The Story of Yevheniya Kobra
During an assault on the Zaporizhzhia front, Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier Yevheniya, call sign Kobra, identified one of the captured Russian invaders as her own cousin. The incident unfolded when paratroopers took six Russian military personnel prisoner. Yevheniya refused to speak with her relative, who had chosen to side with the enemy. According to her account, she asked the captive where he was from, and he replied that he had been living in Poltava.
“I noticed a familiar surname. I asked: 'Where did you live before this?' He said: 'In Poltava.' Then he gave the address. My commander asked: 'Zhenya, what's wrong?' I said: 'This is my brother,'” Yevheniya recounted.
Service and Personal Life
Yevheniya Kobra, a 25-year-old soldier, initially served in the 78th Separate Air Assault Brigade. She is a mother of three children. However, after suffering a spinal fracture, she had to leave the airborne forces and continue her service in the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade. At the time of the interview, she confirmed her decision not to communicate with her brother, who had become a collaborator:
“I had no desire to talk to him. If he chose the enemy’s side, that’s it. Even if he is still alive, I will not sit next to him.”
This incident, which took place in the Zaporizhzhia region, highlights the complexity of personal relationships in the context of war. Yevheniya, who spent her childhood with her cousin in Poltava, could not accept his choice. The story was reported by the 'War Without Censorship' initiative. Such accounts, emerging amid the armed conflict, serve as a reminder of how war reshapes family bonds and personal connections. This case vividly illustrates how individual tragedies can intertwine with political and military realities, creating new challenges for people on both sides of the conflict.
This incident not only reflects personal tragedies but also sheds light on the motivations behind enlistment in the ongoing conflict. For instance, one captured Russian soldier revealed that he joined the military for financial reasons, specifically to cover his father's cancer treatment. Such stories illustrate the complex interplay of personal circumstances and the harsh realities of war, highlighting the human side of these conflicts. To read more about this soldier's decision and its implications, see why he enlisted for a substantial sum.