TWO YEARS OF UNBREAKABILITY Memories of a loved one: a monologue by the widow of Volodymyr Yatskovych (call sign Kozak)

25 February 21:44

“Dnipro, Kyiv, three operations, hospitals, hospitals. You fought so bravely, my Cossack”

Donbas, Vodiane. The last call from you. The last time I heard your dear voice: “I’ll call you back, my dear. You know me,” Kateryna, the widow of Volodymyr Yatskovych, recounts through tears her last conversation with her husband. That day, he would be seriously injured and in a coma. Hard hours and days of struggle for life. Volodymyr would die in hospital in Kateryna’s arms. She will have time to arrive at the hospital, but, like the doctors, she will be powerless in the face of death.

The woman became an orphan at an early age and Volodymyr replaced them all at the same time.

She said: “You replaced everyone: my mum, who died when I was 6 years old; my dad, whose love I missed so much; the kids – whom we wanted so much and did so much for, you know. You have become my whole world.”

as part of the special project “Ukraine on Fire: Non-Fictional Stories” publishes monologues by widows of Ukrainian soldiers, fragile and strong at the same time.

YATSKOVYCH Volodymyr and Kateryna

Our love story began on 8 April 2011. I remember our first date to the last detail. When I saw you for the first time, I didn’t even think that you would become the most important man and the closest person in my life. Handsome, handsome, neat and infinitely confident, you took me to the first dance. I was on the defensive for a long time, but it was only a matter of time for you.

You courted me so selflessly and sincerely, You did such incredible things for me, and I was surprised: “Do men like this really exist, am I really that valuable to you, am I really worthy of this?” And you answered “Yes” every day. But not with words, but with the actions of a real man.

Before I met you, I thought that I had an icy heart and that I simply did not know how to love. Only you were able to open it. Finally, I fell in love, so sincerely, boundlessly and girlishly tenderly. Our first word “I love you”, meeting my parents, proposal, wedding, dreams of children, the future and a constant feeling of boundless happiness next to you.

2014. The war came to our family for the first time. You went to defend your homeland, you could not do otherwise. ATO, Donbas, Maryinka. For your extremely brave and just heart, you received the call sign “Cossack” because you embodied all the qualities of our fighters for freedom. You are their descendant with a huge Cossack strength inside you. And I could not live without you, so I waited, prayed and believed. Then God heard my prayers. You came back to me.

Then again, there was peace, a feeling of happiness next to you, talks about your three daughters, which you so cherished, attempts to get pregnant, treatment, attempts, dreams, faith in the future and our boundless love that withstood all our trials.

2022. The war came to our home for the second time.

On the first day of the invasion of the damned Katsaps, you stood up to defend the country. I begged you not to go, begged you to stay with me, but you could not do otherwise. So you asked me to let go and wait. You said: “I will come back, my dear, you know me”. And I knew you, so I waited, prayed and believed.

the 115th Brigade, artillery, Donbas, Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, Donetsk Airport, constant zeroes. You were incredibly confident and brave to face the damned war, and I was waiting for every call to hear my own voice: “Everything is fine, my dear. You know me”. In my thoughts and heart, I was always where you were, next to you, but behind your shoulders.

From the first time we met, you took care of me, you stood in front of me, you shielded me from this cruel world with yourself.

You replaced everyone for me: my mother, who died when I was 6 years old; my father, whose love I missed so much; the children we wanted so much and did so much for, you know. You became my whole world.

During our separation, I realised even more how lucky I was to have you. I kept telling you how much I loved you, how proud I was of you, how grateful I was to have you. And you smiled and said: “I am more than that”.

October 2022. Dnipro. The last hug, the last kiss, the last “I love you”.

Donbas, Vodiane. The last call from you. The last time I heard your dear voice: “I’ll call you back, my dear. You know me”.

In the morning, a call, but not from you – a serious head wound, coma. Horror, pain, despair, but faith and confidence in recovery. Because you are my Cossack, you are the strongest of all and we will overcome everything. On the same day, I was where you were, next to you, my dear. I know you felt it.

Dnipro, Kyiv, three surgeries, hospitals, hospitals. I am with you, I am with you, my Beloved. Fight for your life, for mine, for ours. Your strong Cossack heart has always fought for everyone you loved very much. And you fought so bravely, my Cossack.

I am with you. Just breathe, my heart, and wait for me in the morning. Just wait. And you have always been waiting for me.

2nd February 2023 – You gave me your last breath. You waited for me, my Best, Bravest, Strongest, Most Beloved. My Cossack. And I was by your side, as I always have been.

Only now, looking through our photos, I began to notice that I was behind you in almost all of them.

Thank you, my dear, for 12 years of boundless happiness, for protecting me from this world and loving me as only you can!

You always said: “I have been waiting for you all my life and I will find you everywhere”.

Дзвенислава Карплюк
Editor