Dmytro Popovych

Author: Dmytro Popovych. Time of Logotherapy, Issue 2, 2025, pp. 122–123.

On 12 April 2022, our unit was taken prisoner by the enemy in Mariupol. It is no secret that Russian soldiers show outright aggression towards Ukrainian military personnel. Years of Kremlin propaganda had done their work. None of us expected our lives to be valued in captivity. From that moment on, everything was uncertain. What would happen next? I did not know what lay ahead, or what would happen to my wife, who was in her first month of pregnancy.

In Olenivka, there was what they called a “reception”. What did that look like? Outside, we were forced to run between two rows of special forces personnel. They punched and kicked us, beat us with batons, and some used soldiers’ belts. Then, inside the building, we were ordered to undress, and the beatings continued until morning. It is hard to talk about, but there were “receptions” like this, or even worse, in every prison.

The first prison was in the Tver region; the last and most terrifying was in Mordovia. Every morning, we were beaten. Then we stood in a single line in our cell for sixteen hours a day, listening to Russian music. We could use the toilet or drink water only when ordered to do so. We were given almost no hygiene supplies. Once, after being made to do squats and being beaten, my legs gave way in the corridor and I crawled back into the cell, although I was later able to stand up.

I cannot say that I endured everything bravely or displayed a defiant strength of the human spirit. It was very hard. Having no control even over my own body, and the uncertainty, became so unbearable that in that cell in Mordovia I began asking myself: What is this for? What comes next? Who am I?

For a long time, I had struggled to find my place in life. But there I decided that I would study psychology; I had been interested in it before. I thought of Viktor Frankl, whom I had heard about earlier. I told myself that when I was released, I would read his book. It may sound strange, but that is exactly what happened. On the day of the prisoner exchange, a young woman came up to me and gave me a folder of information brochures. Among them was Man’s Search for Meaning, with a card from “Kulturnyi Desant”.

My release came on the second day after my birthday (6 July 2023). I had spent almost a year and three months in captivity. During that time, my wife gave birth to our little daughter, Vira. My mother supported her, so my wife was able both to care for our child and to fight for my release. At the same time, she was learning to drive and studying at medical university.

I soon regained my bearings: I became focused on activity and learning. My wife always supports me, helps me in everything, and guides me. I resumed my university studies, graduated, and in 2024 enrolled in a master’s programme in clinical psychology.

Then I met Logotherapists and became acquainted with our space, and I knew for certain that I would study Logotherapy. Since July 2025, I have been a student on the basic course. I cannot say that it is easy for me, but it is incredibly interesting. For me, it is not just a method; it is a way of life, a philosophy.

What would I advise those who find themselves in a similar situation?

Move the trauma to the periphery. Talk, move forward, and understand that you are already a different person. If you are having difficulties, seek help straight away; do not withdraw into yourself. Keep learning, and remember: you are not a victim; you are a survivor. I do not know what else to add. I just knew that this had added flavour to my life. Now I live with greater awareness. I set myself the goal of enrolling in psychology. And I achieved it. Even in captivity, I was searching for myself. What do I really want? Who am I? Studying helps me understand myself. And I want to help others and continue to grow.