen and led a volunteer group until 2019.
In 2019, he ran as a candidate for the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) from the “European Solidarity” party (number 43 on the list).
In the 2020 local elections, he was elected as a deputy of the Kyiv City Council for the IX convocation.
From the first days of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, he defended Kyiv and, together with the Kyiv branch of the veteran NGO “Respublika. Braty po Zbroi,” formed the 206th Territorial Defense Battalion. Once the Kyiv region was liberated from the enemy, Oleksandr went to the military enlistment office and mobilized to the front.
On August 3, 2022, he suffered a concussion during a battle with Russian occupiers.
In January 2023, he sustained a second concussion during the defense of Soledar, for which he was later awarded the “For Wounds” medal.
Since August 2024, he has been the commander of a battalion in the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade.
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Serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
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Former deputy battalion commander for reconnaissance in the “Azov” regiment, co-founder of the organizations “Veterans Brotherhood” and “Ukrainian Veterans Movement,” head of the Public Council at the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, co-organizer of the “March of Defenders of Ukraine,” and director of the charitable foundation “Revived Soldiers Ukraine”
Before the full-scale invasion, he fought in the Russian-Ukrainian War, serving as the deputy battalion commander for reconnaissance in the “Azov” regiment.
After his discharge, he focused on veteran affairs, working in the organizations “Veterans Brotherhood” and “Ukrainian Veterans Movement,” as well as the “Revived Soldiers Ukraine” foundation and the rehabilitation center “Next Step Ukraine.”
Since February 24, he led a consolidated unit of war veterans known as B-2. He defended the capital, was active in the Kyiv region and the South, where he sustained a severe head injury.
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Combat veteran, wounded.
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