bˈɔːɹn ɪn poʊltˈɑːvə ɹˈʌʃən ˈɛmpaɪɚ, nˈaʊ juːkɹˈeɪn, skɹˈɪpnɪk ɐtˈɛndᵻd ðə poʊltˈɑːvə fˈɜːst klˈæsɪkəl dʒɪmnˈeɪsiəm ænd dɹˈɛmpt əvə mˈɪlətˌɛɹi kɚɹˈɪɹ θɹuː hɪz jˈuːθ.
Born in Poltava (Russian Empire, now Ukraine), Skrypnyk attended the Poltava First Classical Gymnasium and dreamt of a military career through his youth.