What are the most memorable moments from your volunteer visits?
It’s hard to recall just one thing for more than two years, as each trip is different. So the first thing that comes to mind are recent events. The worst is when the transport breaks down, and you realize that you need to reach the destination and, preferably, return safely.
Once, the clutch broke down in our car. Drivers will understand how difficult it is to shift gears in such a case. It’s risky! But when you have a fully loaded car – there’s no point in stopping halfway.
Another problem is punctured tires. Once it happened near Kupiansk. I even have a video of how we changed a tire in a minute and a half under machine gun fire. In a minute and a half! It was amazing!
Also, during the trips, there were moments of direct danger to life, but there were so many of them that it’s impossible to count. Although all of them are in my memory.
When you talked with the local citizens in front line and de-occupied territories, did you ask people why they don’t leave?
Yes, we sometimes ask such questions, but we need to be care. There’s actually significant tension concerning who has emigrated and to which destinations. Residents of safer regions often think in not a good way about those who didn’t evacuate from Donetsk or Luhansk regions. They are calling them «zhdun» (means someone who is waiting for something).
This isn’t true. In general, most people who didn’t leave their home close to the combat zone are of pre-retirement and retirement age. That is 50+ years old, people. Why do they stay at home despite the danger?
For example, residents of industrial areas of Donetsk or Luhansk regions are used to working in plants. They don’t know how to work with land, don’t have any entrepreneurial skills, and rely only on the state. They’re afraid if they move to safer regions, they’ll simply have nowhere to go.
Those who receive pensions answer: «Where will we go? They pay 3000 hryvnias (approx.75 USD) at best, plus 2000 hryvnias as for IDPs (internally displaced person). Will this be enough for renting an apartment?» So, these are all essential questions: how can elderly displaced persons settle in a new place?
Moreover, older people are bounded to their homes. Conversations start like this: «How much time do I have left! I have a house here, vegetable gardens…» At first, we didn’t understand this… Yes, when there’s an immediate threat of occupation, people are forced to leave their places. But if the front is 4-5 km away, they consider it normal to stay.
How did you get into war photography? What exactly do you photograph during volunteer trips, and what motivates you to do this?
I don’t consider myself as a professional in war photography. When I started doing this, my main goal was basic reporting. People who send money or other things for military/civilians should see where you’re taking it all. It’s like a proof that the aid is really delivered not to the «third» or «second» line, but to the front line. The purpose of my photography was to show that the war is not «somewhere out there», but very close, and continuing. These are our realities…
The feeling of what moment to «catch» on camera comes subconsciously. It just happens by itself. I try to capture touching moments for the viewer to show what I see and feel through the photo. It is often difficult to combine photography with my volunteer duties, but I try to do these two things because I think it is necessary.
I publish photos on my social media pages. I receive a lot of feedback from subscribers – they write both publicly and in private messages. Many medias, national and local, borrowed photos for their websites. I believe that sometimes war photography is even more important than the aid itself, because it helps to reach more people who can be involved in this.
Have you thought about publishing the photos or organizing an exhibition in the nearest future or after our Victory?
Yes, and there were even such proposals. I’ve already planned an exhibition for a certain date because I have a lot of thematic material. However, I physically don’t have enough time for this, but in the long term, I want to implement this idea, even during the war.
The full-scale war, volunteer trips and round-the-clock work are probably very exhausting, aren’t they?
I often hear similar questions in «civilian» life. Yes, volunteering is indeed tiring, even for young people. However, this may sound unacceptable to someone, but I believe that our job is incomparable to the job of our defenders
Instead, there are other factors that morally exhaust you. For example, I hear: «My godfather is a military serviceman, they don’t have supplies in their brigade». This person spreads everything to colleagues at work. They spread the doubts of the military-political leadership among people. This is a huge problem.
I also often meet those who are not involved in the front at all, but give some advice. They know better which military commander should be at the head of the army, how many tanks are needed to win the war… Or they mess all concepts, listen to pseudo-experts who have nothing to do with military field and make conclusions under the influence of this.
These moments influence on the mental health, not in a good way. For me, as a volunteer, it’s actually much worse to hear this in the home front than to be where I’m going. Such an attitude of some Ukrainians to the situation in our country is frightening…
The war has also turned into an information warfare. This includes the spread of enemy psychological operations, messages that Ukrainians are tired of donating, helping the army, etc. What do you think about this?
This phenomenon is indeed widespread, especially now. First of all, we need to read only official sources of information. For some reason, we don’t do this and often listen to bloggers. In reality, every well-known media person is usually subordinate to someone. Therefore, their words need to be double-checked, and we should listen only to those who not only talk a lot but also do something.
Look, it’s a simple situation. You follow someone who constantly says: «everything is bad», «there’s betrayal everywhere», «agents are everywhere», «everything is being stolen». If you read such information on a daily basis, you will start to think it is true. Possibility that such people will join the next fundraising decreases even it is a not so big money like 20 hryvnias. Imagine if there are a million of these people, or two million? If two million multiplied by 20 hryvnias?!
Many people think that information warfare is just some kind of concept. It’s a terrible phenomenon. Unfortunately, many military personnel also are in these filter bubbles. After all, enemy narratives are also spread through TikTok or Reels. This greatly affects the inner state of servicemen and their motivation. Previously, the enemy used similar propaganda methods through radio receivers, for example, in the 1940s. Such «receivers» are in everyone’s hands now. Therefore, this should be solved at the national level.
Could you please share your plans for the nearest future?
I’m currently trying not to make long-term plans. I want to finish university and gain as much experience as possible from teachers in the field of public administration. Successfully follow the curriculum, that’s all.
How do you think young people can bring Ukrainian Victory closer? Give some advice from yourself to those who will read this material.
Everyone in their place can do a lot. Watch carefully what you read and share. Don’t trust «info-gypsies» (people who sell information products that have no practical value). Find your path where you are most effective. I don’t believe it when people say: «I can’t help with anything».
I know many young people who work and donate. They don’t do it just to «not feel guilty». We must understand that if this whole process stops, if we stop helping our military at the front, then the front will come closer to us… We’re not doing this for them, but for ourselves and our own safety. You can support the army in many ways, in any field. The main thing is not to think too much about what and how, but just start doing…
Links to Volodymyr’s Instagram profile and Facebook page, where you can follow his volunteer activities, view war photos and join fundraising or assistance for Ukrainian military/civilians.
End of the second part of the interview.
Translator: Yuliia Koleha
