Soldier Oleksandr Bondarenko, call sign BOND

I’ve been serving under contract since 2014. I’ve been through a lot: I started in the 12th Territorial Defense Battalion, then joined the legendary 72nd Brigade and served there until 2021. And when the full-scale war broke out again in 2022, I didn’t hesitate—I rejoined the ranks of defenders in the 112th Territorial Defense Brigade, 11th Separate Special Forces Battalion. Because as long as I can—I must.

On March 16, 2025, during a combat mission near Kamianske in the Zaporizhzhia region, our positions came under mortar and artillery fire. We were repelling an assault, holding the line. That’s when I was wounded.

I was wearing protective gear, but shrapnel doesn’t ask where to fly.

The official diagnosis: blast injury. Gunshot shrapnel wounds to the left thigh and shoulder. Fractures of the femur and humerus. Hemorrhagic shock.

I didn’t lose consciousness. I remember everything—those screams, my comrades pulling me out from under fire. Thanks to them, I’m alive.

But now the question is: will I be able to walk again? To undergo surgery and begin rehabilitation, I need a special intramedullary rod to stabilize the fractured femur. Without it—there’s no chance of proper recovery.

I also have another important mission—to take care of my mother. She’s alone now. And I want to be there for her. In a functioning body.

Right now, my goal is to get back on my feet. To complete my service with dignity, to receive my pension, and simply—to live.
 

TRANSFERRED: UAH 9,840