On Sunday, he was hunkered down about 150 kilometers outside of his nation's capital with weapons.
In a phone interview with The Associated Press, the young man said that he was a student. I'm ready to help in any way I can.
Some four dozen athletes from Ukraine and elsewhere sent an open letter to Olympic and Paralympic leaders, urging them to suspend the Russian and Belarusian Olympic and Paralympic Committees.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a clear violation of the Olympic and Paralympic Charters and must be met with strong sanctions.
It has been a challenge to speak with all athletes from Ukraine as they are seeking safety in bomb shelters, despite the fact that more Ukrainians would have signed the letter.
The letter was signed by members of the Russian fencing team, as well as athletes from the United States, Latvia and the Netherlands.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine was condemned by the International Olympic Committee. It has called on international federations to stop using the flags and national anthem of Russia and Belarus.
The IOC and the IPC have not taken action against the countries themselves. Next Friday is the start of the Paralympics. The federations immediately responded to AP requests for comment on the letter.
Oleksandr Abramenko, a Ukrainian freestyle skier who was caught on camera embracing a Russian athlete in Beijing, was one of the people who signed the letter.
Heraskevych's "no war" banner did as well. The IOC said Heraskevych wouldn't face sanctions for violating the Olympic rule that limits political protests on the field of play at the Games.
The IOC said in a statement that the matter is closed.
In February, Heraskevych left China with a guarded sense of optimism, despite the fact that Russia was amassing troops along the Ukrainian border.
His hopes were quickly dashed. He spoke to the AP from Zhytomyr. He was prepared to defend the capital.
There is no safe place in Ukraine right now.
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