---
title: "Actress Tamara Yatsenko spoke about her relatives serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine"
description: "People's Artist of Ukraine Tamara Yatsenko shared that her female relatives voluntarily serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine as an artillery operator and tank crew members."
date: 2026-10-22T08:32:37.011Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/tamara-yatsenko-spoke-about-relatives-in-armed-forces
tags: [tamara-yatsenko, ukraine-war, armed-forces, culture, interview]
author: "Marina Slivenko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Actress Tamara Yatsenko spoke about her relatives serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine

![People's Artist of Ukraine Tamara Yatsenko in a straw hat against the background of military equipment and a serviceman](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/22/tamara-yatsenko-rasskazala-o-rodstvennikah-v-vsu/tamara-yatsenko-rasskazala-o-rodstvennikah-v-vsu-1.webp)

## Key Points

- The daughter of Tamara Yatsenko's cousin voluntarily joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine and became an artillery operator.
- Other relatives of the actress serve in the Ukrainian army as tank crew members.
- The actress's partner, Oleh Kovalenko, tried to join the front lines but was refused before turning 60.
- The actress cut off communication with relatives in Russia due to differing views on the war.

People's Artist of Ukraine Tamara Yatsenko has shared details about how the full-scale war has affected her family. The well-known actress revealed that her close relatives voluntarily stepped up to defend the country, mastering complex military specialties on the frontline.

### Relatives serving in the Ukrainian army

According to Tamara Yatsenko, her cousin's daughter made the decision to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine and mastered artillery work, despite raising two children. The actress published footage showing her relative operating a combat artillery mount. In addition, other women from her family are serving in the Ukrainian army as female tank crew members.

The actress admitted that she feels sincere pride in the choice made by her loved ones. Military service has become an integral part of reality for many Ukrainian families, and the star's relatives have not stood aside from defending state sovereignty amid the ongoing armed conflict.

### Attempts to mobilize loved ones and family disagreements

The star of the "Shho dohonosykiv" show also spoke about her partner, actor Oleh Kovalenko, who tried to voluntarily go to the front lines. The man personally visited the military enlistment office and waited in line, but was refused at the time, and eventually reached the age of 60, after which the conscription age became unavailable to him.

Furthermore, military events have seriously affected the actress's personal connections. Some of her relatives live in Russia, and after the start of the full-scale invasion, communication with them ceased due to opposing views. A conversation with her late brother's wife, who accused Ukrainians of destruction in Donbas, became particularly painful for Yatsenko, after which contacts were completely severed.

### The significance of personal choice amid a large-scale crisis

Tamara Yatsenko's candid confessions demonstrate how deeply the large-scale armed conflict penetrates the lives of Ukrainian cultural figures, dividing families across different sides of the barricades while simultaneously uniting others around the common goal of defending the country. Such stories reflect the difficult moral and emotional trials faced by citizens who combine professional activity, volunteering, or military service with personal losses and the rupture of long-standing family ties.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Племянницы-танкистки и родственница-артиллеристка: Тамара Яценко рассказала о близких на войне](https://styler.rbc.ua/ukr/people/pleminnitsi-tankistki-ta-rodichka-artileristka-1792657797.html) - The primary source confirms all facts regarding Tamara Yatsenko's relatives serving in the Armed Forces, her partner's attempt to enlist, and the family conflict with relatives in Russia.

## FAQ

### Which of Tamara Yatsenko's relatives are serving in the army?

Her cousin's daughter is serving in the Armed Forces as an artillery operator, along with other female relatives serving as tank crew members.

### Why didn't the actress's husband, Oleh Kovalenko, go to the front?

He personally visited the enlistment office and waited in line, but was initially refused and later reached the age of 60.

### Does the actress maintain contact with relatives living in Russia?

No, communication with them ceased due to opposing views on the full-scale invasion and events in Ukraine.