 Hi, and welcome to Cooper Union. What's happening with human rights around the world on Think Tech Live, Streaming, Network, Broadcasting from our downtown studio at the core of downtown Honolulu in Hawaii, Moana, New Ikea. I'm your host, Joshua Cooper. And today we're looking at Ukrainian women in the war want peace, fighting for freedom on the front lines. And I'm joined today by Yara. Yara, thank you so much for speaking with us here in Hawaii and around the world. Hello, nice to meet you. Nice to see you here and today. We know that, of course, war has been going on for a long time since 2014 and before. But we know Ukraine held its first independence day since the start of the Russian invasion. Could you share what it felt like that day last week? Of course, I can. The end of the February and March was very difficult for me and for my battalion and for all Ukraine defense forces. And that day I feel a great coldness when I had to have lots of sleep just in the land and in the Armour Vehicle inside of Armour Vehicle and it was quite cold winter. And I thought that the summer would never come, truly. And I thought I would never be alive to the summer and to our independence day. So that time I thought I wouldn't be alive until 24th of August. And that week ago, I was happy that I was lucky to meet that day. And of course, I remember it's about a fellow who died the last few years. I just wanted to say we're so glad you're alive as well. And we know that women are sacrificing a great deal in the current conflict and the pursuit of peace for the future of your nation. Well, yes, it's my choice. I'm not conscript. I was in contract. I've been in contract for two years. It's my third year in the Ukrainian army. And it was my choice. So I don't think I am a weak team or something like that. No way at all. I think you're more brave for serving in the many roles that women do and for you to secure the right of self-determination and the destiny of your emerging democracy in Ukraine. What did you do before you joined? Before I joined, I studied in Kiev in university. I was finishing my master program from literature. Literature studies. And after that, I was a translator in publishing house. I translated books from English to Ukrainian. And I also worked as social activists. So we looked through different laws that was voted in our parliament. Democracy and Ukrainian culture, Ukrainian language were very important to me as for activists. And of course, women's rights as well. We appreciate you sharing. And of course, what you're talking about really described, it's a fight for freedoms, no matter what the challenge is. And it's great to know that you were involved to make sure that the democracy was thriving as well. And exciting to hear about your literature too. Yeah, democracy is very important for me. And you know, this war, we fight not only for our state, but for democracy as a way of living. Because the thing that we have in Russia, they have in Russia, right? It's a country where you cannot develop yourself and where you actually cannot be free. That's why I didn't want Ukraine to become a part of Russia. And it's true, Ukraine just celebrated its 31st anniversary of being an independent state. And it really signals the defiance of the Kremlin and its clotocracy and its culture of authoritarianism. What is it like on a daily basis? And what could you share with the world who's not there on the front lines? Oh, OK, OK, you asked about my day, yes, about what I'm doing here. Nowadays, my task is to organize tactical and medical evacuation from positions. From our positions here. And besides, I also pilot Joan. So these are the things that I do daily. I'm also a driver. So I drive my car in different parts of the other direction. Many different tasks, whatever is necessary to to make sure that you have your freedom. Yeah, of course, I'm combatomatic. So combatomatic is in Ukrainian armies, almost ordinary soldier. But in case there are casualties, there are wounded soldiers, you just give him first aid and help to be evacuated. And in case there are no casualties, you just walk as ordinary soldiers and do ordinary tasks. So I'm not surgeon, I'm not professional, like medic. Just like paramedic. What are some of the worst and what are the general human rights violations that you see in your work as a paramedic and helping Ukrainians? I helped my wounded fellows when we were in direction near Mariupol city. If you hear that, we were sent there on the beginning of the March. And there we our our company. Three of us, three of us were killed and we had lots of wounded. Well, you know, for me to help soldiers, well, it's it's my job. I don't feel any like bad feelings, you know, it's just my job. But it was quite difficult for me when I saw a wounded kids. You know, I had an experience in this village that we defended this village for a week. With a not not big forces, you know, Russian Russian forces will be for much, much bigger at the time. So they had lots of armor. We we call lots of artillery and we just like two platoons, yes, who should keep this village. And in that village, I had experience to help one boy who was wounded in chest. That was very difficult for me because, you know, kids, it's quite difficult even for me as a military, because, well, soldiers, we are just adult people. We understood what we choose when we went to the army, but not kids. Well, and I felt well, anger and hatred towards Russian what they do with our civilians in Ukraine. That was the worst experience for me. Of course, apart from that, it is very difficult to very difficult to survive a situation when you cannot evacuate your killed fellow on the battlefield. No, in this active war. No, the one killed, it's very difficult to live with that because then his parents, his relatives ask you where is his body? And you just must explain that you didn't have the ability to do that because of the bottom. It's very hard, I think, for every soldier in war. No, it's brutal. And we thank you for sharing and giving us insight to what it's like being a soldier, fighting on the front lines there. What is, if there is anything, the most gratifying important part for you to participate in this fight? You mean what, why I participate in this, right? Yeah. So what you mean, what were my reasons participate and join, right? Yeah, the what motivated you and then what's the most important part you feel today about motivation? Very important thing that we have no choice if we want to live in democratic state, if we want to come back to our homes, my home is in Kiev in the capital of Ukraine, we have to fight because if we would not fight, we would be occupied it for a few weeks. I think so. So the motivation is coming back home in your free home. This is my main motivation. I chose to sign contract in 2019 because I understood that there will be the second hot face of this war that Russia is going to attack us again as in 2013. And I wanted to be ready and prepared to this moment. And so 24th of February, I meet with my like a platoon, we were already we we did what we ordered what we were ordered to do. But there are things on each war to which you will never be prepared. You must understand that Ukrainians, we peaceful nation, we would never start war. We would never we don't want war. We want to develop our country and our business and other things. But you see, we have no choice. It's not we started this war. No, and I've been to Kiev as well. And we did a human rights training there, focusing on the sustainable development goals and also looking at the important issue of the emerging democracy. And I think what you were sharing about as well, what you participated in the nonviolent revolution to make sure that your government was on the right path towards peace and and democracy for all people in Ukraine. Yeah, I was also I participated in the revolution in 2013. And that was revolution of values. And it was our choice to join this European Union and European values, not to be in our post-Soviet state of Soviet state, autocratic state. Very important choice in my life is revolution. No, and and I remembered when the invasion of Crimea took place, many people saw that as the beginning and that the response was not rapid enough by the world so that, unfortunately, we find what did take place on February 24th of this year. You see Russia and Putin, they hope that this time they took lots of territory the same way as they took Crimea. You know, that we just Ukrainian army will go to leave this region. But, you know, I always say that Putin and Russian, they never, never learned the history of Ukraine. They think we don't deserve to be a state. And that's why they didn't know our history. Because if they learned our history, history of Ukrainians and Ukraine, they would know that we never grew up by the way that we always fight for us, even if we have much, much less forces to defend ourselves. That that was always in our history. No, I remember being there on a very cold day. And I remember the one square that's at the bottom of the very long hill and the ice that forms and the people's will just to make it no matter how cold and how icy the hill was, people would still make it up that hill. And of course, from Hawaii, we're not used to ice like that, but you could just see the indomitable will of people in Ukraine, but also the love for life and culture as I was able to go throughout the streets of Kiev from the opera house to the cafes. And I definitely hope for you that you'll be able to enjoy Kiev again very soon. And when we look at now, what's going on, we know there's a new offensive that's starting and it's looking to try to focus on the southern part of the country, looking at Kerson. Do you feel that that's moving in the right direction and that we might be able to reverse that space? I hope so. Of course, I hope that we will take Kerson back. But of course, we will have much lost, you know, I am as a military. I understand that to back Kerson and the south of Ukraine, we should pay with blood, you know, we should pay with blood and we have lots of weapons. And we are we are really sent grateful to the USA to the European countries for weapons, because I see I see these weapons here on the front line and they they have already changed the. You know, the way this war. Goes here, you know. Russians, they're afraid of these weapons that we got from us. And it helps us to save the lives of military and, of course, the lives of civilians. That's probably the most valuable words that we could ever hear. And we appreciate hearing from you on the front lines. What is needed the most? But also, what do you think the world can do to help looking at this conflict, six months in on the latest wave, but also since 2014? I think the world can give us weapons. This is the first thing that and the first thing that all countries can do, and that's very helpful. And the second thing is not to forget, not to forget about this war because, you know, in the modern world, the memory is very short, you know, in the world of social media, the memory is very short. The wars and conflicts, they look just like one, you know, one phrase in the news. And next day, you don't remember this. And it's very important for Ukrainians that you and the whole world wants to forget about our fight for democracy. This is very important. And I believe if we got much weapons, much this canons, cannons and long distance artillery, if we got lots of that, we'll be able to back our territories and to stop Russia. I think and to stop for for a long, for a long time. And this war is very devastating for the very hearts for them as well. So they underestimate us. You're it's it's beautiful to see your bravery and we appreciate all that you're doing. As you said, it's out of necessity for the love of your nation and to make sure that the people of Ukraine have a country in the future. When we look and we hear from you directly, it allows us to definitely never forget. You don't need to worry about that. But I do appreciate your sense of understanding the strategy of what needs to happen with what we face today, that when the lens of CNN or the world media might shift, that people would forget. But we can see now six months in that many people. Ukraine is still on their mind, but even larger in their heart. And people are working and standing in solidarity with you. And we appreciate you taking the time, especially so late and also being able to find a safe space to be able to. Share with the world directly from the front lines, what you're facing on cold evening there and what's going on from the front lines where people want to know. And we appreciate you coming on today to giving us an insight into what you're you're seeing. It's support, support and plus. I think if you could just speak up a little, I missed that last part, but I'm trying to hear. Maybe I don't catch you again. The connection is quite weak here. I don't hear all the words that you say here. No problem. We appreciate you making the time about message, right from here. Yeah. OK. Well, it's just a bit, I don't know. Just a bit, I don't know, stand with us. Remember that one, one, one death, the death of one civilian and the death of one soldier. It is a war, you know, and right now here in Ukraine, Russia can make such crimes that are so so so weak and so great that it's difficult to to conceive them, you know, to just to believe that it's possible this century. Yes. And I hope that in the future, you know, the lives of the Ukrainians, they will be more perfected than it was before 24 February. I hope so. I hope for this solidarity from all the world and from us for that. Well, there's definitely a couple of things that we can share. And that first and foremost is there are many lessons of the global community standing together in solidarity and acting more quickly than ever. But what you're also sharing from the front lines is is the weaknesses of the world system and how we have to make sure that we strengthen the rule of law and human rights so that no one's rights are denied and that no other woman or child or person would have to face what you're facing on a daily basis. Now in Ukraine that we could end the scourge of war forever. Yes, that would be great conclusion of all of that. Yes, but the truth is doesn't matter in what century believe yes and what how developed is our civilization. There will be always will be someone like Putin who just want to check it, you know, and destroy it, by the way, and we should be prepared. And of course our experience I understand is very valuable that this war is something that is something different that I think other countries, for example, it's very different from Middle East Afghanistan, because this is this is this war is like World War two, you know, great amounts of farmer to me call thanks. Yes. No, it's true when actually on this day in 1146 the European leaders outlawed the crossbow, and they were hoping to intend to end war for all time so as you share we do have to see what's possible in what direction we need to go in in the future, but that we have to look at some of those deeper issues maybe that you were looking at in literature, did you have a favorite literature that you enjoyed while you were studying that might provide a lesson for humanity going forward. I know lots of Ukrainian leadership, but I'm about this, you know, or if you interested in Ukrainian literature you will find that there are lots of facts about fight and about fight firms themselves. And let me let me remind the answer. For example, Milan Kunder, if you know such writer. He's a Czech, Czech French answer and he wrote a lot about this. How the utilitarian regime is changing country changing personality. This is about the invasion of Russia to Czech Czech Republic in 1968. Yes, and right now I'm reading his novels, Milan Kunder and I admire the census that he found I admire his novels for great freedom of personality. That is the main value and the great freedom of personality, you know, this without any measures. As the same thing, which is forbidden in Russia. No, I hope you are able to continue reading and continue your studies very soon. And I'll definitely look up that author, and I also love the writing of Baclav Havel and those amazing people who also use the word as the most powerful weapon to change what they find themselves in to make the world a better place for all. We hope we can share your words tonight with the world and we look forward to seeing you again soon. Thank you so much for watching Think Tech Hawaii. If you like what we do, please like us and click the subscribe button on YouTube and the follow button on Vimeo. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and donate to us at thinktechhawaii.com. Mahalo.