Ukrainian Women Who Inspire Kyiv Post's Team the Most

Women play a crucial role in the life of any society: they invariably provide inspiration and motivation, contributing to all areas of social life. On International Women's Day, the women of the Kyiv Post's team named the Ukrainian women who inspire and motivate them the most.

Tanu Muiño, a Ukrainian music video director

Have you ever heard of Tanu Muiño? What about Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Harry Styles, or maybe Lenny Kravitz, who, by the way, has Ukrainian roots? I'm sure someone among them is familiar to you. Now you'll also know that the music videos for these very famous artists were directed by a Ukrainian woman from Odesa – Tanu Muiño.

One of her works, the “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” music video for Lil Nas X, which has now gathered half a billion views on YouTube, won three MTV Video Music Awards: Video of the Year, Best Direction, and Best Visual Effects.

I’m impressed by how multitasking women can be and how many processes they can control simultaneously. This absolutely breaks stereotypes, and I’m not talking about male and female professions right now, but about how Hollywood, which seemed so unattainable, is not as unattainable if you just work hard.

I’m confident that many talented Ukrainian women will soon conquer Western spaces: Mary Furtas (CULTNAKED), Valeriya Zhyliova (Zhilyova Lingery), Ksenia Schneider (KSENIASCHNIDER), etc. – but that’s information for another article.

Tanya Pylypenko (Head of SMM)

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Elina Svitolina, tennis player

For several years now, I have been inspired by the first-ever Ukrainian tennis player to reach the third line of the WTA world rankings, Elina Svitolina. The Ukrainian has confirmed her title as the strongest tennis player in Ukraine and one of the world’s strongest athletes in this sport.

Svitolina also inspires me because she can combine big sports and motherhood, be a good wife, and travel the world participating in international competitions.

The athlete also has a kind and open heart, so she has her own charity foundation, which aims to develop sports and tennis in Ukraine and support talented young athletes. The foundation also takes care of athletes who are temporarily staying in different European cities due to Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Kateryna Zakharchenko (Kyiv Post journalist)

Yuliya Payevska (“Taira”), a volunteer military paramedic

When I was asked what Ukrainian woman inspires me most now, in the third year of this horrible, devastating war, my mind instantly pictured a military servicewoman. It is quite natural because our defenders – both men and women – are real models of high morale, self-sacrifice and commitment to our common cause.

I think the gender does not matter to anyone else either. And if I were to single out one of those incredibly courageous and caring heroines of our time, she would be Yulia Payevska who is widely known by her nom de guerre “Taira.” I was deeply impressed by her fantastic resilience that helped her survive the constant humiliation and torture while in Russian captivity.

After she was freed, Taira said that she survived – physically and psychologically – thanks to the long years of practicing yoga, meditation and respiratory gymnastics. Her dramatic story is interesting and very instructive for all of us. It is a story of the spirit prevailing over physical suffering and elevating a person from the horrible reality to the heights unattainable for torturers with their primitive instincts and views.

Tania Doroshenko (deputy editor of the Ukrainian edition)

Lesya Ukrainka. Ukrainian writer, poet and cultural activist

In the pantheon of Ukrainian writers who have contributed to the cultural tradition of Ukraine, Lesya Ukrainka is absolutely unique. It was she who managed to free Ukrainian culture from the provincialism deliberately imposed by the Russian imperial discourse at the turn of the 20th century.

She was a prominent Ukrainian poet, writer, translator, and political activist. The poet wrote her first poem “Hope” at the age of eight. It was read by French actress Catherine Deneuve during the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival last year.

Lesya took part in Ukraine’s struggle against Russian tsarism, and it is her civic position that impresses me even more than her extraordinary talent.

Throughout her life, she wrote in Ukrainian, a language that was declared non-existent by the state in which she lived. However, it was in this language that she managed to write real masterpieces that became known all over the world.

Regina Filonenko (Social Media Manager)

Anne (Yaroslavna) of France. The Queen of France, who came from Ukraine

The Queen of France with Ukrainian roots is an example of how a woman can be not only influential but also a wise leader capable of making important decisions in historically important times.

I am inspired by Anne for her unbreakable strength of spirit and great devotion to her people. For me, she is an important historical figure.

Modern Ukrainian women can take a cue from the life of Anna Yaroslavivna, who proved herself to be a strong and independent woman in a foreign country. Similarly, many modern Ukrainian women reveal their talents and abilities in different countries of the world, helping to change stereotypes and raising the prestige of Ukraine in the international arena.

Their achievements show that Anna Yaroslavivna’s legacy lives on and continues to inspire women in the modern world.

Karina Dolomadzhi (News Feed Editor of the Ukrainian edition of Kyiv Post)

My main source of inspiration and motivation comes from dozens and hundreds of Ukrainian women I know who face the challenges of war with remarkable dignity

These are the women who have joined the ranks of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, displaying courage and fortitude that need no commentary.

The women who await the return of loved ones from the frontlines, tirelessly organize collections of donations to purchase essential equipment, tourniquets, collimators, ammunition, drones, and more. They endure the daily anxiety of unknown calls, fearing the absence of the messages they long for. Some have even left behind their established lives to follow their serviceman husbands along the frontlines, seeking to be closer.

The women have survived the Russian occupation, capture, blockade, and invasive searches by Russian military forces, yet they remain unbroken. Instead, they have discovered new purposes and tirelessly volunteer their time and efforts for helping the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Think of the female volunteers who, amidst perpetual burnout, achieve the impossible. They gather vital donations, procure necessary medicines, equipment, and weapons, repair and buy the cars for military purposes, and prepare meals fit for heroes... The list of their accomplishments is endless.

Then there are the mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, and girlfriends who cling unwaveringly to hope for the return of their loved ones from Russian captivity. They do everything within their power, and beyond, to hasten the day of reunion. There are the mothers, sisters, daughters, who have known the bitter sting of loss their relatives, yet refuse to give in, continuing their fight.

And let us not forget the widows of our fallen soldiers... These remarkable women summon the strength to carry on, often volunteering or taking up the missions of their fallen partners on the frontlines. They raise their children with love for Ukraine and tenderly preserve the memory of their fathers-defenders.

In this photo, we see the daughter of a Ukrainian aerial scout, tragically killed by Russian fire during a counteroffensive in the Zaporizhya direction in 2023."

Julia Struck, Kyiv Post journalist