He was an anarchist, an artist, a dissident, and, most recently, a volunteer on the front lines of the fight against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where he died at the age of 39. This is an obituary for Davyd Chychkan by Lesik, his friend and comrade.
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Davyd Chychkan was at the forefront of the anti-fascist grassroots movement in the 2000s. He was killed in an armed struggle against Russia’s fascism on August 10, 2025, in Zaporizhzhia, an ancient Cossack land. A consistent and sincere anarchist, he had extraordinary charisma and was able to find common ground with people of different views and convictions. He was always eager to lend a hand.
Solidarity with fists
He considered himself the ideological successor of the writer, poet, translator, and political activist Ivan Franko; the public intellectual and socialist Mykhailo Drahomanov; the feminist writer and socialist political activist Lesya Ukrainka; and the anarchist revolutionary Nestor Makhno. He believed social liberation was necessary for the national liberation of the people in Ukraine, and that Ukraine’s future lay in an egalitarian, democratic society.
Born into a family of artists, Davyd joined the early sprouts of Kyiv’s grassroots anti-fascist movement in the mid-2000s. At that time, his rivals were racists and subcultural neo-Nazis who were spiteful toward punk culture and anyone who dared to differ, as well as supporters of pan-Slavism (the idea of ‘three brotherly peoples’). He considered the authoritarian ‘left,’ Stalinists, and defenders of the USSR – the so-called ‘tankies’ who today serve Russian imperial propaganda – to be enemies and acted accordingly. Identifying with the SHARP (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) subculture as a young man, he wasn’t afraid to show solidarity with his fists.
Artistic legacy
Davyd approached the established art world with skepticism. Although he developed an authentic artistic style, he preferred to call himself a draftsman rather than an artist. The subjects of his early works were street antifascists and protesters. In his works, mural painter Diego Rivera, graphic artist Heorhiy Narbut (known for designing the Ukrainian People’s Republic’s coat of arms, banknotes, postage stamps, and charters), and folk artist Maria Prymachenko, who worked in the naïve art style, seemed to unite in a common struggle.
In his more mature works, Davyd drew upon Ukrainian classical heritage, Ukrainian revolutionary history, and narodism. (Historically, Narodism is the ideology of the Narodniks, who were members of an intelligentsia movement in the Russian Empire during the 1860s and 1870s. Some became involved in revolutionary agitation against Tsarism. Narodism is a form of agrarian socialism.) He persistently challenged the establishment, demanding engagement in substantive political discourse. Davyd Chychkan’s artistic legacy is invaluable.
Steadfast dissident
He compensated for his lack of formal higher education with persistent political and humanitarian self-education. He immersed himself in Ukrainian and international leftist classics as well as philosophy, anthropology, and cultural studies of the second half of the 20th century. He was among the first of our generation to explore the intellectual legacy of late 19th- and early 20th-century Ukrainian socialist thinkers, who are regarded as the founding fathers and mothers of the Ukrainian political nation. Though exceptionally well-read and knowledgeable, Chychkan preferred to engage through physical work and direct political action.
Known for his humor and sincerity, he entered debates with comrades and opponents, delivering compelling arguments while fairly acknowledging others’ perspectives. Among leftists, he was known as a steadfast dissident – a man of his own mind who was never easy to debate. Even his enemies could only ‘shout over’ Davyd – they never managed to refute his arguments or facts. Far-right extremists smashed his exhibitions and demanded censorship, which the establishment sometimes yielded to. However, none could stand their ground in a public debate with him. He embraced his Ukrainian identity fully, viewing the Ukrainian national project as a struggle against all forms of injustice.
Over the past 20 years, Davyd has supported and actively participated in all major political movements and social protests. He was involved with several anarchist organizations and supported the trade unions. As a Maidan activist, he criticized the parliamentary opposition and the partiality of post-revolutionary achievements. Recognized in the art world, Chychkan consistently debunked propaganda about a ‘coup’ and ‘Nazi junta’ on international platforms.
Anti-fascist and socialist
When the full-scale invasion began in 2022, Davyd was not immediately accepted into the military and became the visual chronicler of the anti-authoritarian soldiers within the Ukrainian army. Once his health improved, he volunteered for service. He had the option to serve under less perilous conditions but chose the hardships of a frontline soldier fighting fascism, imperialism, and totalitarianism – the very struggle to which he had committed his life and for which he made the ultimate sacrifice.
Davyd’s ideas were practical and closely aligned with the realities faced by society in Ukraine. In his view, hromadivstvo and anarcho-syndicalism called for urgent, concrete action: defending and expanding the rights of workers and women, dismantling colonial oppression, and redistributing wealth to those left behind. He believed that Russia’s fascism posed the gravest danger to realizing these ideals today. Davyd uniquely fused his ideals with a practical mindset, emerging as a pillar and legend of Ukraine’s anti-authoritarian movement.
After his passing, Davyd Chychkan’s beloved wife and young son remain. He will forever be remembered for his smile, kindness, and caring nature. He lives on in the hearts of countless friends and comrades. Others will carry on his fight; the darkness will be conquered, and life will blossom with radiant, colorful ribbons.
Note from the editors: We would like to thank Natalka Neshevets and Yustyna Kravchuk for their support in translating this text from Ukrainian to English.