October 30th, 2025 - A Boy Survives the War. What He Truly Sought Was Friendship.

For Artem Miz, a 12-year-old boy from Ukraine, the camp experience was both a break from the horrors of war and a new kind of challenge. While the opportunity to escape the trauma of daily life in a warzone was appealing, the camp also introduced him to social pressures that felt just as daunting. He had no friends, lacked the right clothes and phone, and had never interacted with girls before, let alone danced with one. Despite the camp’s promise, Artem sat alone in the shade, avoiding the swimming pool, fearful of being mocked for not knowing how to swim.

The camp, created by a nonprofit run by Ukraine's wealthiest man, Rinat Akhmetov, aimed to provide a 10-day respite for children like Artem, who had experienced the brutality of the war. The camp welcomed 51 children, many of whom had lost family members or had witnessed the destruction of their homes. For Artem, however, making friends was his top priority, and the activities—ranging from drawing to learning how to blog—did little to ease his isolation.

During an art therapy session, Artem and his fellow campers were asked to draw their fears. His picture reflected the torment he had witnessed—bombings, fires, and the looming dread of the future. The therapist encouraged the children to open up about their emotions, and Artem found comfort in expressing his anxiety about the constant threat of Russian drones. Despite his fears, he found solace in transforming his terror into a vision of victory—imagining himself shooting down the drones in his mind. This therapeutic outlet became one of Artem’s favorite parts of the camp.

The kids at camp, dubbed the “Turbo Kids,” had experienced profound trauma, with many drawings depicting violence and destruction. But Artem wasn’t the only one trying to find a way out of his pain. The kids, all deeply affected by the war, formed bonds over their shared experiences. One of the boys, Vladyslav Ulianitskyi, or Vlad, became Artem’s closest companion. Though their personalities were quite different—Artem was more reserved while Vlad was full of energy—they found comfort in each other’s company, playing games, talking about their experiences, and even dancing together at the camp’s nightly disco.

As the camp neared its end, Artem began confronting his fears. He drew a tall ladder, symbolizing the steps he had taken to overcome his anxiety. By the final days, his transformation was evident: he was no longer the shy boy who had avoided the pool or feared dancing with girls. At the disco, he gathered the courage to ask Dariia Postavna, a popular camper, to dance. Despite his lingering nervousness about interacting with girls, Artem was encouraged by Dariia to hold her tighter, a small yet significant step in his journey to reclaim his sense of self.

On the last day of camp, Artem and the other children wrote messages to one another on their camp T-shirts. Vlad, his newfound friend, wrote on Artem’s shirt, calling him a great friend. Artem reciprocated with a heartfelt note, writing “A kind and good friend” in red marker. These small moments of connection and expression were a reminder that, despite the pain they had endured, there was still room for friendship, courage, and hope in their lives.

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster) - Truculent (adj, TURCK-yuh-lunt) - Truculent describes a person who is easily annoyed and eager to argue or fight. It can also describe the mood or attitude of such a person.

Example: The approach of multiple deadlines had put me in a truculent mood, and I could tell my colleagues were avoiding me.

Image credit: Unsplash