Honoring Serhii: A Father, Son, and Defender of Ukraine

For Serhii

Our Balakun community have translated this poem from our student Serhii who was killed on 26th May 2025 defending Ukraine. You can find more of his writing on his Telegram channel.

We have arranged a collection on Go Fund Me; if you would like to make a small donation and add a comment we will pass this on to his family along with these translations.

Thank you for reading and sharing his work and remembering an outstanding officer, father, husband, son and friend.

Коли я зникну

Мої кроки шелестітимуть лісами. Мою тінь не зможе змити найсильніша злива. Голос мій буде співати баритоном в хорі гірської ріки.

Не кожному вдається врізати уламками душі своє ім’я в граніт реальності. Й закарбувати вогнем так, щоб навіки лишитись невловимим перехожим на вулицях улюблених міст.

Тому я пишу кров’ю на сторінках свого дуже дивного буття.

Серце моє, пошарпане й оповите цигарковим димом, штовхає краплини життя в ритмі сатанинського крещендо.

Саме тому я пишу, живу, люблю і воюю.

Та завжди буду радий тим, хто стане поруч. У марній, але відчайдушній, спробі згоріти якнайяскравіше.

Тільки так можна досягнути безсмертя.

Олег Мрієнко

– English

When I disappear

My steps will rustle through the forests. My shadow will not be washed away by the heaviest rain. My voice will sing a baritone in the choir of the mountain river.

Not everyone manages to carve their name into the granite of reality with fragments of their soul. And to engrave it with fire so that they forever remain an elusive passerby on the streets of their beloved cities.

Therefore, I write in blood on the pages of my bizarre existence.

My heart, tattered and shrouded in cigarette smoke, pushes drops of life in the rhythm of a satanic crescendo.

That is why I write, live, love and fight.

But I will always be happy to have people standing with me. In this futile but desperate attempt to burn as brightly as possible.

Only in this way can immortality be achieved.

Oleg Mrienko

Fund Distribution Plan

My name is Val Schuman, and I’m a cofounder and board member of Balakun, an international volunteer organization supporting Ukrainians through education and community. Serhii was one of our students and a beloved part of our community.

I’m organizing this fundraiser to collect donations that will be transferred to Serhii’s family. His loved ones will decide how best to use the funds in his memory.