After being wounded, the serviceman was transferred to one of the RTCC and SP of Lviv region – soldier, with the call sign “Hedgehog”, Vitaliy SHCHABLENKO, deputy commander of a combat vehicle – gunner – operator of the mountain-assault detachment, mountain-assault company, 10 OGSHB.
Before the war, he was a private entrepreneur and engaged in building materials. He lived an ordinary life, had plans for the future and could not even imagine that life would change in one moment, because the war had begun.
February 24, 2022 was a day when there was only one thought in my head: “What needs to be protected, helped, everything must be done so that the family and relatives are safe”!.
On February 25, 2022, he registered in the “Warrior’s House” and wanted to patrol the city. Subsequently, he began to engage in volunteer transportation around Ukraine, having his own large cargo van. Then I got a call from the TCC and SP (Military Commissariat), and they informed me that I had to go. Without thinking for a long time, he packed his backpack and was already at the TCC in a short period of time. I was sent to serve in the guard company of the Chervonograd RTCC and SP.
After a certain period of time, I was transferred to the 10th separate mountain assault brigade. At first, the training took place in the Frankiv region, then we were sent for training in another region to the training ground. Then we arrived to the east, and began to move into position. For a while there was a state of shock, a different understanding of reality is taking place. Safe training ends, and with a full baggage of knowledge and skills you need to go into battle.
And by using them correctly and keeping calm, stay alive and succeed. It was very inspiring that all, absolutely all the guys who were around, were the same simple people, with the same goal. We supported each other, helped, shared, were one, covered each other’s backs.
At one of our positions, the enemy used a drone with a thermal imager at night and hit our dugout with an “AGS”. Thank God it wasn’t a mine, because it would have been much worse. There I received a gunshot wound to my leg and a contusion. For another 6 days I was in positions with shrapnel in my leg. Later, I was evacuated to a hospital, then transported to Dnipro. In the hospital, I underwent treatment and a full examination of the body, and they found a multinodular goiter of the neck and retrosternal location. A total removal of the thyroid gland was recommended.
Soon I was transferred to the Chervonograd RTCC and SP for further service.
I had a daughter during the war
This is the greatest happiness in life, this is my motivation, this is my hope, my soul. A ray of love and light in such a difficult time. After I passed, I look at things completely differently, my attitude towards life has changed. Values that people have in ordinary everyday life, material condition, work, apartments, cars – this is not the main thing. The only important thing is the time allocated to live with your loved ones, to be close to them, to protect them. The main thing is people, support, a shoulder that can stand up to you in a difficult moment and remain human.
At the expense of mobilization, I have an internal conflict
I understand that people do not go to serve because they are afraid. Fear paralyzes and prevents you from looking at the situation objectively and with a cool head, making the right decisions. But what about the guys who have been there since the beginning? Why does no one think of them? They need to be changed, they are just ordinary people, they are exhausted, both physically and mentally. They need help. And what about respect for those who are in captivity and those who gave their precious lives for us? How can those who hide, later be able to look into the eyes of those who have gone through hell? Maybe it wouldn’t be so difficult if there were more of us. More of those who have the same goal, who wish for peace and victory for our country, without losses, without pain, without worries.
Public Relations Service of the Lviv Regional TCC and SP