was born in Donetsk oblast, in the east of Ukraine. He graduated from Donetsk National University and has a Master’s degree in journalism. He worked for Ukrainian media for more than fifteen years. In 2015, Shybalov became an activist and worked for an international peacemaking foundation based in Geneva. He was engaged in the peace process in eastern Ukraine. On 24 February 2022, he volunteered to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces as a rifleman and anti-tank grenadier. He took part in battles in Kyiv, Chornobyl, and Bakhmut, and spent more than six months in Russian captivity as a prisoner of war. After his release, Shybalov trained as a reconnaissance drone pilot and continued his service. He retired from military service in July 2024, and works for the Ministry of Veteran Affairs of Ukraine as Acting Director of the International Co-operation Department. He received the honorary award ‘For Invincibility’.
Injustice is the universally understood common denominator that connects soldiers and liberals in Ukraine. With the war effort accelerating to the use of long-range missiles on Russian territory, a personal account of swapping aid provision for firearms explains the decision to fight, proving how contemplation never ceases.