Soldier Oleksandr Tkachenko, call sign ROCKET

My name is Oleksandr Tkachenko, call sign ROCKET.

I was 19 when I first put on a military uniform. I served in the 72nd Brigade as a BMP mechanic-driver. During that time, I learned a lot: discipline, resilience, and the understanding that others depend on you. In 2020, I was discharged and started working as a driver for commercial companies. But on February 24, 2022, life changed forever. I couldn’t just stand aside. I decided to return to the military. I joined the 30th Brigade, where I became a marksman-sniper.

The first days were tough: we received uniforms and rifles, but no helmets or body armor. Volunteers later provided them for us. We were sent to the Bakhmut direction, where we faced our first combat missions, first losses, and the harsh reality of war. Then came Popasna, Troitske, and endless battles. We dug positions, held the defense, and faced death daily.

I remember that day as if it were yesterday. On June 8, 2022, we were ordered to move out as reinforcements. Our positions were being heavily attacked, and at 9:30 AM, we received the command to advance. Eight of us went. We reached the railway track we had to cross. We couldn’t go under the bridge because there were too many wounded. We decided to take the risk and cross the bridge. As we approached, two enemy tanks appeared out of nowhere. We quickly ran under the bridge. Shells began to explode everywhere. One blast hit me.

Of everyone under the bridge, I was the only one who survived, but my left arm was immediately severed. I remained conscious and understood that if I didn’t apply a tourniquet, it would be the end. The pain was unbearable, blood was everywhere, but I managed to do it. It was 11 AM. For the next three hours, I lay under the bridge. Drones dropped munitions to finish me off, but because I stayed conscious, I was able to survive.

Eventually, my comrades saw me. The commander of the first platoon and three guys approached the bridge, and I raised my hand. They saved me. The evacuation took place at 2:30 PM. I was taken to the railway station. In the basement, medics provided first aid… then evacuation, hospitals, surgeries…

I survived.

But now a different battle continues — the fight for recovery.

Ahead of me is a difficult path:

• surgery on my knee joint, which aches with every step.
• phantom pain in the stump of my left arm. It’s hard to explain, but I feel a hand that’s no longer there.
• the effects of a concussion — headaches, dizziness, and sleep problems.
• impaired gait and posture. Due to leg injuries, there’s a risk of serious complications.

This is my new frontline. Now I’m learning to live differently and not giving up, just as I didn’t under the bridge. I’m fighting for my life because I know the value of each day.

Currently, I need continued rehabilitation at the “Svyatenko” clinic.

Thank you to everyone who stands by my side. Together, we will win!

 

Thanks to your support, Oleksandr is undergoing rehabilitation at the «Svyatenko» clinic and preparing for a complex knee surgery. The biggest victory at this stage is that his leg has been saved, despite the high risk of amputation.

At the same time, doctors are working on reducing phantom pain in the stump of his left arm, significantly improving his quality of life. There is already noticeable progress in overcoming the effects of his concussion: headaches have lessened, dizziness has disappeared, and his sleep has been restored.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed! Your donations are giving our Hero a chance at a full life.

 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 117,800