Sasha | War Reporter

My name is Sasha. I am a former professional Olympic athlete who competed at the elite level for 12 years during my youth. Both of my parents were Olympic gold medalists and the most dedicated, kind-hearted individuals I have ever known.

My father passed away suddenly from a heart attack in 2021 while driving home from the ice rink, marking my first direct encounter with profound loss.

My mother bravely battled cervical cancer for a decade, one of the longest survivals on record in the United States, and I believe she endured it for my sake.

After losing my father, I would have been completely alone. She passed away in September of last year. I provided her hospice care and held her in my arms as she left this world.

Two years prior to her death, I traveled to Ukraine and met my boyfriend. Following my mother's passing, an angel on earth who endured unimaginable suffering, I felt lost and directionless.

I packed a bag and moved to Ukraine. War and conflict have long fascinated me. All four of my grandparents fought in World War II and survived the Soviet-era genocides.

My father shared their stories of history, violence, survival, and the immense privilege of the peaceful life I was given.

Since age 17, I have sought the unfiltered truth behind wars, natural disasters, and political narratives by reaching out to photographers and journalists.

I was fortunate to receive mentorship from them. Living in a war zone myself has allowed me to witness the realities firsthand. I was scammed by foreigners, observed self-proclaimed "war heroes" gaining thousands of followers while doing little, and saw Ukrainians struggling to survive on basic rations and military supplies.

Many Ukrainian veterans lack access to pain medication, surgeries, or updated prosthetics.

I am currently on the front lines in eastern Ukraine, where my boyfriend is serving.

Through My accounts below, I aim to document these truths from my perspective, share openly about grief, and discuss the disorienting feeling of being "behind" in life-watching peers marry, buy homes, and build families while I navigate profound loss and displacement.

I hope readers find something relatable, learn something new, or even share a laugh. Life often seems to punish the kind-hearted while rewarding the undeserving, but perhaps together we can find meaning and connection in that reality.