Ukrainian Marine Alexander Ivanov, who spent more than four years in Russian captivity, received unique support from the author of the 'Harry Potter' universe. British writer J.K. Rowling sent the soldier a personal letter and a book with her autograph after learning how her work helped the fighter and his comrades survive in inhumane conditions.
The Story of Survival in Captivity
Alexander Ivanov joined the ranks of the Marine Corps back in 2015. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he defended Mariupol as part of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade. After fierce fighting at the Ilyich Works on April 12, 2022, the soldier contacted his family for the last time before ending up in Russian captivity.
In total, Ivanov spent 1,494 days in captivity. The conditions of detention were harsh: prisoners were forbidden to communicate with each other. To support his brothers-in-arms and prevent them from going mad, Alexander began whispering stories about Harry Potter to them. His love for Rowling's books appeared in childhood, and he reread the series so often that he memorized all seven novels almost by heart.
Ivanov told the stories in a circle. When he finished the last book, his comrades asked him to start all over again. These stories became a source of hope and spiritual strength for them.
How the Story Reached the Author
The story of Alexander became known to the general public thanks to TSN reports, in which his wife Nelly spoke about her husband and waited for his return. Friends of the family, including TSN correspondent Natalia Nagorna, attended almost every prisoner exchange. They brought symbolic items from the world of magic: a magic wand, a toy owl, socks with the inscription 'Dobby is free', and a poster with the quote: 'After all this time?' — 'Always'.
This touching story was seen by the public organization Ukraine WOW. Realizing that Rowling's books had become a tool for survival for the Ukrainian defender, the organization decided to contact the writer.
"We read about Alexander and his love for the Harry Potter universe and immediately realized that we could not stand aside. We wanted the author to know how her stories helped a Ukrainian defender and his comrades stand firm in Russian captivity," noted Ukraine WOW.
Support from J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling responded to the appeal. She gave the Ukrainian soldier a book with her signature and wrote a personal letter. In her message, the writer noted:
"I heard that you are a big fan of Harry Potter and that these stories became a source of support for you during Russian captivity. I am very happy to learn that you have been released and returned home to Ukraine. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you a long and happy life".
The gift was presented to Alexander on July 31 — the birthday of J.K. Rowling herself and the main character of her books. The soldier himself admitted that he could not even imagine such a development of events.
"When I was in captivity, I could not even imagine that one day I would receive a letter from J.K. Rowling. Her books helped me and my comrades not to lose hope, and her words became a great support for me. I am very happy and infinitely grateful. Sincerely yours, the survivor Mayorchik," said Ivanov.
