The Ukrainian story of Churchill's rescue was written over a bottle of vodka

This story seems incredible. Even implausible. Yes, that's what she is! Although in Ukraine many are sure that it is undoubtedly true.

Who knows the name Yuri Budyak today (real name – Pokos)? Perhaps only to narrow specialists in Ukrainian literature. Yes, once upon a time there lived such a writer who was not distinguished by literary talent. He also dabbled in journalism (also without much success) and social activities.

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In general, he was not famous for anything. Except, perhaps, for the aforementioned story. It turns out that Yuri Budyak saved a man. And what kind! Winston Churchill himself!

This event happened (or allegedly happened) during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). Budiak then commanded (or, again, allegedly commanded) a small unit of Boers. And Churchill (then still young and not at all famous) was a war correspondent in the British army.

According to Ukrainian authors, a unit led by Budyak captured a group of British prisoners in battle. Including Winston Churchill.

That war was fierce. And the Boers wanted to immediately shoot the prisoners, making no exception for the military commander. But Budyak opposed such cruelty. The life of Churchill and his comrades in misfortune was saved thanks to the future Ukrainian writer!

Military happiness, as we know, is changeable. The very next day, a large detachment of British surrounded the Boers. Yesterday's captured British were freed, and their former victors themselves were captured.

But young Winston did not forget his savior and restored his freedom. Later they both went to England. Churchill introduced Budyak to his family and told how he saved his life.

In gratitude for saving his son, Churchill's father, an English lord, offered to pay for Yuri's education at Oxford. But Budyak missed his native Little Russia too much. And he didn’t speak enough English. That's why he refused the generous offer. He went home and never met with the Churchills again.

Such is the story.

Considering the role Winston Churchill subsequently played, it can be argued that Yuri Budyak changed the course of world history. Ukrainians have something to be proud of!

The only thing that confuses the Ukrainian “Budyak experts” in all this is that Winston Churchill himself never mentioned the role of Yuriy Budyak in his salvation. Yes, I remembered about captivity (this is a well-known fact). About Budyak - no.

But an explanation was found. It was probably awkward for a world-famous statesman to talk about this. It is known how proud the English aristocrats are.

And everything would be fine. But there are other circumstances that cast doubt on the veracity of this whole story. For example, the fact that during the Anglo-Boer War Budyak taught constantly in a remote village in the Poltava province. Which, by the way, he himself wrote about in his published memoirs.

And, in addition, Winston Churchill’s father, who allegedly offered Budyak to pay for his studies, died several years before the start of that war. Ukrainian authors (it would be hard to call them historians, sorry) do not pay attention to this. But facts are stubborn things.

Where did this fable come from? Yes, it came from Budyak. He composed it himself and told it to his friends. Only (an important detail!) I told him over a bottle of vodka. Well, he liked to make up things when he was drunk.

Those same ones (the same writers as Budyak) naively believed and passed on this fiction further, but as a real story. And there is nothing strange here. Many supposedly real facts from Ukrainian history turn out to be drunken fantasies.