Volodymyr has been fighting russians since 2014. He battled at Savur-Mohyla, defended Kyiv, and participated in the Kharkiv counteroffensive. After the war, he dreams of riding his motorcycle to the places where he once stood in combat.

by Lysychka-

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  1. Volodymyr, a soldier of the 14th Mechanized Brigade named after King Roman the Great, is unphased when he recalls his experiences. His journey to defend Ukraine against invaders began in 2014. He was one of the soldiers who fought in one of the most intense battles in modern history—Savur-Mohyla in the summer of 2014.

    “The first thing you’ll feel is the scorching air—like the morning coffee in your cup. You’ll see exhausted soldiers digging trenches with their metal helmets. You’ll drink from the local lake—the only source of water around. Its clarity and slightly sweet taste will stay with you forever. You’ll hear the ‘Hurricanes’ and ‘Smerches’ [tornadoes—translator’s note] sweeping across the Ukrainian steppes… But these are not forces of nature—they are the enemy’s deadly ‘gifts.’ And when the last explosion fades, you’ll witness this story:

    ‘We were lying low in cover when the commander said, “Silence, everyone!” A few minutes later, we saw a VAZ and a KamAZ truck driving past, packed with soldiers. I remember our burly cook’s words: “F…k, those aren’t our guys!” He said it and started shooting, and we all opened fire on the enemy. Only a few of them survived the hell we unleashed—we took them prisoner, including a lieutenant colonel of the Russian regular army!'” Volodymyr recalls.

    In March 2022, at the height of the battle for the Kyiv region, Volodymyr and his comrades held the line. Judging by the burnt columns of Russian armored vehicles around them, they were doing it quite effectively. He remembers how, in those days, many enemy crews got a firsthand taste of Western anti-tank systems.

    “The enemy learned that it hurts and burns—but we enjoyed it,” Volodymyr jokes.

    Among his awards are the Order “For Courage” III degree and the “Steel Cross” badge. “That was for the Kharkiv counteroffensive,” he comments. 

    Now, Volodymyr applies his knowledge to eliminating the enemy with advanced weaponry. “Drones today are a universal solution for many combat situations. We prepare each drone in a special way—disassembling, inspecting, adding something of our own. And what’s interesting is that when our comrades from other units invent something, they share it, saying, ‘Look what we came up with!’ And soon, the new tech spreads across all the units. We have a lot of creative young minds in our brigade! And that’s awesome!”

    Another passion of Volodymyr’s is sports motorcycles and ATVs. He once rode his bike across nearly all of the Carpathians. But the soldier is certain that his most important ride is still ahead. The route is known only to him—he will return to the places where he fought, to see peace, tranquility, and happiness restored to those lands…

    [https://suspilne.media/lutsk/936273-pisla-peremogi-motociklom-poidu-timi-mistami-de-vouvav-boec-14-oi-ombr-z-volini/](https://suspilne.media/lutsk/936273-pisla-peremogi-motociklom-poidu-timi-mistami-de-vouvav-boec-14-oi-ombr-z-volini/)

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