The digest was prepared within the framework of the Literary and Artistic Meeting “Word in War” project, which is implemented by the NGO “Verkhovyna – Flower of the Carpathians” together with the NGO “All-Ukrainian Democratic Forum”, the Lviv Regional Library for Youth named after Roman Ivanichuk with the financial support of the Ukrainian Book Institute.
Andriy Lototskyi
Born in Lviv. He comes from a family that took part in the liberation struggle in the 20th century, descendants of a doctor who cared for UPA soldiers, and a Sich rifleman, both grandfathers were repressed. Parents Zenovia and Rostyslav Lototski and aunt Natalia Lototska encouraged Andrii to study history, archeology, petrography and military affairs.
While studying at the Lviv Polytechnic, he became friends with Vlad Yakushev. From this long-term friendship and passion for history, the study of the native land, an interest in archeology was formed. Andriy Lototsky described his experience and skills in his books: “Grey Archaeologists” and “Forest Dumpster Robbers” co-authored with Vlad Yakushev. The texts of the mentioned books in a funny and easy way tell about the secrets of our land, in particular the Rohatyn region, from the point of view of archeology – what happened and what consequences we have today from the events of the past. In particular, the battles during the many wars that swept through the mentioned region.
Today, he is a serviceman of the 24th separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the owner of an online shopping site: “Shop of Good Gifts” – where the largest selection of modern Ukrainian military literature is presented, as well as handmade souvenirs. Traditionally, 10% of the profit is transferred to everything that can help our soldiers and bring victory closer.
Valeria Borshchevska
Volunteer, creator, producer of film projects. Literary producer of authors Serhiy Dzyuba and Artemiy Kirsanova (novels and films of the same name “Forbidden” and “Callsign Banderas”). Producer of the documentary film “Life after 16:30” based on the novel by O. Tereshchenko about the battles for DAP, serious injury, rehabilitation and return to an active life. Especially for the “Melpomena of Tavria” festival in liberated Kherson, she prepared a teaser for the film “O enemy, when you will be forgiven…” with the mentioned authors. The heroes of the documentary were the people of Kherson who survived the occupation. Participant of film screenings, presentations, the Forum of Military Writers in Lviv and the “Word in War” festival within the Via Carpatia forum.
Artemiy Kirsanov
Volunteer, writer, screenwriter. Born in Kyiv. Graduated from Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. He is a director by profession. Member of the “Ukrainian Film Academy”, member of the NGO “Guild of Screenwriters of Ukraine”. He worked on television as a chief editor, screenwriter of several TV shows, and director. Works in co-authorship with Serhii Dzyuba and Valeria Borshchevska. Screenwriter of the films “Callsign Banderas” and “Forbidden” based on the novels of the same name. Director of the documentary film “Life after 16:30” based on the book by O. Tereshchenko. Co-author of the books “Callsign Banderas”, “Callsign Banderas. Operation “Tomos”, “Forbidden”. A regular participant of the Forum of Military Writers, the “Melpomena Tavria” festival, the Via Carpatia (“Word in War”) forum.
Viktor Yankevich
Ukrainian writer. Member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine since 2019. The author of the books “Teneta”, “Copy”, “Retribution”, “Murder in the Library at 9 Rynk”, “The Last Letter”, “Cars and Whores”, “Teneta 2.0”, “Death as a Gift”. He is fond of weightlifting and fishing. You can create a high-quality love affair by becoming a creative couple! In October 2020, he took part in the “Literature illustrated” calendar project about modern Ukrainian authors from the “OVO” literary agency, together with writers Serhiy Zhadan, Pavel Korobchuk, Petro Yatsenko, Artem Chekh, Serhiy Demchuk, Serhiy Martyniuk, Pavel Derevyank, etc. Participant of the All-Ukrainian association “Knyzhkova toloka named after Lyubov Khomchak”, with whom he attended presentations in more than forty cities of Ukraine. As a participant of the “Kalmiyus” literary and artistic festival, he held dozens of meetings in Luhansk region and Donetsk region. Now protects Ukraine in the southern direction.
Volodymyr Skorostetskyi
Colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military journalist.
Born in Lviv, graduated from the Lviv Military Institute in 2001. Since 2014, he has been participating in the war with the Russian invaders.
A novice writer. Author of poems and short stories on military themes. The heroes of his works are real Ukrainian soldiers. During front-line editorial missions, the author works in the trenches and at the combat positions of our troops, where he draws inspiration and plots for his own creativity.
Co-founder of the All-Ukrainian Forum of Military Writers. Actively supports the volunteer movement since 2014. To help with military issues, he filmed a series of commercials on how to choose armor, helmets, and turnstiles. Organizes first aid courses and helps in every possible way to understand the arrangement of functional volunteer headquarters. Alongside Volodymyr’s motivated combat officer nature lives a subtle, sometimes sentimental lyricist. His poems inspire, gather our will into a fist and give a sense of the victorious road. Against despair. Volodymyr works incredibly interestingly with young people – on his initiative, many events of the Forum of Military Writers are held among cadets.
Rustam Givazovych Dmytruk
Professional bartender. In February 2022, together with his partner, he was one step away from realizing his idea – opening a cocktail bar in the center of Lviv, but it did not happen. On February 24, he submitted to the TRO. That’s how he became a soldier – a shooter of a unit of the Teroborony brigade. He broke into literature, as well as into war – uncontrollably and loudly. Did he write poetry before – he does not admit it, only hints. But the command considers Rustam a chronicler of his time and supports Rustam’s participation in various literary events. In March 2023, the first collection of poems was published. “It happened almost by chance, a friend gave me a present for my birthday. I myself thought that there were very few poems and was meticulous about them. I wrote more for myself. But I’m glad that it turned out that way,” adds Rustam. Dmytrouk’s poetry is like a good cocktail. Mixed feelings and sincerity. The author’s unique declamatory manner made him a favorite of poetic battles. Accordingly, Rustam actively participates in literary events, if the operational situation at work allows. Now the author is preparing material for a new book, and it will be an interesting experience of combining impressions from observations of rear life and life in the war.
Ilya Titko
In 2015, he volunteered for service in the Armed Forces. Participant of ATO in the 9th Battalion of the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade. During his service, he was on the defense line near the city of Popasna for more than 13 months without rotations.
He is an electrical engineer by profession. From 1987 to the present, he has been working at Kaluska LLC “KARPATNAFTOKHIM”.
Member of the Forum of Military Writers and the Via Carpatia Forum. At the Forum, the author held an exclusive author’s reading of the passage “Zablotsky” from the upcoming novel “The Break”.
In 2019, he wrote the memoir “Blood Formula”.
In 2021, the book was translated into English and published in Canada. Since April 2022, he participated in military operations against the Russian invaders in the Zaporizhzhia region near Gulyaipole. In July 2022, he was dismissed from the ranks of the Armed Forces after reaching the maximum age for military service (60 years).
Kateryna Fleckman
Journalist, psychologist, poet Worked in major cultural projects, including Radomysl Castle, Kairos Gallery, Sheremetyev Museum and others. In 2016, she became a co-founder of the “Journalist” information agency. The first literary experience was the publication of the “Dictionary of Love – Confessions of Love from A to Z”, a joint project with the magazine “Natalie” to support the women’s volunteer movement. I started writing back in 2014, but I didn’t do it all the time. In 2022, she published her first book of wartime poetry, “You wake up in the morning, you feed the cat… Chronicle of personal relations with the war.” The author believes that words in wartime have a therapeutic effect. Volunteer of the National Humanitarian Aid Agency ZDOROVI.
Oksana Vesna
Writer from Lviv, born on July 29, 1990. Since childhood, Oksana loved to read, but she saw ballet as her first “dream job”, although she was not at all inclined to dancing or to serious physical exertion, but she started telling her own toys fairy tales and stories she invented before she learned to write.
Oksana’s first published work was the book “What Angels Are They”, written during the last year of schooling (Oksana was 17 when the book was published). However, then Vesna had a break in creativity: the writer entered the Ukrainian Academy of Typography (studying to become an editor) and slightly pushed her successful creativity to the side.
Oksana’s second book “The Forest on the Edge” appeared as early as 2021, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as “What kind of angels are they?” it was a prose fantasy story. From the very beginning, Oksana positioned herself as a writer of prose forms, but the first large-scale invasion of the Russian Federation began, and “spring poems” (as the author herself calls them) began to appear (at the request of volunteers) at the Center on Rynok Square, 9. The collection “Unshot Poems” was written day after day — between volunteer routines. A poem is a short and emotional literary form, so it was through poems that Oksana wrote out her own feelings of anger, pain, and hatred for the enemy. But the most important component of “Unshot Poems” is hope. She lives in every spring work. Apparently, this is what Oksana Vesna wants to share with the world.
Oleksandr Lysak
Poet and military man from Kharkiv region. 2004 graduated from the Academy of Internal Troops. He lived and worked in Donetsk until the war came there. One of the brightest poets of the Great War – whose poems pulse with knightly love for those he protects and hatred for the enemy. Author of the collections “I create my day”, “Phantom pain syndrome” and “Scarred memory”. Participant of the socio-poetic project #TamDeVdoma. Member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine. He was a laureate of the “Young Slobozhanshchyna” literary contest, the Hleb Babich poetry contest, and the Les Martovych prize. His poems often become songs. Active participant of literary festivals in the Slobozhan region, participant of the Forum of Military Writers, Kyivbookfest. He served in the 3rd operational brigade of NSU in the anti-aircraft missile and artillery division. Now he is an officer of the 54th OMBr named after Ivan Mazepa. He is preparing a new collection for printing, being in the Donetsk direction of defense.
Olena Lototska
Born and raised in Polissia. She lived in Crimea from 1999 to 2014. After the annexation, the peninsula moved to Lviv. She started writing in 2018. She is the author of the collections of short prose “Now the Cuckoo Was Forging” (2020), “Angels in Necklaces” (2023). Works were published in periodicals, almanacs, and anthologies. Translated into Polish and English. Laureate of the Vasyl Skurativskyi, Vasyl Stefanyk, and Ivan Chendey awards. He is a philologist by education (University named after M.P. Drahomanov). Until 2014, she worked in the archival field, since 2015 she is a servicewoman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Olena is an author who actively promotes speech, applied and applied art of her Polissia. He has an incredible talent for reading the author’s stories, which lead us into the richness of the dialect and preserve its history of the Polish pike ancestors. Collects antiquities of Polissia. Promotes knowledge about the weaving masterpiece of the native village – serpanok. He dreams of writing about Crimea, but still lives with an unhealed wound and dreams of returning Crimea home.
Olena Mokrenchuk (Swallow)
Journalist, writer and major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The author of the books “Aliska Frontova Lysichka”, “Athens from Cuba”, “Wind from the Wild Field” and “Ukraine – a Dream”.
She was a press officer of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade named after Black Zaporozhets (2015-2018), acting as head of the press service of the “North” operational command (2018-2021). From December 2021, he is an officer of the Public Relations Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Member of the Union of Journalists and the Union of Writers.
Olena is one of the few military servicewomen whose work is dominated by works of art for children. Ms. Mokrenchuk actively cooperates with various communities, willingly and tirelessly visits preschools, schools, libraries and cultural institutions to introduce the reader to her heroes. Olena is an author who promotes not only her own creativity, but also actively “pushes” talented peers and colleagues. She was a participant of the first New York Literary Festival in Donetsk region, Kyivbookcest, Lvivbookfest and the Forum of Military Writers
Olga Donechchanka
She made her debut in modern Ukrainian literature with the novel “I Love Life So Much”. The book became an echo of unforgettable meetings with the fighters of welfare in 2014-2016. They were the first among those who stopped the enemy.
She lived in Donetsk before the Russian aggression. She worked at school, was engaged in business. All this was destroyed by the war. Because of her pro-Ukrainian position, the woman had to leave the occupied city with her family. The desire to write, according to the author, was irresistible, at least with a word, to fight against the falsehood of the “Russian measure” and the desire to tell about the sons and daughters of Ukraine. Tell about what was seen in 2014-2016 through the eyes of a Ukrainian woman from Donetsk.
Today, the author lives in the city of Lviv and actively participates in various cultural projects. In particular, she is a participant of the All-Ukrainian Forum of Military Writers and the “Word in War” program of the Via Carpatia festival.
For the author’s song “Victory” Olha Donechchanka received a diploma of the 1st degree in the All-Ukrainian competition named after Lesya Martovych.
Sergey Dzyuba
Born in 1978 in Kyiv. Graduated from the directing faculty of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. Journalist and participant of the television reality shows “Behind the Glass” and “Robber Cossacks”, participant of the TV project “Around the World in 80 Days on a Motorcycle”, the “Patriot Games” project. Since 2009, he has been a creative producer of the company “Creative Alliance.” In 2022, he joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In September 2022, he was wounded in the battle near Horlivka. He received the “Steel Cross” award. Screenwriter of feature films based on the novels of the same name “Callsign Banderas”, “Forbidden” and the documentary film “Life after 16:30” based on the book by O. Tereshchenko. Co-author of the books “Callsign Banderas”, “Callsign Banderas. Operation “Tomos”, “Forbidden”.
Tatiana Shtifurko
Journalist, photographer. She was born in 1987. In 2010, she graduated from LNU named after Ivan Franko. Until June 2019, she worked as a correspondent for the ZIK information agency in Lviv. Volunteer. Together with her husband, a military serviceman, the author of the books “The Punisher” and “The Mobilizer” Vlad Yakushev, and his brother and co-author of the books “Grey Archaeologists”, veteran Andriy Lototsky, founded the volunteer initiative “Shop of Good Things”. Books and handmade items by authors from the front are promoted and sold here. Tatiana initiates photo projects for veterans and military families, where she, as a light, is able to open the heart of her models to warm their souls. Tanya photographs many events related to the promotion of literature, which is created by military personnel and volunteers. And this becomes another material proof of the greatness and aristocracy of our nation.
Oleg Borodai
He went to the front as a volunteer back in 2014. Still at the front. A teacher by profession, Oleg began writing poems and memoirs during the war, which he later printed.
Laureate of the festival-competition “Slobozhansky Spas”, the competition “From word to word”, the award named after Vasyl Simonenko. Plays the guitar
It was published in the almanacs “Niva”, “Myrhorod Horizons”, “Glass of Time”, “In Search of an Alternative”, “Songs of the Unconquered by War”, “The Word Unites”, “Concord”, “And Life is Like a Dance over the Abyss”.
The author of the collection of poems “Echoes of the trenches”, “Relaxation of the soul”, the prose book in two parts “Fire shaft”.
When he has short vacations, he meets with connoisseurs of the sung poetic word in libraries, bookstores, museums of towns and villages, where he is invited.
Andriy Humeniuk (Celt)
Call sign Celt. Born in 1957 in Lviv. Ukrainian writer, painter, fighter of the OUN volunteer battalion, one of the founders in 1988 of the Lviv Theater named after Lesya Kurbas, where he worked as a production designer before the war.
In 1984, he graduated from the Lviv National Academy of Arts.
During 1986 – 2002, he was a member of the artistic association “Shlyah”.
Participant of the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity.
With the beginning of the war in 2014, he became a volunteer, later a paramedic.
Since 2016, he has been a fighter of the OUN Volunteer Battalion.
Author of the books “Songs of War” (2018) and “Africa” (2022).
“Africa” is a collection of biographical short stories about the war. The book also includes the author’s drawings. Everything that the author described in this book is based on real events, all events are directly or indirectly related to the war. This is an honest account from an eyewitness.
Andriy Kyrychenko
Born in 1978 in Poltava Oblast. After graduating from school, he entered a military college. Served as an officer in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The author of poetry collections “This is our truth!”, “That’s the kind of war…”, “Cellular shells in the pocket”, “Wings of angel wings”.
He started writing in 1995 at the military institute.
Poems about the war brought the author a laureate in the literary and artistic awards named after Vasyl Simonenko and Nechuya-Levytskyi. The author also became a laureate of the All-Ukrainian short prose competition named after Ivan Chendey and laureate of the award named after Bohdan Khmelnytskyi for the book of prose “Hunters behind hails”. Laureate of the literary contest named after Les Martovych (Lviv, 2020).
Laureate of the Ivan Franko Regional Literary Competition (Odesa, 2021).
Laureate of the 1st All-Ukrainian Literary Competition of Small Prose Forms named after Vasyl Stefanyk (2021).
Since 2017 – Member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine.
In the ATO zone, he served as an artilleryman of the 72nd OMBr named after Black Zaporozhets
Lives in Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region.
Ivan Gentosh
Ukrainian poet and parodist. Member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine (since March 2015) and the Ukrainian Association of Writers. Lives and works in Lviv. He is the author of: the collection of parodies “Pearls Popperly” (2010), the collection “Cast Iron Chandeliers” (2011), the collection of parodies “200 Shots at the PM” (2012, all published by “Kamenyar”), the collection “Alarm Bells” (Spolom Publishing House, 2014), the collection of lyrics “Over Everything!” (2015), collections of lyrics “Earthly Passions” (2016), collections of lyrics “Palette of Fate” (2017), collections of parodies “Rhyming Gets: Parodies” (2018), collection of poems “From the first person” (2019), collection of poems “As long as I have a word” (2021), collection of poems “Let’s hold on, brothers!” (2023), all published by Ukrainian Priority. Co-author of three collective poetry collections: “Irpin Poetic Meetings” (Ternopil, 2012), “Inspiration” (Kremenchuk, 2013), “Native Charms” (Lviv, 2013). Active contributor to the literary sites “Poetic Workshops” and “Inspiration”.
Vlad Yakushev
Born on November 20, 1975 in Lviv. In 1977, he graduated from Lviv Polytechnic State University, Faculty of Automation. Since 2000, he worked as a journalist in Lviv and Kyiv. Last position: editor-in-chief of the magazine “Kriminalne Chtivo. West”. Participant of the Revolution of Dignity. Author of the books “Punishers”, “Mobilizyaka”, co-author of the books “Grey archaeologists”, “Two with a shovel. Robbers of forest dumps”, “10 stories for boys”, “4-5-0”. In the spring of 2015, he was mobilized in the 14th OMBR to the position of head of the press service. However, he changed the standards of military journalism, and together with the soldiers went on combat duty and took direct part in the battles. Before the war, he worked as a journalist, although he was an electrical engineer by education, so making non-standard decisions is very much in Vlad’s style. In 2017, Yakushev became a co-founder of the All-Ukrainian Forum of Military Writers and actively raises the issue of veteran literature in the mass media. In order to support his fellow artists, together with his best man, a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, he founded a volunteer initiative and an online store “Shop of Good Gifts”. After the injury, he actively held creative meetings and shared plans for a new book during rehabilitation. The author of the column #Свята_на_болотах on FB, which also has a chance to become a book. Vlad’s works are complete such an ironic and positive context that the plots immediately live in the reader’s imagination as if they were movies. Today, Vladyslav continues to protect our Motherland.
Vasyl Palamarchuk
Vasyl Palamarchuk Military serviceman, deputy commander of the fire support company. He took part in the liberation of Buchi and Irpen, in the battles for the liberation of Kherson, in the battles for Bakhmut. Participant of ATO. Lawyer. He now sees his mission in the war as the liberation of his native Oleshki and the restoration of justice in his native land. The author of the book “Military Junk” about the events in Donbas in 2014. The book was republished by the “Squirrel” publishing house, for which Vasyl is preparing new stories from the war. This is very adult literature. With the maximum degree of frankness. But this is not about naturalism. It is about the fact that life is also lived “at zero”. Vasyl himself is the author of the refrain of the Forum of Military Writers – “write, brothers, because they will write for you.” As a lawyer, Vasyl is actively involved in legal assistance to veterans and families of defenders. Now on the defense of our country.
Vasyl Poddubny
Vasyl Piddubny volunteered to defend Ukraine in March 2014. He served in the 10th OMPB “Polisska Sich” as a machine gunner, later, since January 2015, as a sniper. Took part in hostilities as part of the 30th and 72nd brigades. Currently, he is a reserve soldier, a machine gunner of the reconnaissance platoon of the 4th Zhytomyr battalion. What he saw in the war was imprinted in his memory, like a beret’s footprint on the scorched earth… Therefore, returning to peaceful life, he continued the war on another, informational front. An active member of the veteran and patriotic movement, a member of the All-Ukrainian Forum of Military Writers.
Vasyl Piddubny is a talented Ukrainian writer and editor of the three-volume collection of short stories “The Word of War”, as well as the following books: “Soldier’s Slang Dictionary in His Own Words”, “Stories”, “The Word of War 3”, “++”, “Daddy’s Daughter”, co-author of the collection “Voice of War. Stories of veterans”, the author of the book “Piastres, piastres…” (under the pseudonym Stephen Roberts), stories-tales of the Cossack times “Cold Heart”, “Cossack Fables”.
Volodymyr Korotya
Ukrainian writer, public figure, military serviceman, junior lieutenant of RTG “Irpin” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a participant in the Russian-Ukrainian war. Deputy of the Buchansk City Council. Knight of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree, Knight of the Order “For Courage” III degree, received the “Firearm” award of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
In 2014-2016, he voluntarily joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Took part in military operations as part of a reconnaissance platoon of one of the battalions of the 10th separate mountain assault brigade in eastern Ukraine.
During the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, he created and led the volunteer company-tactical group “Irpin”, thanks to which the Russian occupiers failed to break through the defense of volunteers in the area of Irpin.
The author of the books “The Adventures of a Phantom” and “Reflections of a Phantom on State Formation”.
In the book “The Adventures of the Phantom” he describes his view of the war itself and life after participating in it. Namely: adaptation to a peaceful life; socialization; rethinking your life after participating in the war and practical advice for veterans.
“Thoughts of a Phantom on State-Building” is a collection of short stories in which the author describes real situations experienced by himself and his comrades, talks about the difficult “work” of a spy. Volodymyr calls it reflections on war. He devoted one chapter to the topic of veterans’ post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and explained how to manage it.
Member of the Forum of Military Writers.
