The international delegation, headed by Ana Lucía Bueno, ICRC Public Health Coordinator, and Sujit Panda, Head of the Physical Rehabilitation…
Senior Sergeant Yaroslav, call sign “Step”, from the 46th Airmobile Podillia Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, worked as a civil engineer and never imagined himself in uniform.
His story was told on the brigade’s page.
On 28 February 2022, Yaroslav went to the local military recruitment center to defend his country. He did not get into the military on his first attempt, but in August 2022 he was invited to join the Air Assault Forces.
“They called and offered to join the Air Assault Forces. Exactly what I wanted. I was very glad I ended up in AAF”, — the soldier recalls.
After undergoing basic training, he joined the 46th Brigade as a driver. His first combat mission was as an infantryman; later he again took the wheel of an armored vehicle. He then took part in numerous missions during the liberation of Kherson region.
“There was even a kind of excitement then, when we saw the enemy run. We wanted to go on missions more and more. Yes, it was scary, but there was a strong emotional uplift in the unit”, — Step recalls.
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- Фото 46-ї бригади
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- Фото 46-ї бригади
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- Фото 46-ї бригади
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- Фото 46-ї бригади
After that, he fought in heavy battles in the Bakhmut and Soledar sectors. One of the brightest episodes was the evacuation of four wounded comrades who were lying in bomb craters from KABs in the middle of a field.
“The enemy fired RPGs and machine guns at our vehicle — rounds were flying everywhere… but thank God, the vehicle held. We evacuated everyone, and all the wounded survived. What I remember most is that I didn’t feel fear then, because I was focused on the task — saving my comrades. I felt proud that I managed to do it and that they were alive. For me, it was a small victory”, — Step says.
Later, Yaroslav experienced hundreds more combat episodes during the counteroffensive in Zaporizhzhia and the defense in the Maryinka and Kurakhove sectors.
His contribution was recognized with numerous awards: the “Defender of Ukraine” medal, the “For Wounds” medal, the “Golden Cross”, and the “For the Defense of Ukraine” distinction.
He now serves in another role requiring no less dedication — the commander of the logistics platoon, ensuring that personnel have everything needed to perform combat tasks effectively.
