I Will Die in a Foreign Land Read online

  In 1913, Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring premiered at the new Théâtre de Champs-Elysées in Paris. The work so perplexed audiences that a riot broke out. “Only a Russian could do that,” says Aleksandr Ivanovich. “Only a Russian could make the whole world go mad.”

  A century later in November 2013, thousands of Ukrainian citizens gathered at Independence Square in Kyiv to protest then-President Yanukovych’s failure to sign a referendum with the European Union, opting instead to forge a closer alliance with Russia. The peaceful protests turned violent when military police shot live ammunition into the crowd, killing over a hundred civilians, and leading to the Ukrainian Revolution and the ongoing War in Donbass.

  I Will Die in a Foreign Land follows four people over the course of a volatile Ukrainian winter, as their lives are forever changed by the Euromaidan protests.

  Katya is a Ukrainian-American doctor stationed at a makeshift medical clinic in St. Michael’s Monastery; Misha is an engineer, who has lived in Kyiv since his wife’s death; Slava is a young activist whose past hardships steel her determination in the face of persecution; and Aleksandr Ivanovich, a former KGB agent, joins the daily protests clad in a balaclava, where he plays the piano.

  While unfolding an especially moving story of quiet beauty and love in a time of terror, I Will Die in a Foreign Land is an intimate epic, and a haunting portrait of human perseverance and empathy.

  Advance Praise for I Will Die in a Foreign Land

  “A debut that is as thoughtful as it is explosive.”

  —Wendy J. Fox, BuzzFeed

  “Unfolding with the assurance and daring of a much more seasoned writer, I Will Die in a Foreign Land will appeal to readers of history and tragedy alike.”

  —The Chicago Review of Books

  “The lives of four people intersect during the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution… Innovative, emotionally resonant, and deeply affecting, this is a more-than-promising debut from a very talented writer.”

  —Kirkus, Starred review

  “In Pickhart’s ardent, sprawling debut, a set of memorable characters attempt to lay bare the truths of recent conflicts in [Ukraine]… This bighearted novel generously portrays the unforgettable set of characters through their determination to face oppression. It’s a stunner.”

  —Publishers Weekly, Starred review

  “In this sweeping debut novel, readers are transported inside the 2013–14 Ukrainian battle to maintain independence under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych… an unforgettable reading experience and a critical lesson in ongoing global history.”

  —Courtney Eathorne, Booklist

  “The historical novel I Will Die in a Foreign Land is a love letter to Ukraine, its people, and its ability to rise up from piled catastrophes.”

  —Eileen Gonzalez, Foreword

  “In Pickhart’s debut, which is set during the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, four people’s lives overlap, intersect, and irrevocably change in the face of personal, political, and historical turmoil.”

  —Carolyn Quimby, The Millions

  “While expansive, this is an intimate portrait of the human condition, proving that even in the darkness, there is hope.”

  —Adam Vitcavage, Debutiful

  “Love triangles, grieving parents, sex trafficking, the KGB, Chernobyl, the Euromaidan protests—I Will Die in a Foreign Land has it all. This bold, intricate novel is as rich and complex as the Ukrainian history it describes with such precision and longing. In spite of their unspeakable personal and political tragedies, the people in this book will fill you with hope for a better world long after you turn the last page.”

  —Maria Kuznetsova, author of Oksana, Behave! and Something Unbelievable

  “I Will Die in a Foreign Land is an antidote to safe or insular fiction. Kalani Pickhart casts her gaze both outward and inward, to decades of fractious history and the ways loss marks the human heart. How does a person, or a nation, endure and transform? The novel asks big questions and offers up answers written with an unerring sense of character and astonishingly beautiful language.”

  —Caitlin Horrocks, author of Life Among the Terranauts, This Is Not Your City, and The Vexations

  “I Will Die in a Foreign Land beautifully illustrates the palimpsest of history, both on the global scale, as old wars give way to new, and the personal, as old loves give way to new. This novel perfectly captures the tragedy and romance of those willing to die for their beliefs.”

  —Ayşe Papatya Bucak, author of The Trojan War Museum

  “Beseeching and beautiful, I Will Die in a Foreign Land is an ode to the inescapable difficulty of being both an individual and a citizen of the world. Rich with grief, folklore, and political will, Kalani Pickhart has written a novel of such intricacy that each moment expands and contracts to encompass more than time itself allows. It moved me deeply.”

  —Adrienne Celt, author of Invitation to a Bonfire, and The Daughters

  “Kalani Pickhart’s I Will Die in a Foreign Land hums with the intensity of a live wire. Told in intertwining strands of folklore, history, audio recordings, story, and song, the novel offers a complicated and often brutal portrait of Ukraine’s recent past. An innovative and electric debut: Pickhart writes with vividness, empathy, and unforgettable insight.”

  —Allegra Hyde, author of Eleutheria and

  Of This New World

  “Kalani Pickhart’s I Will Die in a Foreign Land is of the best kind of protest novels: one that makes you cry, and then makes you mad as hell. It is so far the best artistic treatment of the Euromaidan and Crimean situation, at turns tense, melancholy, and over-abundantly compassionate. This book is both the napalm and the bandages in one.”

  —Conor Hultman, Square Books (Oxford, MS)

  “How Pickhart manages to construct such a solid and compelling story amid the chaos of the events portrayed (and even incorporates Slavic history and folklore) is unfathomable to me, but she does. You will care about these characters, you will agonize with them over the choices they are forced to make, and you will put this book down, haunted and grieving, but also inspired.”

  —Lisa Swayze, Buffalo Street Books (Ithaca, NY)

  “In a powerful rendition of Ukraine’s troubled past and recent events Kalani Pickhart draws readers into the lives of characters who converge around the 2013 violent repression of demonstrations in Kiev…With a fresh, bold narrative style that joins reportage and deep character study, Pickhart delivers a series of provocative set pieces that underscore the weight of historical memory and the toll of Russian domination. An eye-opening novel by a stunningly talented writer.”

  —Lori Feathers, Interabang Books (Dallas, TX)

  “…it’s absolutely beautiful and clings to hope so desperately that I was left feeling optimism for the characters that people the novel and for Ukraine itself. Pickhart weaves together the history of Ukraine with the stories of four citizens who have come to the Maidan to fight for the country they love. They move in and out of each other’s stories in such a lovely way; Pickhart’s writing is quiet, understated, and unexpected. I can’t wait to read more from her.”

  —Margaret Leonard, Dotters Books (Eau Claire, WI)

  I Will Die in a Foreign Land

  a novel by

  Kalani Pickhart

  Two Dollar Radio is a family-run outfit dedicated to reaffirming the cultural and artistic spirit of the publishing industry. We aim to do this by presenting bold works of literary merit, each book, individually and collectively, providing a sonic progression that we believe to be too loud to ignore.

  Proudly based in Columbus, Ohio.

  TwoDollarRadio.com

  All Rights Reserved

  COPYRIGHT © 2021 by Kalani Pickhart

  ISBN PRINT: 9781953387080

  ISBN EBOOK: 9781953387097

  Library of Congress Control Number available upon request.

  CREDITS: COVER ART: August Friedrich Albrecht Schenck, Anguish c. 1878, oil on canvas, 151.0 x 251.2 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Purchased, 1880 (p.307.6-1); AUTHOR PHOTO: Sydney Cisco; [A LEMKO FOLK SONG]: “Zaspeevaymeh Sobee” (“Let’s Sing”), http://lemko.org/lih/music/kruzhoks.html; [IGOR STRAVINSKY ON MEMORY]: “Stravinsky – Once At A Border (Full Film) | Tony Palmer Films.” YouTube, uploaded by Gonzo Music TV, Jul 6, 2018, https://youtu.be/VKCUOYw9yuc; [HOW TO MAKE LOVE TO A MAN NOT YOUR HUSBAND]: “The Pine is Burning, All Aglow,” Steve Repa translation on LyricsTranslate.com; [MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH17 CRASHES IN EAST UKRAINE]: Walker, Shaun, et al. “Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 Crashes in East Ukraine.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 17 July 2014, www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/17/malaysia-airlines-plane-crash-east-ukraine; [UKRAINIAN FILMMAKER OLEG SENTSOV ENDS 145-DAY HUNGER STRIKE IN RUSSIAN JAIL]: Carroll, Oliver. “Ukrainian Film Maker Oleg Sentsov Ends 145-Day Hunger Strike in Russian Jail.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 5 Oct. 2018, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/oleg-sentsov-hunger-strike-end-russian-jail-ukraine-filmmaker-siberia-a8569901.html; [A UKRAINIAN FOLK SONG]: “Dear Mother Don’t Cry,” Steve Repa translation on LyricsTranslate.com.

  Book Club & Reader Guide of questions and topics for discussion is available at twodollarradio.com

  Anything else? Yes. Do not copy this book—with the exception of quotes used in critical essays
and reviews—without the prior written permission from the copyright holder and publisher. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means. We must also point out that this is a work of fiction. Any resemblances to names, places, incidents, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental or are used fictitiously.

  For Bethany

  Table of Contents

  Timeline of Events at Euromaidan, The Revolution of Dignity, 2013–2014

  PROLOGUE

  THE CAPTAIN

  PART I

  МАЙДАН

  UNITY DAY: PROTESTORS KILLED IN KYIV, UKRAINE

  ST. MICHAEL’S GOLDEN-DOMED MONASTERY

  KATYA DREAMS OF HER SON

  KATYA’S APARTMENT

  ST. MICHAEL’S GOLDEN-DOMED MONASTERY

  BELLS RING AT ST. MICHAEL’S MONASTERY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY 800 YEARS

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  MAIDAN NEZALEZHNOSTI

  SLAVA’S APARTMENT

  SLAVA’S APARTMENT

  A LEMKO FOLK SONG

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  ST. MICHAEL’S GOLDEN-DOMED MONASTERY

  MAIDAN NEZALEZHNOSTI

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  ARTISTS AROUND THE WORLD DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF OLEG SENTSOV

  BORYSPIL AIRPORT

  DEPORTATION OF THE CRIMEAN TATARS

  ST. MICHAEL’S GOLDEN-DOMED MONASTERY

  SLAVA’S APARTMENT

  ON PUNISHMENT

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  РЕВОЛЮЦІЯ

  KOZAK I

  MAIDAN NEZALEZHNOSTI

  AN INCOMPLETE LIST OF ANTI-PROTEST LAWS PASSED BY VERKHOVNA RADA

  AUTOMAIDAN LEADER, DMYTRO BULATOV, AGE 35

  THE RITUAL OF ABDUCTION

  ST. MICHAEL’S GOLDEN-DOMED MONASTERY

  SLAVA’S APARTMENT

  ALEKSANDR IVANOVICH, BROTHER OF BELOVED SOLOIST BALLERINA, ANASTASYA IVANOVA, MARRIES NEDEZDHA VASILIEVA

  TRADE UNIONS BUILDING BOMBED

  SLAVA’S APARTMENT

  PHRASES ON EUROMAIDAN PROTEST POSTERS

  Pavlychenko Apartment

  MISHA’S APARTMENT

  UKRAINIAN JOURNALIST ASSAULTED, BEATEN

  SLAVA’S APARTMENT

  IGOR STRAVINSKY ON MEMORY

  EXTERMINATION OF THE KOBZARI BY STALIN

  ГРУШЕВСЬКОГО

  PROTESTORS MASSACRED BY BERKUT PARAMILITARY POLICE FORCE

  SHOVKOVYCHNA STREET

  ST. MICHAEL’S GOLDEN-DOMED MONASTERY

  ST. MICHAEL’S GOLDEN-DOMED MONASTERY

  TRADE UNIONS BUILDING

  ST. MICHAEL’S GOLDEN-DOMED MONASTERY

  OLEG SENTSOV SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN LABOR PRISION, INITIATES HUNGER STRIKE

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  SHOVKOVYCHNA STREET

  JOURNALIST DASCHA BANDURA REPORTED MISSING

  THE HEAVENLY HUNDRED

  SUPREME COUNCIL OF UKRAINE, VERKHOVNA RADA, REACTS

  PROCESSION OF THE SAGE

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  FEBRUARY 26, 2014

  PART II

  ЧЕРНОБИЛ

  THE EXCLUSION ZONE

  PRIPYAT, UKRAINE

  MAY DAY, 1986

  PRIPYAT, UKRAINE

  HOW TO MAKE LOVE TO A MAN NOT YOUR HUSBAND

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  ODESA, UKRAINE

  MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH17 CRASHES IN EAST UKRAINE

  PRIPYAT, UKRAINE

  ODESA, UKRAINE

  DONETSK

  RUSSIAN SOLDIERS WITHOUT INSIGNIA INVADE CRIMEA ON FEBRUARY 27, 2014

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  ON NUCLEAR POWER

  ODESA, UKRAINE

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  ON COMBUSTION

  ODESA, UKRAINE

  ON PAYING A DEBT

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  ON BECOMING A SOLDIER

  ODESA, UKRAINE

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  ВІЙНА

  THE HOUSE OF THE SUICIDE

  DONETSK

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  BOSTON, UNITED STATES

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  UKRAINIAN FILMMAKER OLEG SENTSOV ENDS 145-DAY HUNGER STRIKE IN RUSSIAN JAIL

  DONETSK, UKRAINE

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  EVOCATION OF THE ANCESTORS PART I

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  VIDEO RECORDING

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  THE ADORATION OF THE EARTH

  THE DEATH OF ALEKSANDR IVANOVICH

  Les Augures printaniers

  ILLEGAL RESIDENTS IN CHERNOBYL

  KOZAK II

  PRIPYAT, UKRAINE

  THE WAR IN DONBASS

  DONETSK AIRPORT

  PASSENGER AND CREW MANIFEST READ ALOUD AT TRIAL FOR VICTIMS OF MALAYSIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT MH17 FROM AMSTERDAM TO KUALA LUMPUR

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING

  ON LEAVING HER HOMELAND

  PETRO POROSHENKO ELECTED NEW PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE

  THE RESURRECTION OF ALEKSANDR IVANOVICH

  ON FLIGHT

  Samosely

  AUDIO CASSETTE RECORDING FOR MISHA, FROM A. IVANOVICH

  месенджер

  EVOCATION OF THE ANCESTORS PART II

  ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2019 FILMMAKER OLEG SENTSOV

  LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES

  BOSTON, UNITED STATES

  ЕПІЛОГ

  A UKRAINIAN FOLK SONG

  DANCE OF THE EARTH

  AFTERWORD

  Acknowledgements

  Timeline of Events at Euromaidan, The Revolution of Dignity, 2013–2014

  2013

  Nov. 21 — The fourth president of Ukraine, President Viktor Yanukovych, declines to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union, instead chosing to build closer ties with Russia.

  Nov. 22 — 2,000 protestors gather in Kyiv’s Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Independence Square, to protest, growing to 50,000–200,000 protestors by Nov. 24th.

  Nov. 30 — The Ukrainian special police force, the Berkut, attack unarmed protestors and neighboring civilians.

  Dec. 1 — As a result of police violence the night before, riots break out and government opposition parties occupy the Trade Unions Building. A tent city goes up at Maidan Nezalezhnosti and a national strike begins.

  Dec. 8 — The March of Millions: 500,000 Ukrainians march on Kyiv. A statue of Vladimir Lenin is toppled and destroyed.

  Dec. 11 — As 4,000 Berkut attack protestors, the bells at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery ring in alarm for the first time in 800 years.

  Dec. 12–28 — Yanukovych and Russian President Vladimir Putin sign the Ukrainian-Russian action plan. Barricades and tents at Maidan Nezalezhnosti reach full capacity with crowds reaching 200,000.

  2014

  Jan. 10–16 — The Ukrainian Parliament, Verkhovna Rada, passes strict laws against public assembly and protesting, nicknamed “Dictator Laws.”

  Jan. 19–25 — Riots erupt against the anti-protest laws on Hrushevsky Street, which come into effect on Jan. 21. Water cannons, Molotov cocktails, rubber bullets, and live ammunition are used on protestors, killing 4 people and injuring 1,000.

  Feb. 6 — A package delivered to the Trade Unions Building labeled “Medicine,” explodes.

  Feb. 18–19 — Euromaidan protesters are met with live and rubber ammunition, grenades, and tear gas in an attempt to restrain protesters. Snipers and Berkut with AK-47 assault rifles fire on civilians. Yanukovych refuses to accept a ceasefire. Ukraine goes into a de facto state of emergency. Over 103 civilians and 13 police are killed; 184 citizens sustain gunshot wounds and over 750 citizens are injured.

  Feb. 21 — Maidan protestors honor the Heavenly Hundred.

  Feb. 22 — Yanukovych flees Ukraine and seeks asylum in Russia. The Verkhovna Rada votes 328–0 to remove Yanukovych from office and sets May 25 as the date for a new presidential election.