photo from Ihor Balaka’s Facebook page
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Kharkiv, the city which was among the first to halt the Russian attack, is no less heroic on the level of its individuals, described by local entrepreneur and volunteer Ihor Balaka. Here you meet Ihor Chernyak – a young Kharkiv’s deputy who became a warrior, and earlier had been the main oppositional public politician who openly argued with the former mayor Hennadii Kernes. Nadiia Vynohradova, the principal of Ihor Balaka’s native school, who once helped the author enter the university, and during the war, treated him to food in the abandoned home without water and electricity. The third story is about Andrii Polishop, the founder of the charity organization Charitable Foundation «Kharkiv with you», who got the title of «the evilest volunteer» among his colleagues during the war.
Ihor Chernyak, the deputy of the Kharkiv city council
There are people in the world to whom you immediately begin to feel total adherence. So it was with Ihor Chernyak. In Kharkiv, many people know this guy.
He was the youngest candidate for the post of mayor at the time when the late Hennadii Kernes was in charge of the city. One of the few who did not hesitate to enter into public debate and bickering with him. I suspect that Hennadii Adolfovych did not like Ihor, but definitely respected him. For fighting spirit, at least.
He was probably the most oppositional public politician who openly argued with the former mayor. At the same time, he argued constructively, did not criticize indiscriminately, but immediately offered a solution.
Read also: Native faces of unbreakable Kharkiv. Personal war stories from the outpost city
In a peaceful life, we often had to communicate. I led the debate when he was a candidate for the post of mayor, interviewed him in the program of Kharkiv press club «PoBalakaemo». And then, our communication began to grow into friendship. Moreover, we have tons of mutual friends. We have met in many places: business events and football matches of the Ukrainian national team abroad, working moments, and meetings on journalism.
Ihor has an impeccable education, extensive experience as a lawyer, a broad outlook and erudition, and the ability to quickly calculate the situation and competently express himself in several languages. And also, he has an elegant sense of humor, which for me is an indicator of intelligence.
It sometimes seems to me that we are mental twins in terms of worldview, ethical principles, and thoughts. Only he is better, stronger, smarter, more persistent, such a «maxi-Me». I consider him one of the best Kharkiv politicians and candidates for mayor.
Recently, Ihor has increasingly gone into the business of supporting deals connected with mergers and acquisitions. In principle, it cost him nothing to comfortably sit out the war somewhere, since the circle of acquaintances is very extensive. But Chernyak would not have been Chernyak if he had not joined the army immediately after the start of Russian aggression.
There are only two months between these photos. The first one was at the very beginning of the war when we were driving past his training base with bulletproof vests that volunteer Iryna Vovk had allocated, and he even managed to load humanitarian aid from the unit.
At the same time (when serving at the Armed Forces of Ukraine), Ihor also volunteers a little. This «little» is calculated in dozens of thermal imagers, drones, night vision scopes and other serious things that he supplies to the army. Every time there is an opportunity, I use the chance to see Ihor, hug him, discuss what is needed for our hometown, and run to our affairs again.
Take care of yourself, Ihor. I really hope that someday I will throw a ballot with your name in the ballot box, and then I will find out that you won the elections by a huge margin in the first round. I’m sure you’ll be a very cool mayor.
Nadiia Vynohradova, a principle of Ihor Balaka’s native school
I took off to her on the tenth floor on foot, as I never ran to any beloved girl! With a stupid smile on my face and a bag of medicines. And with awesome hope for a meeting!
Nadiia Mykolayivna. The principal of my school. Teacher of Russian language and literature! Oh, how much she, poor woman, has suffered from me. From my démarches, antics, teenage protests. And you know what’s interesting? I didn’t just see good things from her. She was my guardian angel. And abruptly changed my fate!
Especially when, having entered the preparatory courses at the Kharkiv Institute of Radioelectronics, I miss the entrance exams to the faculty of journalism at the university!
And the exact sciences, friends, this is definitely not mine! After the first session, I was almost expelled from the institute. Well, you have to be such a fool to play a joke on the first day about the name of the teacher in her presence! After that, I retook higher mathematics four times. Trying to memorize all. Later, I transferred to another economic university: it was, of course, not a Radioelectronics department, where there were two girls for one hundred and fifty guys, but the ratio of 6.28 to one in my course did not suit me either.
My mother, the Kingdom of Heaven to her, went to Nadiia Mykolayivna. And she, in turn, decided that it was time to save this slob.
She helped me to enter the university that suited me. It was not only difficult but almost impossible. BUT SHE SUCCEEDED! And my life, thanks to Nadiia Mykolayivna, acquired a completely different shade.
And so, I take off to the tenth floor of the house, which was hit by a rocket. In which all the insides are torn apart, there is no heating, the light is intermittent. Where most people have moved out and… I see her magical smile! I hug and kiss her.
And... Nadiia Mykolayivna (sorry for the truth) begins to cry... Who knows her, understands that this can not be in reality. From the word NEVER! She’s the Iron Lady! Compared to her, Margaret Thatcher is a hysterical Carmelite nun!
Making fun of life, I say «Nadiia Mykolayivna, dear, how do you live in these conditions?! How can you survive here, without heat, without water, without food! Thats all, let me take you to your relatives.»
And Nadiia Mykolayivna categorically, but gently answers: «Ihor, this city is my LIFE! My beloved Kharkiv! Here I lived all the time, worked, and raised children. And I will never leave here! Let’s go, I’ll feed you better.»
Imagine, without utilities, walking to the tenth floor, and... she feeds me!!!
I know one thing, Nadiia Mykolayivna is a real KHARKIV CITIZEN! And when I talk about my beloved Kharkiv, I remember the beautiful eyes of Nadiia Mykolayivna!
Andrii Polishop, founder of the charity organization ‘Charitable Foundation «Kharkiv with you»‘
My cynical friend Oleksii Sinitsyn calls Andrii the evilest volunteer in our region.
Because Andrii does not tolerate halftones. For him, all these fifty shades of gray simply do not exist! For him, there is only black and white. The friend-or-foe system works flawlessly for him and does not give failures!
He, the owner of an online store in a peaceful life, seems to be closer to the online. But, as a volunteer since 2014, he, like an X-ray, understands those who really need help, and those who want to take advantage of the volunteer.
Read also: Activist Oleksandr Roshchyn narrates the breath of war at the entrances to Kyiv
Some say he is harsh. And I note that, he is thorough rather than harsh! He thoughts out everything and plans everything! Doesn’t allow himself or others to do poor quality work! He’s wildly reliable! And all his friends and comrades know this.
And so, when he says «I will exploit your son, we need to take right-handed pickups to the East. I know that he will rush ahead of the column, and even with a thrifty prepared flasher, there is no doubt that my son under his command will cope with any task. Otherwise, both I and my son will simply be ashamed to look in the mirror.
From the Facebook posts by Ihor Balaka, translated by Kateryna Bortniak
Photos from Ihor Balaka’s Facebook page
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