Musicians, athletes, actors and members of other creative professions join the defense of Ukraine against the Russian threat
The Eastern War has marked a before and after. Thousands of citizens from various countries have joined the defenses of Ukraine, which have an abysmal difference compared to the Russian Army. But the invasion has not only prompted an international response. The Ukrainian population has armed itself to defend its own country, its way of life and its freedom against the threat of Vladimir Putin. Among the heroes for the Government of Volodymyr Zelensky are also representatives of creative professions who, like many other figures who before the conflict did not have a direct relationship with arms, have left their work behind guided by the heart to go to the front or help somehow to the Armed Forces.
“You have to face the enemy with weapons in hand. It is much calmer and more effective than without weapons”, comments Vitaly Kapranov jokingly, who along with his twin brother, Dmitry, joined the ranks of the Army because neither could sit idly by reading messages on social networks such as “ all is lost” or “pray for Mariupol”. “The nerves couldn’t take it”, they confirm, something had to be done.
The start of the invasion was a shock to these journalist, writer and editor brothers who in the 1990s launched the Ukrainian newspaper ‘Tyndy-Ryndy’ and the science fiction magazine ‘Brothers in Moscow’, and ten years later created the Green Dog publishing house, which in a short time came to publish more than sixty book titles a year. Despite the horror of war, they knew they could not sit idly by. “We were very scared and went to the Azov regiment to enlist,” explains Vitaly. Although he has already left behind the fear of the first days, he never loses it completely, he assures.
Renowned Crimean actor and director Akhtem Seitalayev, at the helm of several high-profile films such as ‘Haytarma’ (2013) or ‘Another’s Prayer’ (2017), joined the terrorist defense of kyiv in the early days of the invasion of big scale. He recalls that at that time there were long queues of those who wanted to join the 206th battalion of the capital’s troops, with whom they immediately went to “hell.” “We received weapons and that same night we went to Gostomel,” says this 49-year-old man who “dreamed of being a soldier.” He now lives the situation in the first person and has used his cinematographic experience to adapt to his new reality and master weapons, since for more than ten years he has produced films related to armed conflicts. One of the most famous, ‘Cyborgs’, is about the defense of the Donetsk airport during the Donbass war.
akhtem seitablaev
“Who would have imagined it,” he says to himself every time he looks at himself in the mirror in his military uniform Max Barskykh, a pop singer from Kherson with more than six albums in his discography and quite popular in Russia. “A month ago the only thing I had in my hands was a microphone. Now I have a gun. But now times have changed », he explains. Even so, he is hopeful about the Russian withdrawal. “How are we going to celebrate our victory?” He ventured to ask his million-plus followers on social media. In fact, Barskykh went one step further. He terminated all contracts with Russian companies and banned his music in the former Soviet country. “I don’t want my music to be heard in the country that started the war in Ukraine!” he exclaimed.
“Give up now”
The 34-year-old national boxer Vasyl Lomachenko, Olympic champion twice in 2008 and 2012 and selected in 2017 as the ‘boxer of the year’ by the American specialized magazine ‘The Ring’, also joined the Ukrainian Army to maintain “order » after witnessing the destruction in Odessa, his hometown. Daniel Salem, presenter of the television program ‘Zirkoviy Shlyakh’ of the leading national channel ‘Ukraine’, also wanted to be part of the defense of his town, Odessa, where his vehicle suffered a Russian attack, from which he emerged unharmed. . «Let them give up now. I don’t want war, I don’t want pain », he prays, although he stresses that « there is no forgiveness for those who kill innocents ».
Vasyl Lomachenko
He was not the only one to endure fire from Moscow forces. Andriy Khlyvnyuk, leader of the band Boombox and considered Ukraine’s most famous rapper who has graced stages in Europe, the United States and Canada, was attacked by mortars while defending kyiv and was injured. “Our column lost two trucks, but I think our volunteers will manage,” he said after the assault. «Musicians are peacemakers, but now is not the time to play guitars. It is time to take up the rifles », he explained upon enlisting in the Army. Choreographer Dmytro Dikusar was also hit by ballistic missiles and made it out alive. “We survived the attack. Thanks to God, to the professionalism of our commanders and to the coordinated work of each soldier, almost all of them managed to get out of this hell”, he said. Others suffered sadder outcomes, such as Pavlo Lee, an actor who appeared in various films and gave voice to the Ukrainian versions of ‘The Lion King’ or ‘The Hobbit’, among others. He joined the defense of Lviv from the first day of the war and died at the age of 33 in a bombardment in occupied Irpin.
Dmytro Dikusar
“My plan is to win this war”
“We work as an evacuation brigade,” says the singer of the group Antitila, Taras Topolya, who was put together with his keyboardist Sergey Vusik and guitarist Dmitry Zholud, about his new reality. “Our task is to go find the injured, provide first aid, stabilize them and get them to intensive care or surgery as quickly as possible.” Already in the first days of the invasion the singer suffered a confrontation. “A sabotage group was working at our headquarters. The next day we were attacked by snipers. I’m not going to lie, it’s an unpleasant experience,” laments Topolya, who despite everything assures that “it is normal for men in their right mind to go and defend their country.”
Lev Ulesov, from Brovary, was building a successful career in the fashion industry before the war, walking in catwalk shows for Prada, Givenchy, Hugo Boss and other leading global brands. At 21, he traded in his fashionable attire for camouflage clothing and is now a combat medic. “My plan is to win this war. Rescuing people from hot spots, providing first aid on the ground, and getting bodies out of the front lines,” he explains.
Lev Ulesov
Actress Ada Rogovtseva, for her part, established a volunteer headquarters at her house in kyiv, who wash the clothes of soldiers and where their “heroes” are given the opportunity to rest. “I can’t understand what they think of people as simple, honest and kind as the Ukrainians. How is it possible to invent something and then destroy ourselves for it? », she wonders. “Everyone sees this injustice, but the Russians don’t see it. For some reason they think we want to do something vile to them. What have we done wrong to be so hated? This 84-year-old actress, who in 1978 was decorated by the Soviet Union as People’s Artist of the USSR for her long career in movies and plays since her debut in 1956, she can’t get an answer for it.
Ada Rogovtseva
#microphone #hands #gun