In her political career, she has been attacked by a group of political rivals, sprayed with paint, fined on numerous occasions, arrested for her investigative articles, threatened with death, and accused of murder. None of that has made her step back, but rather leap forward. With a huge sharp knife on her waist and a personalized camouflage uniform, Lieutenant Tetyana Chornovol defines herself as an "alpha" woman, the one who leads men in combat and destroys enemy tanks [she has already destroyed four].
"There are many women in the Ukrainian army, but very few who are officers and even fewer who fight on the front line like me," she says proudly. The murder of Deputy Andriy Parubiy has required her to take his place as a parliamentarian. Therefore, she is officially the only active deputy in the entire Verkhovna Rada who is fighting against Russia in the armed forces.
What price have you had to pay for fighting Russia first as an activist and then as a combatant?
I have not made any sacrifices. This is my duty. Since my birth, intuitively I knew that Russia would attack us and I have been preparing for this war since I was a child. You can believe it or not, but I have always known it. That's why when we were invaded in February 2022, I was not surprised.
You could now join Parliament as a deputy after the assassination of Parubiy, yet you have requested a one-year extension to stay on the front line. Why?
There are some who do not want to go to fight and shout, "Let the politicians go to war first," but I want to set an example, I choose to serve in the army, not in the parliamentary chamber.
Is your work as a deputy [of the Poroshenko party] or as a lieutenant in the army part of the same personal war against the Russian invader?
The work as a deputy is much more difficult, because I want to push through many laws but it's not easy. You fight against the windmills of bureaucracy and also against the interests of Russia, which have always been present in the Ukrainian Parliament. Now, my work as a military officer is much more direct: I can see the enemy with my weapons and 'boom' [and she lets out a hearty laugh that won't be the only one].
In a still male-dominated institution like this army, how have you managed to lead your soldiers?
Although now we are all drone pilots, mine was initially an antitank unit. I have managed to destroy more tanks than anyone else in my unit [four]. I have intercepted more enemy drones and flown many more aircraft than anyone else. When it's necessary to go to a dangerous position, I am the first to do it. I never let a rookie go alone. That's how you earn respect. Being an alpha woman is about making decisions. I have commanded 40 men and they are all my family.
Do you have any hope for Trump's peace negotiations with Vladimir Putin?
None. Besides, his announcements irritate me. For example, that statement that without the weaponry he sent [Javelin antitank missiles], Ukraine would have lost in a few days. It's curious. I have been fighting for almost four years in this large-scale invasion and I have always used Ukrainian weaponry. I have never seen any US weapons.
What problems do you face in your daily life?
We not only have to deal with our own problems and with the Russian army. There is a third level we have to deal with, which is the civilians. Sometimes civilians determine that you cannot place a military position near houses because if the Russians retaliate, they could kill them. But there is an even worse fourth level: the Ukrainian military leadership. There are many officers who want to advance their careers through absurd missions. We see daily how the Russians send people to die near our position, and I hope our superiors never force us to do the same.