Lobodina: Ukrainian women, despite the war, do many good deeds and make this world a better place

In September 2025, the Republic of Kosovo and Albania will host the prestigious international beauty pageant Miss Freedom of the World 2025, where Lidia Lobodina will represent Ukraine.

Lidia Lobodina is the winner of the titles Miss Freedom Ukraine 2025, Ms Top Ukraine 2024, 1st Vice Miss Charity Queen of Ukraine 2023, Mrs. Top Animal Saver 2023, World Citizen Peace Ambassador, member of the National Association of Human Rights Defenders and Lawyers of Ukraine. Lidia is also a veterinarian, animal psychologist, and philanthropist. In a special interview with The Geopost, she spoke about hate from Russians, helping animals, and how to remind the world about Ukraine through beauty contests.

Watch the full interview here:

The Geopost: Good afternoon, Ms Lidia. We are glad to welcome you. Let’s get to know each other. Please tell us about yourself, you represent Ukraine, at which competition and how did you manage to do it?

Lobodina:  Good afternoon. My name is Lidia Lobodina, I’m a Ukrainian, I’m 27 years old, I represent Ukraine at, the world beauty pageant Miss Freedom of the World 2025, which will be held in Kosovo and Albania this autumn. Also, my work covers a lot of areas. I’m a veterinarian, animal rights activist, volunteer, I’m also a peace ambassador, an actress, and I also have a title – winner of the national beauty pageant Miss Top Ukraine 2024, which is why I became a representative of Ukraine at the global level, which I am very, very proud of.

The Geopost: And you are a veterinarian. As far as I know, you are engaged in charity work. Could you tell us what exactly and why it is important to you?

Lobodina:  In general, let’s just say that I have been involved in charity work since I was a child, because my parents and I used to rehome the dogs we had. I’m from Donetsk, so we had a lot of stray dogs near the exit from the city, and we adopted many of them.

That’s why I actually chose this profession. And when, again, the full-scale invasion caught me, let’s just say, when I became a professional in my field, I still, I still even conduct charity consultations. At the moment, I think that

probably about 500 charity consultations have been held for animals, both for IDPs and for families who, unfortunately, do not have the means to go to a veterinary clinic. And I am also, of course, a volunteer at the Big Heart shelter. I help by walking the dogs, and I make financial transfers, I also bring food. And I created a charity initiative called Paws of Hope, where we draw pictures with the dogs using their paws. And these paintings can be used at auctions in the future, and the funds can be redirected to the needs of animals, yes, or something else to draw as much attention to animals as possible.

I am also currently working on creating my own organisation. It’s called ‘Kingdom of Good’, so it’s currently in the format of information assistance, but I’m working on it now. I want to create both a unique shelter for dogs and the first animal assistance service. Again, for pet parents who, unfortunately, do not have the means, so that they can immediately, for example, go to a service, to some kind of app, perhaps, and find out such, you know, the most important information. That’s why now I’m still working with animals, it comes first.

The Geopost: Yes, as you mentioned, in September 2024, you will represent Ukraine at the international beauty pageant. This event will take place in Kosovo and Albania. Please tell us, what are your feelings, premonitions, emotions about this performance? What do you want to convey, how do you see your participation in this contest?

Lobodina: I am incredibly happy that I can join such a contest, because it has not only a mission of beauty and victory, but the participants must also engage in some kind of social activity. So, I have just the right combination for the world to hear me. Yes, my mission, is primarily to help animals. And at the moment, helping animals in Ukraine, she has unique experience, so I want to help not only animals from Ukraine, but already and make, let’s say, a way to go out into the world.

So that the world can hear me, maybe I can attract sponsors who will help us to develop and help, because the current state of shelters, unfortunately, is not very good. So it’s not just about charity, it’s also about the fact that, again, dreams can come true. I could never have imagined that I would participate in beauty contests, but since 2023, my life has changed. During the preparation for the pageants, and now the global beauty pageant, I receive a huge of support from all over the world. I have friends in different countries. This includes Latin America, Asia, and I have a lot of support from people in India, which I am very surprised about. So I hope that I will be able to convey the message that beauty is not just about looks, but that it is Ukrainian women, they are noble, smart, they do charity work and despite the war, they do a lot of good deeds and make this world a better place, no matter what.

The Geopost: And you said that you are in contact with people abroad, but do you communicate with Ukrainians? You are going to Kosovo and Albania. Have you found Ukrainians living in these countries who want to meet with you and your team?

Lobodina: Yes, I have, again, a lot of connections, unfortunately, professional ones, with the United States, with Europe, but in Kosovo, as it turned out, there is a very good diaspora, our Ukrainian diaspora. I am incredibly grateful that they support me and I am incredibly happy to meet them, so I am looking forward to our meeting to hold charity events together. And again, to remind the locals of Kosovo, who are also very good people who have accepted our Ukrainians and given them a home. And the children, too, that they go to very good schools. And I hope that we will be able to hold some events to remind ourselves again and express our gratitude to the Balkans for being so hospitable and establishing some cultural and maybe even diplomatic ties.

The Geopost: And please tell us, do you think beauty contests are now the right time for Ukraine? You’ve probably heard that there are various discussions, for example, about Eurovision. Is it important to support such contests in a country where there is a war? Do you think it is appropriate for Ukraine to participate in a beauty contest?

Lobodina: I think it’s appropriate because, again, there are a lot of women who have lost their husbands and many Ukrainians have lost their relatives and friends. That’s why a woman now appears not only as a Ukrainian woman, but also as a guardian, a protector of goodness, of everything that is bright. That’s why I’m sure that we, Ukrainian women, should participate in contests, to remind ourselves of ourselves.

Establish cultural contacts so that not only Europe and America, but also Latin America and Asia know about us. Asia, unfortunately, in my experience, is not very aware of our problems. So I’m sure that these competitions will only give a start forward. And now there are a lot of Russian women taking part in the competitions. Several representatives of the Russian Federation can take part in one contest. Therefore, the more we have to be in this arena, in these competitions, so that we are not forgotten, so that people do not think that we are afraid of them or that we have given up. So, fortunately, for example, in my contest Miss Freedom of the World, I am very grateful to the organiser that he will not only make a charity part for Ukraine for the first time, to support our people. But this year, Russia will not participate in the contest.

So I am absolutely sure that this contest is about goodness, about humanity, and I am grateful that Ukraine is understood and heard. So I will do my best to represent our country with dignity. And I hope, of course, I really believe in our victory, because, unfortunately, Ukraine has never won the main crown. That’s why I’m working as hard as I can to achieve the result, and I’m doing my social work now, being in Kyiv. That is why I believe that we will succeed and I am very grateful to everyone for their support.

The Geopost:  Thank you. Going back to the Russian influence, have you faced any disinformation from Russia in your professional life, as a Ukrainian, as a person, as a philanthropist? Perhaps some propaganda, did you have any influence, is there any pressure in your life, was there any pressure from Russia?

Lobodina: Yes, of course, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I personally had a lot of bad things written on my Instagram page, including death wishes. I think a lot of Ukrainians experienced this.

For example, now, while preparing for the competition, someone wrote me a hateful comment. Despite the fact that it was written in one of the Slavic languages, I still think that there is something there, a trace, because I did a little investigation. So, of course, they will put spokes in our wheels, but, again, it builds character. I understand that I am on the right track. That’s why I think we shouldn’t pay attention to . For example, at a beauty pageant, if there is a participant from Russia or Belarus, I think the best tactic is to simply ignore them and avoid them, because they love to provoke conflicts. Therefore, it is better to show yourself with dignity, not to fall for provocations and think about your goal, your purpose and what we are fighting for.  If this is the field of beauty contests, you should go for the main crown.

The Geopost: Thank you very much. We wish you the best, we wish you victory. And we are sure that we will see you soon in Kosovo. Thank you very much.

Lobodina: Thank you, see you soon.

/The Geopost/