Japanese Journalist Daiki Sakakibara Visits UzhNU to Document the Reality of Wartime Life

Japanese journalist Daiki Sakakibara recently visited Uzhhorod to talk with local residents, including Uzhhorod National University staff, for a deeply moving report on the city’s resilience and its hidden scars. Through Mr. Sakakibara’s lens, the Japanese audience gained a rare glimpse into the daily reality of our university community—a place where professional life and personal tragedy have become inseparable.

A Moment of Silence: Through the Lens of a Foreign Observer

During his stay, Sakakibara looked past the surface of Uzhhorod, which might seem to lead a normal life at first glance. Accompanied by Alina Shelepets, a staff member of UzhNU’s International Relations Department, the journalist saw firsthand how the war dictates the rhythm of our streets.

As noted in the original article by Daiki Sakakibara:

«Every day at 9:00 AM, a moment of silence is observed. Pedestrians and cars stop for about a minute. 'There are all kinds of people. Some stop out of respect for the soldiers, others no longer do...' said Alina Shelepets (25), a staff member at Uzhhorod National University, as we walked together at that hour.»

The report also highlights how the war has forced a total redefinition of life for our university colleagues. To show the Japanese public the scale of sacrifice involved, Sakakibara shared Alina’s personal story. Quoting the original report: "Alina’s father (48), formerly a lawyer, volunteered for the military in 2014 and again in February 2022."

The City of Refugees

Beyond personal stories, Sakakibara’s report dives into the dramatic demographic shifts that have turned Uzhhorod into a major humanitarian hub. He describes the city as a "City of Refugees," noting how the influx from the East has changed the very fabric of the local community. The journalist writes in his article:

"Uzhhorod’s population has grown by roughly 30%. Officially, there are 28,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) alongside the 112,000 residents, though unofficial data suggests the number may be as high as 60,000."

To get a sense of the weight of this migration, the journalist interviewed Dmytro Solobosnov (52), a curator at the Uzhhorod Castle Museum. Dmytro fled Luhansk in March 2022 after the tragic loss of his aunt to Russian forces. His testimony, as recorded in the article, reflects a sobering outlook on the country's recovery:

«The Russian attacks are an unjustifiable crime. They will undoubtedly leave deep scars on Ukraine,' he says. He also expresses concern about the future: 'How will we repay the support we receive from other countries? I worry it will return to us as a massive tax burden. We have already lost our best comrades on the battlefield. I fear we will become a country stripped of both human and financial resources.»

The Impossible Dialogue

Seeking to understand the long-term psychological impact of the war, Sakakibara also spoke with Natalia Krykhorushko. A journalist and activist who fled Zaporizhzhia for Uzhhorod, Natalia now focuses on providing psychological support for veterans and displaced people. She warned that the scale of PTSD in Ukraine today could eventually rival the trauma seen after World War II.

Natalia used the interview to challenge global misconceptions about the conflict, speaking candidly in the original report about why dialogue is off the table:

"I wonder if Western society is truly learning from our experience," she told the journalist. "They still harbor the illusion that Russia can change. But I want them to realize that Russian values are completely different. They are barbarians who push forward no matter what. We Ukrainians can explain this because, in the last 100 years, there has never been a single time we could successfully negotiate with Russia."

Through these meetings, Sakakibara captured a vital message: for Ukrainians, this war is not just a territorial dispute, but a defense against a historical pattern of aggression that the world must finally acknowledge.

The visit of Daiki Sakakibara and his conversations with the UzhNU community serve as a vital bridge between Ukraine and Japan. We are sincerely grateful to Mr. Sakakibara for his integrity, empathy, and his commitment to telling the Ukrainian story. Such international attention is what ensures our voice continues to resonate across the globe.

Original article credits:

Text: Daiki Sakakibara (榊原大騎)

Editing: Jun Morikawa (森川潤)

Design: Koyomi Matsushima (松嶋こよみ)

Article for Uzhhorod National University: Alina Shelepets

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