Yaroslav Yaroshenko
Glib Stryzhko First, please introduce yourself. Tell us a little about your service experience and when you joined. If you’ve participated in several campaigns, what was it like?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko Hello, Hlib, happy to see you in Kyiv. My name is Yaroshenko Yaroslav Hennadiyovych. Currently, first lieutenant and deputy commander of the psychological support company. My first military experience was in 2015–2016. I kept my promise to my mom and graduated from university. As soon as that happened, I wrapped up my things and went to the military recruitment office. I wanted to serve with my teacher, but I was told I was too young. So, I went to the National Guard. Achieved my goal to join the Anti-terrorist Operation on Donbas. Compared to the full-scale invasion, it was a quiet first experience. After that, I was discharged from the military and returned to civilian life. Worked on various projects, enrolled in graduate school. Since then, archaeology has been an integral part of my life. I worked at the city council and ran my own business. But I was assigned to the first-line operational reserve. In the event of an all-out war, we would be the first ones to go into combat, because we didn’t need any training. I asked, “And the first ones to die?”. They said: “Don’t say that, everything is going to be alright.” I met the full-scale invasion in Kyiv. I heard someone running around like a frantic elephant in the apartment above me. Opened Telegram. Heard car noises around 4 or 5 in the morning. I thought, oh wow, this is it. Even though I didn’t believe that it would happen. I didn’t think they were such idiots, to be honest. But here we were. I threw my stuff in the car and went to Dnipro. And by about 15:00, I was at the military registration office. I was assigned to the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade.
Glib Stryzhko Why did you choose this brigade?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko I didn’t. The brigade I was assigned to earlier was full, so I was sent to Kharkiv to join the 92th. I googled them and thought, wow, that’s the Ivan Sirko brigade, nice! As we entered Kharkiv by bus, I didn’t recognize the city with all the Grad rocket launchers standing in the streets. At first, I was strictly infantry. We’d go in and clear out the area, storm buildings — all that stuff. I was also doing a lot of administrative work and planning. And then this guy came in and put a Mavic 3 drone on the table. I dreamt about one just like that! I used drones for archeology. He asked me if I wanted to try and fly that thing. I was on duty at the time, but he had my shifts changed. Before the first flight, he started explaining it to me and put the drone on the ground. I was like, what are you doing? I took the drone and launched it from my hand. I didn’t want to put the bird into dust. He was in shock! He saw that I didn’t need any training, and we became aerial reconnaissance soldiers. It was quite an interesting time. Then my buddy went off to train as an officer. And I thought, seeing others do it: I want to go on flights with just a sidearm too. Why would I need that big rifle, all that close combat? So I ended up doing courses in Odesa. It was my first training, and I wasn’t happy with it. We used Soviet books. We told our teachers that everything in them is bullshit, and we would never lead our people this way, because it’s suicide. We showed videos of how it really went down in combat. They said to us: we understand, but the exams will be based on these books. Some teachers really paid attention to us, shared their own experiences. But on the plus side, there was sea, and we lived in a proper apartment. When I got back, the situation was really bad. There weren’t enough people. Issues with the officer corps. I used to fly with this unit, and now I was in charge. I haven’t left that dugout in two weeks, and I keep thinking: I actually wanted to be a pilot! We’re being sent to Bakhmut; I’m platoon commander, standing guard, and doing all this work. There were times when there were so many wounded that I had to step in as a medic. It was hell out there. And right then, a comrade was discharged from the army due to family circumstances, and I became a political officer, a kind of universal soldier.
Glib Stryzhko Okay. What are you into these days? What brings you joy?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko Well, right now what makes me happy is meeting you here. I just gave an interview for Army FM, talking about how great our unit is — and it really is great — so that people might join us. They’ll put the piece out, we’ll share it, and I want solid guys to come our way. I walked here from Arsenalna station. I love Kyiv, and that alone brings me joy. Meeting you, seeing this velodrome for the first time, is also a joy. The architecture, the historic places… I genuinely recharge in Kyiv. It makes me happy.
Glib Stryzhko What or who keeps you going during the toughest times?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko I got lucky with my partner. She understands me, takes it all in stride, though it seems like it hits her harder than it does me. Sometimes it feels like she’s the one suffering more. She says, “I waited for you when you were in combat on Donbas, then from your expeditions, and now I’m waiting for you from the war — I’m always waiting for you.” It’s probably harder for her than for me. And my mom… she worries even more, constantly. It always feels like she thinks I’m hiding how bad things really are. I tell the guys: no one needs us except ourselves. I try to get my unit used to supporting each other. I say, sure, you can joke around, call each other names, mess with one another, but at the end of the day, we genuinely care about each other. So let’s have each other’s backs, because no one else will. Maybe it sounds rough, but that’s the reality. And what matters most is showing it through actions. You never say to my boys: we’re fucked, there will be no water. You go out of your way and have that damn water delivered. They see that their commander cares for them, and they appreciate it. We are also happy about small things. I remember how I once posted on instagram about how I brushed my teeth for the first time in a while. My stuff got lost, and I hadn’t had a tooth brush for six days. Or I just look for interesting places, wherever you are. I said to my commander once: I want to go check out the training ground. And he asked: do I really want to see the training ground or do I want to get lost? But I just open Wikimapia and look for heritage sights. They would often joke about me that whenever I find a good training ground, there’s something cool nearby. We did a training near the village where Oleksa Tykhyi was born (Ukrainian linguist, writer, and human rights activist of the 20th century – ed. note), so I went to see his house. I mean, it’s a guy from Donetsk Oblast who fought to protect the Ukrainian language. There’s an avenue named after him. I want to see this house, maybe I can shoot something for my history project.
Glib Stryzhko You mentioned a few places that fascinate you, and that you enjoy, let’s say, hiking. Is there a place you like to revisit in your mind because it brings you joy? Or are there several places?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko I often think about the village where my mom was born, where my grandparents are buried. I still haven’t managed to go there, there’s just no time. Even from Dnipro it’s a trip, and I also want to see my son and my wife. Dnipro, Stari Kodaky — we go there often as a family. And of course, Crimea. For me, it’s not just a place to visit on holidays, it’s where my relatives are. But I don’t keep in touch with them anymore. The people who raised me for 14 years now think I’m a fascist. I just love my land and don’t want to be anyone’s slave. So yeah, I’ve cut off contact. But for me, Crimea is a mix of history, culture, nature; and those places I keep coming back to in my memory. I really hope that one day our tanks will reach Dzhankoy, and my beat-up BMPs will make it all the way to Foros.
Glib Stryzhko As an archaeologist, have you done some digs in Crimea?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko I used to be a research fellow at the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences, working with a state-run rescue archaeology service. In Crimea, I worked on Paleolithic excavations; very meticulous, detail-heavy work. I got there by chance. As a student, I was working in the institute’s garden when this bearded guy who looked like Hemingway came up to me and asked if I was interested in that period. I said yes. He asked if I wanted to join digs in Crimea. I said yes again. He took my number, called me later, and invited me. I soon realized why he needed me. His expedition was mostly his archaeologist wife, their daughters, and their friends, so mostly women, plus a couple of eccentric guys. And archaeology, like the military, involves a lot of basic labor, firewood, water, heavy lifting, so they needed more hands. I worked hard: digging, hauling, leveling, and sometimes photographing. Those were amazing seasons. I even went back later with my wife. That’s where I met Khrystyna Yanevych, a paramedic with the Hospitallers. She was killed last November.
Glib Stryzhko Now let’s talk a little about finding joy while serving or at war. Do you remember a moment during your service when you burst out laughing?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko All the time, because if we don’t keep laughing and joking around, it will be the end for us.
Glib Stryzhko Okay. What helps you stay grounded during rotations or combat?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko We had no rotations, this word was forbidden in our unit. What gives hope? I’m sure that we have no choice but to win. Either we win, or my eyes won’t see It’s either victory or I won’t see any other way out. I’m currently a senior lieutenant, but I will probably leave the army with the rank of major. That’s my deadline, that’s how long I think it will take, and how long I can take it.
Glib Stryzhko Am I correct in thinking that understanding the final goal is the idea of understanding life?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko understanding of the historical significance of these liberation struggles. We’ve never had such a historic opportunity to kick these Russians’ asses before. We can probably agree that for a long time, we were either ignored or not supported. Sure, things aren’t exactly smooth sailing in our foreign policy right now, but they gave us three days, and it’s been three and a half years. That’s a fucking achievement. І: Okay, but let’s talk about more basic levels. Because in a trench during an assault, I didn’t think about Ukraine. Standing in that building on the third floor, watching enemy troops and vehicles move, loading an RPG round, I wasn’t thinking about Ukraine. I was thinking about completely different things, and those were what actually made me feel alive, even happy in a way. I think about Ukraine when it’s calm, or when I’m doing interviews — not in those moments. That’s why I’m asking. YY: Yeah, I agree with you on this one. Absolutely. When you have a mission, you prepare for it, you plan, you don’t stick your head in the clouds thinking about something big. You think about what to do, what to plan, and what can go wrong. And honestly, during those kinds of missions, I got absorbed by the process itself. I lived in it, especially when things got difficult. Assaults and active operations were one thing — it was hard, there was exhaustion, cramps, shelling, headaches, even nausea. But it was all very dynamic.
Glib Stryzhko But even in this state, what brought you joy?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko When I remembered to eat. I don’t know. Oh, there was one situation. We’d pushed forward in Luhansk, flying cover while the infantry moved on. I got the chance to relocate closer, about 600 meters from the enemy, and fly a night drone. Hauling gear through mines, exhausted and pissed off, I made it there. I had to carry so much stuff that I couldn’t take any food or water with me. My only hope was the guys there would share. I ended up staying there a while, barely sleeping, constantly on call, under pressure of responsibility. I didn’t sleep properly. Even if a hedgehog farted in the middle of the night somewhere, that was it, I had to wake up. So why am I telling you this? I went upstairs in this wrecked building and found a room full of books — mostly history. I thought, we’re rich! I took books one after another and put them back after reading. I arranged them, even if it felt stupid — they could burn down any time if the building gets hit. But knowing there were books, and I could take one any time, that really lifted me. Small joys, also. I love watching nature. Animals. Dogs and cats coming to our positions. I picked up a house cat from there. A British Shorthair, a handsome one, very distinguished. After that month-long stint, I took him in, and now he lives at my place. I joked to him: “You bastard, show up just an hour earlier and you’ll get a three-room apartment in Dnipro, my wife and kid loving you, spoil you rotten, taking care of you.” He did show up earlier, and I got him out of there. Then, once an officer from Kyiv came to our positions. He came in and unpacked a bag of food from McDonald’s. Fucking awesome.
Glib Stryzhko Do you consider joy to be a manifestation of strength?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko Yes. What’s the point of living if you can’t find something to be happy about?
Glib Stryzhko How did you end up joining the military? Tell me a little about your experience.
Yaroslav Yaroshenko It is an opportunity to seek out bright spots and focus on the positive aspects amid a sea of negative factors, information, circumstances, and so on. You’re happy when everything is good. Your guys are doing good. All the positions are safe. When your mission was successful. When you can help someone. I haven’t felt the same kind of joy since the Kharkiv counterattack in 2022, though. You asked about when I felt unexpected joy. You unlocked some joyful emotions that were later washed away when I found out whom we killed. In any case, anyone pointing a gun at me is automatically the enemy. But I felt extremely shitty when I found out that the people we killed were students from the Donetsk People’s Republic –– medics, engineers, young boys that wrote “We were tricked!”, “We want to go home!”. I wasn’t sure anymore if they belonged to us or to the other side. But on the other hand, they were shooting at us. We asked the ones we captured where their commanders were, and they all fled. But the main reason I wanted to tell you about the counterattack. I was the battalion commander’s personal pilot. He gave the orders, and I did the recon. We studied the routes. We made adjustments: in short, we guided the tanks. It’s such a rush when you’re standing next to a tank, shouting out corrections to the driver. But in the end, our mission wasn’t fulfilled. The enemy broke the timeline and started retreating fast. We were ready for a fight all night, but it never came. Our formation got disrupted, and while others couldn’t catch them, we accidentally pushed ahead too fast due to miscoordination and lack of comms. Dumb luck! We ended up entering first. I’d scouted the area and thought it was clear, so we moved in. Suddenly, people started coming out and running towards us. Civilians! They started thanking us. I thought: why are you thanking us? We barely did anything. Maybe the pilots, but correcting shots didn’t seem like an achievement. I felt awkward, but they kept thanking us. It was euphoria like I’ve never felt before. They gave us pastries, milk, and all kinds of food. We go into a grocery store, the prices are in rubles. The cashier screams: “I can’t believe it’s you!” She started crying. “Just take everything!” — “But your prices are in rubles,” I said. “I’ve been waiting for you!” she cries out and tears down ruble price tags. It was in Kharkiv Oblast. It was euphoric.
Glib Stryzhko Оkay, let’s move on to the final round. What made you a little happier today?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko A walk around Kyiv and seeing a velodrome for the first time. Seeing people ride on a sloped track. I knew such a thing existed, but I’d never seen it in person. Sorry, I’m a country boy.
Glib Stryzhko I picked a great spot to meet. What does joy smell like to you?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko The steppe grasses of the Crimean mountains, or simply Crimea. That’s all. Crimea — and that’s it. Just Crimea.
Glib Stryzhko When do you feel alive? How does that feel in your body?
Yaroslav Yaroshenko Man, when nothing hurts. Let’s put it this way: when nothing reminds you that something’s wrong. I’ve been incredibly lucky. My injuries were minor. Aside from my knee, practically nothing bothers me. But my knee sometimes hurts so much it’s not even funny.
Glib Stryzhko In the world, things are constantly happening. Maybe things are constantly happening in our lives too. As you like to say, while Hemingway and his circle were hanging out in Paris bars and reshaping world literature, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Father Makhno (Ukrainian anarchist revolutionary – ed. note) was building his own anarchist version of happiness. And the final question of our conversation today: what is joy for you? Describe it in colours, shapes, in as much detail as possible. Here your abstraction can really let you run free.
Yaroslav Yaroshenko A hot August. A huge sun-baked rock in Kazan-Dere Bay in Crimea. We’re not students, we’re “big shots,” arriving by boat. All those Russians are deported, never to return. Ukrainian music is playing, though even without it the place feels wild and free. The sun is setting over the sea. Everything is calm. The sea, Kazan-Dere, Crimea –– that’s Ukraine. Everyone is alive, everyone has returned. These are the moments of happiness that feel the most vivid to me. And there’s another one: not just reaching Dzhankoy, but going all the way to Foros. Dzhankoy is only halfway. It’s the gateway to Crimea. the path of Bolbochan’s feat (Ukrainian military figure who led Ukrainian forces in the 1918 Crimea Operation against the Bolsheviks – ed. note). He’d probably be overjoyed in his grave. Of course, I’d take Crimea differently now, with today’s technology.
