Oleksii Panchenko: «The ultimate joy was when our lads were coming back from a mission alive»

Oleksii is a volunteer soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He is a Romani by origin. Born in the village of Velyka Znamianka, Zaporizhzhia Province. Back in civilian life, he used to work as a TIR truck driver, and then a car mechanic. In March 2022, Oleksii was about to embark on his next trip abroad, but by the time he was ready, his native village had already been occupied by Russian forces, so Oleksii decided to stay. Next, he joined the AFU to defend his country, as he sensed that he had to fulfil his main duty.

Living under occupation

Once upon a day in March 2022, at 5am, Oleksii heard his house tremble from explosions of Russian artillery fire. At 7am same day, local news outlets reported on Zaporizhzhia being hit. Thus began the full-scale Russian invasion. Oleksii and his family (wife and kids) stayed in the occupied territory for about a month. He recalls this period as the worst of times. They lacked foodstuffs as local shops were empty. It did not take Oleksii a long time to decide to take his family and leave town. They packed their things promptly and embarked upon a long and complicated road into the unknown. First, they headed towards Enerhodar where they were stopped at a roadblock by Russian soldiers who checked their documents and went through all their belongings. This time, the Panchenko family were lucky—but then they encountered another roadblock at the entrance to the city of Dniprorudne. Here, everyone leaving the occupied Ukrainian territories were detained and questioned by Chechen Kadyrov soldiers and Buryats.

One of them asked me: «Why are you so darkskinned?» I replied that I was born in Ukraine, sea, sun, warm climate. «You're probably one of us then?», insisted the soldier of the occupying forces. «No man, I am a local, from Ukraine», - replied Oleksii to any and all questions devoid of any logic, as the enemy soldier brandished heavy weaponry in front of his face. Several hours of questioning and fear. Finally, they let him go. The family headed to the Kirovohrad Province as they hoped it would be safer for them there.

In the frontline

Once they arrived, Oleksii took his documents and decided to go to the local military recruitment centre—but not before he notified his family of his intention during a family dinner.

«There were tears and weeping right away. I told them: girls, keep quiet. This is my choice and I have decided to go. It is all going to be fine. And that was it.  At about 11am, I left», – he says.

At the entrance of the local military recruitment centre, Oleksii was asked what his ethnicity was. «I am Ukrainian. I am a Gypsy who has just fled the occupied territories», - he then said. After having gone through the medical examination board in two weeks, Oleksii set out to a training facility where his battalion was being put together, and then he proceeded to serve.

«In my battalion, I told my comrades in arms that I was a Gypsy, right away. Many of them just could not believe. All of the 360 guys in our battalion were shocked. Some came over just to take a look at me. Yes, just like that. I made friends with the lads quite soon. Communication, plenty of topics to discuss», - recalls Oleksii.

Oleksii Panchenko has served in the 39th separate motorised infantry battalion of the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In the army, Oleksii Panchenko served as a driver, a nurse, a rifleman. More often than not, he drove buses transporting other soldiers, transported ammunition and other things critically important for the army. For Oleksii, the important thing was to make his Romani identity visible, as it showcased the pro-Ukrainian standpoint of himself and, by extension, of most Romani communities in Ukraine. This Romani militaryman undertook to fight in the frontline until victory.

Only a fool has no fear at all

«In the early days, it was very frightening. Only a fool has no fear at all. Nonetheless, we supported each other. And this was very helpful», - recalls Oleksii.

In the frontline, he met other Romani militarymen, mostly from Dnipropetrovsk Province. Oleksii is convinced that the most important thing at war is to be with your own lads. The ones with whom Oleksii shared his most challenging hours and minutes: on the borderline of life and death.

«My lads, the ones I shared my meal and water with, the ones I broke bread with, the ones I went on missions with. Together, we waited and felt for each other. The ultimate joy was when our lads were coming back from a mission alive. The ultimate joy», - repeats Oleksii, as he immerses in his memories.

In 2023, soldier Oleksii Panchenko was hit with a barrage of artillery and suffered a concussion and a heavy injury. This was during a combat mission in Kherson Province. It was a miracle that Oleksii remained alive. Still, his injury required long-lasting rehabilitation. After he was discharged from the army, Oleksii keeps thinking a lot about the value of life, as the war was a turning point for him. The war was something that made him reconsider the sense of everything around us.

«Everything just turned on its head. What is the meaning of life? That was something I used to deliberate upon when I was sitting in the trenches, rockets flying overhead.  You just begin to value each and every moment. Because when you go to war, you never know if you are ever going to come back from it», - so says Oleksii Panchenko.