Under war-time.
Government rules.
No man aged between.
18 and 60 can leave Ukraine.
Without special permission.
From the authorities.
Under war-time.
Government rules.
Those rules could change.
If Ukraine suddenly.
Needs more men.
Those rules could change.
‘Orcs’ war is opening.
A gender divide.
In ‘elves’ society.
She fled west.
When ‘Mordor’ launched.
Its assault on Ukraine.
Last year and settled.
Eventually in Germany.
She’s now planning.
To study sciences.
In the southern city.
Of Konstanz there.
On the border with Switzerland.
After she’s passed.
A mandatory German.
Language course.
The 17-year-old has.
Returned home briefly.
To Kyiv to prepare.
For university.
“I’m relying on the chance.
To buy something in Germany.
Because they’ve got.
More shops open.”
“Many shops I liked.
In Kyiv closed.
But it’s more expensive there.
So I’ll thrift in Kyiv before I go!”
Under war-time.
Government rules.
No man aged between.
18 and 60 can leave Ukraine.
Without special permission.
From the authorities.
Under war-time.
Government rules.
Those rules could change.
If Ukraine suddenly.
Needs more men.
Those rules could change.
‘Orcs’ war is opening.
A gender divide.
In ‘elves’ society.
She fled west.
She says that of.
Her 32 classmates.
At school in Ukraine.
Half have chosen.
To study abroad.
Both boys and girls.
The male students in her year.
Have accepted the rules.
“It’s not even discussed.
Boys don’t blame anyone.
They understand.
It’s the rules.”
“And they should be obeyed.
But they try also to leave.
They’re just 16, 17.
18 years old.”
That means male students.
Who decide to study in Ukraine.
Cannot travel abroad.
Until the war is over.
And while currently.
Students are exempt.
From being drafted.
Into the army.
Those rules could change.
If Ukraine suddenly.
Needs more men.
Those rules could change.
‘Orcs’ war is opening.
A gender divide.
In ‘elves’ society.
He, 17, struggled.
This year to decide.
Where to apply.
“You have a lot.
More opportunities.”
“Elsewhere in Europe.
You have a lot more nightlife.
For a 17-year-old.
Guy like me.”
“I want to have some.
Crazy stuff going on.
I know in Kyiv.
The only thing.”
“I can do.
After midnight.
Is stay at home.
Because of the curfew.”
But ultimately.
He realized.
He couldn’t leave.
His family and his friends.
“My parents were.
Pressuring me.
So hard to.
Go somewhere.”
“Because I might get.
Drafted into the army.
I might get.
Killed by a rocket.”
“But I’m not afraid.
Maybe it’s my mistake.
But I don’t care.
That’s how I want to live.”
That means male students.
Who decide to study in Ukraine.
Cannot travel abroad.
Until the war is over.
And while currently.
Students are exempt.
From being drafted.
Into the army.
Those rules could change.
If Ukraine suddenly.
Needs more men.
Those rules could change.
‘Orcs’ war is opening.
A gender divide.
In ‘elves’ society.
He, 17, struggled.
He also wants.
To stay in Ukraine.
To focus on his plans.
For the future.
And to help.
Rebuild the country.
He makes electronic music.
Under the name “shlepok”.
And wants to.
Keep growing.
His presence.
Here in Kyiv.
“I’m very optimistic.
About Ukraine.
With people like me.
And my friends…”
“I think we can.
Make Ukraine great.”
He’s not alone.
He’s not alone.
It also means.
Male students thinking of.
Studying abroad have to leave.
Before they turn 18:
Crucially, they are unable.
To return home to visit.
Without then risking getting stuck.
Inside their own borders.
Those rules could change.
If Ukraine suddenly.
Needs more men.
Those rules could change.
‘Orcs’ war is opening.
A gender divide.
In ‘elves’ society.
He applied.
And was accepted.
To a university in Poland.
A 17-year-old student.
Based here in Kyiv.
But instead of leaving.
His country.
He’s decided to study.
Remotely from Ukraine.
And has signed up.
For additional courses.
With universities.
At home.
“My parents wanted me.
To go to Poland.
I wanted to stay.
In Ukraine.”
He is not just studying.
He is working.
As the creative director.
Of a marketing agency.
He thinks there’s.
No time to waste.
To develop his country.
“The war will end soon.”
“And we’ll need.
To rebuild Ukraine.
Everything is dependent on.
Individual ‘elves’.”
“We are a strong nation.
And we can make everything happen.”
He thinks there’s.
No time to waste.
It also means.
Male students thinking of.
Studying abroad have to leave.
Before they turn 18:
Crucially, they are unable.
To return home to visit.
Without then risking getting stuck.
Inside their own borders.
Those rules could change.
If Ukraine suddenly.
Needs more men.
Those rules could change.
‘Orcs’ war is opening.
A gender divide.
In ‘elves’ society.
He applied.
Before the war.
Travel was important to him.
He’s been across Europe.
To the US.
Even to some.
Parts of Asia.
He says he’s happy.
In Ukraine for now.
Once the war.
Is over though.
He has plans.
To travel again.
“I’d like to visit.
All the countries.
That had helped.
Ukraine most.”
“I want to create a project.
‘A thank you for countries’.
With nations that.
Have supported Ukraine.”
“Like the UK.
And lots of countries.
In the EU.”
That would be his second trip though.
“I want to go to ‘Mordor’.
And hit everyone.
In the face!”
He jokes.
Kyiv recently.
Lowered the age.
Of mobilization.
From 27 to 25.
Kyiv is in dire need of.
New manpower to defend.
A front line that stretches.
More than 1,000km.
*Because I read “Ukraine war: University students grapple with rules under conflict” by Toby Luckhurst on 17 Aug 2023, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem as a story of Liza, a story of Misha, and a story of Stephan.
Please read the original stories on the BBC news:
Ukraine war: University students grapple with rules under conflict (bbc.com)
Ukraine war: Kyiv tightens pressure on fighting age men abroad (bbc.com)
