Days before the invasion, Kozak warned Putin at a Security Council meeting: Ukrainians will resist, sanctions will be severe, Russia's position will suffer. He drafted a memo predicting Sweden and Finland would join NATO, which came true. 2/
Full-scale invasion and national resilience, broadcasted live.
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Artem finally reaches Kyiv with volunteer support
Volunteers met Artem on the Ukrainian side. They fed him, gave him a SIM card, and offered support. That same day, he continued to Kyiv, finally reaching the city he had risked everything to get to. 11/
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Medical commission ignores kidney condition, Artem must serve or flee
At the medical commission, his kidney condition was ignored. The verdict: if you arrived on a motorcycle, you are fit for service. Artem realized the system would not let him opt out. The choice narrowed to two options: serve or run. 8/
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Artem fled Crimea via Belarus
Artem contacted Ukrainian volunteers for help. He boarded a train and left Crimea, telling his parents he was going on vacation. In reality, he began a dangerous escape route through Belarus.
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Artem’s visa denied due to unrecognized Crimean passport
Artem tried to leave Russia legally. He saved money and planned to study in Slovakia. At the embassy, he was told Crimean passports were not recognized and a visa would not be issued. His exit route closed before it opened. 6/
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Artem: studies meaningless, journalism under occupation leads to exile
He says the studies felt pointless. The diploma looked like a formality without value. Journalism under occupation meant prosecution, not a profession. Artem understood that staying meant silence or punishment, and neither was a future he could accept. 5/
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Student told ‘Glory to Ukraine’ is Nazi slogan by psychologist
At school, Artem once shouted “Glory to Ukraine” out of a window. Minutes later, a school psychologist entered the classroom. Artem was taken aside and told those words were “Nazi slogans” used during the alleged “killing of children in Donbas.” 3/
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Teen from Crimea escapes 3,000 km to Kyiv to avoid Russian draft
An 18-year-old from occupied Crimea was about to be drafted into the Russian army. Instead, he escaped more than 3,000 kilometers and reached Kyiv. This is the story of Artem, who chose flight over serving the state that occupied his home. — Suspilne 1/
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Former warehouse worker now flies drones with marine infantry in Kherson
Leva: Mornings I worked a warehouse. Evenings I flew the FPV sim, my wife watching. Late 2024 Zelenskyy signed the return law and I returned. Now I fly drones with marine infantry on Kherson front. 8X