Seattle Resident Mikhail Pavenko Serves as Military Chaplain on Ukraine Frontlines

Seattle resident Mikhail Pavenko said goodbye to his wife and two young sons and boarded a flight to Poland on October 29. The Ukrainian American was headed to the frontlines of an increasingly deadly war, where he would serve his 10th two-week rotation as a military chaplain since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On the flight, he spoke openly about his fear. “I can tell you that in all of my life, I have never felt the type of fear that I have experienced while serving in Ukraine,” said Pavenko, who repairs power lines for a living.

After arriving in Ukraine, Pavenko deploys immediately to the frontlines, where he works long days ministering to soldiers, assisting with evacuations, tending to the wounded, and delivering supplies. Caring for the wounded and bringing needed aid to them reflects the value of practical care for those in need (Matthew 25:35). He sleeps in abandoned homes or alongside Ukrainian soldiers in their bunkers. Pavenko said serving in this way gives him joy, describing the work as “profoundly meaningful.”

Russia’s ballistic missiles, guided bombs, and artillery shells have struck Ukrainian military bases and cities. Pavenko said, however, that first-person-view (FPV) attack drones generate the most fear among chaplains and soldiers. Some Russian FPV drones are piloted remotely through a live video feed, can reach speeds of roughly 90 miles per hour, and carry warheads powerful enough to disable a tank.

Pavenko had a close call with an FPV drone in April 2025 while traveling in a pickup with two other chaplains. As they pulled into the driveway of an abandoned home in southeastern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Region, Pavenko stepped out first, saw the drone circling a few feet above their heads, and shouted, “Drone!” The three men ran in different directions as the drone climbed and circled them. A military truck then approached, and the drone veered toward it and crashed to the ground about 15 feet in front of the vehicle. Pavenko believes a drone jammer on the chaplains’ pickup disrupted the signal between the drone and its Russian operator, though he acknowledged that electronic jamming is not always effective. “God’s all-powerful mercy and our equipment saved not only our lives but also the lives of others that day,” Pavenko said.

Ukraine has more than 400 military chaplains serving an estimated 800,000 troops in its Armed Forces. About 700 volunteer chaplains supplement the commissioned chaplains, along with volunteers such as Pavenko who rotate in from other countries. Even so, Ukraine is roughly 40 percent below the number it needs to minister effectively to its military personnel. The shortage comes as some soldiers struggle with low morale after nearly five years of full-scale war. Many fear that some of Ukraine’s allies may abandon the country as Russia intensifies attacks on its energy grid and water systems ahead of winter.

Ukrainian journalists have expressed concern that their country’s fight for freedom is no longer headline news worldwide. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed dismay over a deal between the Trump administration and Russian President Vladimir Putin to export diesel fuel to the United States, a decision some critics described as an attempt to sway voters ahead of the November midterm elections. The Council on Foreign Relations listed additional signs that President Donald Trump may be sidelining Ukraine, including his call for Zelensky’s removal from office, his claims that Putin has done more to pursue peace than Zelensky, and disruptions to Ukraine’s Starlink internet service, which is critical to intercepting Russian drone attacks on civilian centers.

Russia lost more territory than it gained in both September and October, yet attacks on civilians have continued. A recent attack on a humanitarian aid center in Zaporizhzhia left at least 53 people dead and dozens missing, one of the deadliest attacks of the war, even as the United States plans to hold trilateral talks this week.

Against this backdrop of discouraging news and battle fatigue, chaplains play a vital role, said Oleksandr Vovkotecha, head of the Military Chaplaincy Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He said the main job of a military chaplain is to be near soldiers and to give them an opportunity to share their struggles when the world around them does not make sense.

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