Vasya
Vasyl "Vasya" Antoniak, "Mangal": Vasya was working construction in Lviv, western Ukraine, before he became an active participant of the Euromaidan, inspired by a chance to do something with purpose and contribute to national change. In March, when news of turbulence and clashes began taking place in the East, he travelled with friends to Odesa to help disperse the separatist rallies. After Odesa, Vasya joined the Aydar Volunteer Battalion, where he helped liberate and defend Ukrainian towns in the Luhansk region until 2015. He now lives in Kyiv and is a student of psychology, working part-time as an actor and administrative assistant in film. READ EXCERPT FROM VASYA'S STORY