Soldier Mykola, call sign SHERMAN

My name is Mykola, call sign SHERMAN, I have been in the army since 2016. I signed a contract and served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine until the summer of 2021.

When the full-scale invasion began, I was in Kharkiv. At that time, I had already packed the necessary things, and on 25th February 2022, together with my comrade-in-arms, we went to our unit in Donbas.

On 10th March 2023, we came under heavy artillery fire, and I became "cargo 300th" (means wounded) with a gunshot shrapnel wound to my right shin. I remember when I saw my leg hanging on the skin, I immediately realised that they would amputate it.

I cannot say that I was very worried about it. No, I wasn't. I took it calmly, because I understood where I was and what was happening around me. In my case, in fact, things are not so bad.

At that moment, I was more worried about my friends and colleagues who remained there on the battlefield. And also for my family and friends who would find out that I was wounded. At first, I didn't even want to tell them about my leg amputation, and was saying that I just had a couple of fragments in my leg - nothing to worry about.

After treatment, prosthetics and rehabilitation, I continued my military service. The prosthesis does not prevent me from defending my homeland. However, due to excessive loads (body armour plus combat kit weighs 20-30 kg, and I have to run with all this), my foot burst, and now I need to have it replaced immediately to return to combat missions.
 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 167,650.70