Bohdan Pantiushenko. In 2014, he was a tanker with the 1st Separate Tank Brigade, codename “Armor”. Tank commander.
On January 18, 2015, during fierce fighting near the Donetsk airport, Russian militants hit his tank and captured the crew during an operation near the village of Spartak.
Five (!) years of captivity. Together with other prisoners of war, he was released from captivity during an exchange on December 29, 2019.
Now, in 2023, Bohdan is starting to take steps, quite confidently, in business.
With the support of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, he and his wife are working on opening a family cafe in a village near Kyiv.
The name of the establishment is TrePoїsty.
“My wife and I have been planning to open a cafe for a long time. At first, we had a burger joint in mind, then we learned about the UVF grant program. We discussed our idea with experts and consulted a lot. It’s a very hard work, I read a lot, technologists and other specialists work with me,” Bohdan tells us.
The Pantiushenkos are young parents. That’s why they decided, based on their own experience, that the concept of the restaurant should include a children’s menu and a children’s area.
” First and foremost, we will create a cozy family cafe in the Kyiv suburbs that will welcome families with children. Our goal is to provide them with a comfortable atmosphere. Where they can relax and enjoy quality food and a relaxed atmosphere. It will be possible to organize children’s parties with animators, etc.”, say our applicants.
“We want to create a restaurant that combines modern fast European cuisine, modern eco-interior with traditional Ukrainian elements. We want to support and popularize Ukrainian things in our restaurant at every opportunity. Although the format of the restaurant does not provide for the education or upbringing of children, we will create an atmosphere and a children’s area that will promote love for the Motherland,” emphasize the Pantiushenkos.
The UVF has allocated almost three million hryvnias to implement this idea.
“We will spend these funds on kitchen equipment, repair work, and partially cover the rent of the premises,” says Mr. Pantiushenko.
Members of the Defense Forces and veterans of the Russo-Ukrainian war will have significant discounts on products, and the establishment will be included in the discount system of the All-Ukrainian Association of Defenders of Ukraine “Ukrainians Together,” our applicants say.
Currently, active work is underway to equip the family cafe. It is expected to open in the spring of 2024.
You can also read the story of veteran Dmytro Polishchuk and his business at this link.
Photo from Bohdan Pantiushchenko’s personal archive
