MEDIA HUB

Films

“I know a girl who dragged the injured away from the battlefield under fire in Ilovaisk when most men were hiding in a cellar. If a woman, mother, sister or daughter, wishes to protect our values and our territory, then nobody can prohibit that to her.”

Invisible Battalion

Invisible Battalion consists of six stories of servicewomen told by three Ukrainian film directors: Iryna Tsilyk, Svitlana Lischynska, and Alina Gorlova. The film protagonists are different by their life experience, age, military, and civil professions, but all of them were united by this war, and their stories create a panoramic picture of the woman’s status in the Armed Forces. Maria Berlinska, the film producer, speaks about the project goal, “First, to document the history that’s happening here and now, to show how women fight. Second, to break down this wall for women. This cannot be about either gender or eye color, only education, only professionalism, and skill. Films are a good instrument that can be used to explain these things to society. And, finally, the third goal, which is very important for me. We are losing the informational war in the world. With this documentary, we want to show that it’s not a civil conflict that we have here, it’s Russian occupation, for the fourth year in a row. The world will see in our film how our women die and get injured, how they fight and win the battles with the Russian army. And we do not need their deep concerns, we need real support.”

The documentary was premiered on TV on October 16, 2017, on national Channel 1+1, and later premiered at Oskar Cinema on November 24, 2017.

The documentary has already been screened around the world, in particular in Shanghai, Milan, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, New York, Washington, Chicago, Philadelphia, as well as at the Parliament of Canada and UN Security Council.

Invisible Battalion raises active discussion on the rights of women in the security and defense sector, stimulating governmental authorities to reform the legislation left over from the Soviet times. In particular, in June 2016, under the pressure of public opinion, the Ministry of Defense expanded the list of battle positions available for women by 63 positions. The heroines of Invisible Battalion have also become cultural ambassadors of Ukraine, and through their stories, they tell the international community about the great threat of the Russian aggression, and that Ukraine is currently protecting not just its own territories but also democratic values in general, this is why it is a reliable ally and partner.

Partners: Canada-Ukraine International Assistance Fund (Canada), Razom (USA)

Movie teasers:

Protagonist – Andriana Susak, director – Iryna Tsilyk

Protagonist – Oksana Yakubova, director – Alina Gorlova

Protagonist – Yulia Matviienko, director – Svitlana Lischynska

Protagonist – Julia Paevska, director – Iryna Tsilyk

Protagonist – Olena Bilozerska, director – Svitlana Lischynska

Protagonist – Dasha Zubenko, director – Alina Gorlova

“No obvious signs” was awarded by international documentary film festivals: DOK Leipzig 2018 (as an outstanding Eastern European film); “Docudays.UA 2018”: (4 awards: Docu/Law international contest award, Ukrainian Helsinki Union award, Currenttime.tv partner award, and Letter to Fest distribution company award); Verzio International Human Rights Festival, Hungary (Student Jury Award).

The film was also screened in Germany, Italy, Canada, Hungary, and Poland.

No obvious signs

Is a phrase that the military often hear at local hospitals, where they seek help with psychological trauma. But as far as there are no physical injuries to their bodies, not only doctors but society, in general, does not notice the problem.

The documentary tells the story of a woman returning from the war in Eastern Ukraine. Talking to psychologists, struggling with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and panic attacks, she is trying to return to normal life. The documentary shows the path from the beginning of rehabilitation to the return to work, thus raising the topic of post-traumatic stress disorder in general. It continues the story of Oksana Yakubova, an anti-terrorist operation veteran, deputy battalion commander for personnel at 54th separate mechanized brigade, one of the Invisible Battalion documentary protagonists (Invisible Battalion is part of the human rights project against Russian aggression, created by Ukrainian women in the military).

The project is implemented within the framework of the UN Women project “Gender Equality at the Center of Reforms, Peace, and Security”, funded by the government of Sweden. Creative team: film director — Alina Gorlova, producer — Maria Berlinska, executive producer — Oksana Ivantsiv, cameraman — Alexey Kuchma, editing — Alina Gorlova, sound director — Vasily Yavtushenko, composers — Ptakh Jung. Production: Rights in Ukraine — Tabor LLC, Institute for gender programs, 2018. Duration: 63 min.

Videos

Flash mob for the Day of the Defender of Ukraine #thanks_to_her

“Invisible Battalion” supports the campaign Thanks_to_you і запускає флешмоб #thanks_to_her, to whom we want to congratulate strong and brave women soldiers. We thank you for defending us at the front and carrying out the difficult mission of confronting the enemy. At the same time, we women in a peaceful life are working for the development of the country. Our joint work, albeit at a high price, makes Ukraine a European state, worthy and independent.

THE BEST OF ..

Created within the project "Invisible Battalion 2.0"

We create the Women’s Veterans Movement to provide women veterans with support, communication and collaboration. We focus on the spread of democratic values in society, and we want to do everything to ensure that the next generation grows and develops in a much better Ukraine.

Veterans took part in the shooting Andriana Susak, Юля Кириллова (Yulya Kirillova), Майя Москвич (Maiia Moskvych), Kатерина Приймак (Katerina Prymak), Катруся Стріла, Аня Косинова (Ann Kosinova), Tanyushka Taran, Iryna Golosna, Ivanna Chobaniuk.

actors – unsurpassed Irma Vitovska-Vantsa (Ірма Вітовська-Ванца), Solomiya Vitvitska (Соломія Вітвіцька), Yanina Sokolova and Friend Bugay

Podcasts

They talk about the Invisible Battalion...

Veterans Diplomacy Club “Ambassador” is a veteran diplomacy project designed to support Ukraine in the information war against Russian aggression and to strengthen Ukraine’s diplomatic relations with countries around the world.

The Ukrainian documentary film about women at the war was showed at the Council of Europe:

Veteran Diplomacy Club "Ambassador", Victor Kryvonosov and Katerina Prymak –Tel Aviv.

And here’s the news about our new trips. Four of our veterans from the Veteran Diplomacy Club “Ambassador” are flying to Tel Aviv-Yafo to show our film “Invisible Battalion” and to tell the true about the Russian War against Ukraine now.

Good flight. We look forward to the news and photos.

The “Israeli Friends of Ukraine” and others, meet them!

Veteran Diplomacy Club "Ambassador", Andriana Susak, Alexey Baranovsky, Lera Burlakova, Yuliia Shevchuk – The Hague, Netherlands .

After walking through the city, our ambassadors Andriana Susak, Alexey Baranovsky, Lera Burlakova, Юлія Шевчук (Yuliia Shevchuk) had shown the movie @Невидимий Батальйон / Invisible Battalion in The Hague, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The show was mostly designed for foreigners. Emotions after such a warm reception still hold. As always interesting questions and warm acquaintances. We want to speak even louder.

We would like to thank all those involved in the organization and implementation of the trip. The hospitality and care of our Embassy and military attaché are astounding.

Today, December 5, 2019, we will have another presentation of the film Invisible Battalion at the Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Don’t miss out.

Photo courtesy of the wonderful and talented Sofiya Shovikova.

‘Invisible Battalion’ documentary puts Ukraine’s women soldiers in spotlight

Members of the Ukraine Women’s Veterans Movement, they were in Washington, DC, from October 7-12

Members of Ukraine Women’s Veterans Movement spent part of October in Washington, DC. From left to right, Yuliia Mykytenko, Yuliia Matvienko, Lyuba Shipovich, Andriana Susak, Mariia Berlinska, and Kateryna Lutsyk. Credit: Lyuba Shipovich

Andriana Susak discussing the amendment of the criminal code with regards to conflict-related sexual violence, during the CRSV Conference (October 14, 2019).

“My message today is that I am a granddaughter, a daughter, a wife, a mom, a “sister” in arms, an activist, a combatant, a veteran – I am life, and only I get to decide what my life should be. I was born free, I am free, and I will die free.”

PHOTO STORIES

Photos of women of different age categories with different destinations and professions: military, volunteers, doctors, psychologists – transfer their role and mission in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Invisible Battalion Calendar (2016)

On November 25, the results of the 9th National Festival of Social Advertising were presented; featuring the “Invisible Battalion” calendar, created by the Mex Advertising Agency at the initiative of the Ukrainian Women’s Fund and the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine.

The calendar took the Grand Prix of the Festival, won in the “State Social Advertising” nomination, and took second place in the nomination “Charity Foundations and Organizations Social Advertising”.