From April 30 to May 6, Arizona will host a series of “Voices from Ukraine’s Front Line” meetings with Ukrainian veterans, who will share their experiences of the front, modern warfare, and resistance to Russian aggression with an American audience.
This was reported by the tour organizers Cactus and Tryzub.
The “Voices from Ukraine’s Front Line: Arizona Speaking Tour with Ukrainian Defenders” tour has launched in Arizona, bringing together diplomatic organizations, American veterans, students and alumni of Arizona State University, the Ukrainian-American community, religious organizations, and the general public.
“Arizona residents will have a unique opportunity to hear directly from those who have experienced the realities of modern warfare about resilience and innovation in extreme conditions,” the organizers note.
The tour will feature panel discussions, community meetings, media appearances, and public conversations in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Fountain Hills, and Prescott. The main topics of the events will be the defense of freedom, drone warfare, innovation on the frontline, countering Russian propaganda, and Ukraine’s role in the global security system.
Participating in the events are Ukrainian veterans, namely Mykola Melnyk, retired senior lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, founder and director of Brave Children of Ukraine; Denys Hayda, retired senior soldier-operator of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, founder of Brave Children of Ukraine; and Oleh Bonchinsky, retired senior soldier-operator of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, co-founder and director of the Khodoriv Organization for Support of ATO Veterans.
“This tour is designed to connect communities with the real-life experiences of Ukrainian defenders and promote dialogue on global security, the sustainability of democracy, and the human dimension of war,” the program description says.
The first event of the tour took place on April 30 in Phoenix, at the Committee on Foreign Relations, under the title “12 Years of War with Russia: The Path from Resistance to Innovation.” The program also includes meetings with the Scottsdale Elks Lodge community, the Ukrainian-American community in Phoenix at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center, students at Arizona State University, Iranian activists in Fountain Hills on global threats and the influence of totalitarian regimes, and the Prescott United Methodist Church community.
A separate event at the Scottsdale Elks Lodge will be held in the format of an informal lunch and meet-and-greet with veterans. Participants will be able to ask questions, hear personal stories, and discuss what the organizers call “the realities of war – what is not written in the headlines.”
The tour will also talk about humanitarian initiatives. In particular, participants will have the opportunity to support the “Brave Children of Ukraine” project, which helps children who have lost one or both parents as a result of the war. There will also be a presentation of the book “My Maidan”, authored by Senior Lieutenant Mykola Melnyk.
“As Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty, such conversations provide important insights into how contemporary conflicts shape the future of international relations, defense innovation, and global cooperation,” the organizers emphasize.
Photo: Cactus and Tryzub
Author: Inna Mikhno