Ukrainian newlyweds vow to defend their country
Yaryna Arieva discusses her and her husband's decision to move up their wedding and join the Ukrainian Army
The young Ukrainian couple who captured hearts around the world when they married early amid Russia's invasion and immediately joined the war effort continue to be optimistic about Ukraine's future, but they are asking for help to gather supplies.
Yaryna Arieva, 21, and her 24-year-old husband, Sviatoslav Fursin, married as soon as Russia's invasion began in February, months ahead of their planned wedding date, and joined Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces immediately after their wedding. The couple live in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, where Russian officials say they plan to scale back military operations after more than a month of fighting.
"We will still be fighting until the last drop of blood, but if Ukraine falls, then someone will be next. Russia never stops," Arieva told Fox News Digital. "They have nothing. They have nothing to feed their people, but still, they will try to take other countries and bring their Russian world – and the Russian world looks like complete [destruction] and fear."
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In Kyiv, Russian forces have fallen back about 25 miles from the city's center, Arieva explained, and residents of the city who have been sheltering underground for weeks are finally coming up for air – even if only for a brief period of time before Russian soldiers advance again.
Yaryna Arieva, and her husband, Sviatoslav Fursin. (Yaryna Arieva)
Arieva and her husband were recently sent home from the Territorial Defense Force as more Ukrainians with military experience returned to the city and began volunteering. Now, they spend their time offering assistance to humanitarian programs, gathering food and water for those in need.
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"The city is waking up. … Some shops are opening. Even some coffee shops. A little of them, but still. … I was in the Territorial Defense for a month, and the only coffee I had was this coffee you take out of a packet. And when I had a chance to drink a normal cappuccino, it was the greatest taste I could ever imagine after this time. It was, like, three days ago, but I still remember it," Arieva said.
Sviatoslav Fursin, Yaryna Arieva and other civilian volunteers. (Yaryna Arieva)
She and her husband expect the fighting to continue after this brief period of "calm" but are not sure how long it will go on.
"We really don't know how long it will take to win the war because like the situation on the first day – it was really hard fighting. Now, everything [is] calmer, especially near Kyiv. But still, this calmness of the fight means it will take much longer from both sides," Arieva said. "… We will take every meter of opportunity that Russians tried to take from us."
Sviatoslav Fursin and other civilian soldiers. (Yaryna Arieva)
Fursin, who has been fighting on the second lines in Kyiv to keep Russian forces outside the city, is pleading with people from outside Ukraine to send military equipment such as bulletproof vests and helmets, as many civilian fighters do not have access to proper, high-quality equipment.
"Me and my warrior brothers were protecting the city from Russian [forces]. We have some ways to hold our positions, just to protect our regular army. It was a risk because the Russians used techniques to try and break through the regular army … and enter the city. … But many guys don't have the proper equipment," he explained.
Sviatoslav Fursin. (Yaryna Arieva)
He described a "small win" at the beginning of the war when the civilian task force that he helps lead successfully fired at Russian forces and kept them outside city limits. Since then, they have completed other combat missions and taken down "sabotage groups." For about a week, it seemed as though his battalion was under attack of Russian artillery fire "every hour," though none of his "warrior brothers" died throughout that time.
He described teaching civilians how to make Molotov cocktails and burning his hands because he did not have the proper gloves.
"That day…we made about 200 Molotov cocktails," he said, laughing. "…And now I'm sure that they have them, and they can protect their homes."
Yaryna Arieva, and her husband, Sviatoslav Fursin, making Molotov cocktails. (Yaryna Arieva)
But while the situation in Kyiv feels promising, other cities are not faring well. Arieva named Mariupol as one example, where civilians cannot escape through green corridors and are suffering from a lack of electricity, gas, water, food and cellphone signal.
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"In the news, the information lasts for about two to three weeks, but the war doesn't," she said. "People are dying, and we really need protection for our warriors. We really need anything that people around the world can gather to get to Ukraine because we really fight very hard. My husband has been in really scary places. … It's the question of life and death."
The couple said Ukrainians are accepting donations through the U.S. Ukraine Foundation, which is sending military and medical equipment into the country, and Fursin is personally accepting donations for military equipment through his PayPal account, which can be found on his Facebook page.
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