When Clark Public Utilities lineman Mikhail Pavenko returned to Vancouver earlier this month after two weeks near Ukraine’s front lines, he was struck by the quiet. No air raid sirens. No blackout drills. No scanning the skies for drones.
“It really makes me value what we have a lot more,” Pavenko said.
He returned Oct. 5 from his eighth trip since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, one that he described as the most perilous yet.
A changing battlefield
Pavenko spent his time moving between Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Dnipro regions, where Russia’s relentless missile and drone attacks have reshaped civilian life. What he once described as wartime resilience now resembles survival under constant watch.
“Almost every major road now has what they call ‘tunnels of life ’; massive anti-drone nets stretching above the highways,” he said. “You drive under them for miles. That’s how people are surviving now.”
He said Ukraine’s defenses have evolved as the war has grown more technological and indiscriminate. Suicide drones, laser-guided missiles and long-range bombardments now target not just the front lines but also apartment blocks, hospitals and schools.
“This war changed. It’s not just soldiers dying. It’s kids, it’s teachers, it’s pastors,” he said. “You see the evil clearly.”
During one visit to Zaporizhzhia, Pavenko prayed with a widow who had lost her husband in battle. He said 15 families in her small village had lost fathers or sons.
“I hugged her and gave her a few groceries for her kids,” he said. “She told me, ‘God will provide.’ You can’t forget that kind of faith.”
Last week, Russian forces continued their push westward into Ukraine, reaching a point 20 miles from where three of Pavenko’s uncles, all pastors, reside. By the time of reporting, 76 ministers from different denominations have been killed. Pavenko expressed concern that those not adhering to the Moscow Orthodox faith are being targeted, which causes him apprehension.
During his last trip, Mikhail visited a memorial site which included photos of three of his cousins in the city of Sloviansk, Donetsk region. Two were killed in 2014 after the Crimean invasion. The third, who served as a military chaplain, was killed after the 2022 invasion.
“One of our uncles … has 3 boys left, but they're despite that, they're still serving, so war has obviously taken a pretty serious toll on our family,” Pavenko said.
A call for stronger Western resolve
Pavenko said the war has entered a critical phase, with Ukrainian morale holding strong but Western resolve beginning to waver. He criticized what he called NATO’s “timid” response to Russian aggression beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Earlier in September, multiple Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace — a direct violation of NATO territory. Pavenko said the alliance’s muted reaction sent the wrong message.
“NATO should have immediately closed the airways and made it clear that no Russian aircraft, no drones, can enter allied airspace without consequences,” he said. “Putin is testing how far he can push, and so far, he’s seeing that he can.”
He believes the United States and its allies must respond more decisively, both to defend NATO’s credibility and to protect Ukrainian civilians from unrelenting attacks.
“Russia is hitting power plants, water systems, gas lines — things hundreds of miles from the front,” he said. “If this isn’t terrorism, what is it?”
He called for allies to permit Ukraine to strike back with long-range missiles and to establish a limited no-fly zone over civilian areas.
“The West needs to stop playing defense,” he said. “Ukraine’s not asking for troops, just for the tools to finish the job.”
Pavenko said he was encouraged by recent bipartisan momentum in Congress for additional sanctions and aid packages. Local support from politicians has also encouraged him. Just before flying overseas, Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez called and prayed with Pavenko, wishing him the best.
“It’s one of the few things both the left and the right agree on; that the Ukrainians are fighting for freedom and democracy, the same principles that made this nation great,” he said.
He also addressed recent developments in U.S. foreign policy. On Aug. 15, former President Donald Trump allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin to fly to Alaska for a meeting, a move Pavenko said “gained America nothing” and only emboldened the Kremlin.
Still, he welcomed Trump’s more recent remarks. On Sept. 24, the president stated Ukraine can “fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form” in a Truth Social post.
“I’m happy to see his rhetoric shifting,” Pavenko said. “I think he’s realizing that his red-carpet meeting with Putin … only appeased a war criminal. I’m hopeful he’s learned from that.”
Between two worlds
Back in Clark County, Pavenko returns to his day job maintaining power lines. The transition, he said, never gets easier.
“I value no air raids,” he said. “I value the fact that we don’t have to hide our children in basements or look outside for Russian drones. It’s made me cherish the blessings we have here.”
He credits his family and employer for helping him balance two vastly different lives.
“My wife is obviously worried, but she's very supportive … I have a very supportive wife and two beautiful young children,” he said. “Clark Public Utilities understands what I do and supports me. And even before I left, Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez called and prayed over me. Those small things, they mean a lot.”
Pavenko said it gets more difficult to leave for Ukraine with each trip he takes.
“I think that has to do with my children getting older, right? I also have a very clear understanding of the hazards and the risks, but the mission, I fully believe in,” he said.
Leaving Ukraine, however, also grows harder each time.
“With every trip, it’s more difficult to leave,” he said. “I know that some of the guys who put me on that train back to Poland — I might not see them again.”
Holding onto faith
Despite the devastation, he said moments of grace continue to break through. From soldiers sharing rations to gas stations in war zones offering free coffee to volunteers, Pavenko said the smallest gestures often carry the most weight.
“The closer you get to the front, the nicer people are,” he said. “They’ve learned to separate what’s trivial from what’s important. Any moment could be their last, and yet they’re still kind.”
He said that enduring kindness keeps him returning and keeps him believing Ukraine will ultimately prevail.
“Ukraine was given three weeks to survive,” he said. “It’s year four, and the world’s second-largest army still hasn’t achieved its goals. That speaks volumes about the Ukrainian spirit.”
He plans to return within the next several months.
“We have a mission to complete,” he said. “This isn’t just about territory. It’s about the right to live free. Freedom and democracy must be protected. If evil prevails, our children and grandchildren will feel it for generations.”
