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2024 · Ukraine · Three Ukrainian Veterans: The Return Home
A documentary story of resilience, duty, and the unbreakable bonds forged in war told through the lives of those who chose to return.
The road back to the front is rough but for many, it’s not a return. It’s a continuation of duty, of brotherhood, of unfinished promises.
In this story, we travel with Vadym and others who chose not to leave the front but simply paused to heal, reflect, and regroup.
These are portraits of soldiers not only on the battlefield, but in motion: driving back to their units, holding their children close, protesting in public squares, and reclaiming moments of freedom.
Alongside them are the people who wait — families whose everyday lives now orbit around prosthetics clinics, and homecomings that never last long.
Through images and video, we witness the bond that keeps them going: not just loyalty to country, but to each other. To those still fighting.
This is not a story of return. It’s a story of staying in body, spirit, or memory.
WHERE THE ROAD LEADS BACK
This is more than a drive to the front. It’s a return to brotherhood, to memory, to a place where danger meets deep, familiar safety.
Vadym, callname Sheriff, age 31
108th Territorial Defense Brigade
At the railway station, I spot a massive black military car — Vadym waiting to pick me up and take me to their deployment site near the front. Meeting friends in such conditions feels both tense and deeply desired. His uniform seems more vivid, and his eyes hold a deeper intensity.
Of course, we’re driving fast.
"Do all soldiers drive this crazy?" I ask, gripping the door handle as the wind rushes through the window.
"No idea," he replies, "This isn’t fast yet."
As we drive, I notice more people in uniform and fewer houses along the road. We stop for coffee — our last chance for a hot one. The coffee, shared with soldiers, has a pleasantly bitter aftertaste.
As the road worsens, my mood lifts. Vadym tells me to hold on tighter, and it reminds me of being a kid, sitting at the back of a bumpy old blue bus bouncing along a terrible road to the village. That familiar shaking brings warmth. Back then, I was with my family. I felt safe. Now, I’m with another family — one that protects us all. I feel just as safe with them, even near the front.
"I know – everyone is exhausted after these 2.5 years of fighting, but I want to set an example for others. If I can do it, then anyone can." – Vadym, callname Sherif
"I can't say I decided to return to the front because I never planned to leave. It's all about my comrades and the responsibility I feel toward them."
Between the frontlines and home is a terrain of healing.
THE FIGHT DOESN’T END AT HOME
Back from the front, he learns to walk again and to stand for others.
Andrii, callname Morzh, age 32
112th Territorial Defense Brigade
From rehabilitation halls to protest squares, his fight continues not just for himself, but for those left behind.
He carries invisible wounds and visible resolve, channeling his recovery into purpose.
Video taken by Andrii and Iva Sidash in 2024.
HOME IS ANOTHER FRONTLINE
Home again, he rebuilds his life — one quiet moment, one prayer, one embrace at a time.
Hennadii, callname Hmuryi, age 52
Special Operations Forces
He fought for all of us and came back for his family.
Each movement is a quiet rebellion against limits, against loss.
Memory doesn’t need stone. The names on these flags are etched into his heart, carried with each breath, each step, each silent promise to never forget.
His body carries what he survived. Every scar, every absence is a testament to the road he never turned from.
Video made in Ukraine in 2024 by Iva Sidash
