‘Stop feeling sorry for yourself and start believing in yourself’ – Mykhaylo Budurovych, soldier, UCU graduate

Mykhaylo Budurovych grew up in a family in western Ukraine and absolutely knew that, sooner or later, it would be necessary to fight with the Russians for his country and its independence. He’s from the Ivano-Frankivsk Region. He studied political science at Ivan Ohienko National University in Kamyanets-Podilskyi. In 2018, he entered the master’s program in Management of Non-Profit Organizations at the Institute of Leadership and Management of Ukrainian Catholic University.

He joined the army on March 6, 2022, and serves in the 116^th Separate Mechanized Brigade (116 SMBr).

Budurovych has had various roles in the army: he was a platoon commander and then an instructor for a time. When the following interview was given, on April 24, 2024, he was head of servicing armored vehicles. His division generally supports the rear, as they are involved with repairing equipment. “This is more of a management position. My main tasks are in a timely manner to evacuate armored vehicles from the front and manage their repair. Basically, this involves communication with various links in the repair chain, factories that provide parts, planning of operations, and carrying out the evacuation of the armored vehicle from the field of war,” Budurovych explained.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Ukrainians? Read our interview with Mykhaylo Budurovych to learn about the fighting spirit on the front, the values and convictions which inspire him in the fight, and what Ukrainians need to do to win this war.

[Interviewer] Mykhailo, why did you decide to go to the front? Talk about your motivations.

 

 

 

 

[Mykhaylo Budurovych] I did not decide to go to the front on February 24 [ed.: the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022]. Ukraine has fought the Russians more than once, and this matter was not completed. When the full-scale invasion began, I needed to get myself ready and go. I’m a reserve officer and knew what to do and how. I certainly knew that I was needed on the front, considering what I can do.

There was a long line at the army recruiting office and, at first, they didn’t want to take everyone. (At that time, I didn’t have combat experience.) I went with my friend Serhiy. He also came to Lviv, so we could mobilize together in the same brigade. But that’s not what happened. They put us in different divisions: they sent me to an educational center and Serhiy went into the 68^th Brigade, which was formed at that time in Rivne.

I had a single motivation: I couldn’t remain on the side, knowing how to fight and how to work to defeat the enemy. I was convinced that joining the Armed Forces of Ukraine was the right thing to do, joining in a common effort to prevent the enemy from advancing further. I thought that I’d go to Kyiv, but it turned out a little different: Kyiv was fairly quickly de-occupied in the first month of the war.

[Int.] Tell us about your brothers in arms.

[MB] My brothers in arms are various. From the start of the full-scale invasion, I met people from many professions, from simple combine drivers to people with doctorates. My platoon brought together a rather interesting group: a sculptor, an artist, a driving instructor, a mountain climber. All these people had very different worldviews. The idea of what freedom is and, even, what Ukraine is differed among each person. This is very interesting, because the army is a cross-section of society, where people of various values, professions, and ages come together, and they all have the opportunity to interact, to share their worldviews and values. This additionally forms and unites them. Through a cultural exchange like this, the “creation” of Ukrainians is happening. If there were no war, we wouldn’t have left our “bubbles” and crossed paths.

 

 

 

I very often witnessed and myself took part in discussions about the political system, the forming of our nation. Everyone has different thoughts, but in arguments like this, people form their worldview or change it.

Here’s an instance from the repair battalion: a 45-year-old man served with us who had never left the boundaries of his county. Before the war he was a farmer. He got his first touch phone at the age of 45. The guys in his platoon were amazed. At first, they laughed at him, but then they understood that for him this was a big step in development. He learned a lot, simply being in the Armed Forces and interacting with people who shared new things with him.

When I was a platoon commander, I tried to find an individual approach to each person: one person knows how to do everything, and you simply have to trust him and check that he understands everything; for another person, you have to explain the task in detail, demonstrate, teach. This work never stops, especially when you’re a commander. Is your weapon in good condition? How is the morale of your soldiers? What do they need to learn? It’s a constant process. I find this work satisfying, because, when you teach others, you yourself develop and refine your managerial skills; you develop as a leader, as a person, you learn.

I remember how, at the start of the full-scale invasion, I had no combat experience. I learned a lot from my sergeants and soldiers who had been [involved in fighting the Russians since 2014]. They taught me quite a lot, demonstrated, explained. Later this was very helpful in my work, and I could teach it to others. I’m sad that many of my brothers in arms are no longer with us, but they made a great contribution to the army’s development, its professionalism, so that this knowledge would be passed on.

[Int.] Who and what helps your division keep up a fighting spirit?

[MB] The fighting spirit in the brigade is maintained by professionalism. I devote lots of effort, time, and personal contacts so that we have the necessary equipment and so that people learn. This gives them an opportunity to feel that they are necessary. I try to emphasize that their work gives the fighting divisions, mechanized units, and tank division the ability, in a timely and effective way, to carry out their main task, to kill the enemy.

Thanks to the knowledge and abilities of the people in our brigade, we can help in a timely and quick way to remove equipment, repair it, and make it combat-ready again, so that it can defend our positions and destroy the invading occupiers. And, certainly, when we see these beasts and all that they have done, the path they’ve taken, this lifts up people’s fighting spirit, because they understand that their professionalism is necessary, and this helps the brigade develop.

[Int.] What values and convictions inspire you to continue the fight, even at the most difficult moments?

[MB] It’s hard to continue the fight when the world is so turbulent. I talk a lot with my personal group in the division: it’s hard for them all to believe in something when they don’t have a common grounding. Whenever I want to lift up the moral and psychological spirit in the brigade, I tell them our anecdote from the mountains:

It’s 2022. An old partisan crawls out of his hiding place, comes to a village and looks around. People there are walking around in army uniforms, building barricades. He comes up to some boy and asks:

–  Boy, what is happening here?

– War, sir, we’re fighting – the boy answers.

– Who are we fighting with?

– The Russians.

– Well, I know that. And where are we fighting?

– We’re fighting somewhere there in the east. They’re still far away.

– Oh, then we’ve made good progress.

If we assess in retrospect our fight with the occupiers [since 2014 and then Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022], then it seems we’re not advancing, because we lost much, including human lives. But, if we look at the fight over 100-200-300 years, we were able to defend our nationhood, we have governing institutions, and this should inspire us in the continuing fight. We should not simply keep and defend what already exists, but we should understand that we have become better, we have political statehood. We, as a nation, are moving forward; we’re developing, regardless of all the difficult trials.

I like the first motto of the Ukrainian scouting organization Plast, “God and Ukraine.” It’s important to understand that, if we are involved in some battle, we need to maintain the values of Christian morality, which give us the opportunity to distinguish good from evil, even in the greatest darkness. Our greatest value as Ukrainians is the Ukrainian nation. We have to defend the country, even in the most difficult fight, to preserve it for our children, so they can continue to live on this land and call themselves Ukrainians.

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking with many immigrants, I understood that we’re at home nowhere but in Ukraine. As Taras Shevchenko said, “There’s no other Ukraine on earth… no second Dnipro.” If we don’t defend our country, it means that we have no right to this country. That’s the main thing that guides me and should guide every conscientious Ukrainian.

[Int.] Mykhaylo, speak of your studies at UCU. Do you feel the community’s support in wartime?

[MB] It was my dream to study at Catholic University. I remember when in 2016 I was at a training session for UCU for the first time and I was very taken by the university’s atmosphere. When I was admitted to UCU, I was very proud of my accomplishment: I was eager to learn what the university taught.

With certainty I can say that, after studying at UCU, I left as a different person. I was very inspired. In particular, for this I thank Yevhen Hlibovytskyi, our teacher, who literally “squeezed all the juice out of us” during his classes.

 

 

 

 

We had a great group. We’re still in contact. Many of them are now volunteers. I feel particular support from them.

Recently my classmate Ostap Machynskyi also mobilized in the Da Vinci Wolves Battalion. This was a brave decision, and it clearly reflects those values in which our group was immersed.

My word for those who are either applying to the university or always study there is to get the maximum from your studies, be active, for yourself, the university, and the country.

 

 

 

 

 

[Int.] How can each of us in the “rearguard” help in the victory?

[MB]  For me, the “rearguard” is people who work to keep the country alive. Volunteers directly support the fight and don’t have enough time to be involved in essentially “rearguard” questions.

The great contribution of people who now live in the country would be to create an atmosphere that receives veterans returning from the war, including them in society, helping them get through the process of return. During my service in the Armed Forces, I saw how hard it is to return to society. It was very hard to adapt in those few days as I was traveling home. And, if you talk about more time, then each time you feel how the gap grows. It’s important to understand how to work properly with veterans returning from war. It really triggers soldiers when those in the “rearguard” say: “I understand you.” This sounds disrespectful, because they haven’t seen war.

The younger generation, who are now too young for mobilization in the Ukrainian Army, need to be involved in important civic initiatives and lobby for necessary decisions for the country. Soldiers should have social guarantees, see justice, and see that we are moving forward and developing on behalf of this country for which many of us stood on the Maidan [Kyiv’s Independence Square].

Our fight not only includes the fact that we are physically pushing the occupier from the country but that the country is moving forward. The main task for the “rearguard” is to take care of the nation and the development of a socially just country.

[Int.] Mykhaylo, what do you think is the strength of Ukrainians? And what is their weakness?

 

[MB] Perhaps the weak side of Ukrainians is always to consider themselves weak, lacking something. Friends abroad, and now our enemies today, tried constantly to convince us that something is not right with us, that we have the greatest corruption, the worst government… But we will never become a full-fledged political nation and state until we start to be proud that we are Ukrainians. The main medicine to combat constant sadness is pride. It’s important from a very young age to inspire our children and explain why it is honorable to be a Ukrainian. We have to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and start believing in ourselves.

 

 

As for strengths, Ukrainians are stubborn: it’s difficult to convince a Ukrainian of something.

In his or her soul, every Ukrainian is a strong leader who knows best what needs to be done, and this needs to be developed.

In the army, for example, a charismatic leader is needed, so that the army will follow. If it has this kind of leader, they will respect him and be bravely ready to follow him to the end. I see this in the army: many commanders who are the first to join the battle or some difficult situation, young people 22 or 23 years old, but they never betray them or run away. Instead, they look on them as true leaders. This leadership and courage is Ukrainians’ strength. A place to grow is our persistence, stubbornness, and great potential for leadership.

[Int.] What should Ukrainians and Ukraine’s partners do/realize so that Russia’s victory becomes impossible?

[MB] The possibility or impossibility of Russia’s victory depends on which tasks we place before ourselves and what “victory” means. If this means the end of our existence as Ukraine, then we need to defend ourselves to the last. But I believe that Russia will never be able to take over Ukraine; it has already made attempts much more terrible and bloody, but nothing succeeded. It will also not succeed this time. It’s necessary to realize that many of the atrocities that we hear about are narratives manipulated by Russia, which strongly influence the fighting spirit not only in the army but in the entire society. Our partners should realize what Russia really is, a new Nazi regime in Europe which brings destruction.

Perhaps we really feel this and understand. But Europe is trying to approach this question “tolerantly,” and this is the biggest problem. So there are delays in providing weapons, and constant discussions go on. Until there is a clear understanding of what is good and what is evil, there will be no correct approach based on values.

It’s not important where the front is located. It’s important what we’re fighting for. When we understand this, Russia’s collapse and destruction will be much closer.

[Int.] How do you envision our victory?

[MB] The single mark of victory will be the decline and decay of the Russian Empire in the form it now has. Without this, we cannot feel safe and there will be no understanding that my children will not go to war against a new Russia in 20 or 30 years.

[Int.] What are your plans after victory?

[MB] I have a simple dream of taking my family on a tour of Europe. I want to see the world around us, speak with people from another culture, and visit interesting places. I want to know that we succeeded and our fight was not in vain.

Interviewer: Iryna Vasylyk

Photos provided by Mykhaylo Budurovych