--- title: "\"Leaving Means Losing\": Iryna Soponaru Explains Why She Does Not Leave Ukraine and Moves to Chernivtsi" description: "Actress Iryna Soponaru in an interview with Styler shared why she does not leave Ukraine despite five years of exhaustion and explained her decision to temporarily move to Chernivtsi for the winter." date: 2026-11-06T17:12:05.423Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/iryna-soponaru-why-does-not-leave-ukraine tags: [irina-soponaru, ukraine-war, kyiv, chernivtsi, celebrity-interview] author: "Marina Slivenko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # "Leaving Means Losing": Iryna Soponaru Explains Why She Does Not Leave Ukraine and Moves to Chernivtsi ![Actress Iryna Soponaru sits in an armchair in a cozy studio during an interview](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/06/irina-soponaru-pochemu-ne-pokidaet-ukrainu/irina-soponaru-pochemu-ne-pokidaet-ukrainu-1.webp) ## Key Points - Iryna Soponaru speaks of five years of war exhaustion but refuses permanent relocation from Ukraine, equating it to "defeat" - For the winter, the actress is temporarily moving to Chernivtsi to her parents due to physical and moral exhaustion in Kyiv - A particularly difficult period began in August 2026 following the intensification of Russian attacks on Kyiv - Soponaru considered seeking psychological help but decided that her body primarily needs rest Actress and comedienne Iryna Soponaru in an interview with the program "Ozhynove Morozyvo" (Styler project, RBC-Ukraine) openly spoke about how she experiences the years of war in Ukraine. The artist does not hide that a sense of exhaustion has accompanied her throughout all five years of the conflict, yet the thought of permanently leaving the country is particularly painful for her. According to her, for her to "break" means precisely to leave forever, because it would mean admitting that the Russian dictator "took everything." ### "The Illusion of Normality" and the Fear of Losing Soponaru explained that life in Ukraine has become a kind of "illusion of normality" for her, which she stubbornly holds onto. "If I leave, it's as if he took everything from me. Completely. Like I lost. This is where I will break," the artist stated. Thus, even amid signs of deep fatigue and anxiety, she consciously refuses the option of a permanent move abroad, viewing it as capitulation. ### Temporary Move to Chernivtsi: Physical and Moral Exhaustion At the same time, Soponaru admits that she can no longer ignore her own condition. Due to constant shelling, alarms, and chronic sleep deprivation, staying in Kyiv is becoming increasingly difficult. For the winter, she decided to temporarily move to Chernivtsi, where her parents live. "I can't mentally and physically manage to stay awake for so long — it's a bit difficult. There is an option to go to my parents — why not?" the actress explained. An additional factor was prolonged power outages, which the couple also wanted to wait out outside the capital. ### Increased Attacks and the Question of Psychological Help Earlier, Soponaru noted that it became especially hard for her and her foreign husband Rhys around August 2026, when Russian attacks on Kyiv noticeably intensified. After several weeks without full sleep, the actress began to wonder if she needed psychological help and medication. In the end, she concluded that her body primarily needed proper rest, which became one of the reasons for the temporary relocation. ### Anxiety of Loved Ones: An Outside Perspective Separately, the artist recalled the worries of her mother, who constantly follows the news and worries about her daughter. "I can't imagine what my mom goes through. Reading the news, constantly worrying about me. If I were also doing all this against the backdrop of everything, it wouldn't be sweet," Soponaru shared. These words emphasize that the psychological burden of war extends not only to those directly in the risk zone, but also to loved ones forced to live in a mode of chronic uncertainty. Recall that Iryna Soponaru worked in the "Kvartal" show for about ten years, and she previously explained the reason for her departure from the project in a separate interview. Now the artist continues her active creative and public activities, staying in Ukraine despite all the difficulties of wartime. ## Fact-Check & Sources - ["Уехать - это проиграть": Ирина Сопонару объяснила, почему не хочет покидать Украину](https://styler.rbc.ua/ukr/people/viyihati-tse-prograti-irina-soponaru-poyasnila-1793981949.html) - Primary source — the actress's interview in the program "Ozhynove Morozyvo". All quotes and facts are taken directly from the text. No discrepancies with other sources were found. ## FAQ ### Why doesn't Iryna Soponaru leave Ukraine forever? The actress explains that for her, a permanent departure would mean admitting defeat and that the Russian dictator has "taken everything." She calls life in Ukraine an "illusion of normality" that she holds onto, and believes that the moment she leaves is when she will "break." ### Where is Soponaru moving for the winter and why? For the winter, she is temporarily moving to Chernivtsi, where her parents live. The reason is physical and moral exhaustion from constant shelling, air raid alerts, lack of sleep, and power outages in Kyiv. ### When did things become especially difficult for Soponaru and her husband? According to the actress, the most difficult period began around August 2026, when Russian attacks on Kyiv noticeably intensified. After several weeks without proper sleep, she thought about the need for psychological help.