The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisation (AFUO) joins calls from State, Federal and diplomatic leaders for the release of Oscar Jenkins, amid 13 year sentence by russian court 16 May. Oscar Jenkins, former biology teacher from Melbourne, was captured in December by occupying russian forces while serving with Ukraine's military in the Donbas region. For … [Read more...]

Today, 16 May, Ukrainian and russian delegations meet face-to-face in Turkey for long-awaited peace talks – the first direct contact in months. But hopes are low. Yesterday Zelenskyy arrived in Turkey, showing a strong and intentional presence. Despite being the one to call for the meeting after mounting pressure criticising russia for their refusal to agree to the … [Read more...]

Saturday 18 May, 11:30am (AEST) Online (zoom) and in-person, St Andrew’s Church Hall, 57 Church St, Lidcombe Request zoom access from: marikahav13@gmail.com The sunflower — once a foreign species to the Ukrainian steppe and forest-steppe regions — has become a powerful symbol and plays a critical role in Ukraine’s agriculture, helping the nation rise to the top as … [Read more...]

The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Nick Parsons, an Australian bomb disposal expert in Ukraine, last week.  Mr Parsons, a veteran of the Australian Defence Force and volunteer with charity Prevail Together, made the ultimate sacrifice in Izyum while working to protect Ukrainian civilians from … [Read more...]

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on 12 May voted and confirmed russia failed to uphold its legal obligations under international law for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 on 17 July 2014, that killed all 298 people onboard, including 38 Australians. In November 2022 a Dutch court found three men responsible for the crime and tried … [Read more...]

This May 15, on Vyshyvanka Day, let’s come out in force to show that our culture is a statement of resistance. Take a photo in your vyshyvanka#️⃣ Post it to your social media with the hashtag #VyshyvankaForever Print a banner: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18hlEosdJrSpWPiNBeNcHxPHKQayKeEGJ Remind the world: Ukraine endures. The occupied territories must … [Read more...]

Progress report 5-11 May: Trip to Geelong – this weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Geelong for the first time. I was honoured to be joined by our brave defenders Viktor “Blacksmith” and Nazar “Kapa”. Our Ukrainians in Geelong - Українці в Джілонґу community may be small, but they are mighty! Grateful to Mark Tkaczuk for helping organise a community meeting … [Read more...]

Thanks to the Ukraine Crisis Appeal and Rotary World Community Service (RAWCS) we collectively delivered a 50-tonne rescue crane to Ukraine, now with State Emergency Services (SESU) Odesa, ready to save lives! Named through competition across Ukrainian Ethnic Schools, ‘Faith U-Crane’ combines hope and strength – huge shoutout to winners Roman (Sydney) & Lara … [Read more...]

The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) stands with the global Ukrainian community in declaring May 9 as Russian Shame Day — a day to reject the Kremlin’s manipulation of history and expose the ongoing atrocities being committed by Russia in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an initiative led by the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), … [Read more...]

Dr Olga Boichak reviews on 'The Conversation' Sydney-based scholar and community member Dr Olga Boichak co-authors a sharp analysis of the recent US-Ukraine minerals deal. While some headlines claim Ukraine “caved” to Trump’s demands, Boichak argues Zelenskyy achieved a strategic win. The revised agreement secures US investment without sacrificing Ukraine’s sovereignty or … [Read more...]