Mykhailo Filonenko

A soldier of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade. A landscape designer, writer, and volunteer.

Author of the short story “I See Dreams” in the collection Stories of Warriors, in which he reflects on his journey from civilian life to frontline service, through injury and recovery. It is a story of loss and struggle, of the power of inner experience, and of learning to value life and moments that may seem small, yet become defining.

Military path

Served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine from April 2024.
Signed a contract with the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade.
Sustained a severe injury in September 2024 and is currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. Awarded the medal “For Military Service to Ukraine.”

Reflecting on his path, he says:

“Every mission is unique — you could write books about them. True, they would mostly be interesting to my brothers-in-arms, as a memory of difficult, yet in their own way meaningful times.”

Civilian Path

Studied at the Housing and Communal Services College in Kharkiv.
Worked as a landscape designer.

After his injury, he began writing: short stories, poems, and later full-length novellas. Writing became a way to process his experiences and share them with others.

How he started writing:

I had a hobby of writing short stories and poems. After injury, this grew into a profession. Having a lot of free time works wonders.

Favorite Books, Music, and Films

I have many favorites. But since I’m a writer, I’ll talk about books.

If asked, “Which book would I reread in years to come?”, my list would look like this:

  • Fahrenheit 451

  • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*

  • The Divine Comedy

  • One Hundred Years of Solitude

  • Kafka on the Shore

  • Games People Play

  • Flowers for Algernon

  • The Sandman

  • The Colour of Magic

  • The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

We will prevail thanks to our unity, our desire to be free, and our wish to live peacefully and with dignity on our own land.