Soldier Vitalii Klymenko, call sign KLIM

I’ve already been presumed dead — by both comrades and enemies. My fellow soldiers thought I was gone. The occupiers were sure they had killed me. I myself have said goodbye to life more than once. But despite all of this — I am alive. And I want to return to service. I want to stand in formation again and defend my country.

On February 24, like everyone else, I woke up to explosions. I turned on the TV and saw the news: full-scale war had begun. Without hesitation, I packed my things and went to the military enlistment office. I joined Unit 3005 of the National Guard. They gave us uniforms, we spent a day at the base, then received our weapons. After that, we lined up, and the battalion commander told us that a tank breakthrough was possible on the ring road. But the tanks never reached us — they were destroyed near Northern Saltivka. We were stationed at a checkpoint in Zalyutyne, checking documents, conducting filtering operations, identifying sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

At the end of April, I joined the “Spartan” brigade. After training, I was deployed to Bakhmut — at the time, there was not yet intense fighting there. Then came Zolote, Komyshuvakha, the Slobozhanske counteroffensive, and Soledar…

In Soledar, we took position near a railway crossing close to the station. Two days later, our commander was ordered to send four fighters to reinforce position 3.2.2 — a three-story concrete building. I took a position on the third floor. Just half an hour later, the assault began. They started firing RPGs. One guy was killed instantly. I was left alone. The guys on the second floor saw Serhii’s body, thought we were all dead, and requested permission to retreat over the radio.

After Soledar, I was captured. The occupiers tied my hands with wire, put a bag over my head, and dragged me to some warehouse. I stayed there until dusk. Then they made a makeshift stretcher and carried me somewhere… Eventually to a small village. There, they decided to finish me off — they threw a rope around my neck and began to strangle me. I was already so weak that I lost consciousness immediately. They thought they had killed me. But I had just passed out. I came to with a dead leg and crawled to a ruined building. I found some rags, wrapped myself up, and lay there for a day.

The next evening, I saw a well through the window. About 30 meters away. I crawled to it on my knees, grabbed the bucket with my teeth — it had water with a crust of ice. I took a few sips. And then I heard: “Stop!” I turned — I was at gunpoint. More “Wagners.” Captured again. They dragged me into a basement. Two days there. Then a field hospital, where others like me were treated. Gangrene began, so they took me to a hospital in Luhansk, amputated my leg. Then back to the hospital. I stayed there 18 days until I was exchanged.

On January 31, I was exchanged. I was met by the SBU and National Guard, taken by ambulance to a hospital in Dnipro, then to Kyiv.

But I’m not broken. On the contrary — I’m even more motivated. Victory is the goal. We cannot let the orcs rule over us. I would rather die than live under them. I plan to return to service. I want to train as an instructor, share my experience, and help others survive.

For that, I need a new liner for my prosthetic (a gel-based locking liner with fabric cover AKDTHD26-6). The one I use is worn out and urgently needs replacement. Without the liner, I won’t be able to walk — even the simplest tasks in life will become impossible.

Thank you to everyone who helped. 

 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 5,040