Oleksandr Bulich
A Major who served in the 22nd Separate Brigade, now heads the Communications Department at the Hetman Petro Sahaidachny National Academy of Land Forces. Musician, writer, comic author, performer in rock, blues, and dark country.
Author of the short story “Dogs of War, or How I Met Speedy Gonzales” in the collection Stories of Warriors, in which he tells a story of rescuing a red dog to explore humanity and loyalty in war. It is an honest and warm tale of friendship, loss, and return, and of the enduring power of love even amid the chaos of war. A moving text in which the dog becomes a symbol of hope and memory — that which keeps a person alive against all odds.
Military path
He has been serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine since March 2022.
Initially in the 22nd Separate Brigade, he now heads the Communications Department at the Hetman Petro Sahaidachny National Academy of Land Forces. His rank is Major. He took part in the defense of Kharkiv and Sumy regions in 2022. He has been awarded the honors: “For Service,” “Military Honor Cross,” and “War Participant.”
In 2022, I brought a dog from the combat zone to a training ground in Lviv region, where, unfortunately, our paths separated. I searched for him for more than two years and recently happened to encounter him at the training ground. He recognized me, and I took him home. Since June 2025, we have been living together with my best four-legged friend.
Civilian Path
Before the full-scale war, Oleksandr was involved in art and culture. He studied at Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. Known in music circles as Sasha Bul, he is a performer in rock, blues, and dark country.
He was a member of the international band Me and That Man — a side project of Adam “Nergal” Darski from Behemoth. At the same time, he worked in literature and comics, and continues to write today. He occasionally performs concerts, creates new music, and participates in cultural initiatives.
How he started writing
I have always loved stories. I want to share them with as many people as possible.
Favorite Books, Music, and Films
Books: Novels by Cormac McCarthy, William Faulkner, John Steinbeck.
Music: Country, folk, blues.
Films: No Country for Old Men, Wind River, Hell or High Water, There Will Be Blood.
We will prevail because we preserve our identity.