From Wall Street to Warzone: The Unlikely Journey of a Ukrainian Medic
Viktoriia Honcharuk was living what many would call the American dream. With a promising career in investment banking on Wall Street, she had secured financial success and stability in New York City. But when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, her priorities shifted dramatically.
The Call to Serve
"Everything was quite good in my life, but then Russia attacked my country," Honcharuk told Sky News in an exclusive interview. "My mum, my dad, my sister... they all joined the resistance as soon as they could."
Watching her family members take up arms to defend their homeland proved to be a powerful inspiration. "They said, look, we're not going to go anywhere... we're going to fight for our home, our town. And that was very admirable - that inspired me a lot," she explained.
After several months of supporting Ukraine from afar, Honcharuk reached a breaking point. "I said, well, I cannot also stand back. I cannot watch Russia, the biggest country in the world, attacking my country."
Overcoming Personal Fears
What makes Honcharuk's story particularly remarkable is the personal obstacles she had to overcome. "I was afraid of blood and needles before the invasion," she admitted candidly. Yet when she decided to return to Ukraine, she specifically sought a medical role on the frontlines.
Despite concerns from friends in the United States and even her own mother, Honcharuk made the life-altering decision. She called her sister with questions about joining the Ukrainian military in a medical capacity. "She was like, why are you asking this?" Honcharuk recalled. "And I'm thinking: I'm ready to go back to Ukraine and I want to join the army, and it's going to be, I think, something in medicine."
Her sister responded with immediate support, connecting her with the right people within just five seconds of consideration.
Frontline Reality
After minimal training lasting only a couple of days, Honcharuk found herself deployed to active combat zones. Her duties extended beyond treating Ukrainian soldiers to include caring for Russian prisoners of war as well.
"It's something that we have to do, right? I don't get to choose who I have to work with," she stated matter-of-factly. "We're following the Geneva Convention. We have to treat prisoners of war, Russians."
This aspect of her work has provided unique insights into the conflict. "You get to speak with them... and understand that Russia is not going to stop what they're doing right now," she revealed. "They are ready to go further and they are preparing for something bigger."
A Broader Perspective
Honcharuk, who has since been immortalized in a portrait by British artist Max Denison-Pender, believes ordinary Ukrainians have played a crucial role in preventing Russian expansion. "If we were all to say 'this is not my war', I think Russia would be pushing through the rest of Europe at this point," she asserted.
Reflecting on her dramatic career change, Honcharuk described it with surprising simplicity. "A lot of people think it was a difficult decision to leave a good career, good life, and go back to Ukraine and go to the frontlines," she acknowledged. "But looking back... I think that is the easiest decision I ever made."
Her story represents what she sees as a broader Ukrainian resistance movement. "Just because of this, like men and women in Ukraine have decided to stand up to a bully and join the resistance," she concluded, emphasizing the collective determination that has defined her nation's response to aggression.
