EP.7: How to be a female warrior with Kristina Voronovska

Kristina Voronovska: I wanted to join the army in 2014, but my son was very young. He was five years old, so I couldn't leave him. And in 2022, he was 13 years already. At the very beginning of the war he was with his father in Kharkiv and he called me and said: "If I die, know that I love you, Mom!" At this moment I've been so desperate and I've been so angry and I said: "I'm gonna win this war for my son and his kids and our grandkids and so on, so on, because I need to give my family this country back."

Luzia: Welcome to the podcast "Yak ty? Ukraine Live." "Yak ty?" means in Ukrainian, "how are you?". I'm your host Luzia Tschirky, a former correspondent, now a book author and a freelancer. On this podcast, I'm always talking to a guest live from Ukraine. The aim of this podcast is to give people in Ukraine an opportunity to share their very personal experience of Russia's full-scale invasion of the country. I am more than delighted to welcome today's guest on the podcast, Kristina Voronovska. Kristina serves in the 116th Mechanized Brigade in Ukraine as a volunteer. Like all women in the Ukrainian army, she serves as a volunteer. Kristina was sent from the frontline to rest for several days and is joining us from the Kharkiv region. Kristina, welcome to the podcast.

Kristina Voronovska: Thank you so much for inviting me. Hello, hello.

Luzia: I always start this podcast with the question, how are you? How are you right now? Jak ty saras?

Kristina Voronovska: A little bit with PTSD, a little bit depressed, but everything is alright. Yeah, we're still fighting, so no chance to step back.

Luzia: A friend of mine who serves the Ukrainian army once told me that he has the impression that everyone in the Ukrainian army is suffering from PTSD. Is that you're personal experience as well?

Kristina Voronovska: Yes, unfortunately, a lot of people suffer from PTSD and the worst thing is that not many people can understand that they have PTSD. I'm lucky enough because before a full-scale invasion, I started the therapy several years ago, so I was familiar with the signs of PTSD or anxiety or something like when something goes wrong with me. That's a good experience for me. I used to hate this experience in my life but nowadays I understand that it's really good because I can spot that something is going wrong and talking to other soldiers as I'm trying to get closer to the topic of military psychology I'm trying to like as a medic as a person who works in the medical field. I'm talking a lot to the soldiers especially wounded soldiers And I see that a lot of people have epithets in here. But as we have a bit of Soviet minds in Ukraine still, when you say that I need to go to the psychologist or I need to go to the psychiatrist to talk about my mental state, people are afraid of this topic, especially soldiers. They don't want to say that, I do not feel fine. And that's really bad because it's... not well for the soldiers themselves. So luckily, yes, I'm aware of my state and trying to fight it because I don't want to give up. And I know that war is exhausting, but I need to stay on the front line and work as much as possible. So, I wish more Ukrainian soldiers were aware of their mental state and get normal treatment.

Luzia: And what can you personally do to support your mental state?

Kristina Voronovska: Well, I'm okay with asking the military psychologist in my brigade to talk to if I need help. Or just get the, how to say it... So I can ask our medics of the brigade to send me, for example, to the doctor to the nearest biggest city to see a doctor and ask for medical treatment, for example, if I need special pills, like antidepressants or whatever. So I can visit professional doctors and they give me this opportunity, of course. So that's how I can do that. And also I can talk to therapists online because I have therapists I work with. I'm in another category of people who are aware of their mental state, so I can help myself. That's why I have different options to stay in a plus-minus normal mental state, but it's almost impossible because when you work on the front line, of course, it affects you a lot.

Luzia: What made you join the Ukrainian army as a volunteer?

Kristina Voronovska: When it was the first day of the war, of the full-scale invasion, I call it the big war. I couldn't believe that it had started because it's like 2022, you know, and it's almost impossible to believe that a big war can start because we had already military actions on Donbas. for me, it was unreasonable. On the second day of the big war, came to the military office and said, okay, I'm ready to join the army. And they look at me and like, babe, you're like, you don't have military experience. And no, sorry. And they're like, you can't join because we need those people who have military experience. And I became a volunteer. In the first year of the war, I was driving back and forth from the frontline, from calm cities right to the frontline, helping soldiers, helping civilians. In 2023, I moved to Donetsk Oblast and started to live in Kramatorsk and be a frontline volunteer there. So I used to work in evacuations and volunteer evacuations, medical evacuations also with civilians, with militaries, et cetera, et cetera. And I was all these two years, like in a row, I was trying to... make myself an access to the army, to the combat brigade, like the one who fights, like not staying somewhere in the headquarters. And yeah, it was hard as I'm a woman and like it's not very easy to get to the front line when you're a woman because everybody's like, you're a girl, you need to stay at home and cook borsch, you know, and it was hard. But at last, I got access and I found my ideal brigade and in 2024 at the end of March, I signed my contract at last. So actually it was a long, long journey.

Luzia: What were the reactions from your close friends and your family when you told them that you signed the contract and then you were joining like the army officially?

Kristina Voronovska: They expected that because my family left Ukraine at the beginning of the war, at the very beginning of the war. And I'm very lucky because I'm not worried about my family, especially my son. Because I wanted him to be in a more peaceful country without war. And so they expected me to join the army, but it took time. So they were worried before when I was a volunteer and living in Donetsk Oblast, going into hotspots. They were already worried, but I just said: "Yes, I need to sign a contract and everything will be fine." And they believe me, they support me. So they just pray, of course, but they're happy that I made this decision.

Luzia: When your family left Ukraine you as a woman could leave as well. What made you stay?

Kristina Voronovska: I wanted to join the army in 2014, but my son was very young. He was five years old, so I couldn't leave him. I was divorced already, so I couldn't expect that I could leave my son to my family and go to war. And in 2022, he was 13 years already. That's why I've decided that it's kind of personal. Because at the very beginning of the war, he was with his father in Kharkiv and he called me and said: "If I die, know that I love you, Mom." And at this moment, I've been so desperate, and I've been so angry, and I said: "Okay, it's personal now and I'm gonna win this war for my son and his kids and our grandkids and so on, so on, because I need to give my family this country back." Because it was, it's still like I don't want my family to come back right now because it's still sometimes dangerous and I don't want them to live in this like nervous, nervous environment and dangerous environment. So actually I'm just fighting for my family and for my friends who are still alive and those friends who are already dead because they gave their lives to this country to protect this country. And that is why it's just a strong motivation, patriotic motivation maybe. Because I understand that Ukraine nowadays is fighting not only for our country, we are fighting for the whole world. As I see it, if we lose, can show that terrorism is alright. That terrorism is a winner in this world and I don't want that. I want to show everyone that it's not all right to attack another country. It's not all right to start a war conflict. War or conflict, it's not all right to use weapons when you need something. We need to sit and talk. And if you start a war and if you start using weapons, you're gonna be punished. That's why, like that's my motivation to show the whole world that we have to be in peaceful times, not in war because it's like, yeah, it's ridiculous.

Luzia: When you look back on your time, served in the Ukrainian army, what would you say? When was the moment that you turned from a civilian person to a military person?

Kristina Voronovska: I'm still half civilian, half military. Still, I'm not a fan of the army system sometimes, you know, because I'm still, you know, that girl, a volunteer girl who is like, come on, let's go forward. And in the army, I have to follow rules. But I love the army because that's why I wanted to go to combat brigades and combat units just because it's a little bit easier in here. Because people still understand that we need to fight. When you're staying somewhere in the headquarters, somewhere in vast Ukraine, there are too many rules, which I cannot hold. I cannot send them. I'm not a military girl, but I'm a fighter. That's why I understand that my place in the army right now, and I'm happy to be here. I'm happy to be here. So though I have a civilian state of mind, I'm totally military.

Luzia: How would you describe, if there is such an average day serving in the army? What does that look like for you?

Kristina Voronovska: It depends on where I am. Sometimes I work about 40-50 km away from the frontline. And it's a super easy and super calm day. just treat soldiers who have concussions or small injuries. And well, it's super, super nice because it's even sometimes not what I want it to do. But when I go to the frontline, for example, for instance, in Kupiansk, I work at stabilization points. That's where I love to work, not because I love wounded people, do not think like that, but because I feel that I can be useful. I can be useful in there. I can do something, I can grow, I can be better, and show the result because I came here to help wounded soldiers. That was my idea even in 2014, though I do not have any medical education, but I've done everything to become a... a small medic, not a real medic, not the one who has a medical education, but at least to help these professional medics to work. I'm kind of a nurse at stabilization points, and here where I rest, it's a small hospital, let's call it that, so I'm just a nurse. But at least I can do something. I can do something for... people who do the real magic, who take people out of their other worlds, you know, because in Stabilization Point we treat like small injuries and also we have like very hard injured people. That's why it depends. my... My ordinary day in Kupiansk, of course, is much more nervous and is much more dangerous. And of course, there are lots of weapons and lots of strange things happening. But actually, I'm always focused on what I have to do. And that is why I do not pay attention on what's happening outside, except for those moments when I need to be attentive to escape from death, actually.

Luzia: You hadn't had any medical experience before you joined the Ukrainian army if I understood you correctly. How does one teach oneself all these different things you need to know now when you're working?

Kristina Voronovska: I used to study tactical medicine in 2023 when I first got on my volunteer evacuation missions, on medical missions. So first I was like looking at the medics and like wow They're doing so great and then I started to study tactical medicine and then I started to train and then I started to work and after I joined the army I went through basic education for militaries we have in Ukraine like the obligatory one. And I came to my brigade and they were like, okay, you want to be a combat medic or you want to study medicine, at least though I cannot be a professional like civilian medic or the one like surgeon or anesthesiologist. I cannot, but I can study tactical medicine. Of course, there are no requirements for me to have a medical education. So my brigade gave me an opportunity to study for two weeks individually. here at the brigades, here on the frontline. That was an amazing experience because they paid so much attention to my knowledge. They gave me so much knowledge in here on the ground. And as I had experienced before, plus this knowledge, additional knowledge, and additional individual training. So it became much easier right now. And I want to grow in tactical medicine and I hope my brigade gives me an opportunity to work more on tactical medicine. Because that's what I love, actually.

Luzia: I assume that you try your very best to save everyone who comes to the stabilization point. How do you deal with situations when you cannot do anything anymore for a person and when a soldier dies at the stabilization point? How do you deal with that?

Kristina Voronovska: I was super lucky because no one was dead while I was at work. Not because of me, but because of the professional medics. I was lucky. have never seen someone die in front of me. Yes, I've seen dead bodies, yes, I've seen those who are dead, but they were dead before I saw them. I was lucky. I don't know, God protects me.

Luzia: That sounds really like you got very lucky. very glad that you never have been in such a situation. Medics are attacked especially by the Russian army. Medics are unfortunately a target in this war. How do you deal with the danger that medics are a target in this war?

Kristina Voronovska: I can do nothing. I just can study because I can study about strategy and tactics of war. As for me, it's very important though. And now working at stabilization points, I hope one day I'm gonna choose and be in evacuation missions, in army evacuation missions. And that's why I have to study a lot. So how to drive a car, for instance, in a dangerous zone, though I'm not a... driver usually in the teams, but of course I need to know how to do it because if something happens with the driver. So I need to know how drones work, I need to know how artillery works and that can a little bit reduce the danger. So when you're at least prepared and knowledgeable, then you can be more ready for the dangerous situation. That's why we cannot ignore like, we cannot ignore knowledge. Okay, if to say not that precisely and We can do nothing with that. Unfortunately for me, it's kind of not scary but you know It's so damn strange that you attack medics and those evacuation teams. It's impossible to understand why. It's not fair. It's not within any humanitarian rights. It's not it's not okay, but He cannot change anything. The enemy is really, really nasty. I don't think that there was such a brutal enemy in the whole history of wars in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Luzia: Where can you get this knowledge you're aiming to achieve so that you can once in the future work in evacuation teams? Where can you get that knowledge?

Kristina Voronovska: First of all, was lucky while I was working as a volunteer in 2023 in different teams, especially I had an experience to work for three months in a team which like really professional it's those guys were really like crazy in what they were doing and it's an honor to have a knowledge from them and of course a lot of knowledge I try to get from those guys who have practical knowledge and so I have experience because Even if you like reading books or downloading different apps, which is enough here in Ukraine. We have different apps different Online services and all the rest and like YouTube to get the knowledge, but it's only theory so the best thing is to talk to those guys who do their job and to get the knowledge from them because of their success and their experience like you can measure their experience with the success of the extraction they had. And you can ask like how to do this, how to do that, what's your experience, but never rely on others experience. You have to think precisely because each situation on the front line every time is like really different. It's super different and you cannot rely on it, I was told that in this case, yeah, you have to know what's like in this case, other people were doing or what's written in the book, for instance. But you have to measure the reality that you have. As for me, the best recipe is to get theory, like videos, textbooks, etc., etc., apps, and so on, and get the experience of other people. And then in critical moments, your brain is like, you know, and, I see, I see the exit of the of this risky situation, I see what we can do in this situation, and you act because As very, there is a very popular saying that in the risky moment, you do what you've been taught to do. you know, your brain, like, because you kind of think a lot, your brain just, you know, acts and gives the signs to your body what to do. So you have to be prepared for many, many things.

Luzia: There is no training you could join like training, especially for becoming a worker in these evocation missions. There is no special training for you available. You could join so you would have the knowledge. You organize that by yourself.

Kristina Voronovska: There are, so if the commanders decide that I need to go to the training, of course, I will need to go to the training. But it depends if they decide because it depends on the gaps in my knowledge which I have. So if there is a training for that, I can go. If not, let's work. It depends.

Luzia: You have told me in the beginning that you already would have liked to join the Ukrainian army in 2022. But back then you were told that you have no experience and they were looking for people with experience. Looking back, you have the impression that if you would have been a man, they would have treated you differently. Did you ever feel like there was kind of a different way they approached you because you are a woman?

Kristina Voronovska: Yes, of course. Yes, of course. Because as you can see in the news right now, they grab lots of men out of the streets and they do not take too many women. And while I was trying to go through this military office in 2024, they even were reading my, how it's called in English, I don't know, but a recommendation letter from one of the brigades where they were trying to see if I'm going to the combat unit inside the brigade or not. Because they didn't want me to go to the combat unit. Later I signed the contract with the combat brigade in the combat unit and everything was fine. But a lot of people try to stop you from going to the frontline if you're a woman. Although there are so many stories about the successful service of women in the Ukrainian army on the frontline we have to accept that. But still, there is kind of, you know, Soviet state of mind or I don't know why it's happening still, but men sometimes tell me that: "I'm not okay that you're a woman and you're here", and I'm like: "Why?" and they're like: "Because I, you know, I came here to protect woman like you. And you come here to protect me. It's strange." And as for me, it's kind of a Soviet state of mind. In Ukraine, we cannot say that we have enough women in the army. There are around 40 or 50,000 women in the Ukrainian army and more than 1 million men. It's not okay. We are not allowed to come. No one will say: "You're..." They will say, like: "Thank you for joining the army." But they will say: "But why did you do that? Why did you have a family? You have to raise your kids." But okay, I'm a Ukrainian nationalist and it's my choice. That's it.

Luzia: What would you say? Would you support if military service would become mandatory for women as well in Ukraine? Would you support that personally?

Kristina Voronovska: It depends on the professions because for now, they mobilize women who are cookers, I think, and medics. Cookers and medics. And that's it. But... Well, in my humble opinion, actually, I don't want to be something mandatory because people are afraid to go to the frontline. In my opinion, our governments and our military service should work on making, like... army more, you know, how to say it, like, for people to like it, you know, for, because lots of people, have joined the army at the first month of war or first year of war or like later, but they were like, they were volunteers. Why did we do that? Because we wanted to fight for our country. And if, and even like people were like, you will hate army, but I was on the positive side of the service and that is why I was ready. Though I knew the negative side, I was ready too because I knew also the positive side. So if our military service and our government showed the positive side and helps this positive side to be bigger, then I think people will come voluntarily. Because while I'm serving, I'm telling my friends, for instance, that... armies, this and that, like, this have pluses, this have minuses, this is good, this is bad. And my friends, for instance, in my acquaintances, they're like, nice, thank you for the information. So I'm giving them the information from the inside. And actually, I cannot say that they refuse to fight. They're like, OK, I need to think about which brigade to choose or I need to think on which profession to choose inside the army. So they think when they have these pluses and minuses. They don't think, I don't want to go the army. They think like, I need just to do my choice precisely and then join. And that's good, right? Because mandatory means that people are not that motivated in what they're doing. And that's not all right. They're trying to escape from the service. They're trying to pay someone money to become like kind of a person with disabilities and so on so on. It's super strange and it doesn't tell good about my country. So maybe we can change the situation with the changing mindset and changing the situation in the army itself.

Luzia: How is your situation as a woman in the army concerning the equipment you got? Do you have special equipment made for the body of a woman or what does that look like at the very moment for you?

Kristina Voronovska: Thanks to my supporters and those people who know me as a volunteer for a long time, they helped me to keep myself. That was the first time I was asking money for myself and I said, guys, like I need a special equipment, need a special uniform, need like something which I can be feel like, you know, cozy and work as much as possible. Because unfortunately, we are not given in every brigade, are still not given the uniform for women or equipment for women. So we have to buy it by ourselves. Though I have to mention that sometimes even men when they receive something in the army, they still buy themselves equipment. because of the quality, right? Every soldier wants to like who really fights, they want something better quality that's what we're given now. It's not bad. It's just because we're given something that is good for everyone. But when you want to keep yourself, of course, you love yourself. So you're trying to buy yourself something better.

Luzia: When female friends of you have heard that you have joined the Ukrainian army, would you say that you became like someone people look up to? Maybe other friends of you thought about joining the army after you joined? What were the reactions of your friends?

Kristina Voronovska: They were like, okay, you go to the army and then tell us if we need to join.

Luzia: And what did you tell them?

Kristina Voronovska: I told them that it was hard to go through this basic training just for me because it was very hard psychologically for me. I came from the front line. I came to the basic training and I was like, okay, what are you gonna tell me? Not because I'm, you know, think I'm a princess of war, but because like a little bit, I knew something and I was like, you know, I was ready to go to fight. I was ready already to go to fight and I had to spend two months for training. I was like, no way. No way dear. And yeah, for me it was like the worst time in the army because it took two months. It took two months. It was too long for me. But I understand that it's good for people who are not prepared at all. Because I was familiar with the weapon. I used to work on the polygon, train on the polygon before. So I was a little bit confident, you know. And like not many people knew what they are expecting in the army. Well, I just told my friend that you need to go through these two months and then everything is going to be all right.

Luzia: And did any friends of you join after you joined the Ukrainian army?

Kristina Voronovska: I knew several people, they're not like, you know, my friends, friends, my closest friends. They're just acquaintances. And yes, I know some people who have joined after that, but not many, not many.

Luzia: What would you say, you know, when you joined the army, did you ever think about how long you're going to serve and looking back, would you have expected that you would serve this long?

Kristina Voronovska: I have contract for three years, but in this contract they mentioned that if the war doesn't stop after these three years of service, they will renew my contract. That is why I'm actually ready to say as much as possible. I hope to stay alive and, you know, with all my limbs. So if I'm all right, I can like serve as much as possible, but I need to get the victory. like that's the statement. Victory is my goal. So No matter how long it takes, I just need to serve until we are winners.

Luzia: Are you expecting that you're still serving like after your contract would be over?

Kristina Voronovska: I'm not sure yet. It depends on the situation and it depends on help of our partners. It depends on help of the whole world. it only depends on how much weapon we got and how much support we're gonna have because unfortunately you cannot, we cannot stand alone. You Ukraine is impossible to win if no one supports us.

Luzia: What is the bigger problem? What you see at your brigade? Is it like the number of weapons or the number of soldiers?

Kristina Voronovska: In the army itself, the biggest problem is not enough weapon. Of course people are important, but we still have so many dedicated people that even if you give us enough weapons, they will shoot, they will do everything. Just give enough weapon. And by the way, I think that if Ukraine gets enough weapon, then there are gonna be more people who are gonna join army and see that we are becoming like a better army and a better equipped army. So more people will join us.

Luzia: Just for listeners who heard the sound in the background, are you joined by a dog? Do you have your dog with you or is it the dog at the place you're staying? Who's that dog barking in the background?

Kristina Voronovska: Well, I have with me, I have Carl Gustav. Carl Gustav is the dog that was found near Kupiansk. My friends helped me to find this ideal puppy. They just said, okay, there are puppies which we need to rescue. Are you gonna be a dog mother? And I'm like, I need to rescue a puppy. So yeah, I have Carl Gustav. And I have his girlfriend. We came from Kupiansk recently and he found a girlfriend in here. Actually they knew each other before, but now they have, I think, love.

Luzia: Okay, so you are actually joined by a dog while you're serving in the army so you can have a dog.

Kristina Voronovska: Yeah, sometimes it makes problems because Carl Gustaf follows me everywhere and he's not allowed to go to the manipulation rooms, you know, where we treat soldiers. So he has to stay at the house. But of course, if you have people around for okay, that dog stays with you. It's not a problem because he's my mental supporter. He's my psychological supporter. And a lot of people like it's a dog. Can I hug your dog? You know, and when you are in Ukraine, we in Ukraine and especially soldiers: We are keen on animals. We're keen on dogs. We're keen on cats We have like some of us have in the house like three four five cats Three dogs two dogs like five cats and three dogs. It depends on how you can take care after them Because yeah, we're keen on animals. They help us. We love them.

Luzia: So it's like your mental support animal.

Kristina Voronovska: Yes, because when I see him, you know, when he's like playing with me and like ask for food, for example, he's so cute. yeah, it helps me to reduce his stress, you know, because because I have someone to take care of. And of course, I take care about soldiers, but also it's nice to take care about the dog.

Luzia: Can you briefly explain the name sounds not very Ukrainian? What's the name of the dog and is that your idea to name the dog like this?

Kristina Voronovska: It was really strange. I woke up in the morning. I knew that soon I'm gonna get this puppy I was on the left bank of Kupiansk, so I couldn't afford to take him there It was like very dangerous for him So I was waiting for my small rest to have a small rest for several weeks to pick up the puppy and I woke up in the morning I was like I need to name this dog Carl Gustav. It's like a grenade launcher and I'm like but What an idiot names a dog after a grenade launcher. Like, okay, so I was thinking about the name and then I wrote my friend who had to give me this puppy, you know, who found this puppy. Like, I cannot imagine the name for the dog. He was like, you have to name him Carl Gustav. And I'm like, okay, two idiots want to name a dog after a grenade launcher. So, okay, his name is Carl Gustav. We call him Carlo, Carlito, call him Carla, so he has different names, but yes, he's named after Grenade Launcher.

Luzia: Okay, so how is the dog who's named after a grenade launcher dealing like with explosions, know, how is he dealing like hearing explosives?

Kristina Voronovska: Well, actually, I say that he's totally alright when something comes near. Because recently we had together an experience when an air bomb dropped near our place. And it was really hard for him because he was scared. But actually, only because it came near and all the windows were blown up in the house and it was very scary for him. But if it's not the incoming somewhere near us, he's alright, he's used to it. He's just like, explosions, okay, I need to have food. That's it.

Luzia: Does it help for you when you see that he's going on with his life thinking about food while an explosion happened? Does that help you personally also?

Kristina Voronovska: Yeah, because I focus, I love to take care about everything, know, about people, about animals, nature, whatever. Just give me an opportunity to take care. And that is why when I see that he's like going on with his life and I can proceed with taking care of him and when I have free time for work. And I see other people taking care of him or just smiling at him, hugging him, having fun with him. It makes me happy. I understand that there is something better in life, even though it is war, it's not that bad. It could be worse. While our animals and our families are alive, and our brothers and sisters are alive, still everything goes fine.

Luzia: People who are listening to this podcast, like the audience of this podcast is, you know, privileged people who are living in a country that is not war-torn, a country where it's peaceful outside and no bombs are falling, no shelling happening. People are asking themselves, I'm quite sure, about how do you actually walk a dog in a war zone? So on an average day, know, a dog needs several walks. How do you do that when you're working?

Kristina Voronovska: Well, actually if we live in a house for instance when owners of the house who left they sometimes let us live in the house so I can just like open the door and say like walk and he goes in the yard and Like having fun or even walking on the street with his friends dog other dogs So he just having fun. He enjoys life and he knows where he comes back to have food Yes, of course. I had several situations when I was running around the street and like Carlito, Carlito, come back. I love you. I don't want to lose you. But I found he was just having fun with another dog on the nearest street, you know, so he had he had his own life. Come on. Everything's fine. So luckily, like we have an opportunity. We're not living in flats, actually, because it's like very dangerous. So we are trying to live or somewhere in the dog house or somewhere like in the houses. It depends on the situation. So we have an opportunity to have dogs and let them walk. So it's not the problem. It's not the biggest problem. But well, actually, for those people who do not know what's happening in the war zone know that till the very end, even when lots of mortars landing somewhere in the area, shops still work. People still sell you food, sell you something like hygiene or whatever. Ukrainians is a very strange nation, you know? Because you still can see civilian people even sometimes I'm like, it's a left bank of coupons, it's super dangerous in here. FPV drones flying around, drones flying around, mortars landing everywhere. And the lady on the bicycle goes by and like, good morning. I'm like, what? Like why don't you leave this territory what's happening with your lady? They are allright with that and they're like, if you need a potato if you need potatoes Just come to my house. I live there. I can give you potatoes. Thank you soldiers for protecting us. That's Ukrainians crazy people really

Luzia: How far, for people, who are not familiar with the front line, how far is the left bank of Kupiansk from the front line?

Kristina Voronovska: Well, actually it is the front line. We live right now, like the rest of the world, live on the right bank. And when you cross the river, there's left bank sorts. And actually it's like, it depends on the situation, but actually it's the beginning of the left bank. It's like three kilometers away from Russians nowadays, even less maybe. It depends on how the situation on the front line goes.

Luzia: People were following at least a little bit how the frontline developed during the last few weeks and months. They most probably came across the situation that the Russians are actually advancing. How are you personally dealing with the fact that the Russian army advanced at several frontlines?

Kristina Voronovska: They used to have assaults in here also in Kupiansk and it was a bit scary of course because we don't want to the left bank because it will mean that we will need to work a lot to take it back later and it's not an option and of course Putin in danger, lots of army people, it's also not an option so it's like half and half but luckily we have succeeded with pushing them back a bit. And yeah, that's good news. So it's like something that gives you hope that everything's gonna be all right. It's not all right in the Neoscombles, of course, because I have lots of people in there and we see what's happening in there. I'm more positive in my area and they hope we're gonna do better. And I hope like I always believe that something like God will help us, you know, because God exists, I hope. And I know that. But yeah, it's where it's very hard to inescapable but you know The trick is that when you read news and seen news it's always like when you're not here You cannot understand the whole situation, right? And in here when I'm here even small success for me It's like it turns in a bigger success in my mind because for me like even when we have like 10 centimeters of freelance It's like But for people who read the news, they do not understand this smoke and success. They want to see deliberated territory. It's impossible. It's possible when we have enough weapons and enough support.

Luzia: Are you sometimes trying just to focus on the very positive things that you have like energy just to give you like more strength to carry on what you're doing?

Kristina Voronovska: Yes, of course you cannot be always positive, especially when you work in medicine You see that people are injured. Of course, you're like, But yes, I'm trying to find I'm trying to find positive moments. It's it's strange but it's the only thing that pushes you forward and this focus on victory and on getting this victory, you know, that's what moves me forwards Because I'm still, call me crazy, but I believe in victory. Some people are like, it's impossible to get the territories back. And I'm like, just trust, trust, trust. There is something bigger than we are. And there is something bigger that wants us to win because we are fighting for the lights. We're fighting for a good cause. We are protecting. So why do we have to lose?

Luzia: Did you become more religious during the war? You personally?

Kristina Voronovska: I am not super religious, but I am a believer because I saw lots of situations in my own life, you know when I was like even a volunteer and then I was attacked by Russian weapon and it was like directed into our group for instance into our volunteer group and I said like nothing can help me now, but that like something like, know a small situation and we're Escaping from death, you know And after that, I've decided that yes, something bigger exists and something bigger may wants me to proceed. So I need to work.

Luzia: How do you keep in contact with your family, who left Ukraine? How are you keeping up with them? Are you calling them? How do get in touch with them?

Kristina Voronovska: I am calling them, of course, I'm talking with my son a lot. I used to see them twice already during the big war. So I had like vacations. So I left Ukraine and saw them, but I was allowed to go out. Nowadays, of course, to go abroad, I need to ask my commanders and I need to get special permission that I that I'm going like abroad. But luckily, I have kind of trust, you know, from my commanders, they know that I'm going to come back. I just need to see my son, I just need to spend my time with my family and then of course I'm ready to fight. I'm not gonna escape, you know, and that's not my style.

Luzia: How was that for you, leaving the country, seeing other European countries, people there, peaceful life there? How was that for you coming from the war zone?

Kristina Voronovska: I'm doing my job for those people to live. And thanks to them, my family enjoys my life right now. That is why I'm happy to see that Europe is calm right now. I'm happy because my family first they moved to Israel and then in 2023, again, like the bigger was started and they had to move because we had relatives in there and they had to move to Europe right now. well, I'm happy. I'm really happy. For example, my mom also lives in Europe right now and I'm happy that my family can live there calmly and I want that for not only for my family because a lot of my friends live in Europe. Some of them used to live in Europe before the war. and I have nowadays I have lots of friends from around the world and I want them to enjoy peaceful life because when they enjoy a peaceful life. My friends, for instance, and everybody who support me, do not forget about war. They always in touch, they always help, they send help, they send aid, they send donations. they're not like, you know, I'm not jealous that they live a peaceful life. I want them to live peaceful life, be productive and do whatever they like. But I know that they won't leave me alone in here. They won't forget about me. They won't forget about my army. They won't forget about my nation. They will help me. Why not? And one day I always say that you're all invited to the barbecue in Crimea, you know, because Monday we're going to party in here. And that's my job to bring that day. And my friends and my acquaintances, think that their job is to help me while I'm here. So it's like, you know, come and go. So it's all right. Just live your peaceful life because Europe had really... Ukraine also, but you had this history of the First and Second World Wars and Europe do not forget about that. You had already a very painful experience and that is why I thank all Europeans who support us and know that Ukraine has to win. So the only thing I ask from people from around the world is: do not forget about this war, do not become blind. Help us, please. Stay with us. that's gonna pray for us, at least. And that's gonna help us. One day we're gonna win and one day you're gonna party with us in here and restruct this country and make it a story of this country, make it even better because my dream, not only to get victory, my dream is to build my country afterward. So we become, you know, a great partner for Europe, for United States of America and for the rest of the countries who are against terrorism. One day Ukraine is gonna be a good partner after all these adventures and after all this bad history we have right now We're gonna have lessons that will help us to become a good partner for the rest of the world and keep away all the terrorism and all this Bullshit like Russia or North Korea or whatever your name? Those like bullshit guys. Sorry for my English

Luzia: After all that you have seen after your personal experience at the frontline, after your family was forced to flee twice, first to Israel and then even further to Europe, I have the impression that whatever comes next in life you are prepared because you have seen already so much.

Kristina Voronovska: Yes, because I'm Ukrainian, I'm a warrior, we're a warrior nation. That is why we're a nation of winners and we're a nation of fighters and it's all right for us. Of course, it's not all right to have the war like in 2024 still. But I mean that we can go through it. We can go through, though I've lost so many people, so many friends of mine are injured, so they became... People with disabilities. I've seen lots of lots of I'm so sorry, but I've seen lots of shit But still, I'm positive just because I have to keep going why I have to say that okay. I'm done No Otherwise why we've been fighting for almost three years in this big war? If I step back if my friends step back if everyone steps back what's gonna be next? Countries like Russia will take the lead in the world, but it's an evil, a real evil that you have to fight with.

Luzia: Thank you so much for joining us on the podcast and for being such an inspiration. I'm sure everyone is in just awe of your personal strength. Thank you so much.

Kristina Voronovska: Thank you!