One of Ukraine’s most celebrated writers and poets Sergiy Zhadan announced Thursday he had joined the country’s military, which is seeking to bolster its ranks after more than two years of conflict.

The 49-year-old acclaimed novelist and poet whose books have been widely translated, posted a picture showing him in camouflage and kneeling in front of an automatic rifle.

“I joined the ranks of the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, Chartia. I am undergoing training. I serve the people of Ukraine,” he wrote on social media.

His announcement comes at a time when the Ukrainian military has been working to replenish its ranks and after Kyiv introduced new mobilisation legislation designed to help lift army numbers.

Zhadan, who studied in the Kharkiv region where Russian forces recently launched a ground offensive, has close connections with the brigade that mainly operates in the eastern border territory.

But despite Kharkiv coming under intense fire from Russian troops, Zhadan remained when it seemed the city could be seized in by Russian forces in first months of the war.

In 2022, Zhadan told AFP before a reading in Kyiv that the Kremlin’s decision to invade meant those outside the country must pick a side. 

“People must clearly position themselves: either you support the aggressor, or you support Ukraine.”