At 20, the Military Turned Her Away—But Adriana Refused to Stand Aside. She Found a Way to Join and Saved Many Lives

by Lysychka-

Adriana Romanko is currently a combat medic with the 95th Brigade. At the time of russia’s full-scale invasion, she was 20 years old. She was working as a nurse and immediately decided to join the military on February 24, 2022. However, she was repeatedly denied because she was not eligible for mobilization due to her age. She began reaching out to volunteer battalions and eventually joined the First Volunteer Mobile Hospital, later signing a contract with the 95th Brigade.

*”I said: I’m not leaving. I won’t stand aside. I remember the morning of February 24, when we got the call that the war had begun. Air raid sirens started in Ternopil. My friend told me, ‘Let’s leave somewhere,’ but I said, ‘No, I’m not going anywhere. I’m signing up right now.’”*

She didn’t tell her parents where she was going.

*”We went to the Kharkiv direction, and our rotation happened to coincide with the counteroffensive. We worked with a battalion on evacuations, supporting their medics. At some point, we were warned that something big was being prepared.”*

Her unit set up a field stabilization point in an area with no communication. That’s when Adriana finally called her parents to tell them where she was.

*”They were shocked: ‘How did you end up there?!’ Then our connection was cut off.”*

For four days, they had no communication at all. On the fourth day, when medical supplies were brought in, she managed to get a message to her parents to let them know she was okay.

# The Counteroffensive: First Wounded Soldiers

During the Kharkiv counteroffensive, Adriana worked at the field stabilization point.

*”We worked without lights—only red flashlights—because if you showed even a glimmer of light, you’d be spotted immediately. The first wounded soldier I treated was in critical condition—he had amputations and shrapnel wounds. At first, I froze. I had never seen anything like that before—I just stood there, staring. But then I realized: I came here for this. I knew what I had to do.”*

She overcame the shock within a minute and focused on her work.

*“Civilian world feels like another world. People there haven’t seen the war. They don’t understand. No one shared my perspective.”*

[https://suspilne.media/donbas/688574-u-20-rokiv-mene-ne-hotili-brati-istoria-medikini-aka-obrala-front-na-doneccini-a-ne-civilne-zitta-u-ternopoli/](https://suspilne.media/donbas/688574-u-20-rokiv-mene-ne-hotili-brati-istoria-medikini-aka-obrala-front-na-doneccini-a-ne-civilne-zitta-u-ternopoli/)

At 20, the Military Turned Her Away—But Adriana Refused to Stand Aside. She Found a Way to Join and Saved Many Lives

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