As part of the national project “Side by Side: United Communities," an online meeting was held on Heroes' Day with Yulia Sodukh, a soldier from the Khlibodarivska community with the call sign "Phoenix," attended by residents of communities in Donetsk Oblast, the Krupetska community in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, and the Mashivska community in Poltava Oblast.
The event was hosted by Svitlana Fomenko, director of the Vilnensky Cultural Center in the Khlibodarivska community.
At the start of the event, Mykhailo Burnadze, head of the Khlibodarivska village military administration, delivered a welcoming speech, thanking Yulia and all Ukrainian soldiers for their courage, fortitude, and defense of Ukraine.
During a sincere and candid conversation, Yulia shared the story of her journey in the military, spoke about daily life in the army, moral resilience, the role of women in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, balancing motherhood and service, motivation, the importance of civilian support for the military, and her dreams and plans after Victory.
At the end of the event, participants watched a video featuring Svitlana Fomenko’s poem “Thank You, Hero,” performed by Sofia Lebid, an artist from the Vilnensky Cultural Center of the Khlibodarivska community.
Such meetings are important for fostering dialogue between military personnel and civilians, mutual understanding and unity among communities, as well as for preserving the living stories of the people who are defending Ukraine today.
Based on materials from the Khlibodarivka Village Military Administration