Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the city of Lviv has become a real centre of humanitarian aid. A centre where many volunteers work for the victory of our country.
As part of the project “Life and War: 10 Ukrainians – 10 Stories”, students from the United States, Turkey, and Ukraine talked to one of these volunteers, the student mayor of Lviv, Stanislav Hvozdinsky.
On 24 February 2022, like most Ukrainians, Stanislav changed the direction of his work to help those in need. He decided to get involved in humanitarian support and coordination. Today, Stanislav continues to help the military and work with the re-socialisation of IDP youth.
In the interview, Stanislav talked about how he became mayor of the city, how difficult it is to work with IDP children, whether the US support is sufficient and what will happen to volunteering after the war ends.
(Photo: Stanislav Gvozdinsky, from personal archive)
–How did you meet that damned date of 24 February 2022?
-I met the beginning of the war while I was on holiday. On 24 February, my brother woke me up with the words: “Your colleague there can’t get through to you. And by the way, the war has started!”
–You are currently the student mayor of Lviv. At what point did you realise that you wanted to apply for this particular position?
-I realised that I wanted to try my hand at being a mayor (albeit a student mayor) when I was the deputy chairman of the trade union committee for external relations at Lviv Polytechnic National University. I thought that foreign policy, coordination and communication between universities should be improved. And my experience will be useful for students and higher education institutions.
–Why do you think the voters chose you?
-I guess I had a credit of trust. I held the position of Vice Mayor in the Student Council of Lviv. And during the 2 years of this activity, many people already knew me. Everyone was familiar with how I work, what I do. And most importantly, what I managed to do. That’s why, I think, in 2021, I was elected student mayor of Lviv.
-What challenges did you face in your new position?
-When I became student mayor, Covid-19 was still going on. Most students were studying remotely. It was very difficult to staff a new team. We did not fully understand what the next steps were.
But it was the Ministry of Education that gave us tasks. They reduced the percentage of scholarship holders and raised dormitory prices. And these moves triggered our activity. We were one of the first to attend various rallies and make our voices heard.
-You are also a volunteer, working with IDPs. And these are mostly adults. But have you had any experience of working with children? What kind of assistance is provided to them in Lviv now?
We have children’s clubs in our department. Both in the first days of the war and now they accept IDPs with children. Each club is home to several families, and psychologists work with them.
In addition, there is still a children’s room at the main railway station where evacuation trains with refugees arrive. There are modular towns where they can stay, play and eat. Psychologists work everywhere.
-How difficult is it to work with children?
-There were children who came with their parents. It’s easier to work with them. They are not alone.
But I will never forget a 9-year-old boy who came alone. I don’t know where he came from. I don’t even know how to describe his condition. I showed him finger tricks for 2 hours. He was afraid of absolutely everything: talking, going somewhere, eating, holding someone’s hand.
-And what is happening to him now?
-It turned out that he had a grandmother in Lviv. We found her, and she took the boy.
-On the First Western TV channel, you were signed as a master of making Bandera smoothies. Can you tell us how you got this title?
-We have been making Bandera smoothies since the first day of the war. These are Ukrainian-style Molotov cocktails. They went to checkpoints in the Lviv region. Volunteers also took them to the front line.
Everyone said: “Thank you for your work!” Although I hoped that they would not be needed. “It’s better to have them and not use them,” my team and I thought. But the demand was so great that we made Bandera smoothie boxes. That’s how I became a master!
-I have heard many times from people abroad and from those at home that there are no opportunities in Ukraine now. And the prospect of rebuilding the country for 10 years is not encouraging. How do you feel about such opinions? Is it an excuse not to come back, or is it an objective but unfortunate view of the situation?
-I have many different colleagues, friends, and acquaintances who left after the full-scale invasion abroad. And they are divided into three groups. The first group includes people who have left and understand that they can help Ukraine, and when it becomes safe again, they will return. The second group is those who have left, do not help financially and are thinking of staying abroad. And the last group is those who have left and are 100% sure they will not return because they are already building a future in a new country.
I believe that our joint work after the victory is to bring quality personnel back to Ukraine. That is, we will have to work with Groups 1 and 2.
Here, in fact, everyone who has left must ask themselves the question: is he or she a patriot of his or her country? If so, they will definitely return.
-How did you come up with the idea to create the Diplomas That Will Never Be Issued campaign?
-Tears immediately appear in my eyes when I think of this event.
The idea to create such an event came after a number of universities wrote to me: “Stanislav, can we invite you to the funeral of our student who died in the war?” The most painful thing was that my friends and mentees died in different periods of time.
You could see such names as Petro Havryliv, a student at Lviv Polytechnic, and Pavlo Domansky, an 18-year-old boy who was a delegate from the University of Physical Culture in Lviv. I persuaded him not to go to fight for Kyiv. Because he was still a child. Every week we received bad news, and I wanted to remind them of the great loss among students because of the action “Diplomas that will never be issued”.
-What do you think will happen to volunteering after the war ends? Will we be able to create a real culture of volunteering? Is it necessary in your opinion?
We have a very good time and a chance to make volunteering commonplace. Now, during the war, it is fashionable and cool. But in the post-war period, we need to make sure that it becomes a part of everyday life. Students and school children should be given extra points for helping. For example, for helping a grandmother to bring her groceries (I won’t say “weave a net”). At the level of cities and regions, our task is to start introducing volunteering as a separate discipline.
Volunteering should be a part of our everyday life.
-I see pictures and news on the Internet about the reconstruction of buildings in Ukraine. It seems like the situation is improving. But it’s hard to believe what you see on the Internet. But I am surprised that the infrastructure is starting to be rebuilt. What do you think about this?
You have probably seen the before/after photos of the house from Kharkiv. Yes, no one will live in the apartment where the missile hit. But the missile strike disrupted the communication of the entire building. The walls need to be reinforced, glazed and insulated.
That’s why we are reconstructing the building so that other residents can have gas, heat, electricity and water.
-Is there enough support from foreign countries?
-No, it is not. If it was enough, the war would not have lasted a year. I’m not talking about 9 years.
-Some countries declare their support for Ukraine but still cooperate with Russia. What is your opinion on this?
-We need to take representatives of such countries around the de-occupied cities. And make them see the war first-hand.
-The US has already sent $75 billion for Ukraine. This is more than Russia spends on its military complex. American citizens have made more charitable contributions than others. In addition, Russia has said that if the US supplies more than defensive weapons, it will be considered an act of war. Do you think the United States should declare war on Russia? Would that be considered satisfactory? And what is enough aid for Ukraine?
-The issue is the inequality of human resources. Yes, the US sent more than Russia spent on the war. We can see what equipment they have and what we have. But they have a population of over 144 million, and we have only 40. We, the civilians, cannot see the aid in weapons. If we could see it, we would understand how much the US supports us.
I also read that every American pays about $20 a month from their taxes for humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Americans are paying such a small amount of money to destroy Russia without harming the US.
I think the world war has already begun. Because Ukraine and the whole civilised world are fighting against Russia.
-Do you think the war will end soon?
-This is a philosophical question. I am aware that the war will not end soon. After all, any war has several stages. If the active phase ends, the phase of reconstruction, desocialisation, reparations, etc. will begin.
I remember 2014, when people also said that it would end very quickly. But now it’s 2023, and it’s still going on.
(Screenshot: from a meeting in Google Meet)
