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«Росіяни відкрили вогонь по автівці батьків, мама з татом зупинилися. Сестра саме говорила з ними по телефону й чула постріли, після яких мама з татом перестали відповідати. В сльозах намагалася вона до них докричатися»…
Kateryna Kopanieva.avif "Sestry | «На місці, де загинула мама, я знайшла флакон її парфумів та ножиці, що розплавилися під час пожежі,» — лікарка Оксана Мироненко (2)")
Розстріляні російськими військовими українські цивільні автомобілі на дорозі в Бучу. 5.04.2022. Фото: Sutterstock
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Протягом багатьох років 24 лютого було для Оксани Мироненко радісним днем – річницею весілля її батьків. Вони жили у місті Щастя Луганської області, яке після подій 2014 року залишалося підконтрольною Україні територією.
В 2014 році, коли російська армія зайшла до її рідного Луганська, Оксана та її чоловік посадили двох своїх дітей на останній евакуаційний потяг, а самі залишились в місті рятувати поранених росіянами людей. Далі були окупація, переїзд з Луганська на Київщину, нове життя… Яке незабаром знову зруйнували росіяни. Розстрілявши батьків Оксани, які в перші дні великої війни намагалися евакуюватися з Бучі.
З того часу життя лікарки присвячене порятунку інших людей. Свого батька, якого Оксана оперувала самотужки. Переселенців, задля допомоги яким вона започаткувала благодійний фонд. Та українським військовослужбовцям, яких Оксана безкоштовно оперує по всій країні.
«Навіть в мить загибелі обличчя мами залишалося чистим і красивим»…
Буквально за день до повномасштабного російського вторгнення Оксана та її сестра Юля вмовили батьків приїхати до неї на Київщину.
— Ситуація на Луганщині загострювалась, і ми вирішили, що для мами з татом краще звідти виїхати, — згадує Оксана Мироненко. — 23-го лютого вони переїхали до нас у Бучу. А вже вранці 24-го Київ почув перші вибухи. Навіть попри те, що ми пережили на Луганщині, я до останнього не вірила, що можлива повномасштабна війна.
До приходу росіян у нас в Луганську було прекрасне життя. Ми працювали (ми з чоловіком обидва лікарі), будували плани. Ніколи не забуду, як, рятуючи дітей, ми посадили їх разом із моїми батьками у потяг на Київ, і цей потяг виявився останнім. Ми з чоловіком залишилися, бо не вірили, що може статися окупація. А пораненим була потрібна наша допомога. Потім окупанти кілька місяців не випускали нас з міста. Для терористів, які захопили Луганськ, ми були цінним ресурсом — їм потрібні були лікарі. У певному сенсі це мене навіть врятувало. Окупанти творили з жінками страшні речі — були і побиття, і зґвалтування. Але мене не чіпали, бо я була їм потрібна.
Коли розпочалася повномасштабна війна, моїй дочці виповнилося 10 років. Добре пам'ятаючи, що окупанти робили з дівчатками її віку на Луганщині, я моментально прийняла рішення вивозити дітей. І ми з чоловіком поїхали, а мама з татом вирішили залишитися й почекати нас в Бучі. У нас свій гарний деревʼяний будинок в лісі, в якому ми жили останні три роки — коли знову почало здаватися, що життя налагоджується. Приїхавши на Київщину у 2014 році як біженці, ми пройшли непростий шлях. Але згодом знайшли хорошу роботу у приватній клініці «Добробут» та крок за кроком облаштувались на новому місці.
Батьки Оксани прийняли рішення покинути Бучу лише 4-го березня. У дорозі зателефонували — і це була остання розмова Оксани з мамою.
— Я на той момент разом із дітьми була у друзів у Києві, а чоловік повертався з чергування у клініці, де вже приймали поранених, — згадує той трагічний день Оксана. — Я попросила маму бути максимально обережною: не розмовляти по телефону, стежити за навігатором і у разі чого вертатися. Проїзд, через який батьки планували проїхати до Києва, несподівано виявився закритим. Мама згадала, що є ще одна дорога. Хто ж міг знати, що там уже стояли російські війська...
Коли по автівці батьків відкрили вогонь, мама з татом зупинилися. Вибігли із салону, але швидко зрозуміли, що сховатися ніде, і повернулися назад у авто. Росіяни знову почали стріляти. Сестра саме в цей час розмовляла з батьками по телефону й чула постріли, після яких мама з татом перестали відповідати. Вона в сльозах намагалася до них докричатися. І, зрештою, їй це вдалося — тато, який був поранений, але живий, її почув. Батько прийшов до тями. Побачив, що мама загинула. Вона була поранена в голову та в груди.
Тато Оксани пізніше сказав, що навіть в ту мить обличчя мами залишалося чистим і красивим…
.avif "Sestry | «На місці, де загинула мама, я знайшла флакон її парфумів та ножиці, що розплавилися під час пожежі,» — лікарка Оксана Мироненко (5)")
«Я зібралася, відключила емоції та прооперувала тата»
Двері пасажирського сидіння було заблоковано, тато не міг дістати маму з машини. Йому довелося там її залишити. Взявши телефон та якісь документи, батько вийшов із машини сам. Знову почалася стрілянина. Машина вибухнула. Тато встиг добігти до найближчого подвір'я, сховався в сараї і знепритомнів. І вже коли прийшов до тями, повідомив мені телефоном, що мами більше нема. Намагаючись опанувати себе, я сказала йому, як перев'язати поранену руку і почала обдзвонювати всіх, кого тільки могла – шукала варіанти, як витягнути звідти тата.
Через знайомих волонтерів Оксана вийшла на людей, які знаходились за сто метрів від описаного її татом сараю. Завдяки їхнім інструкціям батько Оксани зміг дістатися їхнього будинку.
— Поранений тато йшов до них городами, під обстрілами, — каже Оксана. — Ці люди надали йому першу допомогу, після чого він із пов'язкою на голові та білою ганчіркою в руках пішки пішов до Ірпеня. На кожному з російських блокпостів його могли розстріляти. І врятувало його лише те, що при собі він мав паспорт з реєстрацією в Луганській області, що для окупантів було «пом'якшувальною обставиною». Коли тато вибрався на підконтрольну Україні територію, до зруйнованого Романівського моста його довіз кум, далі до Києва - зять, а я вже одразу привезла його до клініки, де працюю. І сама прооперувала.
Знаю, що лікар не повинен оперувати своїх рідних, але шукати іншого хірурга ми не мали часу — ситуація була критичною. А татове поранення було саме за моїм профілем. Тому я зібралася, відключила емоції та зробила це.
Того ж дня Оксана прооперувала ще одного пацієнта — пораненого військовослужбовця. Після чого вся родина виїхала до Івано-Франківської області. У дорогу крім найнеобхідніших особистих речей Оксана взяла кілька валіз із хірургічними інструментами та медикаментами. І все це їй одразу знадобилося. Опинившись в Івано-Франківську, Оксана та її чоловік почали працювати в місцевому шпиталі, куди привозили поранених бійців з батальйону «Азов».
«На мої дзвінки не відповідала половина працівників адміністрації, бо знали: я телефоную з проблемою, яку треба вирішувати»
Оксана зайнялася ще й волонтерською діяльністю.
— Все почалося з дзвінка знайомої начмеда Сєвєродонецької лікарні, яка намагалася організувати евакуацію 18-ти поранених. Я домовилася, щоб цих пацієнтів прийняли у на Івано-Франківщині. В результаті ми привезли туди понад п'ятдесят людей. Знайти для всіх місця та організувати «швидкі», які мали зустріти поранених чи хворих, було непросто. Я виходила на місцеву владу, дзвонила чиновникам, приходила до них особисто. Найскладнішим в цьому процесі було навіть не знайти місце для пораненого чи хворого, а перемогти бюрократичну машину, щоб все організувати. Іноді й механізм уже є, а чиновники на місцях не хочуть нічого робити, і доводиться буквально змушувати їх працювати.
Складність була ще й у тому, що на Івано-Франківщині мене ніхто не знав. Уявіть, приходить до місцевого чиновника якась Оксана, яку він ніколи в житті не бачив — і починає йому розповідати, як і що він має робити. І хоча я не вигадувала ні для кого інструкцій, а лише намагалася добитися виконання вже існуючих, це далеко не всім подобалось. На мої дзвінки через деякий час вже не відповідала половина співробітників адміністрації області, бо знали: я дзвоню з проблемою, яку треба вирішувати.
Одночасно Оксана продовжувала оперувати поранених військовослужбовців. А також облаштовувати життя своєї родини: необхідно було знайти житло для оренди, відповідні умови для дітей та батька, який на той момент проходив реабілітацію. При цьому потік переселенців, яким потрібна була допомога, не зупинявся. Тоді в Оксани з'явилися перші помічники. Ці люди зараз працюють в її фонді й Оксана називає їх своєю родиною.
— Спочатку я не давала оголошень, що мені потрібна допомога. Люди приходили самі, — каже Оксана. — Наприклад, я прооперувала переселенку з Ірпеня — і її дочка захотіла до мене приєднатися. Або прийшов незнайомий хлопець, якого прислали до мене «поволонтерити», і в результаті співпраці став для мене майже рідним. Разом ми ставали ще сильнішими, ще наполегливішими. Ми розробили кілька схем розміщення переселенців — на турбазах, в будинках, шукати які нам допомагала спілка ріелторів. Самі ці будинки інспектували, облаштовували, знаходили речі, які потрібні людям у побуті. Для нас було важливо забезпечити людям нормальні пристойні умови. Селили в ці будинки людей, які евакуювалися з Донеччини, Луганщини, Харківщини, Миколаївщини.
«Перші кілька місяців війни я взагалі не спала»
Завдяки постійному контакту з волонтерами, які займалися евакуацією, нам вдалося об’єднати членів родин, що виїжджали у різний час і загубили одне одного. Деякі приміщення обладнали під територіальні центри для людей похилого віку. Так і утворився наш благодійний фонд, який розмістив по Івано-Франківській області понад 500 переселенців. Я назвала фонд «Наш сокіл» — на честь моєї мами, Наталії Соколовської.
Перші кілька місяців великої війни я взагалі не спала. Опинившись у відносній безпеці, одразу почала робити все, що могла. Шкода було, що у добі лише 24 години. Я намагалася врятувати якомога більше людей. Гадаю, в певному сенсі я рятувала і саму себе. Це був єдиний спосіб не думати про маму, не зациклюватись на горі. Я просто не мала часу на думки про себе.
Після звільнення Київщини українською армією я поїхала до Бучі. Була на місці, де загинула мама. На так званому цвинтарі машин, що згоріли, знайшла флакон її улюблених парфумів і ножиці для рукоділля, що розплавилися під час пожежі. Забрала ці речі собі на згадку…
«Якщо не йду воювати на фронт, вважаю за свій обов'язок робити все, що можу в тилу»
Після деокупації Київщини чоловік Оксани повернувся додому. Він, як і до війни, працює в Києві хірургом, керує розподілом поранених військових по різних лікарнях в Патронатній службі Азова, організовує якісне, вчасне, ефективне лікування військових травм. Діти залишаються на Івано-Франківщині, а сама Оксана зараз їздить усією країною й оперує військовослужбовців. Причому робить це безкоштовно як хірург-волонтер.
Оксана - одна з небагатьох травматологів в Україні, які спеціалізуються на оперативному лікуванні пошкоджених периферичних нервів (при мінно-вибухових травмах периферичні нерви пошкоджені у кожного третього пацієнта). Кожна операція зі зшивання периферичних нервів — це багатогодинна ювелірна робота, від якої залежить, зможе пацієнт ворушити рукою чи ні.
Паралельно Оксана встигає займатися справами фонду.
— Переселенців зараз приїжджає небагато, але роботи у фонді вистачає, — каже Оксана. — На жаль, допомога маломобільним біженцям на державному рівні так і не врегульована, тому це робимо ми. Організовуємо гуманітарну допомогу, доставляємо цим людям їжу, підгузки, медикаменти. Людина, що не встає з ліжка, не може самостійно з'їздити на прийом до сімейного лікаря за рецептом – ми допомагаємо. Як нам вдається забезпечувати таких людей усім необхідним? Це і гуманітарна допомога, і наполегливість у взаємодії із владою, і гранти, і донати. Останні бувають дуже рідко, але насправді важлива будь-яка допомога.
Як і раніше, я працюю травматологом у «Добробуті» (там я буваю два дні на тиждень), і як лікар-волонтер Штабу Оборони Прикарпаття оперую військовослужбовців по всій країні. У мене укладено договори з лікарнями. Часто сама ж і домовляюся, щоб в якійсь з цих лікарень прийняли пораненого — після чого їду туди зі своїми інструментами та оперую його. Як і в перші місяці війни, я не маю вихідних. У дні, коли немає операцій, займаюсь фондом. Я просто не можу інакше. Якщо не йду воювати на фронт, вважаю за свій обов'язок робити все, що можу в тилу. Як показав досвід, у стресовій ситуації я вмію зібратися й бути ефективною. Тож я намагаюся максимально використати цю свою особливість.
Мене часто питають, де беру сили. Джерел кілька. Моя сімʼя, близькі друзі, з якими у нас спільні цінності. Це постійне спілкування з неймовірними хлопцями з «Азова» (я є лікарем патронатної служби «Азова»), які не ниють, що «втомилися від війни», а мотивовані боротися далі. Це психотерапевт, розмови з яким допомагають мені простіше ставитись до того факту, що люди довкола різні, і у них можуть бути причини на ті чи інші слова чи емоції. Вбачаючи на своєму прикладі ефективність психотерапії, я зараз намагаюся впровадити її в систему реабілітації військовослужбовців. А ще мені допомагає розуміння того, що війна не закінчиться завтра. Що це марафон, який ми, незважаючи на всі труднощі, маємо подолати.
Дата публікації:
14.12.2023
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A Ukrainian journalist with 15 years of experience. She worked as a special correspondent for the national Ukrainian newspaper «Facts», covering emergencies, high-profile court cases and writing about prominent people, as well as the lives and education of Ukrainians abroad. She has also collaborated with a number of international media outlets.
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Tetyana Bondarenko is an actress. Before the full-scale invasion, she played at the Kyiv theatre on Mykhailivska St., acted in episodical roles in movies, translated English content for Ukrainian TV channels, worked as a lab assistant in the scientific research laboratory at the Borys Grinchenko University. On February 24 2022, her life, like the lives of millions of Ukrainians, changed completely. During that time, when many were already leaving Kyiv, Tetyana came into the recruiting office with a strong intention of joining the Territorial Defence. She has been fighting since Autumn 2022. At first as a shooter in the infantry, now - as a drone operator. Tetyana with the codename «Bond» told Sestry about her life at war, her motivation and battling sexism on the frontlines.
Making the recruitment office listen
- The plan to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine actually formed even before the full-scale war, - Tetyana says. - In 2014, when the fighting in Donbas broke out, I came to the «Kozatsky» hotel on Khreshchatyk St., where volunteers were being recruited, and said that I wanted to join one of the battalions. The recruiter looked at me with apparent scepticism: «And who are you? A medic? Cook?» «An actress» - I replied.
I think he threw away my application the moment I left the hotel. Since that day, I was often haunted by thoughts that I was doing nothing while someone else was protecting the country. And at the beginning of 2022, I had no doubt about the imminence of a full-scale invasion and decided to apply to the Territorial Defence in January. I considered it to be a good way to, firstly, prepare myself for the war, and secondly, learn to handle weapons, which would be useful in my career as an actress (I have always wanted to play strong and belligerent women).
The full-scale war began when I already collected all the necessary documents for the Territorial Defence - the only thing left was for me to write a short autobiography. Having heard the first explosions outside my window, I began writing it at once - and at 9 AM I was on the spot with all the required papers.
Women do not belong here
- People often ask me when I was really scared during the war. And so I think that it would be the moment I was first given a weapon, having no idea how to use it. I was horrified of doing something wrong… Our first target practice took place on March 8th. It is an important date for me as a feminist - a day of women’s struggle for their rights. Being at a training ground that day with a weapon in hand, I felt that I was doing what I had to.
- When in particular did you end up on the frontlines?
- This did not happen immediately. At first, I was stationed at a checkpoint near Kyiv. We spent the whole Spring learning combat tactics, explosives and more. Before long we went to the combat zone but stayed in reserve for a while, 3-4 kilometres away from the battles. Our company was sent to the frontlines specifically at the end of October 2022. Then a situation happened that became a great disappointment to me.
There were only two women in my company: me and a combat medic. And we were the only ones to not be sent «to die» until the last minute. The commander of the unit we were in proclaimed stubbornly: «We do not take women to the frontlines!». While half of the men in our company were laid off at the trench digging stage in reserve: there were many people 40+ years of age in the Territorial Defence, and some strained their backs, for some problems with the joints or blood pressure «appeared». As a result, only 35 people went to the line which was supposed to be «held» by 70 people. The female medic and I, who were prepared and motivated, were not engaged because of the fact that we were women.
Our unit’s leader tried to convince the commander of the air assault company that I and my comrade could fight but he said: «Alright, you can take them with you. But if they are going to start crying the next day, you are going to be at fault»
But they did not take us anyway. When wrote a report to the commander, he sent my comrade to a field hospital and me to a different company, whose positions were easier. He said I have to stay there for a while at first, and then if I manage it, I could come back to my company. Unfortunately, my company did not stick around for me to come - the enemy literally destroyed it, only three people were unharmed. The rest - all «WIA» and two «KIA». Then, I told my mother that it would not be an enemy’s bullet that would kill me in this war but instead sexism that becomes absurd, and stupidity shown by my own people.
By gender
- What do you think is the reason for sexism?
- This is, unfortunately, our culture. 90 per cent of people in the army are yesterday’s civilians. This is a kind of section, a mirror of society, in which 70 per cent of men single-mindedly refuse to see an equal in a female. They think in stereotypes indoctrinated since their childhood, like: «The man is a defender, the woman is a caretaker». I think if they admit that women are strong, smart and can perform the same tasks as them, their worldview would crumble. If women are decent soldiers, it turns out that men are not exclusive in their heroism.
- What methods are effective in fighting sexism?
- I often see how some girls try to be kind and gentle in hopes that it would help establish good relationships with their comrades. Thinking that if they act like a girl, they would soon start acting like gentlemen. I have not seen this strategy work even once.
Personally, I have a strong reaction towards any signs of sexism. I am not afraid of being hated. At least I will be heard. And by the way, I am on good terms with most of my comrades. Thankfully, there are some reasonable people.
Sexism presents itself in many forms, most of the time in offensive comments or jokes toward women. And, in my opinion, men often underestimate women’s role in civil life during the war, when it is the women especially on whom the responsibility to care for the children and the elderly lies - and there are no medals, awards or prizes for this.
I even conducted a survey among my comrades - what would they choose: staying home alone with children like their wives or going to war. The overwhelming majority chose the second option.
One time, the wife of one of my comrades thanked me - she said that after speaking with me, her husband became more considerate of her «invisible» home duty
As for fighting sexism coming from the management, you can, for example, report it, which is what I do. But this might not always be effective, as orders like «We do not take women to the frontlines» are not documented on paper. They are given in verbally, and proving that the reason for you not being accepted somewhere was particularly sexism is difficult.
I am not an infantry soldier anymore, I am a drone operator - there is much less sexism in this area. Here I am allowed to participate in any operations with no questions, but I do know a girl, for instance, who was not allowed to take part in combat missions just this Winter. A lot depends on which management you will end up under. Which is truly absurd, since the army has a catastrophic lack of people.
But commanders continue dividing people by gender. For me, it is the same as segregating people by, for example, eye colour: «We do not send blue-eyed people to the frontlines because they are tender». I can not think of a single war task that a woman could not handle.
A machine gun is a quite heavy weapon but we all know successful female machine gunners. My comrade, a combat medic, received her call sign «The Ant» for carrying the injured twice her size out of the battlefield. The difference between a man and a woman is only that a woman does not have the right to make a mistake. If a man makes a mistake - it is normal, happens to everyone. But when a woman does it, she will immediately hear that her place is not in the war.
What women want
- The girls on the frontlines point out issues with female military uniform…
- In my battalion female uniform is unheard of. My physique is more or less boy-like, with small breasts, which allows me to wear a male uniform, tunics and T-shirts. There was a girl with a curvy shape in our unit, to whom the men’s body armour became a real problem. And even then, she was told she just did not know how to wear it.
The reality is that girls are forced to buy female uniforms themselves. The underwear provided is also only men’s. AFU’s pants are not suited for women’s thighs, they are uncomfortable in combat. That is why I bought a «British» uniform back in 2022 - the pants are much wider there, and I also purchased a women’s plate carrier and plates myself.
- Women’s everyday life is also connected with other difficulties - for example, painful periods. How do you manage this problem?
- In this matter, I got lucky once again because everything goes on relatively painless. I know girls who experience this much harder but they perform their duties and do not complain. And personal hygiene items can be changed even in blindages and on the frontline - it is enough to ask your male comrades to turn away. When the situation is that people can not leave the trenches for multiple days, they are even forced to relieve themselves into jars or bags, and this concerns both men and women.
It is not the time to die
- You literally burst into the fight, to the frontline. Are you not afraid?
- Obviously, there is a fear. I strive for combat but it does not mean I will be running under enemy fire and putting myself in danger on purpose. Last year, I was on the very combat line, when the enemy was 200 metres away from us and bullets really were flying over my head day and night. You sit in a blindage, look deep into the darkness and realise that an enemy grenade could land before you even see the enemy. In these moments you act on adrenaline - and this adrenaline does not let go of you for some more time after arriving at a relatively safe place.
You are exhausted and exhilarated at the same time because you realise: you went through hell and lived. There are moments when it really is a miracle you survived. I recall a situation when the enemy was shelling us with artillery, and our observation posts were in a ravine on the slope of one of the hills. We were hiding there in dugouts, dug by the Russians (it was impossible to dig new ones due to the constant presence of enemy drones).
At that time, I had a small individual dugout. The likelihood of a direct hit on our dugouts was low - it was quite difficult to hit them. And then I had a conflict with the company commander, and he sent me «into exile» to a control observation post (COP) - a place between the frontline and the permanent deployment point. Another soldier replaced me at my position. So, I was sitting at the COP and heard on the radio that a tank was shelling our positions. The next message was that there was one «KIA». It turned out that a hit landed near my dugout, a fragment pierced the roof, and the comrade who was in my dugout died on the spot...
- What helps you cope?
- Talking to my mom and friends. It is important to have people you can share your feelings with. Cigars also help to relieve acute stress. Not cigarettes, but cigars specifically; I learned to smoke cigars while in the Territorial Defense. This year, I sought help from a psychologist and I already feel a positive effect. Motivation also helps me to hold on.
- How can you outline it?
- When the full-scale invasion happened, I felt like I had been slapped. My country, my Kyiv, was hit so brazenly and deceitfully. I wanted to retaliate once and for all against the one who dared to do this. That is exactly what I am doing now.
Despite all the difficulties I face, I will defend this country because it is mine. While at war, I discovered Ukraine’s East for myself - unbelievably beautiful and now dear places to me.
As a feminist, I am used to standing up for my boundaries, defending my rights. The same is true here - I am defending my right to be myself in my country, defending its and my own independence.
And even if something were to happen to me, I would be peaceful, as I was fighting for a noble cause.
Photos from the heroine’s private archive
20
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One warm evening, my love for music brought me to the Kyiv Spring Sounds Festival at the National Philharmonic in Kyiv. They would lure people in with Chopin and the name of the American pianist Kevin Kenner, who is considered one of the best performers of Chopin’s pieces today. At one time, a famous Polish conductor Stanisław Skrowaczewski, who worked with one and only Arthur Rubinstein, stated that Kevin Kenner’s interpretations of Chopin were the most expressive ones he had ever heard…
«Ukraine has its own identity and culture that have to be protected»
Kevin Kenner has been supporting Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion. He came from America to Kyiv for a concert with his wife, a Polish violinist Katarzyna Cieślik, for a single performance. The musician couple did it on their own initiative and at their own expense. For Kyiv to hear Kenner’s interpretation of Chopin’s concerto №1 for piano and orchestra, the musicians had put all their business aside and covered the distance of half the globe.
- For me, everything going on in your country today is a kind of cultural genocide, and I simply can’t and don’t want to tolerate this, - Kevin Kenner told Sestry after the first movement of the concert.
- Before 2022, I probably couldn’t have named even three Ukrainian composers. I had never heard of Lyatoshynsky, or for example, Kosenko before - and these are outstanding artists.
Their work has become a wonderful discovery for me, and now I am happy to promote this music worldwide. It enriches us and proclaims very clearly that Ukraine has its own identity and culture that have to be protected.
After these words, the pianist excused himself and hurried onto the stage, where, during the concert’s second movement, the orchestra of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine was playing Borys Lyatoshynsky (a suite from the music for Shakespeare’s «Romeo and Juliet» tragedy).
But before that, Kevin Kenner suddenly approached the microphone and announced that he wanted to present a close person for him to the audience. A small delicate brunette went up the stage and illuminated the visitors with he smile.
- Meet Yulia, - the American introduced the woman, - she is a Ukrainian, a meeting with whom was gifted to me by the war. And today, she and her children are a part of my family…
In February 2022, right after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kevin and his wife, Polish violinist Katarzyna Cieślik, decided to shelter a Ukrainian family at their apartment in Krakow’s centre. Kevin asked his colleague - a Ukrainian pianist, to help him find a family that needed shelter. As a result, the musician’s apartment in Krakow became inhabited by a poet, writer and journalist Yulia Berezhko-Kaminska, who miraculously managed to leave Bucha with her son and daughter alive.
- My wife and I wanted to make the lives of people who became hostages of terrifying events a little bit easier, - Kenner explained. - There are things that we do because we feel like it. Only later did we find out that Yulia was a poet and a writer - a genuine treasure of the Ukrainian culture.
He got to know Yulia personally in half a year after lending her the keys to his home. And then their roads became interlinked - both in life and art. Apart from the previously mentioned concert in Kyiv, he and Yulia Berezhko-Kaminska performed several music and literature concerts in Poland supporting Ukraine. One of them took place in Warsaw, in the Royal Castle. Yulia read her poetry on stage, and Kevin played his favourite music by Chopin and the Ukrainian composers, whom he had discovered thanks to her.
- Our rescue from Bucha and relocation to Krakow were like a moment of miracle for me, - Yulia Berezhko-Kaminska shares with the Sestry. - At the beginning of the invasion, there were such intense fights around us in Bucha that the rumbling of gunshots rarely stopped. There was no electricity, water or gas. At some point, we discovered that they were organising a «green corridor». I remember hesitating for a long time since we had been receiving information that people who left in convoys were getting shot.
On March 15th, my daughter left our hideout. We were all hiding in a cellar together, and then her friends started trying to get us out of that hell in their car. They had one free seat left, and my already adult daughter decided to go. But they got stuck for 5 whole days on the Yablunska street - the «road of death», where most of the cars with people trying to leave were shot up. I had no way to contact my daughter. At first, she stayed with her friends at a house with broken windows, and then they decided to break through. They were letting cars through one at a time. And the cars that came after my daughter’s were shot up…
Me and my son left separately. It was a lottery, I still hesitated and asked God to send me a dream with an answer on how to go on. And then I dreamed of standing at a railway station in Kyiv almost naked and barefoot in the winter’s cold with many people around. And because of this feeling of distress and of being so unsettled and helpless I woke up.
And I thought - no, we will stay, this is our home, and we have a supply of food and matches. But a neighbour came by later and told us that we had 5 minutes to decide whether we were going or not. And my son convinced me. This was the right decision as later my neighbours told me that the occupants had been going from house to house and asking about me.
After escaping Bucha, I was hit by a wave of despair. Where do we go? What do we do?
And then I pleaded: «God, just walk me on your roads the way it’s supposed to be, and bring me together with people I’m supposed to be with»
I wrote on Facebook about my problem. Offers came pouring in - me and my children were invited to France, Italy, Germany… Later, one of the musicians from Kyiv I knew asked me: «Do you want to go to Krakow?» I intuitively answered «Yes». Everything immediately started to fall into place, and unfamiliar people opened the doors of their wonderful apartment in the centre of Krakow to us. They were in America at the time, but they were not afraid of letting strangers into their Polish home.
Kevin and his wife became our guardian angels. When we finally met, they took us for a vacation. They rented a house out in the nature, and we spent over a week together talking. We spent time outside in the fresh air, played games, laughed and organised a concert there with Kevin. Thanks to our friendship, he began discovering Ukrainian music and then sharing his discoveries with his students (Kevin Kenner teaches at Frost School of Music at the University of Miami - Author). He also started performing in a Vyshyvanka (traditional Ukrainian shirt) I gifted him.
The visit of the American pianist and his wife to Ukraine is the fulfilment of Kevin’s promise to Yulia. He promised to visit Kyiv despite the war and play for the Ukrainian people, and also visit Bucha to see the place from which the refugees came to him in Krakow.
- I told Kevin and Kasia a lot about Bucha, and they dreamed of seeing my garden, our house, my library and the books I had been working on. And they fulfilled their promise, though this visit was hard to arrange as musicians of their level have their schedules planned down to the last minute.
They arrived a day before the concert. Before the visit, I asked Kevin what he would like to taste from Ukrainian cuisine.
Kevin ordered borshch and ate two whole plates. And after we had returned from our tour of Bucha, he asked for borshch again
Kevin also visited Vorzel’ and its «Uvarovsky House» Museum of History and Culture (where Borys Lyatoshynsky’s memorial exposition is located - Author) and even played Lyatoshynsky on the museum piano, paying respects to his favourite composer.
Kevin Kenner confessed that the situation with the war in Ukraine has forced him to become a «soldier of music», as Rostropovich said, and to fight Russian aggression and disinformation.
- I have stopped performing Russian music since the beginning of these terrible events, - Kevin Kenner says. - I also encouraged my students and the musicians I know to replace the pieces of Russian composers in their repertoire with Ukrainian works, which most pianists had never even heard of. Among others, I urged them to pay attention to Viktor Kosenko’s works, whose formidable level makes them worthy to perform worldwide. I think that this is a great opportunity to prove to everyone that Ukrainian music is not inferior, it speaks for itself louder than any words.
My interest in Ukraine was stirred up by Putin’s assertions of Ukraine not being a legitimate state and that Ukrainian language and culture are supposedly nothing more than shades of much clearer Russian language and culture. These statements have caused a scandal in the world discourse, made me very suspicious and sparked my interest towards learning Ukrainian history and culture.
I supported the decision of the International Music Federation to suspend the International Tchaikovsky Competition. Because it is wrong - applauding the Russian musicians, exalting the Russian music culture, and simultaneously expressing our concern about Russia trying to commit cultural genocide on its neighbour.
«In Poland, I’ve experienced a turning point: I had outlived the old but had not found the new within»
Yulia Berezhko-Kaminska returned home a year after her evacuation from Bucha but she confesses she still dreams about «her» home in Krakow.
- I had been getting used to the bed for so long over there until I bought the same pillow I had at home - before sleep I needed to imagine for at least a moment that I was in my room. And after returning to Bucha, I couldn’t come to my senses for a week: I was thinking of Krakow the whole time. It is now my hometown as well.
Shortly afterwards, the house in Krakow, where Yulia and her children had found shelter, became a centre of Ukrainian culture.
- Kevin and Kasia gave us the opportunity to not just live but to invite Ukrainians over and arrange music and poetry evenings, - the heroine reminisces. - That house has a rather spacious hall with two grand pianos. A month after our relocation to Krakow we began giving concerts and streaming them on Facebook.
I have also written an essay called «Communion»: how we, Ukrainians, having found ourselves in such a difficult life situation, returned to our normal lives thanks to these musical evenings. For a long time, we were afraid to live, drink wine, or even taste candy since we thought it would be a crime against people in Mariupol, who had nothing to eat. Poetry and music pulled us out of this.
Yulia says that there, in the Krakow apartment, she had been born for the second time:
- My «Gravitation of the Word» book was brought to me in Krakow - I sent it into print two days before the war. The book was first presented in Poland but I felt a certain turning point in my art, as if I had outlived the old but had not found the new within. Alongside this, my personal life has also changed- I got divorced during the war, and when I left Ukraine, I met my 40s. It is a turning point for a woman to realise that you are not the way you were before - but what are you now?
In Krakow, Yulia could not write for a while, but then essays began to be born as if ice was melting from her soul.
In her first essay «Krakow - Bucha» Tram» the woman described her experience and outlined the moments from her return home where the garden would blossom, a dog would jump and a cat would meow from the tree, the animals she had not seen for over a year (they remained with her ex-husband in Ukraine). She visualised how she would run into her room, walk through the whole house, and meet her old life:
- We came back exactly when the garden blossomed, - Yulia smiles. - And the tram that would rumble outside my windows in Krakow (it took a couple of months to get used to the fact that it was the rumbling from the tram, not the war) - I imagined I could get onto it and it would take me home. And when Kevin and Kasia appeared at my doorstep in Bucha, I told them so: «Well, the tram from Krakow to Bucha has arrived!»
Over the year in Poland, Yulia Kaminska-Berezhko has created several books. The idea behind «The Rhyme War», which included poetry from over 80 Ukrainian poets, was born in Krakow, where it was compiled, wrapped up and presented in May 2024 in Kyiv. The «Ukrainians in Poland: A Rescue Story» book was prepared for print in Krakow, Yulia cooperated with the Institute of Literature of Poland while creating the book. Berezhko has already managed to create a new book with the same institution called «Reflections on the Most Important» - translations of radio performances of modern Polish authors to Ukrainian, made in her edition. Yulia has many cultural plans regarding Poland. After all, someone has to build these cultural bridges between us.
- Today I feel colossally thankful to life. After all I’ve been through, I realise that life - is a big miracle, - Yulia concludes. - And I’m also thankful to Kevin and Kasia, who essentially have given me faith in people and that the good must win.
Photos from the private archive of heroes
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Ексклюзив
I lie on a couch in a small kitchen somewhere in Warsaw, enjoying the aromas - onions, beetroots, carrots and tomatoes are quietly simmering in the pan. Such is the smell of the prospect of being fed borsch.
My friend is cozily bustling by the stove while I exhale my fatigue after an early flight from Paris. It is still 5 hours until my train to Kyiv, and I stopped by with a bottle of wine and a bag of sweets (there are also two little fans of Haribo gummy bears in this house). In return, I received coffee with treats, plenty of conversation and an unexpected homely feeling of comfort you only find at your mom’s or your other closest ones’ places, where you can visit without any formalities and shamelessly sprawl on the couch while lunch is being prepared.
Why have I not taken advantage of this great offer before? - I think to myself. After all, I fly often, and the opportunity to visit someone I know for coffee in a foreign city is a big help. However, this also concerns unfamiliar people.
I remember writing a Facebook post once asking if anyone was willing to let me in to take a shower at their place in Warsaw. I then received dozens of warm invitations, mostly from Ukrainian women I did not know. Well, now I actually do have a place to drink coffee and shower in almost every Polish or European city.
This is also a mark of our new reality: there are many Ukrainian women scattered around the world as of late, and the majority (at least, those whom I know personally) yearn for the opportunity to see each other, talk face to face and envelop their kin in their kindness.
My thoughts are interrupted by a joyful girl hopping into the kitchen on one foot. She is wearing a cast on her second leg, though she does not seem bothered by this problem at all. «Mom, you promised us lody (ice cream in Polish)!» Over two years of this family's life in Poland is evident in the way this girl and her brother communicate in a tender mix of Ukrainian and Polish words.
«Yes-yes, we’re going now», - my friend agrees, and like a multi-armed Indian goddess, she manages to simultaneously tend to her borsch, prepare the temporarily rented stroller, help her daughter get dressed for the walk - all with such ease that I’m candidly amazed by her.
- It’s the antidepressants, - she laughs. - You know, things have brightened up lately. I even realised I don’t yell at the kids anymore. At all! Can you imagine?
And so, I will spend a couple more hours in this house, observing this family’s life. Of course, my observations will be shallow and incomplete, the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, and even so I will still be able to experience many things.
«You know, I rarely even allow myself to have a glass of wine over here, - my friend says, placing the wine bottle I brought on the top shelf. - Just the other day, we had this broken leg from a bicycle accident… Ugh, what a nightmare it was. And I realised once again that I can't afford to relax even for a moment. Injuries and things like that always happen unexpectedly.»
How can I afford a moment of weakness or an unclear conscience if I am the only one responsible for the children here? I am the only adult here, you understand?
I’m not sure if I do understand, as I have never been in her place. And even though there were times in my life when my husband was on the frontlines, and I would end up being the only adult taking care of our son, my closest relatives and friends would still be beside me - what’s there to say - when you are home, even the walls seem to help.
While I can only wonder about what the displaced people have been through. The possibility of such an experience has always terrified me more than any attacks on Kyiv. But I would never ask my friend if she would consider going back to Ukraine while the war is still going on. I have never been in her shoes, I do not know all the circ*mstances. I do not bring up such subjects while talking to my friends who have fled abroad. Still, though, they always start discussing it first.
«I feel like I’m suspended between worlds, - my friend tells me. - I don’t want to put down roots in Poland, to build my life here. I want to go home more than anything. But...» Yes, there are plenty of these bitter «buts» in her life. This woman is divorced and is raising her children mostly on her own, she does not have a place to live in Kyiv, and the money for rent is scarce, as it is hard to find a job back home with her specific profession. And she has found a job here, in Poland. Not the one she’s dreamed of but she gets paid. And the kids have been going to school for two years already, learning the language and finding friends.
My friend’s son, who’s been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, was fortunate with his school - he fits in well, which is very important. Her daughter enjoys going to various clubs, which are free here. And most importantly - the war in Ukraine is not over yet.
- However I constantly feel as if I’m doing the splits between two realities
«And the feeling of this perpetuating impermanence, and simultaneously of persistent root spreading in a country where I don’t plan to live simply destroys me. - she confesses, pouring odorous borch on my plate. - Even though I want to come home badly, I cannot bring myself to start the process of returning just yet».
Changed identities
Suddenly, I’m overtaken by a déjà vu, as I recently had the same conversation, and I was being fed the same delicious borsch in Vilnius. However, my friend's situation there is even more acute: she is a single mother of many children, and their home in eastern Ukraine is in a war zone. There is no way to return right now, and will there ever be any?
It’s difficult for her to keep her head above water in another country: her family does not receive any special support from Lithuania, and she’s paying for rent herself, which basically completely consumes her modest salary and her first-year student daughter’s scholarship. Her younger children study in school, catching up to their local classmates in performance, and her youngest daughter has adapted to the kindergarten’s environment so well that you can hardly tell which language is her first - Lithuanian or Ukrainian…
This friend of mine, a mother of five, has acquired a completely new profession abroad as a trolley bus driver. This responsibility terrified her at first, she even lost 10 kilograms during her first months on the job, but she has gotten around to it.
«What I’m grateful for, among other things, is that Lithuanians give forced migrants the opportunity to study for free. Yes, I have to pay back the money invested in me during my first 6 months on the job but I find it fair. I’m considering learning to become a bus driver as well. Not every Ukrainian city has trolley buses…»
This painful topic hangs between us.
My friend keeps on stubbornly planning her future in Ukraine, but right now, all her unanswered questions seem too resemblant to open wounds
Will their house in the Donetsk region still be around if their town is under constant fire right now? And if not, which Ukrainian city is ready to take in such a large family? How are they supposed to rebuild their life there once the war ends? And most importantly, - when will it end?!
As there is also the following problem: my friend and at least one of her sons have a strong reaction to shellings, having lived through the first difficult years of the war in their town. Unlike many Ukrainians, they have not adapted and have not learned to deal with their fear.
There are too many painful questions and too few hints on their possible answers. But my friend is so wistful of her home and talks about it so much… And not just home as a place to live - home in a much broader sense.
«I’m so worried for our nation’s future, - she says to me with an apparent aching. - Our greatest men die on the battlefield, meanwhile so many women have gone abroad with their children».
I listen and look at her with wonder because when I first met this woman, the questions regarding the Ukrainian nation’s fate seemed quite foreign to her, and the Ukrainian language and culture were exotic. Now everything’s changed. War, upheaval and new existential experiences are reshaping our identities, and each of us has our own path and pace. Some people, for instance, only realise their own Ukrainian identity when they lose the ability to live in Ukraine.
There are no easy choices left for us anymore
I have the privilege of staying home in the time of war. Of course, this is a conscious for my family and simultaneously a responsibility for all the possible consequences but it also is a combination of certain favorable factors. Unlike many of my fellow Ukrainians, my house is intact and I live in Kyiv, the most protected city in Ukraine at this moment, and luckily I have not lost the ability to make a living under the circ*mstances of the war. And there’s also a lot going on behind the scenes.
Undoubtedly, one can talk at length about the various drawbacks of this decision, but my friends and I, who have found ourselves on the other side of the experience, tread carefully on this thin ice. And yet, I am always amazed at how all of them - those who went to Poland, Lithuania, Germany, France, USA and so on, and have not made the decision to stay there - every time we meet, they start explaining and justifying themselves to me, as if the fact that I stayed in Ukraine gives me the right to judge them.
Hey, what are you doing?! No, there are no easy choices left for us anymore. Yes, it will always be a complex mix of entirely polar feelings.
And I listen to you, my dear friends, very carefully about all your tough calls and hard times and ask myself - could I have done the same?
And I cheer for you when I hear about your children’s or your own success in an unfamiliar foreign-speaking environment. I breathe a sigh of relief when such terrible trials as suddenly discovered oncology or other insidious diagnoses are treated for free and with quality in those developed countries where you have ended up. I am not annoyed by your everyday small joys that you are too shy to openly share on social media.
Moreover, frankly, I am proud of you - all these volunteer initiatives, the incredible projects you are driving in your new locations, all this great collective work for Ukraine, its military, image, culture and so on, all of this is very, very important. The Ukrainian diaspora is our superpower, I always say that.
But I won't lie, I often feel bitterness and resentment that the damn war has scattered all of you to distant lands, that prolonged stays in other worlds inevitably affect changes in your mentality and perspective. And it hurts me, God, it hurts me so much, too, that the flower of our nation has been so cut down on various levels.
However, I want to keep believing in our power and unity, I want us to stop bickering among ourselves and learn to listen to each other in this not-so-black-and-white reality. I want to feel that circ*mstances and distances can not take my close ones away from me. And that someday I will feel more or less at home anywhere, where I will be fed with sincere Ukrainian borsch.
…Having thanked my host for the hospitality, I’m leaving Warsaw once again to catch one of my many trains to Kyiv. I often travel this way and already have a collection of usual observations. These trains, connecting Ukraine and Poland, are always full of our women and children who are carrying heavy luggage, learning various languages (oh, the everpresent sound of Duolingo!), who have special documents confirming the legitimacy of their stay abroad, generously share the conditions of their new lives, complain or praise themselves, who are sad or laughing, explaining themselves or defending their decisions quite aggressively, even when no one challenged them. There is so much poignancy in all of this.
On the road, I observe the cheerful little daughter of another passenger for a while. She must be two or three years old, she’s active and constantly chattering about everything under the sun. However, I find it hard to understand her. «She speaks German better than Ukrainian now», - her mother says, embarrassed and almost apologetic to everyone. Well, that happens. Especially during the endless balancing between different worlds.
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Lyuba Shipovich had been living in the United States since 2008, but after the beginning of the full-scale war, she returned to Ukraine. Lyuba is a co-founder of the «Razom for Ukraine» public organisation, and since 2023, the founder of the «Dignitas» charitable foundation, which takes care of military and veteran projects, including providing the army with UAVs and training drone operators. Last year, Shipovich was listed in the TOP 50 Ukrainian female leaders according to Forbes magazine.
Nataliia Zhukovska: Lyuba, the main area of your work is unmanned technologies: surveillance and combat drones. What is the real situation with military units being provided with UAVs today?
Lyuba Shipovich: It is about technology in general. Apart from unmanned vehicles, there is also software, situation awareness, combat control systems etc. As for the drone supply, the state is now buying them. Yes, not yet in a sufficient amount but they started doing it. However, we still lack the infrastructure for these drones. I am talking about antennas, ground control stations, portable power stations, tablets, 3D printers for explosive components of air-dropping systems. Unfortunately, this whole infrastructure is not funded by the state at all at the moment. The funding comes either from foundations or the units raise the money for this themselves.
The drone does not fly by itself. There also have to be glasses, RCs, antennas, charging devices, tablets, retranslators
What has to be done to ensure there are enough drones on the frontlines?
If we compare 2022, when there were no drones at all, to the situation now, it is significantly better. According to the prime minister, 40 billion hryvnias have been dedicated to purchasing unmanned systems this year. This already is an improvement. But it is not enough. When the President is talking about a million drones, it sounds like a lot. In reality, however, we calculated that such an amount would only be sufficient for three months in today’s frontline and combat intensity. Therefore, a million - is, in essence, a fourth part of the yearly demand.
We are engaged in an intense war, the largest drone war in the world in the history of humanity. Moreover, due to the frequent lack of ammunition, drones often replace artillery. Western countries were not prepared for a large-scale land war. NATO's doctrine is to gain air superiority. However, we are conducting a large-scale land war. Even the combined NATO countries cannot supply it with enough ammunition. On one hand, they lack the capacity, on the other hand, political and bureaucratic processes are an obstacle. We cannot rely solely on the help of our Western allies.
We must invest in our own production. And what we are doing quite well is primarily the production of unmanned technologies
It is known that Ukraine still depends on China for some components necessary for drone production. And last year, the Chinese already imposed certain export restrictions. How do you assess the risk that at some point they might completely «tighten the screws»?
We need to look for alternatives. China is the cheapest and largest manufacturer, but fortunately, not a monopolist. There are other manufacturers in Central Asian countries. Factories are also being built in Europe and the USA. And, of course, we need to pay enormous attention to localising the production of components. We should produce in Ukraine everything that can be produced here, even if it is more expensive. Because during the war, the cost is not evaluated purely based on the economic factor. There is also the factor of national security. Currently, there are several hundred stable productions in Ukraine. However, very few of them scale up production capacities because they do not have guarantees that orders will be consistent.
The state should enter into medium- to long-term contracts with manufacturers for procurement. If the contract is at least three years, it will be of interest to the manufacturer to invest in their business
This is probably the biggest problem. And if we talk about manufacturers in European countries, they generally want 8- to 10-year contracts. After all, these are capital investments in production lines, expansion of facilities, and so on.
Lyuba, you have been involved in volunteer work since 2014. It was then that the charitable foundation «Razom for Ukraine» was established in the United States. You are one of its co-founders. Since February 24, over the course of a year, you have managed to raise 68 million dollars. How did you achieve that?
Over 60 per cent of the funds came from small donations from people, mostly Americans and Canadians. They contributed 10, 20, 100 dollars to help the Ukrainian army. There were also corporate donations. Up to ten corporations donated 1 million dollars each. These were quite well-known companies worldwide that often wished to remain anonymous. I attribute this level of activity among foreigners to the fact that, at that time, Ukraine was at the top of all the news. It was a natural impulse to help in the fight against injustice.
It is also important to understand the American culture, where volunteerism is instilled from a young age. It is an integral part of life. There are even special days of the year, such as Giving Tuesday, that unite people to help each other. Currently, this support has decreased significantly, partly because Ukraine has disappeared from the news. Last December, I travelled to the United States, where Americans asked me, «Is there still a war going on?» If it is not shown in the news, it seems like it is over. But it is the same as Ukrainians not knowing what is happening in other countries. For example, in December, an important news story was about Venezuela. But if you ask Ukrainians what happened there, many would say, «Where is that?» When something is not in the news, it feels like it does not exist.
Last year, the team that worked on military and veteran projects within «Razom for Ukraine» separated into a new foundation called Dignitas. Why did this happen?
Out of the 68 million dollars that we managed to raise during the first year of the full-scale war, 45 million went to support the military. Specifically, this included the purchase of tactical medicine, drones, radios, power stations and so on. Meanwhile, the organisation also had humanitarian programs. Towards the end of 2022, discussions began about reducing military aid and redirecting more funds towards support and rebuilding efforts. At that time, I was the only board member based in Ukraine - all others were in the United States.
I tried to convey to people that it was still too early to focus on rebuilding Ukraine and that investment in defence was necessary. Because if we do not destroy the Russian tank, it will continue to wipe our cities off the map. Consequently, the rebuilding would become a never-ending process
It was at this stage that certain differences began to emerge. It became increasingly difficult to advocate that the funds were needed specifically for the military. After consulting with my team, we decided to separate into a new foundation, where it is clearly stated in the charter that we are a foundation for technological assistance to the security and defence forces, as well as veterans. We started again with zero dollars in our account.
Who forms the «core» of your team?
All those who had worked with us on military and veteran projects since 2014. The largest initiative, «Victory Drones», is led by Mariya Berlinska. It is an ecosystem for training the military in technology, specifically drone operators for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES), and medical services in cooperation with the General Staff. There is also the «Fierce Birds» project, which supplies strike drones to the front line. It is led by Katya Nesterenko, who had worked for many years in the «Isolation» project and is very knowledgeable and understanding of the Donetsk region.
There is a project called «A Thousand Drones», which primarily focuses on reconnaissance drones. For example, in the United States, we are not allowed to raise funds for strike drones. Therefore, we have split the fundraising efforts: we collect funds for strike drones in Ukraine and for reconnaissance drones abroad.
There is also the «Fly» project, within which military personnel in rehabilitation departments are taught to operate FPV drones. This project is led by Dana Yurovich, who had previously worked for many years with the Ministry of Health team under Ulana Suprun (acting Minister of Health of Ukraine from 2016 to 2019) and on various international projects. In the tenth year of the war, volunteering needs to be professional. Yes, there were periods when everyone was doing everything when tourniquets and drones were bought indiscriminately and without understanding. But in reality, such an approach is an inefficient use of financial resources, which are already quite limited. Everyone should focus on their area of expertise.
For example, everyone knows that they need to buy a Mavic drone. However, not all understand that there is a whole line of them with different characteristics and firmware. As a result, people spend money on the Mavic 3 Classic, which is often unsuitable for use on the frontlines. But if a little more money were added, another drone could be purchased that would definitely be useful. There have even been cases where drones were bought and handed over to the military without being reprogrammed, and without anonymised firmware, they revealed positions. So, sometimes it is not just wasteful, it can be harmful to the military. That is why we do not get involved in other areas. Our focus is on technology.
For a long time, you were involved in advocating for weapons for Ukraine. What was the most challenging part, and did Western politicians always listen to you?
I continue to do this work even now. Our American team regularly communicates with congressmen and attends meetings. This work does not stop. In 2022, it was challenging to convince American politicians that Ukraine would hold out. If you recall that period, what kind of weapons was Ukraine being given? It was Javelins and Stingers - not for waging war, but for guerrilla warfare. Only in May 2022, when it became clear that Ukraine was indeed ready to fight, did they start providing heavier weapons for conventional military operations. So, until the middle of 2022, it was a matter of simply convincing them that we could and would endure, that we did not need to surrender Ukraine along the Dnipro or agree to any peace deals.
We have shown that we are ready to fight. The Western politicians and voters believed in us
What do we need to do to prevent the weakening of support from Europe and the United States?
It seems to me that Ukraine has disappeared from the news in the United States. We are not acting proactively. Look at Russia, which has been developing a network of television channels around the world for over 20 years. They broadcast in different languages - Arabic, Spanish, English, French, German, and others - meaning they generate their own content. In addition, they have a whole series of entertainment programs. They attract viewers' attention with these, and then they broadcast news between them. And what kind of news do the Russians broadcast about Ukraine? The ones that benefit them.
Where does the Western consumer get information about Ukraine? Either from the infrequent news in Western media or from Russian TV channels. We need to pay more attention to the information space and understand that foreign consumers consume information in their own language. Not Ukrainian and not always English. There is a huge Spanish-speaking world that we do not pay attention to, and the Arab world, where we also have very little information. And to gain support in those countries from politicians, we first need to gain it from their voters.
Why are there political bargaining and debates in America right now? Ukraine is a bargaining chip because voters do not have a clear opinion about us. If all voters wanted to support Ukraine, it could be guaranteed that politicians would do the same. Because they listen to their voters, especially in America, where congressional elections are held every two years. It is a relatively short election cycle, so voters are listened to constantly. Moreover, our politicians often use Western media to fight among themselves. And it is important to understand that this does not benefit us either.
When Western consumers see our internal political games, they think the war is over because local politicians are competing with each other
The major goal of the state is Ukraine's accession to NATO. This would be the greatest security guarantee for the country. Do you believe in NATO, where everyone defends each other?
I have spoken with Poles on this topic quite a bit. They are confident that they will be the next target of the Russian Federation. But when you ask them if they would go to defend their country, the response is: «Why would we? We are in NATO, the Americans will come to protect us». That is the classic answer. They do not understand that the primary responsibility is to defend their own country. And this collective NATO agreement is not about sitting back while someone else comes to fight for you. It means that we all defend each other together.
In my opinion, Russia will not go into Poland next, but into the Baltic countries. And I think that Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians understand this very well. They also understand that they must rely on their own forces. That is why they are actively preparing
For instance, they are conducting training for the population. When we talk about NATO countries, we think of a strong, powerful army. However, the Alliance does not have experience in conducting land wars. Right now, many of our military personnel are undergoing training abroad, and even NATO generals admit that they can learn more from Ukrainians than vice versa. Because currently, there is only one country in the world that can resist Russia - and that is Ukraine. Only we have the experience of resisting such a powerful aggressor. So if NATO sees Russia as an enemy, they are definitely interested in having Ukraine as, if not a member, at least a strong ally.
Photos from a private archive
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One of the most famous American generals, who has been acting as Senior Advisor of the American organisation Human Rights First since 2022, has diagnosed the situation of the West, Russia and Ukraine in the context of the war that has been going on for over two and a half years now in a Times Radio interview during a recent NATO summit.
What Russians are capable of
Hodges believes Russia has little space left for manoeuvring, as it can no longer lead Ukraine out of the war. Russian commanders and politicians with Putin as their leader, not caring about their soldiers, will continue sentencing thousands of others to death and disabilities day by day.
«Although, I do not think this will last infinitely, - the officer assesses. - Their human resources are limited. Even if we do not take the sanctions and their ability to transport oil seriously, I do not know if they will manage to hold on for two more years - also due to the lack of human resources and necessary components».
In the general’s opinion, the West will play a crucial role in accelerating Russia’s collapse if it takes the economic tools that have long been at its disposal seriously
At the moment, Russia is «doing what it can, waiting for us to let go of it and hoping that the potential Trump administration will make life easier for it». And this is approximately everything it can afford right now.
Putin: calculations of a bad man
In Hodges's eyes, Putin is a highly intellectual person, though simultaneously evil, merciless and such that does not care for anything but keeping power. His hopes for Trump’s possible victory are well-known: he is hoping that the USA will stop supporting Ukraine and force it to sign a peace treaty on Russian terms. On the other hand, if Biden wins [read as: the Democratic party candidate, as the interview has been taken before the President of the USA withdrew from the presidential race - Edit.], Putin will act by the already familiar plan: continued acts of diversion in Western countries and intensified disinformation that is expected to undermine the trust of the free countries’ citizens in their leaders and democratic institutions.
Biden’s policy: «catching arrows»
Hodges admires Biden’s recent promises to send more anti-aircraft equipment to Ukraine: this is significant support that measures up to the real needs of Ukrainians defending themselves. But this only solves a part of the problem. «Killing the archer is much more effective than catching all the arrows he is shooting, - the general points out. - This support package helps catch more arrows but it does not in any way help kill the archer».
From the officer’s words, the Biden administration continues to impose a «terrible policy», according to which Ukraine can not attack Russian bases in Russia using, for example, the American ATACMS systems. In practice, this policy gives Russia protection for it to commit attacks on Ukrainian cities. Yes, the general is glad to see more «Patriots» and ATGMs but it still is not enough. «I do not know what has to happen for the White House to address supporting Ukraine in defeating Russia seriously. Putin sees that we are not doing everything that is needed. He still has a big buyer of his gas, India, therefore until we start seriously helping Ukraine defeat Russia, Russians will keep on bombing Ukraine», - he warns.
Excessive fear and virtual guarantees
Hodges would like to believe that, as allies and President Zelenskyy himself say, Ukraine’s path into NATO is truly irreversible. «The issue is that there is no movement on this path», - he says. Many politicians at the summit in Switzerland contemplated what they could do about it but nothing in this chatter seems to lead to imminent and irreversible decisions. Whose opinion is that? The USA’s and Germany’s, that continue to obstruct this question, being guided by excessive fear of Russia using nuclear weapons. «Until this excessive fear is conquered, nothing will change for the better», - the general says.
- What guarantees can NATO give Ukraine and how can it strike Russia diplomatically if it can not offer Ukrainians membership right now?
Although Hodges does not imply it directly, it can be understood from his words that in this situation - there are none. As there is no 100 per cent confidence that Ukraine will join NATO. Considering that the Budapest Memorandum of 1994 [in which the USA, Great Britain and Russia guaranteed Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in exchange for it becoming a non-nuclear-weapon state - Edit.] turned out to be an empty obligation - Hodges is not sure that the next similar commitments will be more trustworthy.
If the West fails again
The general puts all his hope into the understanding of many countries that Ukraine can not lose, that it has to win because its defeat would be a catastrophe for the whole Europe and therefore for the world as well. Because if it were to happen, the following millions of Ukrainian refugees would end up in Poland and Germany, and tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers would be forcefully enlisted in the Russian army, increasing its potential.
If the USA fails - be it because of a new party in power (Trump’s party) or any other reason, fails because of not having done what is needed, - the threat to Europe would not diminish but increase
In any case, it would not be surprising if the USA and more - the so-called collective West, do not live up to the expectations. In the last decade, both failed many times. «In 2008, when Russia invaded Georgia, we did nothing. The same way, when Russians crossed the lines drawn by President Obama in Syria and when they invaded Ukraine in 2014», - Hodges points out. It is not unnatural that in 2021 preparing the invasion, and in 2022 performing it, Putin assumed that the West’s anger would not amount to anything once again.
Reanimate the deterrence
The American also lists some other shocking signs of the West’s weakness that convinced Putin he was right: the Trumpist attack on Capitol Hill on January 6th 2021, the chaotic extraction of American troops from Afghanistan, Germany’s inability to stop the construction of «Nord Stream-2» despite the Russian annexation of Crimea and a significant portion of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, President Macron’s statements about the «NATO’s brain death».
«You can imagine that amid all this the Kremlin thought: «Let’s finish this», - Hodges comments.
The war in Ukraine broke out because the deterrence failed. Therefore, it should be renewed because the world is an interconnected system. The USA’s economic flourishing, the USA President’s advisor on human rights points out, depends on the flourishing of Europe, and it is impossible if the Old Continent lacks stability and security.
«If we help Ukraine defeat Russia, this will enable us to isolate Iran, and then North Korea, which will, subsequently, deter China. Because the Chinese will see that the West has political will, industrial potential and military capabilities», - Hodges states. The defeat of Russia also is the West’s only serious protection from isolationist Trump’s coming to power.And if Ukraine does lose, the danger of China coming to «scary decisions» will rise swiftly.
When Putin falls from the cliff
How soon the Russians reach the turning point of this war and for how long Putin will keep in power depends on the dictator’s closest associates. Because he only answers to them - the oligarchs and the closest Kremlin members, not the parliament, voters or journalists who ask uncomfortable questions on behalf of those voters, as it is in any normal country. So when these people understand that there is no longer a chance for Russia to win, they will «push Putin off of a cliff and dispose of him».
Yes, the Kremlin dictator has no serious reasons to believe he will lose yet. But the day he does will be the beginning of his end
Translation: Anastasiya Kanarska
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