Today's guest is Sashko Olenchenko.

He's currently completing a master's in mathematical physics and carving out a nice

little niche making YouTube videos about mathematics.

But what sets Sashko apart is he's doing it from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

His work occasionally interrupted by the need to evacuate underground to

avoid Russian missiles and drones. The first part of today's episode will be about

Sashko's life before university. The second half will be about his determination in the face

of a pandemic and then a Russian invasion. Just for context and to understand a few parts of our conversation,

I met with Sashko at a conference in Switzerland. It was the first time he'd been allowed outside

Ukraine since the war began and he is now back in Kiev.

I was born in Kiev, which is the capital of Ukraine. I was raised there together with my brothers and all of my family is basically from

Kiev or from the region.

So we did travel a bit when I was young, but mostly spent time in Kiev. It was great, honestly. I think for most

people, when you ask, how was your childhood, most of them would ask, would answer, like,

it was great because they were young, and I was a child. Everything was like a miracle, of course.

And I was born in that time that period in Ukraine but everything was like

more stable I'd say yeah so and my parents were in a great situation back then so it was super

I was I had a really great start to my life I'd say but tell me about what you were like as a really little boy then, like as best you can know.

What would I have seen you doing and what kind of boy were you?

Would you be in the street playing football?

I grew up in a private house.

That's why I didn't go to streets too much to play with other kids.

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