Photo: Petro Zadorozhnyy / State Border Guard Service of Ukraine / the Collection of war.ukraine.ua
In the midst of chaos and destruction, two of the closest people in my life (my brother and my husband) joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It wasn’t just a decision, it was a response to the unshakable belief that Ukraine is worth fighting for. As I wrote in the 1-st article about choosing to stay in Dnipro, and in the 2-nd about living through 2022–2023 in Ukraine, our lives were split in two — before and after the invasion.
In this third part, I want to tell you the stories of my husband, my brother and my close friend, — people I love deeply. Through them, I hope you’ll see who we really are, and why we are still standing, even as we enter the fourth year of Russia’s invasion.
Understanding the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (ЗСУ) had around 261,000 personnel in 2021. By 2023, that number surged to 700,000, and as of 2025, the ЗСУ is approaching 880,000 active-duty soldiers, with 1 million in reserves.
This massive expansion includes not only ground forces but also specialized units like Special Operations Forces, Cybersecurity, Territorial Defense Forces, and Medical Forces.
The Ukrainian military is now composed of:
- Air Forces
- Naval Forces
- Ground Forces
- Specialized branches: Signal Forces, Air Assault Forces, Cybersecurity, Special Operations Forces, Territorial Defense, Logistics, and Medical Forces.
The number of women in the military has also significantly increased, with 67,000 women serving in 2025.This surge in personnel reflects the overwhelming demand to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty, with the army now regarded as one of Europe’s strongest, ranking in the top by Global Firepower 2025
Many of those who joined the ЗСУ aren’t professional soldiers. In fact, many had students, and more — who had never imagined themselves in military service.
They’re ordinary people who left behind work, homes, and safety to join something far bigger than themselves. Through their lives, I hope you’ll better understand who Ukrainians really are.
My Brother’s Story
My brother was a firefighter in Belarus — someone trained to save lives, not take them. But when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Belarus’ regime aligned itself with Putin, something inside him broke. He couldn’t bear to watch Lukashenko support a war of aggression. He couldn’t stay silent while the country he believed in was being used as a launchpad for destruction.
So he made a choice — one that few would dare to make.
He left everything behind. His job. His home. His country.
He crossed into Ukraine and signed a contract with the Second International Legion. No military background, no guarantees. Just a decision that fighting for what’s right mattered more than comfort or safety.
And he didn’t choose the easy way in. He was deployed to some of the hottest zones of the war. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians and other foreign volunteers, facing constant shelling, drone attacks, and close-quarters combat
He fought because he believed that Ukraine’s fight is every free person’s fight.
My Husband’s Story
In 2024, my husband joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He is an engineer, working in the private sector, selling electronic supplies for plants and small public institutions.
But like so many others, when the invasion shattered our peace, he felt that staying on the sidelines wasn’t an option. He joined the drone unit. It was a natural fit — his engineering background helped him quickly understand the complex systems behind modern drones. By the end of 2024, he became a sergeant and instructor, training 40 to 60 new drone operators every month.
But there was one problem: a severe shortage of instructors. Often, it was just two or three trainers for the entire group. That meant long days, endless repetitions, and constant movement. During the practical part of the course, his smartwatch would count 30,000 to 40,000 steps a day. His body ached, but he never complained.
My Friend’s Story
On March 22, 2022, my close friend volunteered to join the army. Like me, he studied journalism at university. We shared lecture halls, dreams of writing impactful stories. After graduation, he worked as an announcer and editor in mass media.
But when the war came, he didn’t just report the news — he became part of it.
My friend took on every task he could. He evacuated the wounded. He carried the bodies of the dead. He learned to operate a mortar . He even took part in several joint missions with the Infantry of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
By late 2023, after months of harsh winter operations, he suffered frostbite in his foot. He spent a long time in the hospital, recovering physically and emotionally.
In 2025, as soon as he could walk again, he returned to service — this time he performs administrative duties in the army. It’s a quieter role, but no less important. He still wears the uniform. He still serves.
The War Isn’t Over
These are just three stories — deeply personal, painfully real. None of them were soldiers. They were a firefighter, an engineer, and a journalist. But when faced with war, they chose to stand up for Ukraine, for freedom, and for the values the democratic world claims to hold dear.
Please, don’t forget about Ukraine. Don’t let the world move on while we are still fighting — not just for our land, but for the shared future of all free nations.
