Roman is a driver of an armored personnel carrier and an infantry fighting vehicle of the 80th ODSHB. He was mobilized, he served the entire spring in the Bakhmut area, 2 months of which were in Bakhmut.
He recalls how he miraculously survived after being shot by an enemy tank, but he completed his combat mission.
“We drove early in the morning, brought groups to positions. The most difficult thing is to take out our wounded and dead. Then we were covered with mortar fire. Gaps at a distance of 5-10 meters from us. In Bakhmut, the replacement of groups took place under heavy artillery fire. We were greeted and sent off with a cannon, mortars and a dance. I brought the guys, I was coming back, I dump the gas and the tank above me. A shot rang out. But only dust hit me in the face!”, the serviceman recalls.
Roman’s task is to deliver the stormtroopers as quickly as possible to the combat positions alive and take them out safely.
“The occupiers met us. Each time the road became worse and more shots were fired. 5-6 arrivals on the road in one direction. Russian soldiers saw us from the fifth floor. They fired with RPGs, the tank was working. We left at great speed with God’s help. The military equipment was constantly in pieces,” says the soldier.
A paratrooper remembers when he had to dig a trench near military equipment in the midst of shelling. He took the boys to the front. The fighters were shelled for three hours, because of this the stage of evacuation was very difficult.
“We dug a trench right next to the armored personnel carrier. They smoked a lot and prayed. It flew 2-3 meters away from us. The unit was supposed to go on an assault. We stayed there for two days. We had many casualties. A day later, the wounded were taken out on an armored personnel carrier. There were 6 “walkers”. We then completed a combat mission. All is well “navigators”. In general, we suffer from artillery, they are not very good at fighting in close combat,” says the soldier.
The paratrooper admits that the happiest moment for him is when his stormtroopers successfully clear the territory, capture the enemy and leave the battlefield alive.
“After the victory, I would like to rebuild Ukraine and restore peace and tranquility. I want everyone to just go about their work one day. To return to the point from which it all began, but so that we never forgive the Russians again,” Roman adds.
Public Relations Service of the 80th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.