From Kharkiv to the University of Cambridge for mathematician Maksym

Two years ago Maksym Chaplanov’s priority was safety as he fled from his home in Kharkiv with his mother when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Now the talented mathematician is marking happier times – and making plans for a future he didn’t expect – as he looks forward to studying pure mathematics at the University of Cambridge.

Amidst the turmoil of having to leave his friends, family and country Maksym achieved top results in his A-level results.

The 17-year-old has studied at the specialist sixth form, the Exeter Maths School since arriving in Devon, allowing him to continue the studies he had started in Ukraine. As well as following the school’s innovative curriculum – which allows pupils to study STEM subjects in more depth and breadth, he spends hours of his own time practising his maths skills.           

His academic success has brought joy to his family, now living apart across Europe.       

Maksym and his mother Tetiana came to Devon in June 2022 thanks to the Homes for Ukraine scheme and live in Mid Devon. They had escaped to the West of Ukraine days after the Russian invasion. Their first host had a friend who worked at Exeter Maths School, so Maksym was aware of the sixth form before he arrived in the country and was able to visit and take entry tests soon after he arrived in Devon.

Tetiana said: “The decision to leave Ukraine was made faster because it is so dangerous in Kharkiv, being very close to Russia. We wanted to come to the UK because we needed safety and continue Maksym’s education. We are so grateful for the visa scheme and the chance to come here. It’s giving Ukrainian children a chance. The education system in our country is unfortunately broken due to the war, at the moment. We have friends who are studying in bomb shelters.

“For the first ten days of the invasion we had constant air raid warnings and bombing. It was a really terrible time. I had grown up hearing stories from my family about the horrors of World War Two but we had never expected anything like that to happen to our country again. We just didn’t expect Russia to invade the middle of Europe.”

Tetiana and Maksym have relatives still in Ukraine.

Maksym said: “My father is very keen that I do well in my studies, and he would love for me to keep studying beyond degree level. It is great for him and all the family to hear I am doing well at school and have these wonderful opportunities for the future.       

“During my education in EMS I enjoyed taking part in Curriculum X courses as well as studying Physics on the lessons. As a part of Y13 educational process I worked on my own project “Factorisation in rings” and presented it in February 2024.”

Outside of school Maksym takes part in online maths courses and projects, including one run for Ukrainian teenagers “Yulia’s Dream” by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This program has been named after the Yulia Zdanovska, a talented mathematician, who was killed by a Russian rocket in her homeland city Kharkiv days after war started. He has also attended some of the online courses on higher maths organised by the International Centre for Mathematics in Ukraine.

Tetiana, who is a textile garment technologist at Heathcoat Fabrics, said: “Maksym has always worked very hard. He is always taking part in online lectures, courses and Olympiads.”

Maksym, who enjoys playing football, chess and going to the gym, ran the maths classes for Ukrainian children at the Exeter Maths School, organised by the Devon Ukrainian Association.

He said: “I like Maths, because everything in it is about strict logical rules.”