The international delegation, headed by Ana Lucía Bueno, ICRC Public Health Coordinator, and Sujit Panda, Head of the Physical Rehabilitation…
Fighter Yurii in civilian life worked various jobs. He never hid from the military enlistment office, but did not go there voluntarily, convinced he was unfit for mobilization.
His story was published on the page of the 101st Separate Guard Brigade of the General Staff named after Colonel-General Hennadii Vorobiov.
Yurii is from Zaporizhzhia region. His home village is now occupied. His only relatives remained there — it is unknown if they are alive, as the connection has long been lost.
He has lived in Kyiv since 2009. He married here, and they had a daughter, Tetiana. He is an orphan — raised in an orphanage even though he was active in sports, including running and athletics. He was not conscripted due to health reasons.
When he was stopped for a document check, he was served a summons, and the military medical commission dispelled his former certainty. Naturally, he faithfully joined the ranks of the 101st Brigade.
They changed three positions during this time — at some one could stand upright, while at others only crouched.
They had to deliver supplies to the camouflaged dugout on their own, taking turns. The route was several hundred meters one way. He always repeated the main rule: “Listen to the sky — watch your feet!” Enemy shells sometimes fell nearby, and FPV drones chased them.
“It hurt whenever the occupiers managed to destroy our supplies. So we tried to stock up on provisions, medicine, and water. And of course, we shared with neighboring units when needed — leaving ‘greetings from the bunny’ in agreed places”, — Yurii says.
Due to constant enemy aerial surveillance and heavy artillery fire, entering and exiting the position became increasingly dangerous.
“I grew a beard, mustache, and long hair quickly. On day 72 they dropped a trimmer — I became the barber. To distract myself, I wrote down my thoughts and repetitive events on my phone — kept a sort of diary. I looked at the photo of my daughter with her teddy bear — it gave me strength not to break”, — he recalls.
Sometimes, thanks to the coordination center, he was able to briefly speak with his family by radio while they were called on mobile — that’s how they congratulated him on his birthday.
“And then, from different positions, they sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me over the radios. The neighbors even gave me a bottle of Coca-Cola and a can of pineapple. I was touched to the core”, — he says.
A cat once ran into their dugout and sat at the entrance, looking like a wild lynx — beautiful, fluffy, likely once domestic. They wanted to feed it but understood the danger: if the animal began returning, the occupiers would easily locate them. After a few minutes, the cat ran away, as if understanding.
Yurii chose his call sign “Student” himself — a friend used to call him that jokingly for his youthful appearance and agility at age 43.
In the training centre, he was impressed by the level of preparation. Brigade instructors deepened his skills. Soon a rotation to Chasiv Yar direction lay ahead.
“First entry into the position. My partner ‘Yuppi’ was experienced. Their dugout was almost at zero — 150–200 meters from the enemy. Sometimes we even heard the orcs’ drunk shouts”.
His baptism by fire happened as they entered — artillery struck. He lay face-down as his heart pounded. Life flashed before his eyes.
He intended to be unreachable for up to a month, but it turned out to be 95 days.
The second position was on a drone transit route, so “Student” recorded flight times to adjust his movement according to enemy schedules.
During these nearly 100 days, they experienced much: “Fanat’s” shrapnel injury, shells landing near the dugout, firefights, and an attempted Russian sabotage infiltration that was spotted and neutralized.
Eventually, they left at dawn. Two of the three — “Yuppi” stayed for the next shift. Yurii took the phone number of his comrade’s family and keeps in touch with them to this day. They walked over 10 km to the evacuation point.
This exit was even more emotional because he now fully understood the danger lurking everywhere. He carried a knife gifted by a friend as a talisman. Most belongings he left for newcomers.
They were welcomed as heroes. First — showers. But sleep did not come for three days due to hyper-arousal. Later came award ceremonies.
Today “Student” is undergoing treatment and rehabilitation for his back. He is so used to his call sign that he sometimes doesn’t respond to his real name.
He is happy to hug his wife and daughter but worries about his unit still holding the line. He often remembers how he, “Yuppi”, and “Fanat” swore to survive and someday gather with their families at a big table to celebrate Victory.
This short yet incredibly long time forged an unbreakable brotherhood. Dreams tend to come true — and when multiplied by three, the odds grow even stronger.
