Ukrainian member of parliament, Lisa Yasko, shares her deeply personal story of survival and motherhood amid Russia’s full-scale invasion. A young parliamentarian, Lisa describes waking to the sounds of drones and missiles over Kyiv, enduring daily air raid sirens and sleepless nights for her family. She recounts how she fled westward from Kyiv in the first chaotic days of war, making split-second decisions while grappling with uncertainty.

Lisa also opens up about her personal life, including her former relationship with the ex-President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, and how the turmoil in her private life intersected with the war. She reveals that she kept her pregnancy secret to avoid becoming a target of Russian propaganda while Saakashvili was imprisoned in Georgia. Amid these trials, Lisa remained devoted to her country. She offers a rare glimpse into wartime governance. From casting critical votes in Ukraine’s parliament after nights of air raid alarms, to rallying exhausted colleagues in person because even during war the Rada never moved fully online. Lisa speaks candidly about the mental health toll this period has taken on everyone in Ukraine, including her.

Despite the hardships, Lisa’s passionately advocates for global justice and is pushing for a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes so that one day the perpetrators are held accountable. At times, Lisa admits, Ukrainians have felt abandoned by the international community. She expresses deep gratitude for the ordinary people across Europe who showed true humanity by opening their doors to give Ukrainian families shelter in their darkest hours.

Resources
Connect with Lisa Yasko
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_yasko
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.yasko1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-yasko

Connect with Luzia Tschirky
Instagram: https://instagram.com/luziatschirky
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luziatschirky/
Website: https://www.luziatschirky.ch/
Book: https://echtzeit.ch/buch/live-aus-der-ukraine