I am the author of the Goodacity blog, a journalist, and a translator. For 16 years, I have worked in professional journalism, contributing to regional and national publications, both in print and online media. I have written reports, conducted interviews, reviews, articles on cultural, social, and charitable topics, as well as materials in the style of "solution journalism" and communication materials.
My focus is on creating interesting and exclusive content. Journalism, to me, is primarily about human stories, to which I always find the key, empathize with the people I write about, and love all my heroes. Journalism, to me, means telling people about what truly matters to them, informing and inspiring them. It is not just a job, but a way of life, just like for all those who dream, create, and are inspired by it.
So, if you are looking for stories that inspire and motivate, that instill faith and help find meaning while believing in goodness, read my stories on the Goodacity website.
I am a manager of cultural affairs and a project manager with over 14 years of experience at United Thinkers. I have participated in the organization of numerous successful social and charitable projects and have implemented informational campaigns and communication cases.
As a marketing manager, I have been involved in organizing marketing and sociological research, working with media and partners, developing advertising and marketing strategies, as well as planning and implementing advertising campaigns.
I believe in the power of goodness and I am happy that as part of the Goodacity project, I can contribute to its expansion. I believe in the power of words and in the fact that communication can help make the world a better place. I know how, where and when to speak in order to be heard. And when you are heard, you can change the world!
He exchanged school hallways for trenches!
For nearly 10 years, his daily routine was unwavering – to the school, for lessons, to his beloved job and students. On the morning of February 24th, he woke up, got ready, and left. Not for lessons, but to the military recruitment office.
“In the army, it’s almost like school: here too, there are top students, troublemakers, a ‘school administration’, an attendance log, and all that,” my interlocutor smiles.
“Of course, I miss teaching and my students a lot – very much so. But, it’s alright, we’ll drive the evil forces out of Ukraine – and I’ll return to school…”
Ihor Biletskyi from Chernihiv has been a defender of Ukraine for more than a year and a half now.
Before the full-scale Russian invasion, he taught vocational training and the subject “Defense of Ukraine” in one of Chernihiv’s schools, Ukraine. In 2019, he became a laureate of the national “Teacher of the Year” competition. When Ukrainian schools became targets for Russian missiles, he paused his work and went to defend Ukraine at the front.
This Sunday, he celebrates two professional holidays – Teacher’s Day and Defender of Ukraine Day. He will spend this day in Eastern Ukraine, where he is currently on a combat mission. Our nearly one-and-a-half-hour conversation could be dissected into quotes: such an incredibly vivid and sincere interlocutor he is, profound, charismatic, with critical thinking, and an incredible sense of humor. We want as many people as possible to read this text – because it’s important to remember the value of each of our days and to thank our Defenders not only on specific dates.
I'm Here So the Children Can Have a Future!
At the beginning of our conversation, I couldn’t resist asking Mr. Ihor, given that his subject is “Defense of Ukraine,” does this mean that his current front-line service is like an internship?
“Well, how should I put it… It’s more like an advanced training course,” my interlocutor smiles. “A sort of professional development course, something like that)… By degree, I’m a technology and vocational training teacher.
I once worked in manufacturing, but I became a teacher thanks to my wife. She’s a math teacher, and I saw how passionate she was about her job. I was always curious about what was happening in that school,” he laughs. “When a position opened up at the school – I decided to give it a try. I went, tried it – and liked it, it drew me in! What do I like about school? I like interacting with modern children – they are very interesting: more progressive, faster than us. Passing on my experience is intriguing. Moreover, to me, teaching is a mutual process because you not only teach but also learn yourself, including from your students. Teachers feel younger precisely because they interact with children and are drawn to them. Yes, it can be tough, challenging, financially unrewarding – but very fulfilling and inspiring! You look forward to September, to new meetings, and adventures.
This year would have marked my 10th year of teaching – had it not been for the “full-scale invasion,” which made me exchange school hallways for trenches…
My students (now they are college students, grown-up boys and girls, but for me, they are always my students) often write, worry, ask how they can help. The connection remains. I even ran to the last school bell ceremony last spring in my uniform, just for a bit, because those were my seniors. I was their homeroom teacher, we were preparing for graduation, and it was such a pity that it would no longer be. But the main thing is for everyone to be alive and well… During the first days of the siege of Chernihiv, a Russian missile hit near my student’s house; his parents managed to shield him, both were injured, and I visited them in the hospital… Essentially, to protect mine – my children, my students, that’s why I’m here at the front today. I know I have to protect them and do everything so they can have a future,” says the defender of Ukraine.
Not to Class, but to the Front!
“February 24, 2022. 5 AM. My wife’s words: ‘Wake up, the war has started.’ It was a shock. I had prepared, trained, understood that a full-scale invasion was imminent, but when it actually happened – it was still a shock. Five minutes to collect myself, and then it was time to pack up; the family went one way – to a safe place, and I went another – to the military recruitment office.
The thought of waiting it out, ‘to see how it goes,’ never crossed my mind. I had made my decision not even on February 24, but long before that. There were discussions with my wife, with friends – ‘what to do, if…’.
I had resolved it for myself – I don’t want to sound pompous or grandiose, it’s actually quite simple. To fight for what’s mine, to protect my own – it’s a duty.
It might not sound like much, but it’s true. That’s how it should be.
My wife and daughters left, and I met up with a colleague of mine – also a teacher, also a reservist. Our mutual friend drove us to the assembly point. We received our weapons, saw some familiar faces. That was the only moment when I felt a bit uneasy – because there were so few of us… But then people started to arrive, to gather. And by the afternoon, there were hundreds and hundreds of volunteers – those who wanted to get weapons and defend the Motherland. It was an incredible feeling, a sense of uplift – we were not alone, there were many of us, we had a single goal, we would manage. As the writer and soldier Sergiy Zhadan said: ‘In February ’22, when it smelled like trouble, we were like a nation.’ I am thankful to those who trained us, grateful to those boys and girls who on the first day of the full-scale invasion stood up to defend our country and our city – without having combat experience, but having the desire to protect their land.
And then… Then we received our first combat tasks: we headed to the outskirts of Chernihiv and nearby villages to counter the Russian onslaught. There was no time for ‘warming up’: within two days, I saw enemy equipment and infantry up close, within a few weeks – a Russian tank was aiming at me… The following weeks we lived in the mode: an hour, an hour and a half of sleep somewhere in a basement, and then back again. This needs to be done, that needs to be done, here we’re forming groups, there we’re sending them off, here’s a task, lots of things. And then the guys catch you by the sleeve – hey, stop, go eat something quickly, you haven’t eaten anything since yesterday… This feeling of family, when you care and look out for those around you, it just appeared out of nowhere. Now in service – it’s the same: we’re not just a unit, not just a team, we’re a family. For a while, I led a squad – and in this, there was a lot in common with being a homeroom teacher: you’re responsible for everyone, you worry about everyone, you take care of everyone.
When Both Teacher and Student are Defenders of Ukraine!
Today, serving alongside me are people from all walks of life: company directors, managers, drivers, locksmiths, electricians, IT professionals, long-haul truckers, teachers… Regardless of who we were in civilian life, we are all here now, united, working together towards a common goal.
I’ve encountered my former students several times while in service. Now, one of my former students serves with me – it’s a profoundly touching situation. One teacher, one student, one war, one goal, one victory! And when schools send treats and children’s drawings, it’s incredibly inspiring!
Right now, I’m sitting here looking at the drawings on the walls – from my daughter and kids from school, on another wall – a child’s drawing of an angel.
I recently passed on a shipment from volunteers – there were also charms made by children’s hands in it. And they bring so much joy and warmth! I always say: the first thing that soldiers take from volunteer packages are the children’s drawings. They examine them, read the captions: who drew it, how old the artist is. They hang these drawings in dugouts and temporary “homes,” tuck them into their “armor.”
I remember, at the beginning of the war – back in 2014-2015, helping our soldiers together with my students, sending them the necessary equipment, and my friend – a defender of Ukraine, to whom we collected and sent all these items, passed a bulletproof vest to me for the school museum. During one of the “Defense of Ukraine” lessons, I took out this bulletproof vest, told the kids about it being protection from bullets, from shrapnel, this is what it looks like, this is what it’s made of.
I took out the armor plate, and I see – a file tucked into the plate, and inside – a letter and children’s drawings from our daughters. That was such a powerful, emotional moment. I paused – for a few minutes, I was so overcome I could barely breathe, and then I showed this file with drawings to the students, telling them: “And this – this is the greatest protection there can ever be.”
The kids also treasure “souvenirs” from soldiers – patches, flags signed by them. I remember a funny moment – we were signing a flag for students of one school, the guys were writing their wishes, and below them – their call signs. I was reading what was written, looked, and it said: “Glory to Ukraine!” And the signature – Lenin)) Well, such things happen, the guy chose such a call sign for himself: his name is Volodya, and his wife is Olena, Lena, so he’s Lenin. I told our guys – see, that’s what the Armed Forces of Ukraine do: even Lenin knows that it’s “Glory to Ukraine!” The whole world knows it by now.
Military Training – To Shoot Accurately, History – To Know At Whom…
“You know that joke about needing to learn history first – to know at whom to shoot, and ‘Defense of Ukraine’ – to be able to shoot accurately. Life has shown us that this is not just a joke… Back in 2018, when Ukraine started forming territorial defense units, I signed a contract, becoming a reservist for the Territorial Defense Forces and constantly participated in operational reserve gatherings.
Since then, I’ve also been regularly conducting first-aid training for anyone interested – students, teachers, preschool staff, even conducting trainings at production companies.
I understand how incredibly necessary and useful this was – many of the people who came to us for training, I later saw in military uniform. Some thanked us for the trainings because they were able to help a comrade on the battlefield, others because the practical lessons came in handy. For me, the main thing is that the “students” really listen, because this knowledge can save lives.
There are no ‘born for war’ individuals or ‘holders’ of some imaginary ‘fronts’. The military is a huge mechanism, where everyone works towards victory. There’s a place for everyone here; the main thing is not to hide and to accept this challenge with dignity, not to invent a million mythical fronts in your head. There is only one front, and those who are not fighting on the frontline should help others fight.
Our main task, both now and ‘after victory’, is to remove the “ho-ho-ho” mentality from the Ukrainian – to reinforce our identity and resilience. What will happen after Victory? I don’t know. We’ll live. Rebuild. Change. Educate. Teach. There will be work for everyone.
War is a litmus test. It forces a reevaluation of all life values and priorities. I remember, about a week into the full-scale invasion, I accidentally found some leftover teacher’s salary in my pocket. Before, I would have been pleased, but then I looked at it and thought: “These are just pieces of paper, what do they weigh now?”. People – that’s the main value. I am a rich man in this regard – I have a wonderful family, incredible friends, colleagues, and my new military family.
What will I say to my ‘frontline family’ on Defender’s Day? I’ll say: “I am honored to stand with you.”
