Ukrainian grain billionaire Vsevolod Kozhemyako, dressed in full military fatigues, contemplates his new job as he plays Beethoven’s Fur Alice on a grand piano in a dimly lit Kharkiv hotel.
“Yes, I am a businessman,” he said. “And now I am the commander of a military unit of Ukraine.”
The light infantry battalion he had set up about four years earlier – the 13th “Khartia” Brigade – was a group of civilian volunteers financed by his fortune and the help of other wealthy donors.
This week, Khartia raised the Ukrainian flag in Kupyansk in a pushback from Vladimir Putin’s military, giving a much-needed morale boost to a country struggling with a shortage of people to protect its cities and the energy to keep them warm.
It was a striking symbol that Kiev’s troops are far from Russia’s “meat grinder” tactics and cemented the unit as the most effective unit at Ukraine’s disposal.
Ukraine’s Charter Brigade has released a video of the country’s flag being hoisted at the city council building in Kupyansk.
“The Kupyansk operation proves that through planning, trained commanders and staff, and quality unit preparation — everything we call the charter method — you can successfully intercept and destroy the enemy,” said Col. Ihor Obolensky.
As Russia continues to make steady gains in its peace war of attrition along a nearly 600-mile front line, it’s a statement that Kiev will heed in Washington.
Mr Kozemacko’s unit has transformed from a makeshift dream – an uneven mix of civilian and elite equipment – to a force leading precision counter-attacks on one of the war’s deadliest fronts.
Khartia’s success – known as the “billionaires’ brigade” – appears to have resolved conflicting claims by both Russia and Ukraine over control of the strategic city.
This brigade started as a band of civilian volunteers and is now one of the most effective fighting units.
It comes at a moment when a show of strength could not be more important for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Kupyansk, southeast of Kharkiv, has been a hotspot for Russian “meat grinder” attacks – where Moscow crashes waves of troops against Ukrainian defenses – for months now.
The city seemed on the brink of overrun just a few weeks ago, but in a dramatic turnaround, the Ukrainian military said it had expelled almost all Russian troops this week, raising a Ukrainian flag atop the battered remains of the city’s council building on Monday.
Intelligence reports revealed a 1:27 kill ratio in the battle for the city, with 27 Russian soldiers lost for every Ukrainian.
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Khartia was deployed in the area alongside regular and less experienced units, who came together to form a layered defense and attack model.
Ukrainian forces used this approach to absorb Russian attacks while preserving elite troops for decisive strikes.
The units slipped quietly through the autumn, advancing through the forests surrounding Kupyansk before pushing into the city itself.
Khartia’s units concentrated on key points in Kupyansk, turning railroad crossings, river crossings and urban chokepoints, roads and industrial areas into concentrated killing zones for advancing Russian forces.
Credit: X / @khatiia_
The brigade’s operations depended on careful observation, mobility and coordination with artillery and drone teams.
By striking suddenly and retreating before the Russian units could stabilize, Khartia inflicted disproportionate casualties and forced the Russian forces into a disorderly retreat.
Their presence allowed Ukrainian forces to rotate less-experienced brigades into the line without compromising overall defense.
Behind the victory stands Mr. Kozhemyako, a businessman with a distinctive personal profile who has attracted media attention for his eccentricities.
Before the war, his social media showed a life rich in travel and outdoor pursuits, from skiing in the Alps to yachting.
The 55-year-old father of four mixes his luxury holidays with running, cycling and golf.
In 2017, he ran the New York City Marathon in under three and a half hours.
Mr. Kozemyako is the founder and chief executive of Agrotrade Group, Ukraine’s largest grain producer and exporter. However, today his full attention is on the war.
Mr. Kozemacko enjoyed traveling the world for unique experiences such as skiing in the Alps
Khartia was founded by Mr. Kozemyko in March 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, starting life as a volunteer unit attached to the 127th Regional Defense Brigade in Kharkiv.
Operating independently of the Ukrainian military, but accepting its orders, Khartia adopted the nickname “Billionaires’ Battalion” for its funding model and the support of many wealthy donors.
Military tracking sites estimate that Khartia’s manpower ranges from about 1,500 to 5,000 personnel.
Technically, a battalion is a field defense unit, a wartime requirement that goes away after the war ends.
“As soon as the war ends, we are civilians again,” he said nearly four years ago.
But today, his unit stands as an elite Ukrainian National Guard assault formation, specializing in rapid counter-attacks, urban warfare and drone-enabled operations, and has distinguished itself as the most successful unit around Kupyansk.
Raising the Ukrainian flag over the city is a significant victory at a moment when the display of military power has never been more important on the world stage.
Mr Kozemacko, seen with a comrade in arms, shaped his unit into a force that led precision counter-attacks.
In comments made this week, US President Donald Trump insisted that Mr Zelensky – not Putin – was the main obstacle to reaching a peace deal to end the war.
“I think he’s ready to make a deal. I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal,” Mr Trump told Reuters.
The president’s comments raised the stakes for Kiev, emphasizing the need to prove that Ukrainian forces are capable, effective and will achieve tangible gains on the battlefield.
But for every Ukrainian victory, there is a setback. Near the city of Hulyapol, about 150 miles from Kupyansk, its troops were retreating—showing Kiev’s manpower shortage.
Its lack of personnel has forced it to use “fire-fighting” units, such as Khartia, to respond to Russian pressure, which often exposes other fronts.
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This makes its success all the more important. Experts say a display of battlefield success makes it more difficult for Mr. Trump to portray Ukraine as static or incapable of changing the course of the conflict.
“Ukraine’s recent successes around Kupyansk are important to show that it is not capitulating as some in the White House think, and on the contrary, Ukraine is now making ground,” Hamish de Breton-Gordon, a military expert and former tank commander, told the Telegraph.
“Putin is desperate for Trump to pull the plug on Ukraine, and Trump is looking elsewhere, blaming Zelensky for the lack of progress on the peace plan when everyone else is blaming him and the Russian leader.”
Amidst these high-stakes political debates, it is Mr. Kozemyakov and Khartiya’s soldiers who have provided a tangible demonstration of Ukraine’s resilience.
