The date was chosen in memory of military correspondent Dmytro Labutkin, who died on this day during hostilities in eastern…
Vsevolod’s parents passed away. The 22-year-old matured early and chose the path of his older brother — he joined the Defence Forces.
His story was published on the page of the 152nd Separate Ranger Brigade named after Symon Petliura.
The defender says that service for him is a way to be worthy of his family — a way to prove that losses do not break but temper you. That the memory of one’s parents can be not only sorrow, but also a force that drives you to live and fight for the country in which they raised you.
By his age, he had gained experience many people do not acquire in a lifetime: he worked, completed compulsory military service, and signed a contract with the Armed Forces.
In his small native village in Mykolaiv Oblast, Vsevolod was a professional fisherman. He started on a barkas — a small boat resembling an ordinary vessel from which fish are caught with nets near the shore.
“We went out to sea in a crew of three. We had a good team. The work wasn’t difficult, but you had to know the specifics of the waters and work with your hands”, — he recalls.
According to him, fishing from a barkas uses a net on a frame. Floats hold the net at the top, while weights pull it down. The net thus creates a several-meter-wide field through which fish swim.
He noted that the key part of the job is choosing the right place to cast the nets so that both the current and depth are right. Fish migrate in specific ways, and it is not always possible to determine their route by sight. It is also important not to leave the net in the water for too long so that fish do not get tangled and small ones do not fall out.
“Then, using winches, we lifted the nets aboard and sorted the catch by species. Mostly sprat, goby, red mullet, and less often flounder”, — he says.
However, Vsevolod adds that he enjoyed fishing the most in summer — you could swim and jump off the barkas.
Later, he worked on a cutter, catching shrimp and occasionally sturgeon. But shortly before becoming a soldier, he worked on a filuza, where he and his team used a dredge — a special device lowered to the seabed to catch crabs and rapa whelks.
He describes his life at sea so vividly that one can almost feel the warm sun and salty breeze. Yet he speaks about his motivation to serve in the 152nd Brigade with the same passion.
“I have something to compare with: I served as a conscript, and I served in another brigade. In the 152nd, I felt what a real combat team is. Strong training, clear understanding of missions, and commanders who stay close to the troops. Here everyone knows what they’re fighting for”, — he says.
For Vsevolod, not only the atmosphere of support matters, but also the level of organisation and coordination.
“We’re people who care about the country’s fate. We support each other, encourage each other, and help each other grow. We’re a team where you feel a comrade’s shoulder and know you won’t be abandoned. We’re truly like one big family, but with character, fighting spirit, and ranger traditions”, — he says.
He consciously chose the 152nd Separate Ranger Brigade — and with pride calls it his own because he joined a unit where he wants to serve and win.
