American missionary and philanthropist Kim Kio Yok, who has been working in Ukraine for more than 30 years, said that probable fraud occurred during the purchase of a house in Kyiv for the activities of the charitable foundation and Grace church, as a result of which the organization lost the ability to fully provide assistance to internally displaced persons, pensioners and other vulnerable categories of the population.
As Oleksandr Keer, managing partner of the law firm Revealing Information, said during a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency, in 2022 Kim Kio Yok agreed to purchase a building in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, but instead of the main sale and purchase agreement, an agreement on the intention to conclude such an agreement was signed. According to the lawyer, at the time the agreement was concluded, the real estate was pledged due to debts of the previous owner’s family, and the initial payment amounted to $30,000.
“In 2022, $30,000 was transferred as a deposit and confirmation of the genuine intention to purchase this property. From 2022 until today, the amount of funds received increased from $30,000 to $400,000; in fact, 21 agreements were concluded to postpone the deadlines for concluding the main sale and purchase agreement. The last two additional agreements were concluded when the party no longer even had the ability to sell the property because it did not own it,” Keer said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday.
According to him, because of the outstanding previous obligations of the person who was supposed to sell the house, ownership of the real estate passed to creditors, making it impossible to fulfill the original agreements. At the same time, the lawyer claims that Kim Kio Yok effectively transferred almost the entire agreed value of the property but did not receive ownership of it.
Keer said that after the philanthropist approached them, the lawyers initially tried to resolve the situation through negotiations and mediation, but they were unable to reach an agreement with the other party. After that, submissions to the police and prosecutor’s office were prepared, as well as civil lawsuits concerning the disputed agreements and the return of the funds.
“When Mr. Kim approached us, the first thing we proposed was to hold negotiations and mediation in order to clarify the circumstances and try to reach an agreement. In response to repeated attempts to hold such a meeting, we were told that there were no grounds or purpose for it. After that, we prepared statements to the police and prosecutor’s office, as well as civil lawsuits regarding the return of the funds,” he added.
Keer noted that, according to the assessment of the injured party, the case has prospects in court because the transfer of funds and changes to the agreements were documented by signed agreements. He also said that for some time the philanthropist actually used the building, invested funds in improving it and purchased equipment, but now, according to his representatives, does not have access to this property.
He noted that the prosecutor’s office of the Darnytskyi district had opened criminal proceedings and that a pre-trial investigation was ongoing. The lawyer also positively assessed the court’s prompt response to the appeal by representatives of the injured party, but noted that since May the case has not yet resulted in a notice of suspicion or the submission of an indictment to the court.
For his part, Kim Kio Yok said that he came to Ukraine from California 33 years ago and during that time was engaged in religious, educational and charitable projects. After the start of the full-scale war, together with like-minded people, he helped people whose homes had been damaged, distributed food packages and firewood, and also organized free meals for internally displaced persons in Kyiv.
“We helped Ukrainians who suffered greatly during the full-scale war: we found damaged houses, helped rebuild them, provided people with food packages and firewood so that they could survive the winter. In the building in the Darnytskyi district, we served hot lunches to between 150 and 200 internally displaced persons. Because of this situation, in recent months people have been unable to receive the assistance that we provided before,” Kim Kio Yok said.
Kim Kio Yok, American missionary and philanthropist, injured party in the criminal proceedings
The missionary said that, as a U.S. citizen, he sent an official letter to the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine and contacted the U.S. consul.
“We sent an official letter to the U.S. Embassy. They responded and are showing interest in this case because I am a U.S. citizen. I also contacted the U.S. consul with a request to help me in this situation,” Kim Kio Yok said.
According to him, people who previously regularly received assistance continue to call representatives of the organization and ask when the free lunches and other programs will be resumed. The missionary stressed that he intends to remain in Ukraine and continue his charitable activities.
Kim Kio Yok noted that the organization operates not only in Kyiv. Over 33 years of its activities, centers have been established in various cities of Ukraine, including rehabilitation programs for people with drug and alcohol addiction. The Grace gymnasium, which includes a kindergarten and education through the 11th grade, also operates, while the building purchased in Kyiv was planned to be used, among other things, for educational projects.
“I am now 75 years old, and even during the war I want to help Ukrainians and serve them with love. We appeal to law enforcement agencies, the police and the prosecutor’s office: help us so that we can work again on the territory of Ukraine. We have dedicated our lives to serving Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” he said.
For her part, Viktoriia Khliebnikova, a volunteer with the charitable foundation, noted that the consequences of the conflict surrounding the building concern not only the foundation itself, since professional kitchen equipment purchased specifically to provide free meals to people remained inside the premises.
“For us, this story is very painful because this is not a question of the house, the equipment or the money. The most painful thing is that we cannot help people to the full extent, as we did before. The professional equipment was purchased not for business and not to make a profit – it was purchased for charitable activities, to feed people,” Khliebnikova said.
She noted that during widespread electricity outages, such meals were of particular importance to people who were unable to cook food at home. At present, according to her, the team is seeking to regain access to its property and resume its work.
“People are waiting, they meet me on the street and every time ask when we will start helping again. We want to return to normal work, prepare lunches, help elderly people, children and families who have lost their defenders at the front,” the volunteer added.
For his part, Pastor Kim Shine, vice president of the international Grace mission, who joined the press conference from the United States, said that the American organization financially supported the activities of Kim Kio Yok and his family in Ukraine and helped with the purchase of the premises. According to him, after the start of the full-scale war, the mission offered the missionaries the opportunity to return to the United States for security reasons, but they decided to stay.
“When they said that they had found a building where they could support elderly people and prepare food for displaced persons, we decided to provide financial assistance for its purchase. Now we are appealing to the Ukrainian authorities so that this case is resolved in accordance with the law and the activities can continue,” Kim Shine emphasized.
CHARITY, fraud, INTERFAX-UKRAINE, KYIV, MISSIONARY, UNITED STATES
The number of Ukrainians planning Christmas and New Year shopping has increased over the year from 65% to 75%, despite the fourth year of full-scale war, according to Deloitte Ukraine’s “Holiday Shopping 2025” survey, provided by the company’s press service.
“This year, we see that preparations for the holidays are becoming more thoughtful and forward-looking: Ukrainians are planning their purchases earlier, approaching spending more cautiously, and more often choosing things that have personal significance for them and their loved ones. For 51% of respondents, the process of preparing gifts remains a pleasant ritual rather than a source of stress. Such familiar concerns help us today to support ourselves and those around us,” notes Alexander Yampolsky, head of retail and wholesale distribution at Deloitte Ukraine.
However, according to the survey results, more and more Ukrainians are also choosing to celebrate at home—68% compared to 54% in 2024. More and more Ukrainians are starting their holiday shopping early: 18% before December, while the main shopping period is December 1-24 (62%).
For the fourth year in a row, Ukrainians are not increasing their spending: 46% are willing to spend no more than a quarter of their monthly income on shopping, and 54% plan to spend between UAH 1,000 and UAH 5,000, with holiday purchases focused on family (88%) and friends (40%). At the same time, young people are more likely to deviate from the traditional scenario: 49% buy gifts for themselves.
Ukrainians most often do their holiday shopping in large and medium-sized supermarket chains (43%), with online stores consistently ranking second (27%) and cosmetics stores (21%) remaining popular due to the demand for gifts “for themselves and their loved ones.”
The most popular tools for choosing gifts are wish lists (46%), price comparison services (54%), and online reviews (50%). Recommendations from influencers play a much smaller role, with only 9-10% of respondents relying on them. And only 10% of respondents believe that the presence of an AI assistant on retailers’ online platforms would make it easier to select holiday gifts.
It is emphasized that shoppers are most upset by the lack of available products (27%), excessive advertising (22%), and inconvenient search filters (14%).
At the same time, 64% of Ukrainians plan to allocate part of their holiday budget to charity, and 8 out of 10 primarily support Ukrainian defenders on the front lines.
“The holiday habits of Ukrainians reflect not only consumer trends, but also deeper internal changes. The way people give gifts, celebrate, and seek joy is now an important part of their emotional stability. Even during the war, Ukrainians remain a community that helps, shares, and creates a festive atmosphere for each other,” Yampolsky concluded.
The study was conducted using a multi-stage stratified sample representing the population of Ukraine by gender, age, size of settlement, and type of employment. Data was collected through an online survey using a quota sample that corresponds to the socio-demographic profile of the Ukrainian population. In total, more than 1,000 respondents took part in the survey.
The annual Charity Fair 2025, traditionally organized by the Association of Ukrainian Diplomats’ Spouses with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, took place in Kyiv on Saturday.
According to a correspondent from Interfax-Ukraine, this year’s event was attended by representatives of diplomatic missions from 29 countries, who presented their national traditions and culture. Ukrainian artists, traditional craftsmen, craft producers, designers, and public organizations also joined the joint charity initiative.
The event was personally attended by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga and his wife Tetyana Sibiga, who is a co-founder of the Association of Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats.
As noted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all funds raised will be used for charitable purposes, in particular: the purchase of chemical warmers for military personnel as part of the “Warm the Defender” project; support for internally displaced children; assistance to children and people with disabilities; support for the elderly; assistance to animal shelters; other joint projects of the Association of Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats, the Club of Spouses of Ambassadors in Kyiv, and the IWCK.
Guests had the opportunity to purchase holiday gifts or create them together with their children at themed master classes.
Each ticket purchase counts as a charitable contribution to the total Charity Fair 2025 collection.
CHARITY, Charity Fair 2025, Christmas fair, KYIV, Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats
The “Hope and Unity” Charitable Foundation continues to actively support the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital. Thanks to caring Ukrainians and the support of the Foundation’s partners, we have managed to raise significant funds for the purchase of necessary equipment, medicines and materials.
This week, a modern lung ventilator was delivered to the hospital, which will help save the lives of the youngest patients. In addition, the foundation provided the oncology department with new beds and medical instruments. A recreation room with games and educational materials was organized for children undergoing long-term treatment.
“We understand how important the atmosphere in which children are treated is for them,” says PIB, founder of the ‘Hope and Unity’ Foundation. – “That is why we strive to create the most comfortable conditions for young patients and their parents at Okhmatdyt.
The “Hope and Unity” Foundation calls on all those who care to join the charitable cause and support the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital. Every hryvnia, every little thing matters and can save a child’s life.
How to help:
Together we can create a future for every child!
CHARITY, CHILDREN, DISEASE, foundation, HELP, Hope and Unity, SUPPORT, ОХМАТДИТ
Ukraine needs to simplify the bureaucracy in the work and accounting of charitable foundations and volunteers, said Artem Honcharenko, president of the Reconstruction and Development of Ukraine Foundation, a volunteer.
“I am in favor of simplifying the procedure for transferring charitable aid to recipients, simplifying the bureaucracy in the work of charitable foundations and volunteers. I know from my own experience how much time is spent on paperwork and bureaucracy. For example, a person who is at “zero” on the frontline has to write us an application, according to which we have to collect everything and give him or her a certificate to sign that he or she has received our help. I have an example when a person for whom we were collecting aid died while we were filling out all the paperwork,” he said during a roundtable discussion at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Thursday.
Goncharenko noted that one way to simplify the processing of aid provided by charities and volunteers is to fill out and submit documents online.
“We need to simplify the procedure. I am speaking here on behalf of all the foundations, I think they support me in this: we need to simplify this system or allow us to fill it out online. Then people will be able to fill it out, and we will be able to ship them the aid,” he said.
Honcharenko also emphasized the need to regulate the issue of VAT taxation of goods purchased and delivered by charitable foundations and volunteers.
“We need to remove VAT from these goods. When we imported the first mobile hospital, it cost EUR 230 thousand, and the VAT amounted to another EUR 50 thousand,” he said.
In his turn, Serhiy Petkov, Doctor of Law, military officer, emphasized the need to use online tools in the process of receiving social assistance and payments, in particular for veterans and military personnel.
At the same time, he noted that in Ukraine, “for some reason, issues are resolved at the level of bylaws, and this should not be the case in a democratic state governed by the rule of law, legislation should be codified.”
“All these bylaws, various resolutions, instructions, letters, explanations, etc. should become a thing of the past, we need to move away from manual control and move to a normal democratic legal life so that everything happens in accordance with the law,” he said.
For his part, Doctor of Law, professor, volunteer Ihor Kopotun noted that there is no need to develop a separate regulatory framework for social protection of military personnel and veterans.
“I think we don’t need to invent anything. Today, the social protection of servicemen or any person must meet the requirements of the current legislation, the social protection provided by the laws. Everyone should be equal before the law, and the laws that have already been adopted today should be implemented,” he said.
bureaucracy, CHARITY, GONCHARENKO, mobile hospital, OPINION, Petkov, VOLUNTEERS, Копотун
On Saturday, November 7, on the basis of the analytical center “Experts Club” with the assistance of the public association “Ukrsadvinprom” and the charitable foundation “Reconstruction and Development of Ukraine”, the second scientific and practical seminar-tasting of vintage drinks aged from 20 to 80 years was held. The seminar was attended by representatives of the Ukrainian wine industry, retail, media, and other experts.
At the seminar, Igor Magalyas, an expert collector of vintage alcoholic beverages, introduced the participants to the most popular varieties of Ukrainian and European vintage wines, brandy and other drinks aged up to 80 years. Ukrainian products were presented at the conference by such brands as Sherry Massandra 1983 and Black Doctor 2007. Of the foreign alcoholic brands, Curasao liqueur from the 1950s, the rare sherry brandy Hispano from 1870 and another Spanish drink Ponche Rives from 1978 received the highest ratings from the participants. In total, the participants of the seminar evaluated 15 different vintage drinks.
According to Igor Magalyas, all products presented at the seminar are in the budget price segment and their cost does not exceed the cost of modern branded alcohol on the shelves of Ukrainian supermarkets.
“Most of the drinks presented here were purchased by collectors in Europe at auctions or at sales of private collections. At the same time, they have a number of taste and quality advantages over more modern drinks that can be freely bought at retail outlets, even if it is the same brand,” he said.
According to the expert, the fact is that in the 80-90s of the last century, the automation of alcohol production, introduced in order to increase the volume of products sold, had a negative impact on the quality of wine and distilled drinks.
“In particular, in my opinion, the ability of the same brandies to improve their palatability as they age after bottling was practically lost. In other words, if we open a bottle of good brandy from 1970 today, then such a drink will have a much richer flavor bouquet than if we opened a bottle of the same brandy 30 years later, but, say, 2020 bottling,” Igor explained Magalyas.
The organizer of the seminar Maxim Urakin, in turn, emphasized the importance of developing the vintage drinks market in Ukraine and popularizing the culture of drinking them.
“Each bottle of such wine or brandy has its own history; it is a rather rare, almost unique product, but at the same time it is quite affordable and popular in Europe. If we add up the age of drinks at today’s tasting, we get an impressive figure of more than 700 years of the total age of drinks, which also makes our event unique,” he stressed.
Vintage (milezim) – in winemaking means the year of ripening of the harvest of a certain grape variety from which wine, brandy, cognac or other drink based on it is produced. This indicator is important in determining the characteristics of the drink, since weather and climate conditions change every season, which can both positively and negatively affect the organoleptic characteristics of drinks of the same brand.
“Experts Club” is an analytical center engaged in research in the field of economics, sociology and other scientific disciplines. In particular, with the assistance of the Club of Experts, several events were held last year to promote domestic winemaking products.
Public Union “Ukrsadvinprom” acted as a partner of the seminar and tasting. “Ukrsadvinprom” unites about 200 producers of fruits, berries, nuts and grapes, enterprises engaged in the processing of fruits and berries, wine production, as well as scientific institutions for the introduction of new scientific approaches to production.
Charitable Foundation “Reconstruction and Development of Ukraine” carries out extensive volunteer activities. In particular, with the support of the rector of KNUCA (KNUBA) Petr Kulikov, the fund will soon hand over a modern mobile hospital. The head of the fund is Artem Goncharenko.
Organizers will send part of the proceeds from the event to purchase a mobile hospital.
CHARITY, CONFERENCE, EXPERT_CLUB, SCIENCE, UKRSADVINPROM, VINTAGE_WINE, WINE, WINEMAKING, АРТЕМ ГОНЧАРЕНКО
