Dmytro Vlasenko joined the Territorial Defense Forces on the first day of the full-scale war when Russian troops invaded his native Kyiv region. In the army, worked his way up from a soldier to a battalion commander’s assistant. In March of this year, with the support of FUIB, Dmytro enrolled in the MBA program at KSE Graduate Business School to master decision-making methodologies in both military and civilian life. He is studying under the scholarship program established by the KSE Foundation.
Before the full-scale war, Dmytro Vlasenko had been practicing law for over 10 years. The Russian invasion caught him in the Bucha district of Kyiv region: “I woke up around 5am to the sound of explosions. I opened the news feed and realized that the full-scale war had begun,” Dmytro recalls.
Two hours later, he and his friends were heading toward Bila Tserkva.
“The roads were already becoming chaotic. There were long lines at gas stations, making it nearly impossible to refuel. I got separated from my friends. The GPS was leading me through villages and fields. I was risking being stranded in the middle of a field without fuel. At that moment, I was overwhelmed with fierce hatred for the invaders who had come to my home. I turned around and went back. I no longer felt fear—only hatred. In one of the villages near the Zhytomyr highway, a TDF battalion headquarters was being established, and after an interview, I joined them. That’s how my service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022,” he shares.
In over two years, Dmytro has advanced from a soldier to an officer. Along the way, he has held various roles, including squad leader, clerk, staff sergeant, and platoon commander. He now serves as the battalion commander’s assistant for legal matters.
The serviceman had heard about the Kyiv School of Economics many times in business circles. His unit had also received assistance from the KSE Foundation. So, he consciously chose to study for an MBA at KSE Graduate Business School, knowing the quality of the education.
“I am interested in decision-making methodologies. The management process is universal by nature. An effective manager in business can easily establish management processes in other fields, including military management,” he says.
The serviceman is studying at the Business School thanks to a grant from the KSE Foundation, which was funded by FUIB—a regular partner of the scholarship program that consistently invests in education.
“I am grateful to FUIB for investing in my education. This is an example of high social responsibility. In turn, social responsibility is a ‘two-way street’—it also falls on me, and in double measure. What is my responsibility? To make this investment as effective as possible. First, to gain knowledge, and then to use it for the benefit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, my people, my society, and my country. This is the super motivation that came into my life thanks to the opportunity to receive this education,” says Dmytro.
At KSE Graduate Business School, Dmytro notes the absence of Soviet-style practices, bureaucratism, and bias, as well as the constant discussions, group activities, and the innovative approaches of the faculty.
“For me, studying is a breath of fresh air. I have been in a state of uncertainty and constant stress for more than two years. When you go to bed, you might not wake up. Every new day may be your last. War is a daily routine that is extremely exhausting. In contrast, education helps you not to dissolve in the circumstances and to believe in the future. It gives you new incentives, directions and goals,” says the soldier.
The hardest part of the war, Dmytro admits, is looking into the eyes and shaking the hands of the guys who, within hours, will give their lives for Ukraine.
“When someone is gone, it’s hard to believe, because you’ve just seen them, talked to them. Then, as you drive through the liberated territories and see Ukrainian flags and brigade banners at the roadsides where comrades fell, tears come to your eyes. These are the best representatives of our nation and our time. I believe that one day people will speak about this generation as one of the greatest in modern Ukrainian history,” he adds.