#137 Iryna Gil: Escaping Ukraine: A Comedian's War Story

In this raw, wide-ranging interview, Ukrainian stand-up comic Iryna Gil tells the story of how her rising comedy career collided with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine just 11 days after she filmed her first special — and how she’s using comedy to challenge war fatigue, weaponised headlines, and Western apathy.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Kyiv under fire: A first-hand account of air-raid sirens, evacuations, and working through missile strikes

The Soviet shadow: How post-Soviet distrust fuels Ukraine’s self-organising spirit, entrepreneurial drive, and digital-first approach to governance.

Comedy as translation: How Gil uses humour to bridge the empathy gap and make the war relatable to those far removed from it.

Misleading headlines: What “billions in aid” actually looks like and why surface-level stats breed hostility and misinformation.

Peace through deterrence: Iryna’s uncompromising vision for peace in strength

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Botox for Burping – the weirdest opening ever

01:13 Meet Iryna Gil

02:45 Growing up in post-Soviet Ukraine

10:13 Starting stand-up in Kyiv

14:18 Ukraine’s hustle culture and distrust of government

21:04 24 Feb 2022: missiles hit Kyiv

28:54 Leaving home under fire

32:10 Zoom calls from bomb shelters and hiding behind two walls

39:47 Losing safety, leaving Kyiv

43:52 Starting over in Scotland

48:45 Grieving a life left behind

50:38 Comedy, trauma, and fighter jets

53:55 What "billions in aid" actually means

57:00 The real cost of headlines and public perception

1:01:48 Has Ukraine faded from public attention?

1:04:32 Genocide Olympics and comparative advocacy

1:05:38 What peace really looks like

1:06:47 Closing thanks

LINKS

Follow Iryna Gil – https://www.instagram.com/gil_iryna

Follow David – https://www.instagram.com/davidmcintoshjr

Support verified Ukrainian charities – (Add specific links)

Support on Patreon – Patreon.com/davidmcintoshjr

Buy Origin Story merch – originstoryclub.co.uk

Support verified Ukranian charities -

Save Life:

https://savelife.in.ua/en/projects/military-en/status/active/

U24:

https://u24.gov.ua/projects

ABOUT ORIGIN STORY WITH DAVID MCINTOSH

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