Thread by @Mylovanov

An 18-year-old from occupied Crimea was about to be drafted into the Russian army. Instead, he escaped more than 3,000 kilometers and reached Kyiv.

This is the story of Artem, who chose flight over serving the state that occupied his home. — Suspilne 1/

Artem was born in Zaporizhzhia. At age five, his family moved to Sevastopol. In 2014, Russia occupied Crimea. From that moment on, his life unfolded inside a closed, repressive system that punished dissent and offered young people no real choices. 2/

At school, Artem once shouted “Glory to Ukraine” out of a window. Minutes later, a school psychologist entered the classroom. Artem was taken aside and told those words were “Nazi slogans” used during the alleged “killing of children in Donbas.” 3/

After ninth grade, Artem enrolled in an IT college. But he wanted to be a journalist, wrote articles, and filmed videos, but he watched independent journalists in Crimea face harassment, trials, and prison. 4/

He says the studies felt pointless. The diploma looked like a formality without value. Journalism under occupation meant prosecution, not a profession. Artem understood that staying meant silence or punishment, and neither was a future he could accept. 5/

Artem tried to leave Russia legally. He saved money and planned to study in Slovakia. At the embassy, he was told Crimean passports were not recognized and a visa would not be issued. His exit route closed before it opened. 6/

He then planned another escape: earn about $6,000 and enroll at a university in the United States. That plan ended abruptly when Artem received a draft notice for compulsory service in the Russian army. 7/

At the medical commission, his kidney condition was ignored.

The verdict: if you arrived on a motorcycle, you are fit for service. Artem realized the system would not let him opt out. The choice narrowed to two options: serve or run. 8/

Artem contacted Ukrainian volunteers for help. He boarded a train and left Crimea, telling his parents he was going on vacation. In reality, he began a dangerous escape route through Belarus. 9/

In Belarus, Artem went straight to the Ukrainian consulate. Within hours, officials issued a certificate allowing him to return to Ukraine. He then traveled to the border, passed the checkpoint, and entered Ukrainian territory. 10/

Volunteers met Artem on the Ukrainian side. They fed him, gave him a SIM card, and offered support. That same day, he continued to Kyiv, finally reaching the city he had risked everything to get to. 11/

Early in the morning, while still on the train, Artem heard the Ukrainian national anthem played at a station. It was the first time he had ever heard it in public. He says he could not believe that it was real. 12X

Source: suspilne.media/1190702-u-18-r…