As the first female commander in the Ukrainian military, Yulia Mykytenko has seen the horrors of war. Yulia is both a squadron leader and a role model for women wanting to fight for their country on the frontlines and in the background. Telling Lara Marlowe of her entry into Ukraine’s forces, ‘How Good It Is I Have No Fear of Dying’ recounts her student days giving out flyers for an independent Ukraine up to her current military service in the face of Russia’s invasion. Yulia and Lara speak to Georgina Godwin about their collaborative writing process, the uses of poetry, hope for Ukraine’s future and Volodymyr Zelensky’s great plan to win the war. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hello, this is Meet the Writers.
I'm Georgina Godwin.
I have three guests in the studio today and they are fascinating.
One co founded the female squad of the 16th Regiment of the Ukrainian Self Defense Force during the 201314 Euromaidan protests which overthrew the corrupt pro Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.
She joined the army in 2016 along with her husband and briefly left after he was killed in a Russian bombardment but reenlisted on the front first day of the full scale Russian invasion of the 24th of February 2022.
She commands a 25 man drone unit on the front line in Donbas.
My other guest started her career in journalism as an associate producer with CBS's 60 Minutes program, then covered the Arab world from Beirut for the Financial Times and Time magazine.
She joined the Irish Times as Paris correspondent in 1996 and returned to Paris in 2013 after serving as Washington correspondent during the first Obama administration.
Also with us in the studio is Nazar Yatseshan who is a translator for the United Nations.
Now, between the three of them, they've collaborated to produce the book How Good Is It I have no Fear of Dying?
Which paints a searing portrait of life on the front line and offers insights into Ukraine's past and possible future.
It's a compelling story of a country at war and a fearless woman fighting for its survival.
Lieutenant Yulia Mitutenko and Lara Marlow, welcome to meet the writers.
Welcome also to you, Nazar.
Thank you all very much for coming.
Lara, I'm going to start with you because what I'd really like is just a brief overview of Yulia.
Yulia is one of the most extraordinary people I've ever met.
Nazar and I first interviewed her by Zoom from Kyiv in August of 2023.
And she came onto the computer screen looking fresh and cheerful and relaxed.
And she was sitting in front of a derelict building in Donbas in a khaki T shirt.