Ievlev’s release: KMIA spokesman admits how PTSD affected his life
12 May 23:27
The spokesman for the Kyiv City Military Administration, Yevhen Ievlev, was dismissed from his post after he threatened to physically harm Free Radio journalist Yevhen Vakulenko for his story about the declaration of an employee of the Pokrovsky District TCC. In his frank statement, Ievlev spoke about his personal experience with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by the war and called on society to treat veterans with understanding, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Today, the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said that Yevhen Ievlev was leaving his post as spokesman for the institution.
“Today is the last day of Yevhen Ievlev’s tenure as spokesman. I want to thank Yevhen for his work in this position. I would also like to thank him for defending Ukraine,” he said.
Tkachenko informed that the search for candidates for the new spokesperson is ongoing. He will temporarily communicate on behalf of the KCIA personally.
“All official information and position is available on my official resources and the resources of the KCIA,” the head of the administration said.
In a sincere post on his Facebook page, he explained the reasons for this decision – not only the recent public scandal, but also the deep trauma he has been living with for a year and a half.
“As you know, there was a scandal involving me recently. To put it mildly, I behaved unprofessionally and uncivilized in front of a journalist. I have already apologized for that. And I apologize again, sincerely and without any reservations,” Ievlev wrote.
This event became a reason for Ievlev to reflect deeply on his behavior and psychological state, which led to his decision to resign. In his statement, Ievlev spoke publicly for the first time about his struggle with PTSD, which began after the traumatic events of August 7, 2023, during the massive rocket attack on Pokrovsk. Then 11 people died, and Ievlev himself miraculously survived:
“It all started on August 7, 2023, after a massive rocket attack on Pokrovsk. Then 11 people died. I could have been among them. I was lucky: the shock wave threw me five meters into a tree. I saw an elderly woman get blown up right before my eyes. I still don’t know whether she survived or not…” he recalls.
After this episode, any stay on the front line or in frontline cities became unbearable: panic attacks, tremors, insomnia, the desire not to leave the dugout or basement – all this became a daily reality.
“Any shelling, even a few kilometers away, caused panic attacks. Sometimes it was tremors. It happened that I stayed in the basement until the morning after the shelling. I never left the dugout at the positions.”
Ievlev admits that he was ashamed to talk about his condition and tried to hide his problems, continuing to work on the front line through force. The offer to become a spokesperson for KIAA in Kyiv was an opportunity for him to escape the “endless horror,” but even in the capital, his PTSD symptoms did not disappear:
“The noise of a subway train is like the sound of a rocket coming in… My sleep doesn’t come until three in the morning.”
Ievlev emphasized that his story is not an excuse, but an attempt to draw attention to the psychological consequences of war:
“I am writing this so that we as a society can begin to realize that war leaves deep marks on everyone who has experienced it up close. And we will encounter rudeness, isolation, and various forms of reactions from veterans more than once. There will be a reason behind each of them.”
He calls on Ukrainians to be understanding of veterans who may exhibit atypical behavior due to injuries sustained in the war.
Why Ievlev is leaving his post
Thescandal was only a catalyst for a decision that Ievlev had been considering for a long time. In his post, he clearly stated that he was not seeking to keep his position:
“I’m not writing this to stay on as a spokesperson. The decision has already been made.”
He thanked his colleagues and the public for their support and understanding, emphasizing that his departure was due to personal reasons and the need to focus on his own recovery.
What preceded it
In early May, the Free Radio media outlet published a story analyzing the property declarations of employees of the territorial recruitment and social support centers in Donetsk Oblast for the previous year. One of the persons involved in the investigation was Serhiy Ievlev, a serviceman of the Pokrovsk District Recruiting and Social Support Center.
According to the published declaration, his wife owns a 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser worth UAH 773,000, while no official income is indicated in the documents. After the publication, according to the journalist, Serhiy Ievlev’s son, a spokesman for the Kyiv City Military Administration, contacted him via Facebook.
