Oleksandr Pecherytsia, star of The Serf, resigned from the Armed Forces and spoke about his biggest fears at the front

Famous Ukrainian theater and film actor Oleksandr Pecherytsia enlisted in the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on February 25, 2022, and later fought as part of the 128th Battalion, with which he participated in combat operations in the Kharkiv sector. Now the star of the TV series "Serf" and "Saga" has resigned from the Armed Forces. According to the actor himself, he did so "for family reasons."

According to Pecherytsia, this war has taken away his "profession, peace and family." The actor spoke about his dismissal from the Armed Forces, as well as the most frightening moments at the front, in an interview for TSN.ua's YouTube project Naodynitsi.

"I resigned for family reasons, because I had such an opportunity... This war has partially taken away my profession, peace, and family. I do not see my child growing up. I am paying a high price, and it is an unaffordable loan for me in the future. I always cry when people send me videos of my son. It is very painful when there is this distance," said the artist, whose wife and son are currently abroad for security reasons.

Pecherytsia did not share the details of his discharge after a year and a half on the front line.

Recalling his military experience, the star honestly admits that the front is a terrible place. He does not hide the fact that he was frightened by the daily feeling of mortal danger.

"I felt fear more than once during the shelling, when shells landed close to us. Every time there was anxiety and fear that we would be surrounded. This is the kind of fear that sits very deep in you, which you just try to negotiate with," the actor commented.

However, Pecherytsia considers February 24-25, 2022, to be one of the most difficult days during the full-scale war, the days when he was not yet at the front, but was making this important decision.

"The hardest days for me were when I made this decision, when I didn't know what to do on February 24-25. The columns were already starting to come in, and you wondered what to do: close the apartment, hide somewhere, run away, stay, fight... Then I went to the guys who were guarding the overpass on Brovarsky Avenue. I asked them what kind of unit it was, how to join you, I want to help you. They told me where to go. I went, and there were a lot of people there. I was then convinced that I had made the right choice," the movie star said.