Soldier Yaroslav, call sign SVAT

I am a career officer in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2014, I commanded an air assault platoon of the 80th separate air assault brigade (Lviv). 

There were no professional servicemen in my family before me. However, my father really wanted to become an officer, but due to his own family circumstances (losing his father at an early age), he had to replace his father for his younger brother at an early age. Perhaps, it was because of these circumstances that my father decided to motivate me in every possible way to choose a military profession and enter a military university. Since I had been playing football since childhood and was generally fond of sports, I was not very worried about physical exertion and various challenges during training. So, I chose the military profession.

My military career began in 2008. It was then that I entered the Ground Forces Academy, the Faculty of Air Assault and Intelligence. I graduated in 2013 and was assigned to the 80th separate Air Assault Brigade, as a part of which I was involved in the defence of Luhansk airport and the liberation of settlements in the spring and summer of 2014: Heorhiivka, Lutuhyne, Uspenka, Kruhlyk, Chervona Poliana, Kovpakove, Zelenyi Kurhan, Novohannivka, Komisarivka, Novosvitlivka and Khriashchuvate in Luhansk region. 

On the 26th of August, 2014, in the village of Khriashchuvate, as a result of enemy artillery and tank shelling, a group of paratroopers from my company were severely wounded and risked being captured by the enemy who were advancing towards the village. I received an order from the company commander to move forward with my subordinates in an APC (armoured personnel carrier) to rescue this group. After fending off the enemy attack, we managed to evacuate our comrades to a safe place for medical care. However, during the evacuation of our brothers-in-arms, the enemy started shelling us again, so we had to quickly take cover in a basement upon arrival. Having arrived at the designated place, I gave an order to my subordinates to immediately move the wounded to the shelter and take cover with them. Then I decided to check whether everyone had left the combat vehicle. After that, I also moved to the basement and at that moment an artillery shell exploded near me, the fragments of which broke my right leg at the level of the upper third of the thigh.

At the moment of being wounded, I felt intense heat and when I saw that my leg was torn off, I was very upset, because I realised that I would never go back to the football field again. Thanks to the quick reaction of my company commander, I was able to stop the bleeding in time and was evacuated to a field hospital, where doctors stabilised my condition. Later, I was evacuated to a hospital in Vinnytsia, where I was treated for two months until I fully recovered.

The process of realising the loss of a limb at the age of 23 was not easy. I kept thinking that I would not be able to run or play football anymore, and worst of all, I would not get married, because I believed that no girl would want a disabled young man.

My psycho-emotional state improved after I started talking to a psychologist, going for walks in the city, and meeting a number of good people. I made friends with a lot of wonderful Vinnytsia residents who used to help as volunteers. The help of my younger brother and mother had a significant impact on my psychological recovery. However, I think the most important thing was meeting my future wife, Vasylyna. To a large extent thanks to her, I managed to get out of depression, realised that life goes on and that I have to keep fighting. 

It was important for me to return to military service. Since my health condition did not allow me to serve in a combat brigade, I decided to continue my service in a military educational institution to pass on my combat experience to future officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - fighters for Ukrainian national identity.

My main goal today is to build a strong, powerful and modern Ukrainian army to defend Ukraine from external enemies.

My biggest dream is the long-awaited victory over the russian occupiers and collapse of the enemy state.

Because of my active lifestyle, the silicone liner of my prosthesis wears out quickly, so it needs regular replacement, which unfortunately is not fully guaranteed by the state. Therefore, I need the support of philanthropists.

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 35,860