Presenters Iryna Slavinska and Andriy Kulykov talked about this to veterans themselves, during “The Veteran’s Hour”, a program broadcast within the special project of psychological and social support “Fulcrums”. The guests of the program were Andriy Ilchenko, instructor of Company-Tactical Group 169, and Vladyslav Rahimov, a veteran who since not so long ago became Chief Specialist on corruption prevention and detection at the Ministry for the issues of temporarily occupied territories and internally displaced persons.
According to Vladyslav Rahimov, veterans go to public authorities in order to change the country. “We came to the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from different brigades, different professions but there was something in common which united us: we wanted to change something. After we had come back from the front line this desire had not gone away, this is why we’re entering the ranks of people in power,” Vladyslav Rahimov says.
A package by journalist Kateryna Kader was played during the program. She talked to veternas who made it to public offices and who, before this, went to studies at the “VTP” (Veterans To Power) project.
In particular, Viktor Kuzub, who not so long ago defended his Motherland in the East of Ukraine and who today is Deputy Head of one of state district administrations in Chernihiv Region, is convinced that veterans have to continue to fight for changes in the country. “It is very important today that demobilized ATO participants understand that dramatic changes are needed in Ukraine. They have to assume initiative and go join the powers-that-be and “Veterans To Power’ project helps this. I had some experience of working is state bodies before I went to ATO, and this sphere was no news for me. And now, I am developing myself as a manager,” Viktor Kuzub summed up.