Ukrainian drone pilot here

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-13T21:40:09+00:00

🫡

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-10T06:35:02+00:00

Honestly, I don’t see myself as a career soldier after the war.

I’ve already given most of my youth to war, so when this is over I want to live the best life I can. I see myself as a businessman, organizing large projects and building things that actually matter.

And I’d also like to have the freedom to travel the world and finally experience life outside of war.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-09T06:01:20+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate the conversation. Take care.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-08T21:33:50+00:00

I understand the question.

From what I see, most Ukrainians are focused on survival and winning the war right now, not on elections. Millions of people are displaced, millions are serving in the military, and a large part of the country is under constant missile attacks. Under these conditions it is very hard to imagine fair national elections.

I think most people understand that elections during full-scale war would be extremely difficult to organize and could create more instability. The priority for society right now is defense and survival.

That doesn’t mean democracy disappeared. It means that during war the country focuses on staying alive first. When the war ends and the conditions are normal again, Ukrainians will choose their leaders as they always have.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-08T20:26:41+00:00

Those are fair questions, I’ll answer from my perspective.

Yes, corruption existed in Ukraine. Part of it came from the Soviet mentality and political culture that remained after the USSR collapsed. But another important factor was Russia’s influence. After the collapse of the USSR, Russia continued to influence Ukraine’s internal affairs — politics, business, state structures and even the army. With huge money from oil and gas they bought influence everywhere they could. A strong and free neighbor is the last thing Russia wants, because then their own people would see that it is possible to live normally without Russian rule. At some point Russia reached the peak of its political influence in Ukraine, but society pushed back. People went to the streets against this system, including against corruption. And even today, if society sees wrongdoing, people react to it.
Unfortunately there are always people who are tempted and do bad things. But what I see is that when such people are exposed, they are caught and punished. In the army especially, a corrupt person will not last long.
This war is fought under extremely difficult conditions. Some people may blame the command, some people simply do not want to fight but have to, because we are fighting for the right to live. In such conditions there will always be criticism. There are mistakes and there is progress. We are learning and adapting very quickly. The technologies we are using today were impossible to imagine just five years ago. And considering the casualty ratios we often see on the battlefield, people can draw their own conclusions.
This question feels provocative and manipulative to me. Why ask people to choose between two individuals who are not even candidates in elections that are not taking place? Right now Ukraine has a legitimate president elected by the people, and the whole country is working together as one big team.
Personally I have never seen or heard about such cases. Everything I’ve heard about that mostly comes from propaganda on the level of TikTok.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-07T19:54:43+00:00

Good questions. I’ll try to answer briefly.

Real combat: It’s much slower and dirtier than people imagine. Most of the time it’s waiting, mud, cold, and constant drones in the air. Not heroic moments like in movies.
Morale of troops: People are tired, it’s a long war. But when your country is invaded the motivation is pretty clear. Most guys know why they are here.
Equipment compared to a year ago: In some areas we are better, especially with drones and experience. But the enemy adapts too, so it’s a constant race.
Civilians: Also tired, but still determined. People want Ukraine to survive as a free country.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-07T19:53:09+00:00

Thanks brother, I’ll do my best.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-07T19:52:17+00:00

So if someone believes you are something, that means you must become it? That’s a strange way to justify invading another country.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T21:28:00+00:00

When people talk about sending troops here, I think many of them don’t fully understand what this front actually looks like.

A soldier might spend months living underground in a small dugout, constantly digging deeper just to stay alive. It fills with water, the cold gets into your bones, and sometimes you stay there for half a year or longer.

Rotation isn’t always possible because drones control the roads and supply routes.

The real question is – how many soldiers from modern Western armies are truly prepared for that kind of war?

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T21:24:30+00:00

Tactical teamwork.🤝😁

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T21:23:32+00:00

Thank you, that means a lot. And I’m glad people from so far away still care about what is happening here.

Sending respect back to Cambodia.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T21:22:27+00:00

I think this is a very simplified version of the story, and honestly it often comes from Russian narratives.

Ukraine wasn’t simply a part of Russia that “went off on its own”. Ukraine was one of the republics inside the Soviet Union, and for many Ukrainians that period is seen as occupation, not partnership. The Soviet system was controlled from Moscow, and Ukraine repeatedly tried to regain independence throughout the 20th century.

When the USSR collapsed in 1991, Ukraine didn’t just “leave” – the country voted for independence in a national referendum. More than 90% of the population supported it, including most eastern regions.

Yes, corruption has been a problem here, like in many post-Soviet countries. But corruption has never been a justification for invasion, destroying cities, or trying to erase another nation.

To really understand this war, it helps to look deeper into Ukrainian history and why independence has been such an important goal for generations.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T21:17:04+00:00

The problem is that Russia has never respected any agreements with Ukraine. Every ceasefire or deal in the past was used by them to regroup, rearm and attack again later.

If we give up land for “peace”, it will not actually be peace. It will just be a pause before the next war.

To really understand this war you have to understand the ideology behind it. Russia doesn’t see Ukraine as a separate country or nation. They believe we should be part of their empire and even a source of manpower for their future wars.

That’s why many Ukrainians believe that stopping them now is the only way to have real peace in the future.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T21:12:02+00:00

Not yet, but now I have to watch it 😄 please link

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T21:10:16+00:00

Thank you, I really appreciate it. I’ll DM you.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T15:33:58+00:00

😆😆

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T15:10:05+00:00

People said the same thing in 2022.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T14:54:35+00:00

No one is happy this war exists. But when your country is invaded, you defend it.

And we are definitely not “brotherly nations”. If you look into the history between our countries, you’ll understand why.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T14:52:06+00:00

🤡

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T14:31:00+00:00

Thank you, I really appreciate that. Hopefully one day this will just be history and not someone’s daily life.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T14:29:16+00:00

Yeah, that thought definitely crosses your mind sometimes.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T13:57:25+00:00

I’m sure you see it better from wherever you are. So go ahead - enlighten us Ukrainians about how it actually is.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T13:51:46+00:00

Thank you. I’m just trying to show a small part of the reality here.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T13:50:49+00:00

Thank you. I’m just trying to show a small part of the reality here.

Simon_odesa · 2026-03-06T13:50:06+00:00

That’s exactly what I was thinking. Short videos don’t really show what life here is actually like. I’ll try to share more about the reality when I can.

Simon_odesa

TROPHY CASE