Armed Forces Instead of Stage and Applause

The talented violinist Moisei Bondarenko joined the military on the second day of the full-scale war, February 25, 2022. He says that at the time it was the only thing he could do to help his country.

Moisei shares with ZN.UA why he joined the army, how music helps to inform the world about the war in Ukraine and what he aspires to do in the future.

The pre-war life of the violinist and military man Moisei Bondarenko bristled with music. He was born into a priest’s family. Although his father died shortly after he was born, the boy grew up in the church he had built.

“Since childhood, I have been playing and singing in church. My family continued my father’s spiritual service. When I grew up, I played the violin wherever I could: in the street, at restaurants, at corporate events, joined various bands... I tried to write music. In 2016, after graduating from high school, I moved to Kyiv. And there I played again — always and everywhere,” recalls Moisei.

On the night of February 23–24, 2022, the 22-year-old violinist was traveling from Kyiv to Odesa to attend a concert in which he was supposed to participate. However, the war intervened in the young man’s life, just as it did in the lives of many other Ukrainians. The concert did not take place, and instead of performing on stage and receiving well-deserved applause, the next day he decided to leave everything behind, including the music he adores so much, and stood at the military recruitment office with other men who sought to defend their country.

“I remember the first days of the full-scale war. It was scary, I didn’t know what was happening, but I knew for sure that becoming a military man was the right decision in my life. I believed and still believe that this is the best thing a young man can do if his country is in danger,” says Moisei Bondarenko. “I came to the enlistment office on February 25. However, I couldn’t part with my violin, so I came there with it. At first, I was an ordinary soldier. And then, since the unit needed doctors, I was sent to study battlefield medicine.”

However, Moisei has not given up music and uses every free minute in the army to do what he loves — write music, make covers of famous songs, post them on the Internet and thus draw the world’s attention to the events in Ukraine.

“To spread the word about the war and prevent the world from forgeting about what is happening here — that’s why I started playing songs by Billie Eilish and other artists whom I love and who support Ukraine. I also post short videos of me playing at the front,” says the violinist, defining the purpose of what he does.

Last year, Moisei Bondarenko visited the United States with the support of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. There, he had the opportunity to meet with American officials and play at the Ukrainian House, reminding people on another continent that the war in Ukraine is ongoing and we need their help to win.

“I didn’t think that my music could influence other people like that, I didn’t think I was worthy of carrying such important messages. However, together with the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, we managed to visit many offices, talk to many congressmen and explain how important their support is to us,” says Moisei.

His cooperation with the foundation did not end there. As Moisei Bondarenko himself put it, he understands that over time, Ukraine will face many problems related to the reintegration of veterans into civilian life. And waiting for the moment of victory is not an option. We should start working and solving these problems today. That is why he recently joined the ambassadors of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.

“I am inspired by what the foundation is doing and their initiatives. I want to be a part of this activity and also to propose and put into practice my own ideas that would allow my comrades-in-arms to return to civilian life through music,” the violinist shares his plans.

In addition, emphasizes the fighter, he will one day become a veteran himself, and therefore believes that his mission as an ambassador is to be a bridge for understanding between the military and society.

In the future, Moisei Bondarenko intends to play for veterans. He believes that music, especially instrumental music, has a therapeutic effect.

“I would like to play for veterans. They witnessed a lot of things at the frontline that they would rather not remember. However, it is impossible to forget it either. Music can help create a mood, an atmosphere in which the military can relax and dream, free themselves from heavy thoughts,” says Moses.

In general, the violinist summarizes, whatever he does, the main thing for him is to be useful to his country, his comrades-in-arms and veterans. For example, at Easter he plans to present a composition created especially for veterans, military personnel and their families.

Read this article in Ukrainian and russian.