Ukrainian composer who was writing a film score for Australian film signs up to fight Russia

Not long ago, Miroslav was writing a music score for Australian directors. Now he’s marching to a different drum.

Lawyer Anton has joined the battle to protect Ukraine from Russian invaders. Picture: Viktor Moskaliuk

A few months ago, 30-year-old composer Miroslav was writing a film score for a series of short films being produced in Australia.

Music and the arts has always been his passion and life but yesterday he was signing up to become an infantry soldier to be sent to fight Russian forces in capital Kyiv.

“I can come back to the music after this but I can’t come back to anything if we don’t have a country,” he said yesterday as he stood outside Lviv army barracks to join.

“We feel close to victory of Ukraine that is why we join now. Yes I am musician composer but I can come back years after but now I have to be military man.

Volodymyr and Mirislav at the gates of Lviv army barracks to sign up to fight Russians. Picture:y Viktor Moskaliuk

“I work with many Australian directors from Canberra, lots of short films but now I want to fight for my district, for my city for the country.”

Also in the recruitment line is former classmate and tiler Volodymyr, preferring to give just his first name for security, who said he could not watch others fight the enemy and do nothing.

Andrii Yvarov was just 22 years when he did military service in east Ukraine in 2014 and then became a professional bartender but now is re-signing to fight.

Andrii Yvarov is joining the fight against Russia. Picture: Viktor Moskaliuk

Lawyer Anton. Picture: Viktor Moskaliuk

“There is war in our country so the best I can do is kill some f--king Russians,” he said. “When my wife woke me up that morning and said, ‘Hey wake up war has start(ed)’, that’s when I knew I had to do this. Then I rang some friends and they also came to this decision.

“I am really calm, I don’t know why, I sign the (recruitment) documents but I’m calm. If they capture Kyiv they capture the country and then there would not be normal life here.”

Lawyer Anton felt the same.

“The war is coming so I have to defend my country. I am a lawyer, 41 years old, but this is not a career change it’s about protecting our country because if we do not get together know there will be no Ukraine.

“I was shocked when I saw people killed, not soldiers but civilians like me in Kyiv and Kharkiv, so I have to help.”

Originally published as Ukrainian composer who was writing a film score for Australian film signs up to fight Russia