Currently, around 45,000 to 50,000 women serve in the Ukrainian army, with the vast majority volunteering for duty. One of these women is Kristina Voronovska. Before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kristina worked in marketing and had no medical training or experience. After signing a contract with the Ukrainian army, she became a nurse with the 116th Brigade, now stationed in the city of Kupiansk in Eastern Ukraine.

Over the past two and a half years, Kristina has had to show immense determination. «It was hard,» she admits. «As a woman, it’s not easy to get to the front line because everyone says, ‘You’re a girl; you should stay home and cook borscht!’»

Kristina’s family, including her 15-year-old son and her mother, fled Ukraine during the early days of what she calls «the big war.» Her son is the reason she joined the army in the first place. When he called her at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion and told her: «If I die, know that I love you, Mom!» she realized that the war had become personal for her. Kristina recalls her feelings during the phone call with her son: «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 because I need to give my family this country back.’»

During the discussion, Kristina is briefly interrupted by her furry companion, a dog named Carl Gustav, whose barking adds a lighthearted moment. Thanks to editing, listeners won’t hear much from Carl Gustav, but his presence raises an interesting question: how does a nurse keep a dog in a war zone? Kristina also shares the story behind her dog’s unique Swedish name, offering listeners a glimpse into her life amidst the challenges of war.

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Connect with Kristina
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyivhlibchik

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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luziatschirky/
Website: https://www.luziatschirky.ch/
Have you already ordered Luzia's book about her experience reporting from Ukraine?
https://echtzeit.ch/buch/live-aus-der-ukraine