Welcome to Hard Talk on the BBC World Service with me, Stephen Sacka. Had the recent political history of

Ukraine worked out just a little differently, my guest today might have been the wartime president

leading the Ukrainian resistance to Vladimir Putin's invasion. Because back in 2019, Ukraine's most

famous rock star, Slava Vakachuk, frontman of the band,

Okihanelzi, was considering a run for the presidency as the anti-corruption outsider candidate.

In the end, he decided not to run. Instead, another famous figure from popular culture,

the actor, comedian and TV producer

Volodymyr Zelensky entered the race and, well, we know what happened next. Slava Vakachuk did

serve as an MP for a while, but opted out of politics in favour of continuing his music career,

until, of course, the Russian invasion of late February. Now he's a lieutenant in the

Ukrainian armed forces with a special dispensation to travel to frontline cities to play music

and raise morale. Culture isn't just a distraction in this war. It is an integral part of what

Ukrainians think they are defending from Russian aggression.

In the face of Putin's claim that Ukraine is a fake nation, an affirmation of culture,

language, values and identity are central to the Ukrainian response.

In practical terms, though, what can a rock star contribute to the defense of his homeland? Well, Slava

Vakachuk joins me now on the line from eastern Ukraine. Welcome to Hard Talk. Hello, Steve.

We're very happy to be here. Thanks for having me here. It is a pleasure to have you on the show.

Let me ask you this. Musician or soldier? How do you see yourself

right now? How should we see you? First of all, you don't need to split. I'm suddenly

musician in my life and I hope I will be musician until the end of my life because that's what I love.

But then everybody in Ukraine, 40 million of Ukrainians are now soldiers in their

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