Denys, a chef in civilian life, is now a squad leader but still tries to cook red borshch whenever he can as it’s important for morale. He was wounded twice and was saved by his helmet!
by Lysychka-
Denys, a chef in civilian life, is now a squad leader but still tries to cook red borshch whenever he can as it’s important for morale. He was wounded twice and was saved by his helmet!
by Lysychka-
7 comments
Denys, chef in a civilian life, now is a squad leader but still tries to cook red borshch when we can. He was wounded twice, but helmet saved him so he could come back to his son and wife
Excerpts from the interview with Denys Usanov — Squad Leader of the 53rd Battalion, 100th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.
* **How did the full-scale war catch you? What were your actions at that time?**
I immediately knew we needed to take action. My friends and I started looking for a military unit where we could serve.
* **You were wounded twice; where did this happen?**
The first was in the Bakhmut direction. I sustained a severe injury, but my helmet saved me. It took most of the shrapnel, but I still had to get a plate in my head.
The second injury occurred in the Avdiivka direction. Again, the helmet saved my life twice. I got hit a bit, it was a shrapnel wound. But it was very, very tough there. I went through treatment. I had only one thought — I needed to return to my comrades and keep helping.
* **Do you feel fear?**
Of course, there was some fear, but it quickly passed after the first combat outings. Once we went out again, you just had to overcome yourself the first time, and then it goes as it should.
* **You had to suddenly become a squad leader. What is that experience like, the responsibility?**
The primary goal is to keep the personnel safe, so they all return to their families. We’ve been side by side since the beginning of the full-scale war.
* **Have you ever had to look a Russian soldier in the eye?**
In the Avdiivka direction. There was a moment when we looked each other in the eyes. But, as they say, we work faster. We think with our heads and only then do we act.
There was even a situation where a house caught fire because a mine hit it, and our guys completely held that position. They stayed in that burning house. In their case (the Russian army), I don’t see such resolve.
* **In civilian life, you were a chef for many years in various restaurants. Did you use these skills on the front line?**
Yes! My favorite is red boshch, of course. We also decided to make meatball soup once, but without a meat grinder, we did it all by hand.
As much as possible, we created our own living conditions. If there’s electricity, we set up a fridge, a washing machine — it’s a great comfort to have a washing machine there. We always tried to sit together at one table for lunch or dinner. It’s very helpful psychologically.
Source:
[~https://suspilne.media/lutsk/765669-dvici-meni-ratuvav-zitta-solom-komandir-viddilenna-100-ombr-z-volini-denis-usanov/~](https://suspilne.media/lutsk/765669-dvici-meni-ratuvav-zitta-solom-komandir-viddilenna-100-ombr-z-volini-denis-usanov/)
God save the cooks!
God bless him with good health!
Bless him and his family.
He takes care of his people – talking about the good it does them to sit and eat together, as a family. Quality person.
He looks so much like me and my family, they look so beautiful. God bless you brother, I hope you stay safe.
These stories, they make me so sad that all this has happened.