Soldier Viktor Krylo, call sign MIKHALYCH

My name is Viktor Krylo, but my comrades call me MIKHALYCH. I’m a sniper, a squad commander, and a veteran with a war-related disability.

I voluntarily took up arms back in 2014. I served in the 19th Battalion of the Mykolaiv Territorial Defense. That’s where I received my first call sign — BOTSMAN. After that, I signed a contract with the Marine Corps. I served with honor and dignity, and after two years, I was discharged...

But the soul of a soldier knows no peace when the enemy steps onto your land. When the full-scale invasion began in 2022, I returned to the fight. This time as part of the Kryvyi Rih Territorial Defense, where I led a sniper squad and received the call sign MIKHALYCH.

My first injury happened in the Kherson direction near the village of Arkhanhelske. We were retreating from our positions, and I decided to cover the withdrawal of our troops and be the last to leave. While covering the retreat, I had to walk 8 km alone. During this maneuver, I severely injured my leg — a knee fracture and torn ligaments.

My soul ached to return to my brothers-in-arms. After treatment, I went back to them.

My second injury happened on the Donetsk front. We were storming positions in the Shakhmatny Forest. The fighting there was hellish. We lost half a battalion…

I was lucky — I survived. But I sustained a shrapnel wound and once again returned to service after recovering.

My third and most recent injury happened in the Avdiivka direction. I was heading to a surveillance point when suddenly there was an explosion next to me. It was a tank shot — the most terrifying kind, because you don’t hear the “launch,” only feel the aftermath: the explosion and then darkness.

The blast wave threw me into a trench. I landed on my back, severely injuring it. I immediately lost all feeling in my legs. I lay there alone, hearing only explosions nearby. Only after 12 hours did my comrades find me and drag me out for evacuation.

Today, I live with unbearable pain. A displaced vertebra is pressing on my central nerve canal. I can’t walk or live a full life.

According to doctors, the only solution is urgent spinal surgery with the installation of a transpedicular fixation system. It must be done as soon as possible, as there’s a high risk of permanent damage that could lead to paralysis.

The surgery itself is free, but the system must be purchased. That’s why I’m turning to donors for help. Every contribution is a step toward the surgery. A step toward a life without pain.

 

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A spinal transpedicular fixation system has been purchased for Viktor. Ahead lies a complex but much-needed surgery.

MIKHALYCH is one of those who gave the most valuable thing — his health — for our safety. And thanks to you — caring people — we were able to provide him with the essentials in time.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the fundraiser! Your support is not just money, it’s a chance for a life without pain.

Special thanks to the specialized prosthetic and orthopedic enterprise "AE.BRIK"  for their significant contribution to the defender’s future. With friends like these, we’re able to accomplish more every day.

Together — we save lives!
 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED:UAH 78,850