aiSooner or later, there comes a moment in your life that can change practically everything. That's exactly what happened to me recently. To fully understand, let's rewind a little.

aiLet's go back to the end of August 2025 when Ukraine passed a law allowing men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country. As it happened, I fell into this category. At the time of writing, I'm 21 years old.

aiThe first thought that came to my mind was, “This can't be true, I don't believe it.” It's worth mentioning that, since the start of the full-scale invasion, 18 to 60 year old males have been prohibited from traveling outside Ukraine. I was 18 when the great war began and stayed with my father. My mother took my younger brother to safety, first in Czech Republic and then in Germany. Our home in Kharkiv is in the northeast and close enough to Russia that we are constantly hit. 

aiFor more than three and a half years, I've not only been resigned to live in my homeland, I've planned to spend my life here — well, as much as you can plan when you are in Ukraine, you never know what might happen tomorrow or even tonight. I accepted reality and didn't think about going abroad. When the law passed raising the age so young men under 23 could travel outside Ukraine, I took the position that I would not go anywhere.

aiAlthough I knew in my heart that this was a wonderful opportunity to see my loved ones, I couldn't bring myself to leave my home city which has suffered so greatly from this war. It would be wrong from a moral and ethical point of view.

aiThe trip turned out to be wonderful and truly unforgettable. It was definitely one of the best things that has happened to me in recent years. Most importantly, it brought new circumstances into my life.

aiThis turn of events forced me to make the most difficult and profound decision of my life. “Should I stay in Ukraine or go live abroad?” Now I choose to be outside Ukraine for a while — for my personal safety, starting a new independent life away from my parents, and to be closer to my loved one who is nearby and with whom I am building our relationship after years of the war forcing us to be far apart.

aiI take responsibility for my life change. What will happen next is unknown. But at this moment, I have made this decision.