Author: Yulia Muravska, Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. The material was prepared for the publication “Dzerkalo tyzhnia”
In 2015, he defended the country as part of Azov. He received a military disability and was able to overcome a difficult path from a young unemployed veteran to a successful entrepreneur, the owner of 8 coffee shops. In 2022, he took his wife, 2 dogs and his whole life out of Mariupol in one car and again defended the country against the Russian invaders. Now the man is fighting in one of the hottest spots in his native Donetsk region, at the same time opening the Veterano Coffee café in Cherkasy. This is a frank conversation with Ukrainian defender, veteran and entrepreneur Oleksiy Kachko.
“We are carrying out a mission near Bakhmut, and now I returned to recover a bit. I came to bathe and sleep. But let’s talk now, because I don’t know when there will be another opportunity. This is the best time”, — this is how Oleksiy begins our conversation. His voice is sincere and cheerful, but with the shadow of military fatigue.
Oleksiy Kachko is 27 years old. The man was born and grew up in Mariupol. He was educated at an industrial technical school and was one of the football ultras. 2014 became for the then 18-year-old Oleksiy the year of important decisions, the year of the beginning of the struggle.
“I was on the Maidan. It was extremely important to me. Next is Russia’s occupation of the territories of Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea. I could not be indifferent to such events. In 2014, I joined the ranks of Mariupol self-defense. But I cannot call it exactly a military formation, we did not see a “real” war then. In 2015, I joined the “Azov” battalion, which later became a regiment,” says Oleksiy.
“You are young, but you have a disability. Also, they gave you a pension card. All this put a lot of moral pressure on me.”
In 2016, Oleksiy was dismissed from service due to his health – the man received a disability. He recalls his moral and psychological state at that time, which is probably relatable to other veterans:
“I couldn’t find myself. I didn’t know where to work, what to do. I contacted the employment center, but they couldn’t help me either. It was very difficult to work in Mariupol. At that time, I had no education other than technical. I had neither experience nor profession. Plus, having health problems, it was difficult for me, really difficult.
There were 3-4 months of such a search and a depressed state… You are young, but you have a disability. Also, they gave you a pension card. It all overlapped. All this put a lot of moral pressure on me.”
The 20-year-old veteran received government disability benefits during the war and realized he had to use the funds to create a job for himself. Oleksiy decided to open his own business. He had no examples of running a business in his own family of ordinary workers, so he turned to his brother for advice.
“My friend, who at that time opened a restaurant in Mariupol, introduced me to the guys from Veterano Group. After talking with Leonid Ostaltsev, I realized that I could start with a small coffee shop. I’ll tell you honestly, it’s very easy to open a coffee shop, – laughs Oleksiy. — But to open properly… This is a completely different matter. It all started in 2017. At first, I studied everything, worked, even without days off for the first 3-4 months. Then he gradually began to hire employees and develop. Well, it “ran”, as they say. I started to open other coffee shops in Mariupol.”
Before the full-scale invasion, Oleksiy had 8 coffee shops and 2 pizzerias. Business developed, because the veteran invested profits in new establishments. Oleksiy was sure that as long as there is energy and opportunities, it is necessary to work.
“We got into the car and left Mariupol: me, my wife and two dogs. And our whole life fit into the trunk.”
Oleksiy admits that he had no premonitions of a major war, he was sure that the Russians would attack Ukraine.
“I had this understanding since 2014. The only question was when? Everything became clear when they began to recognize these quasi-republics. I tried to get into “Azov” at that time, but I was refused due to my health. Having said that, there will be other tasks for me. I continued to work. We didn’t shut down, we didn’t want to spread panic. I knew that Azov would fight for Mariupol to the last. But then I did not understand the overall picture, that there would be such an enemy influx…,” the veteran recalls the last days before the full-scale invasion.
On the morning of February 24, the Russians began to hit Mariupol with rockets. There was no time to make decisions. It was necessary to act. So, Oleksiy closed his businesses and was ready to defend his native city.
“I urgently needed to resolve the issue of family evacuation. I did not find anyone to send my wife and two dogs, American Staffordshire terriers. So, I had to take them out myself. We got into the car and left Mariupol: me, my wife and two dogs. And our whole life fit into the trunk. We were no longer at home,” says the veteran.
Oleksiy found shelter for his wife and two pets in Uman. There he coordinated with fellow veterans of Azov, who were also planning to go to Mariupol. The defenders marched in a column to the capital, where they were to be joined by other volunteers and veterans.
“Events unfolded very quickly. Mariupol was surrounded and already in the first days of March it was almost impossible to get there. Plus military operations in the Kyiv region. Our command from the former residents of Azov decided to keep the defense of the capital. That’s what we did. At first, together with our brothers, we fought as part of the Azov Territorial Defense, then we became the Azov Kyiv SFO, and only then reformed into the 3rd separate Assault Brigade,” Oleksiy explains.
The 3rd Assault Brigade took part in combat operations in the Zaporizhia region, the liberation of the Kherson region, and now Oleksiy and his comrades are fighting for Bakhmut. This is impressive and inspiring, but even at the front, the veteran does not lose his entrepreneurial spirit and, together with his wife, they plan to open a coffee shop Veterano Coffee in Cherkasy.
“The Ukrainian Veterans Foundation helps us in this. We are used to analyzing everything and having a rational approach. My wife saw the results of the first program #Varto: people from our Veterano Group received grants. We created an application, submitted it to the Varto 2.0 project competition and received a good result, as well as funds for a coffee shop. I will say frankly: it is difficult to organize and restore business like this, – says Oleksiy. — I’ve been at war all year and it’s difficult. Much information about manufacturers and prices is not available to me now. There are other difficulties. But my wife helps, and we confidently go to our goal: to open a cozy coffee shop in Cherkasy. Now the building is under renovation, and the designers are working on the project.”
“All these problems, difficulties with the fact that there is no home, I lost my business… It’s all so insignificant compared to when you call a wife of your brother in arms, and she says: “That’s it, he’s gone.”
Having lost his business, his home and his usual life, Oleksii stubbornly moves forward: against everything and for the sake of his family. He defends the country in the east and thus remotely writes a new page of his life in the center of Ukraine, rebuilding a coffee shop. This is one of the examples of Ukrainian resilience. However, Oleksii does not deny that he is tired. And sometimes this fatigue is the only thing a warrior feels.
“I really want to sleep (laughs). Sometimes it’s the only feeling. Seriously, I feel emptiness, there is nothing. There is no regret or pain. It will probably come when I return from the war. I somehow counted my personal losses: people, years of life, money, all these moments. If you analyze it, I should be depressed because of it. However, I cannot, because I have many friends in captivity. Best friends. All my best friends are either dead or in captivity. All these problems, difficulties with the fact that there is no home, I lost my business… It’s all so insignificant compared to when you call a wife of your brother in arms, and she says: “That’s it, he’s gone.” This hurts, everything else is such bullshit… But we stay strong, stay strong.”
Oleksiy Kachko has a dream. The veteran wants all Ukrainian territories to be liberated, and the Russians to pay reparations. When asked if he dreams of going to his native Mariupol, Oleksiy ponders. This is a difficult question for him.
“I want to go home, but it is not there. Where to return? In a ruined city? No home, no friends, what should I do there? There is no infrastructure, there is nothing. To deal with recovery is not for me, I am a fighter. Let those runners from the draft deal with the recovery, I just want to live after the war. Live for myself in a peaceful country”.
