Soldier Oleksandr, call sign TSUKOR (meaning Sugar)

I am originally from Kyiv, studied in Odesa, and received a degree in law and in military affairs. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I had just graduated from university: On the 19th of February, I picked up my diploma, came home to Kyiv on the 21st of February, and on the 24th of February, the war started.

I knew I was a military man, I had plans to serve in the National Guard, so I registered and in June was mobilised and after the training was assigned to the 80th separate air assault brigade.

My first deployment was to Soledar.

I remember my first feelings well. My body was in a shock, because I constantly experienced sleep deprivation and lack of food. Something was constantly exploding and flying around, one did not understand what it was, one could not distinguish all the sounds: where it was coming from, where it was going to land. But after about three days, it all went away and my body suddenly adapted. It was like I exhaled and the war became clear to me.

As a platoon commander, I felt a huge responsibility. I was only 24 years old, and the guys were older, already had some experience, but surprisingly, they greeted me quite warmly and quickly began to listen to me and take my opinion into account.

Then I happened to be on the Kharkiv operation.

To be honest, when I saw the task, I thought that had we been able to complete it by 60-70%, it would be great. I had no idea that we would overfulfill the target by 120%. We cut the route, the enemy's living artery, by which all the equipment and supplies were moving. The orcs didn't even realise that the route had been cut off.

Our company moved towards Izium town. The enemy fled quickly, and we chased them. After clearing the city, we launched an offensive by the Oskil River. We arrived at our positions at night. We dug in only a bit.

In the morning, the orcs came at us from behind and shelled us with large-calibre weapons. Five of us became "cargo 200" (deceased), I was a heavy "cargo 300" (wounded), and one of our soldiers had a bullet wound in the pelvis. Only one soldier was not hit.

I fell down. I had a radio near me, but because my whole body was in pain, I could not pick it up.

When I raised my head a little, I saw my comrade in arms, who was in a state of shock, but who was not wounded. I don't know how, but I managed to get him to start following my instructions. I managed to radio all necessary information. I told him where to apply the tourniquets (on my leg and arm near the shoulder). I did not fully understand what kind of injury I had. When I was lying there, my first thought was that my legs were torn off and I was contused. But then I saw that all my limbs seemed to be in place.

After a while, medics got to us and evacuated us first to a small town, to a stabilisation centre. They quickly examined me there and immediately sent me to Kharkiv for surgery.

Later I found out that I had a bullet wound, it came through my shoulder at an angle, broke my shoulder blade and a rib that pierced my lung. The bullet hit my spine and stopped in the cervical region. 2/3 of the spinal cord was damaged.

Then came the treatment and a long way of rehabilitation. I had to learn to get out of bed and sit up again. I gradually started to learn to live independently. Now I confidently move from the chair to the bed and other surfaces.

But there is a lot of work ahead to become independent and mobile. That's why I need to continue my rehabilitation at the Zakhidnyi Rehabilitation and Sports Centre of the National Committee for Sports for the Disabled People of Ukraine. The centre specialises in the rehabilitation of injuries like mine. However, the state does not compensate for my rehabilitation at this centre.
 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 90,000