About this episode

Katya Ratushna shares her journey from civilian to soldier during the Ukrainian conflict, detailing her experiences in Kharkiv and Bakhmut.

If you would like to watch this podcast you can watch it on Spotify or you can find it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@BattlegroundUkraine In this episode, we welcome back a remarkable guest: Katya Ratushna. While some may recognise her from the Academy Award-nominated film Porcelain War, Katya is, above all, a seasoned soldier and a veteran of the Battles for Kharkiv, Bakhmut, and Avdiivka. Speaking from her hometown of Kharkiv, Katya shares her journey from a civilian digging trenches in 2014 to a special operations soldier fighting in the most contested sectors of the full-scale invasion. She offers a raw, unfiltered perspective on: The Early Days of Resistance: How she and a group of 22 friends started the war with their own personal weapons and armour, patrolling Kharkiv in a small Ford Fiesta packed with RPGs. The challenges of Service: A candid discussion on the "conflict of senses" regarding mobilisation and the social complications facing Ukraine as veterans remain on the front lines without enough replacements to rotate out. The "Zoo" of Bakhmut: The chaotic reality of urban combat, where diverse units often struggled with communication and friendly fire, and…

People in this episode

Guest: Katya Ratushna

Topics covered

• Ukrainian conflict
• military experience
• urban combat
• veteran perspectives
• personal stories
• resistance efforts

Keywords

• Kharkiv
• Bakhmut
• Avdiivka
• Ukrainian war
• military
• veteran
• urban combat
• Porcelain War
• resistance
• special operations

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Porcelain War

Places: Kharkiv, Bakhmut, Avdiivka

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