Hero Pilot Oleksandr Chuyko: Wife's Battle for Justice
Exclusive interview with Olena Chuyko, wife of Captain Oleksandr Chuyko, on his heroic sacrifice and her campaign for the "Hero of Ukraine" title for him and his comrades.
Editor
YUSUF INAN - INTERVIEW
The Life Story of Hero of Ukraine Pilot Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko!
Presentation
On February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, humanity witnessed a great tragedy. On one side, one of the two superpowers—Russia; on the other, Ukraine.
Russia is attacking Ukraine with all its technological weaponry. It is bombing civilian areas as well as military targets. The elderly, women, and children—the civilian population—are being killed. Water lines have been bombed, leaving people without water. Electricity and natural gas systems are being struck by missiles, leaving people hungry and thirsty. The whole world watches this savagery on television screens...
The war on the screen does not hurt us. Hundreds and thousands of Ukrainians are dying, but we do not feel the pain they are experiencing. This is because we watch it like a movie. We do not grasp the pain and suffering being endured.
We present our interview with Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko, the wife of the fallen Hero pilot Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko, whose struggle for the title of Hero of Ukraine for her husband and his friends we have seen on television.
Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko was the Commander of the Helicopter Flight Unit of the MI-8 Helicopter Squadron. He died on March 6, 2022, defending Ukraine from the occupiers, along with five of his friends. The bodies of the fallen were recovered on March 14, 2022, and the heroic warriors were buried on March 17, 2022.
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko, the wife of Hero pilot Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko, appealed to the President of Ukraine with a petition for the posthumous awarding of the Hero of Ukraine title to her husband and the other soldiers. She also launched a public petition for this cause...
Ukrainian pilot Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko died at the age of 28. His wife, Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko, was also 28. Their daughters, Anna and Diana, were 2 and 4 years old, respectively. 10 months and 11 days have passed since March 6, 2022...
Olena does not believe in her husband's death. She thinks he will return home when the war ends. She dreams of him coming home, rejoicing, and playing with the children. The struggle of the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian soldiers is admirable...
Despite all the difficulties, they are fighting. Ukraine is showing heroism similar to Turkey's struggle in the War of Independence. We want this senseless war to end. Russia should renounce its occupation and declare peace. "Peace is always a victory!" War is always a loss. Russia has been losing since the day it invaded Ukraine. Russia is erasing Russian traces in Ukraine with missiles! Every missile and bomb Russia drops on Ukraine falls on civilians.
Russia made a huge strategic mistake. It dragged the entire Western world and NATO into its own geography. It opened a legitimate space for NATO in the countries of the former USSR... It cracked the Russian crystal! The only less damaging solution to this process is the abandonment of the occupation and the signing of peace!
YUSUF INAN
Journalist - Writer Editor-in-Chief
Interview with Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko:
YUSUF INAN: Why is the title "Hero of Ukraine" important to you? He is already a hero in the eyes of the Ukrainian people.
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: I want people to remember him and his comrades as Heroes. I want people to remember who defends the Ukrainian people. They sacrificed their lives. For whom? For the people of Ukraine. For peace. They died defending the Ukrainian people and the future of our state. It is important for me to know that people remember who defends them. That is why I ask for the title Hero of Ukraine (posthumously) to be awarded to my husband and his comrades. We lived in Poltava ourselves, but he died in the Mykolaiv region, and no one knows who to thank. On March 6, 2022, two helicopters were shot down. There were six Heroes in those helicopters, and no one knows them. People don't know who defended them. It is important to me that the memory of all the Heroes is preserved for many years, so that our children know who won them a free future at the cost of their own lives. I am asking for the title Hero of Ukraine (posthumously) so that everyone knows who gave their life for a Free Ukrainian State, for the future of the entire Ukrainian people.
YUSUF INAN: How did your husband, Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko, react to the Russian invasion?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: My husband was a patriot, a military pilot. He was the Commander of the Helicopter Flight Unit of the MI-8 Helicopter Squadron. He knew there would be a war, and he might not return home. He knew where he was going and what he was doing. He prepared me for these days six months before the war began. He said there would be a war, that many people would die, and that he might not return home. I didn't want to listen to what he was saying and didn't want to accept the thought that it could happen. So, I pretended to listen, although I didn't believe his words. Oleksandr said: "You can pretend that you are not listening to me, but I need to know that if I am gone, you will be strong for the sake of the children! You will know what to do." "I want to be sure of you," he said. His mission for me was "to save the children." Because children are the future of Ukraine. On 02/24/2022 at 04:00 AM, he was getting ready to leave, said goodbye to me, kissed the children, and left our house at 04:20 AM. He kissed me and said: "You are the most important thing in my life—everything is for your future!" "Take care of the children!"
YUSUF INAN: You said you saw him in dreams after he passed away. Could you share some of them?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: After my husband's death, he appeared in my dreams many times. His helicopter was shot down on enemy territory on 03/06/2022, and his body could not be recovered immediately. However, we were able to hold the funeral on March 18th. In the dream, he was exhausted and said that everything had been taken from him. He was tired and unhappy. After the bodies were buried on March 18, 2022, I saw him smiling and happy. He came home. He played with the children. And then he left. I cannot say whether what I saw was a dream or reality.
YUSUF INAN: How did you find out that Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko had died?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: His comrades called. They informed me. The world stopped when I heard it. I couldn't understand what was happening. I simply didn't want and couldn't believe it. I still cannot fully grasp it. Even though I know it is impossible, I am waiting for him to come home when the war ends.
YUSUF INAN: What did you feel?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: I am in great pain. I constantly cried. We were destroyed inside and saddened by the late delivery of the bodies home. But we had no other choice. There is a war in the country. It took time to get to them. My heart is broken. The death of my husband constantly pains my heart. We were in love with each other. He was in love with me, his profession, and Ukraine. We shared many beautiful days. Our children were born in love; we were happy. With his death, a part of me died with him. Our memories are always with me... I still love him so much. I miss him—my angel.
YUSUF INAN: The children are very young. How did they accept it?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: Our children were very small when my husband died. Anna was 2 years old, and Diana was 4 years old. They didn't understand what death was. Anna cannot understand that her dad will never be home again because she is young. Diana is 5 years old now, and it is very hard for her. She misses him and still waits for him to come home. We prepared for a long time on how to tell her this terrible news. We talk about death. About life after death. For her age, she understands a lot; it is really hard for her. She is constantly sad and crying, sleeping with her dad's photograph. She knows that dad will never return home. The children constantly talk about him. Dad is flying, dad died, dad will never be with us again... Their dad died defending our country so that others could live.
How are you? How do you hold up?
It's been about a year. I'm still crying. It still hurts just as much as when I found out about my husband's death. I can't get used to his absence. We have to live in another country. It still hurts, and it doesn't get better. The flame in my heart is constantly flaring up; it's like hell. Only on Earth. I still love him very much, and at some point, I expect him to return, even though I know it is impossible.
YUSUF INAN: Do the children look for their father?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: They do. My husband loved the children and me very much. We were a very happy family. Russia destroyed our homes, families, and buildings in our country.
YUSUF INAN: What did you go through after the death of Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: I am in a state of shock. I still can't accept it. At home, when I'm cooking in the kitchen, I feel like he is right next to me. My husband had a will. He wanted me to save the children. We had to leave home, leave our country until the war ends.
YUSUF INAN: How are your family and your husband's family feeling?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: Our whole family is heartbroken with grief. We are still waiting for him. He was a good person; everyone loved him. Our families are going through very difficult times. We are grateful to him. He fought for the freedom of Ukraine and died for us as a Hero and a Saint. Our family lives in the Kyiv region.
YUSUF INAN: Did you think Russia would invade Ukraine?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: I knew there would be a war. He kept saying so. My husband prepared me six months before the war began. He said there would be a war, that many people would die, and that he might not return home. I said it was impossible, and I didn't want to listen to him. I didn't want to hear any of it, but he spoke. "You can pretend not to listen, but I will speak because I must be sure that if I die, you will be strong and you will know what to do." The main task he constantly set before me was to save the children. Because children are the future of our Ukraine. We will leave Ukraine to our children.
YUSUF INAN: Where are you living now?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: At first, I didn't understand anything. Now I remember his every word. Even though I pretended not to listen, his every word is in my memory now. We moved to Poland for the safety of the children. We are living in Poland. We will return when the war ends. I remember the words he said... "If I die, take the children and go abroad, save them! That is your main mission!!! Promise me you will do it! You will return when it is safe, only then, not before!" And I promised... After the funeral, I took the children, and we came to Poland, and we now live in Lublin.
YUSUF INAN: What was your husband like? What did he do when the Russian invasion started?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: He was a true patriot. He immediately got to work. He knew where he was going and did not hesitate for a minute—because he knew it was for the free future of our country. He flew to defend Ukraine and gave his life for us.
YUSUF INAN: Do you continue to communicate with your husband's military friends?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: I communicate with all our friends; they help us.
YUSUF INAN: What do you want from the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: I only ask the President of Ukraine for a fair reward for all the Heroes who gave their lives defending our country, our state. They gave the most precious thing they had—life! Therefore, they must be rewarded with appropriate honors. They deserved it, every one of them. All that remains for us is to preserve the memory FOREVER, because everyone must remember the heroes and be grateful that we are alive thanks to them. The children deserve a hero father. I know that one day I will die, and no one will remember me, and I don't care. But Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko cannot be forgotten. He is a hero. His helicopter was shot at and sent for repairs, but he got on another helicopter and flew to defend us. He died heroically that day.
YUSUF INAN: What do you think about the delay in awarding the title of Hero of Ukraine?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: How do I feel about the delay in awarding him the title of Hero of Ukraine (after his death)? I understand that everyone is working and there are many casualties. Therefore, I decided to create a petition for him to be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine (posthumously) and ask people for help. This is the least we can all do to thank him for our future.
YUSUF INAN: How did you meet your husband, Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko? Can you give a brief summary? How did you get married?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: My husband and I met while studying together at the Bila Tserkva Humanitarian and Pedagogical College KOIPOPK, but we started dating when my husband was in his third year at the Kozhedub National Air Force University. After graduating from the university, Oleksandr Chuyko went to work in Poltava, and I was working in Kyiv, so I quit and moved to him. After that, we got married. Our two daughters were born in Poltava.
YUSUF INAN: What did you expect from life with Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: To raise and educate our children together. To take them to school. Our dream was to be happy together until old age. I knew he was military and that there would always be discipline in the family to some extent, and that he would always have to sacrifice family time for business trips. In 2019, Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko also joined the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He performed tasks in the ATO/OOS zone. I always knew the danger, but I prayed and believed that everything would be fine.
YUSUF INAN: What did you dream of?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: I never dreamt of anything like this. The Russian occupation took not only my husband but also many friends, and many innocent lives.
YUSUF INAN: Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko died at a young age. What do you think about that?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: I still can't accept it. The only consolation is that he died heroically defending Ukraine. The father of my children is a hero... My husband was a patriot. He fought heroically and died. He gave his life for the future of our country.
YUSUF INAN: Do you have a message for the President of Ukraine, Zelenskyy, on behalf of the Heroes in a similar situation?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: Mr. President, do not give up... We sacrificed our most valuable asset—our husbands—for the sake of the country. The victory of Ukraine is close. The spirit of the Holy Heroes is with our soldiers at the front...
YUSUF INAN: What kind of person was Captain Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Chuyko? Can you briefly explain?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: He was a very good person. Everyone loved him. He was an honest and patriotic person, a good husband, and a good father. Our family loved him and still does. His friends respected him too. He always smiled. When the occupation began, he did not hesitate. When his own helicopter was shot at and sent for repairs, he got on another one and sacrificed the most precious thing he had—his life—for us.
YUSUF INAN: Thank you for the information. Is there anything else you would like to say?
Olena Oleksiivna Chuyko: Thank you very much. We are a strong nation, my husband always believed in the victory and the future of our country, a free future!!!
YUSUF INAN: We also believe. We express our deepest condolences to the relatives and friends of the Ukrainian heroes. They fulfilled their military duty until the end—may they rest in peace. May the souls of the Ukrainian heroes rest.
Glory to Ukraine! Victory will be Ukraine's...
INTERVIEW CONCLUDED
YUSUF İNAN / PEACE AT HOME, PEACE IN THE WORLD (*)
Twitter : @Yusufinan2023
Instagram : yusufinan2023
Instagram : fondinan2016
Email : editor@wisenewspress.com
Website : www.wisenewspress.com
(*) As Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, once said, 'Peace at Home, Peace in the World.' This timeless principle serves as a guiding light for nations striving for harmony, coexistence, and global stability.
