These are Truly Dangerous People – Interview with Ilya Kharkow
My name is Ilya Kharkow. I’m the author of the novel THE MINING BOYS. A year and a half ago I fled Ukraine. I am here to remind each of you that your life is more than a political compromise.
Recently, I learned that only 3 countries in Europe don’t compel men to participate in war in the event of martial law: Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland.
If that’s your sincere desire, then do it. But I believe that you can’t become a hero by force. No one has the right to demand that you risk your life for anything. Why? Because your life is the highest value. If you do not realize the value of your own life, then you should not expect the state to do it for you in the midst of war.
I grew up without a dad, and it made my childhood uneasy. That’s why I don’t understand how married guys with kids can leave them.
I was 3 years old when my dad left the family. It’s because of that I remember my early childhood well. That period that healthy children usually forget. If you dare to make love in front of an infant, hoping that he doesn’t understand what is going on, remember my story because I remember well how my parents did it. But you know, without these memories, my books might not contain so many intimate descriptions.
