Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      A beacon of hope: How one Air Force chaplain remains hopeful amidst Russian-Ukraine conflictPublished Nov. 23, 2022
                    
                    By Senior Airman Cydney Lee
                    
                    
                    436th Public Affairs
            **DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AFNS) --**A middle-aged man in dark pastor robes sits on the edge of a wooden pew, hands clasped. Overwhelming sadness and worry washes over him as he reflects on those who have lost their lives since Russia invaded Ukraine.

His heart is pained as he wonders: “How many people have to die before this stops?”

After a long, shaky breath, the man dips his head in prayer and speaks.
“Lord, be with the suffering people of Ukraine. Keep my family safe and stop this wicked war. Comfort them in the way that only You can. In Your holy name I pray, amen.”Chaplain (Capt.) Yury Volkovinsky, 512th Airlift Wing chaplain, holds his hands in prayer at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Nov. 4, 2022. Volkovinsky has prayed for his family in Ukraine every day since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and holds strong to his belief that better days are to come for the Ukrainian people. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cydney Lee)Chaplain (Capt.) Yury Volkovinsky, 512th Airlift Wing chaplain, prays at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Nov. 4, 2022. Volkovinsky has prayed for his family in Ukraine every day since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and holds strong to his belief that better days are to come for the Ukrainian people. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cydney Lee)
            
            
            Photo Details /
                Download Hi-Res

    










Volkovinsky grew up in Belarus under the reign of the Soviet Union and experienced firsthand a totalitarian system with no freedom of speech, assembly or religion. He came to the U.S. in 2012, and eventually joined the U.S. Air Force to protect the very freedoms he was once deprived of.

“I joined [the U.S. Air Force] because I see the U.S. military as a global force for good and I wanted to play my part in the fight for freedom,” Volkovinsky said. “Being a part of the Air Force gives my life a greater purpose.”

Volkovinsky was at an airport in Texas when he first heard news of Russian forces invading Ukraine. The attack did not come as a total shock to him due to the long-rising tensions between the countries, he said.

“[It’s comparable to] having a terminally ill family member. You know they’re going to die, but when they [do] it’s still a surprise,” Volkovinsky said. “[The Russian invasion] was a similar situation. We knew it was going to happen, but no one knew when.”

Despite anticipating the attack, Volkovinsky still fears for his family and the people of Ukraine.

“[I’m] worried about [my] family in Ukraine, as the Russians cannot defeat the Ukrainian military and instead attack the civilian infrastructure in retaliation,” Volkovinsky said.

Two of his relatives were forced to relocate from their apartment complex, which was no longer safe due to its proximity to a Ukrainian military base.

His other relatives are only able to communicate through messengers, as they have limited electrical power. Russian forces destroyed the local power grid, forcing Volkovinsky’s relatives to heat their house by burning wood.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates over 16,000 civilians have been injured or killed since the beginning of the invasion. These grim conditions are enough to cause someone to lose hope, but as a chaplain, Volkovinsky holds tight to his faith.
"In every circumstance of my life I keep asking myself, ‘Where is God in this situation?’" Volkovinsky said. “And I can say that I see His presence in so many Americans who are helping the suffering people of Ukraine.”

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, the U.S. has supplied $17.6 billion worth of security assistance to Ukraine. Dover AFB specifically has risen to the occasion by supporting over 200 security assistance missions. Dover Airmen have seen an increase in workload and hours in order to meet mission requirements, and their support has not gone unnoticed.Evil cannot prevail in the long run, but it takes effort, grit and determination on our part to stop it. Each and every one of us needs to be willing to play our part to make it happen.Chaplain (Capt.) Yury Volkovinsky
“Some time ago, the [Dover AFB Facebook page] posted pictures of the support team Dover has sent to Ukraine,” Volkovinsky said. “Some of my friends from Ukraine reposted those pictures on their social media, commenting [on] how happy they were seeing all this help coming their way.”

Volkovinsky expressed his gratitude for all of the support the U.S. has contributed and for his teammates who have worked tirelessly to make it happen.
“Every piece of equipment that is sent to Ukraine from the U.S. translates into saved lives of innocent civilians and brave Ukrainian defenders,” Volkovinsky said.

Volkovinsky said he is proud to be a part of a mission that directly supports his loved ones and the Ukrainian people. He remains a beacon of hope and holds strong to his belief that brighter days are to come for his loved ones.

“Evil cannot prevail in the long run, but it takes effort, grit and determination on our part to stop it,” Volkovinsky said. “Each and every one of us needs to be willing to play our part to make it happen.”LR 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



Dover AFB 



AMC 



Air Mobility Command 



chaplain 



Ukraine 



humanitarian support 



Expeditionary Operations 



Russia 



war 



spirituality Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander emphasizes five focus areas during AFA Warfare Symposium
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil