Harry Potter and the Ukrainian prisoner of war

As a child in Kyiv, Ukraine, Oleksandr Ivanov became obsessed with the Harry Potter books and was drawn to their universal themes of courage, friendship and hope.

After leaving school, Oleksandr went on to serve in the military, and there he met Nelly, a fellow Potter fan and the love of his life. Together they'd get wizarding tattoos, spend Christmases rewatching the films and eventually start a family together.

In the lead up to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Oleksandr was deployed to the South-Eastern port city of Mariupol, hundreds of kilometers from his family.

As Russian forces advanced into Ukraine, they laid siege to the city and after forty-eight days of fighting and dwindling supplies, Oleksandr and others was captured and taken into captivity. Oleksandr spent over four years as a prisoner of war where he endured harsh conditions with no contact from his family.

To survive, Oleksandr turned to Harry Potter and the lessons he had learned from the books. Drawing strength from memories of his family and home, he imagined them as his own patronus, a protective shield against despair. He also became a source of comfort for fellow prisoners by retelling all seven Harry Potter books from memory, whispering the stories to cellmates and helping them escape, if only briefly, from the reality around them.

Released in a prisoner exchange in May 2026, Oleksandr was finally reunited with his family in what he describes as the happiest moment of his life. When news of his story spread, many people began calling him "The Major Who Lived" – a nod to Harry Potter's famous nickname, "The Boy Who Lived."

Presenters: Asya Fouks and Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Tommy Dixon

Get in touch: [email protected] or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Oleksandr and his wife and son hug while posing for a photo in a restaurant. Oleksandr has a shaved head and is wearing a grey buttoned shirt. Credit: Oleksandr Ivanov)