On January 24, 2024, a delegation of representatives of the International Charitable Help Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the Corporation), represented by the Head of the charitable organization Kostiantyn Holban, and the International Anti-Corruption Assembly (hereinafter referred to as the Assembly), represented by the Secretary General of the Central Committee Vyacheslav Sayenko, left for a working trip to the city of Okhtyrka, Sumy region of Ukraine.
On February 24, 2022, the first day of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops entered Okhtyrka. On the morning of February 25, the city came under fire. According to Amnesty International, Russian troops used cluster munitions, which were dropped on a kindergarten. As a result, 6 people died, including a child.
On February 28, 2022, according to the Ukrainian side, Russian troops used a vacuum bomb in Okhtyrka, dropping it on an oil depot.
On March 1, local authorities reported the killing of 70 Ukrainian soldiers as a result of a Russian missile strike on a military base. In addition to the dead, some soldiers were trapped in the rubble.
On March 24, 2022, in order to commemorate the feat, mass heroism and resilience of citizens who defended their cities during the repulsion of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the city of Okhtyrka was awarded the honorary title of “Hero City of Ukraine” by a decree of the President of Ukraine. (Wikipedia)
In Okhtyrka, they were met by representatives of the Corporation and the Assembly, Iryna Daragan (Military Volunteer – Corporation) and Oleksandr Daragan (Deputy Head of Security – Assembly).
On January 25, a delegation of representatives of the Corporation and the Assembly held a series of meetings with people who have played an important role in the fate of the city since the aggressor invaded the territory of the Okhtyrka Community. For their volunteer activities, the Heroes were awarded the “Badges of Honor” – the Award “Gratitude of the World from the Ukrainian People for the Humanitarian Component of the Victory”.
Ihor Hresko is currently the Director of the Okhtyrka Central District Hospital, a municipal enterprise of the Okhtyrka City Council. He is a senior lecturer at the Department of Surgery, Traumatology, Orthopedics and Phthisiology at Sumy State University, PhD in Medicine. As of 02/24/22, he worked as a surgeon at the Okhtyrka Central District Hospital.
Vyacheslav Klymenko is the acting chairman of the presidium of the Okhtyrka district organization of the Ukrainian Society of Hunters and Fishermen.
Andrey Tkachenko is the General Director of Okhtyrka Motors service station. From the first day of the war, they have been helping military units and repairing military vehicles.
Yurii Meerovych is a deputy of the Sumy Regional Council, Master of Sports of the USSR in sambo and judo, 25-time champion of Ukraine in judo and sambo, 7-time winner of the USSR Championships, silver medalist of the World Sambo Cup, bronze medalist of the European Sambo Championships, bronze medalist of the World Sambo Championships, Master of Sports of Ukraine of international class. Honorary Worker of Physical Culture and Sports. Honorary resident of Okhtyrka.
Since the full-scale invasion, he has been organizing the receipt of humanitarian aid from the City Council and its distribution to the local population.
Archpriest Georgiy Siryi is the senior priest of the Archangel Michael Church in Okhtyrka.
From the first day of the full-scale invasion, he and Oleksandr organized a shelter for people and humanitarian aid in the church. They were among the first to help people in de-occupied Trostianets. Today, they continue to help our military and citizens who need help with medicines, food, and clothing. They often visit military hospitals and help the guys on the front line.
We are very grateful to the people who do not lose their composure, courage and faith in difficult and dangerous situations in the most difficult times. The resilience, courage and dedication of our Heroes makes us realize that those who need help will definitely get it.
A few days spent in Okhtyrka left unforgettable memories of the hero city and its residents who steadfastly defended their homes and streets. They gathered all their will in a fist and helped each other without expecting to be thanked, just helping, realizing that no one else would do it.
We are publishing some photos provided to us by Iryna, which show the destruction of the city caused by the shelling and invasion of the aggressor’s military.
After returning from a business trip, Konstantin Golban announced that he would like to leave the position of the Chairman of the International Charitable Help Corporation.
We express our deep gratitude to Konstantin for his contribution to the development and work of the charitable organization. We would also like to wish him the best of health, success, self-realization, prosperity, steady optimism and peaceful sky above his head!