Nazariy had dreamt of joining the army from childhood, determined on a military career from the age of 14. He believed it was kind of an elite occupation for a man. When the Russian war started in Ukraine in 2014, Nazariy promised himself that if the war lasted till he was 18, he would join the army to defend his family, his land, his country. In fact, Nazariy was 11 when Russia started the war in Ukraine. His patriotism and love of Ukraine started in childhood with the Ukrainian celebration of Vyshyvanka Day or the Day of Ukrainian Folk Tales. This is celebrated every year in Ukraine as a holiday designed to preserve traditional Ukrainian national clothing. A Vyshyvanka is an embroidered shirt or blouse, and symbolizes beauty, strength, and family.

​

Then of course, the Revolution of Dignity in 2014, also known as the Maidan Revolution, and the songs that were composed during that revolution.  The revolution began in Kyiv’s Independence Square (the Maidan) in response to President Yanukovych’s decision not to sign a political association and trade agreement with the European Union, instead choosing ties to Russia.  Nazariy was still too young to go to Kyiv and join the Maidan but he closely followed the events of the Revolution of Dignity.

​

Then the Russians attacked the Donbas region. Nazariy saw the soldiers who came back after the battles for Donbas Airport. Many became invalids and Nazariy understood that that was the price they were paying for independence and due to their courage and bravery Nazariy and his classmates could go to school and live peacefully, enjoy life and spend happy time with their families. And yet at that age it was difficult for Nazariy to fully realize what was really going on in Donbas.

​

Nazariy’s first acquaintance with the Azov regiment began at a football match when he was 14. His local football team NYVA (Grain Field) was playing that day and Nazariy came to the stadium to support his Vinnytsia team. And it so happened that many of the football fans from Vinnytsia and Vinnytsia region were serving in the Azov regiment or were its ardent supporters. This aroused his interest and Nazariy began to read about them, surfed the net, YouTube, read a lot about patriotic national ideas.  He realised that it was his calling. From the age of 16 Nazariy began working out to be fit so that he could join the Azov, the regiment of his dreams. He understood that his physical fitness, his moral principles, and his intellect were of paramount importance. No wonder he read a lot of books about the military and the history of Cossack fighters. All this helped Nazariy to successfully pass the interviews and the KMB training course (a training course for young fighters).  There were 120 young men taking that course but only half of them managed to pass and be admitted to the Azov regiment. Admission was not based on your likes or dislikes. It was a real school of physical fitness (imagine that you are being trained 24/7 with all kinds of exercises including hurdle races in full armour – with body armour and helmet, your machine gun and carrying additional weight. Besides it was a school where you would learn how to support your sworn brother [see Notes]. For example if one person was out of breath and fell down, all the rest would line up to do the plank: they would do press-ups until the one who had fallen down had caught his breath and joined them.  You are also taught how to fight in combat, how to provide first aid for your wounded sworn brothers or yourself. You learn topography, combat tactics. These were the ABC of the youth training school. It was necessary so that you could use those skills at the battlefield and be a real professional soldier.

​

Nazariy got the highest grade for tactical medicine in his KMB exams so he decided to take a paramedic course although he had practically no experience in medicine. Apart, that is, from the accident when Nazariy was a boy and went fishing with his friends. One of his friends cut his leg and Nazariy sewed up the cut with the help of a fishing hook and a fishing line. 

​

Nazariy visited Mariupol for the first time when he was nearly 18. It was in February. The railway station did not impress Nazariy at all. It was a railway station like in any small town, like in his native Vinnytsia. Nazariy went straight to see the town centre:  the Drama Theatre, the central street, the water tower that looked very much the same as the one in his native Vinnytsia. This was small wonder as the water tower was built by the same architect. It was then that Nazariy saw the AZOVSTAL steelworks from a distance. At that moment he did not know that it would play a special role in his life. The main reason for coming to Mariupol for Nazariy was to submit his documents to the Azov regiment. After that he returned to Vinnytsia and when he turned 18 he was officially admitted to the KMB (Kurs Molodoho  Biitsa, Course for Young Fighters) of the Azov regiment.

​

Nazariy was admitted to the artillery division and trained there for a month before he started with the KMB itself. When at the artillery division, he learnt how to work with a gun. The most interesting thing about that training was that you did not learn one particular skill but all the necessary skills to work with a gun. As the result, each artillery soldier could substitute for another.  You might start being the one who maintained the gun, or targeting, and with time you could become the second in command and even Master Gunner. It was very important to know that there was always a way for one’s personal development. After one month at the artillery division Nazariy became a young fighter at the Azov regiment KMB.

​

Ukraine had been warned about a full scale Russian invasion but very few believed in it. However when Nazariy was in the 9th grade at school he once told his classmates that if there was already war in Donbas there could be a full scale war because Ukrainian independence had been achieved so easily. The USSR collapsed and independent countries were formed, but not a single drop of blood had been paid for Ukrainian independence. The war in Donbas was the price Ukraine had to pay for independence. At that time Nazariy did not expect the scale of the war. He like many did not expect so many victims among the civilian population, so much destruction of towns, cities and villages. No one wanted this to happen. As for Nazariy and his sworn brothers, they were ready to go and to fight the invaders at any time. Everyone who joined the Azov regiment knew what was expected from them. They were ready to fulfil any combat mission. It was a great honour for each soldier to go on a military mission. It meant that your commander trusted you and was sure that you would be able to fulfil the mission. You could show how good your skills were, how well you were trained. You would cover your comrade’s back, you would defend your land.

​

Two months before the Russian invasion Nazariy’s artillery division was training in anti-amphibious defence. On the 20th of February his unit went to the position. Early in the morning they were still asleep under the tents of their KrAZ truck when at 4:45 am on 24th of February there was a combat alert over the radio. So they started their KrAZ engine and went to their fighting position.  They all thought that the Russians would mount an amphibious assault. That they would be disembarking from ships on the shore.  Nazariy and his sworn brothers were ready to for the Russian Normandy landings 2:0. However, this was not what happened.

​

The Russians were coming from Kherson, Berdyansk and Melitopol by road. So Nazariy’s unit itself headed for Mariupol by the same road and all the other Azov units were also going to Mariupol from their combat positions, from the nearby villages and towns. They knew their new missions and their commanders were telling them what to do.

​

Nazariy was with his artillery unit till 15th of May 2022. From 10am till 2 pm his unit fired 217 shells. You should know that if a Soviet type gun shoots 30 shells, there is a danger that the gun barrel itself will explode. It was a crazy amount of shells that they had fired. Then from 15th-18th of March their artillery position was under direct attack. At first, two aeroplanes shot missiles at them. Luckily, no one was wounded or killed. Even the guns were OK. But then the Russians used 152mm artillery projectiles and that put their guns out of order. Then their commander asked the soldiers if they were ready to go and to fight with the infantry taking part in street battles. All soldiers as one answered: ‘Yes.’

​

Nazariy was given a Kalashnikov machine gun and two young soldiers who had not yet passed the KMB training but were already enlisted. And then they realized that Nazariy had a medical first aid rucksack with him and that he was also a paramedic. So Nazariy was shown his position plan and went there with two other young soldiers. His position was three buildings in the street. Nazariy was the only paramedic for these three buildings. So when he was not shooting with his Kalashnikov machine gun he would leave his position, leaving the two other soldiers to hold the position and telling them where their fire sector was, and he himself would hurry to those who were wounded on the other positions.   

     

How Nazariy got his first wound.

​

Nazariy got his first wound from a tank. They had already retreated from their first combat position.

​

Nazariy’s new combat position was a school building in the shape of the Ukrainian letter П. There was very fierce fighting in that neighbourhood. They managed to destroy two groups of enemy infantry. The Russian Tiger tanks (armoured vehicles) were taking part in those battles. A Russian Tiger tank arrived at Nazariy’s position and damaged it so badly that they were unable to continue the defence from there.  They had only two manual anti-tank grenade launchers of the type known in military jargon as “Mookha”, meaning a fly. Nazariy understood that they had to destroy that tank. So he ran out into the middle of the road and fired at the tank and he hit it. The tank went up in smoke. Then Nazariy and his sworn brother decided that as they still had one Mookha anti-tank grenade launcher and one RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) to fire at the tank together simultaneously. So they looked at each other and said: ‘It’s probably a silly idea but if you don’t take risks you don’t drink champagne.”  So they decided to fire together. Nazariy began to raise the anti-tank grenade launcher, while his sworn brother was getting ready his RPG. Nazariy had got to the corner of the school building from where he had to run and fire but at that moment the tank turned its muzzle and fired at the corner of the building. Nazariy was thrown by the explosion and got concussed and suffered bruised or fractured ribs. There was no electricity in Mariupol and there was no x-ray on the Azovstal plant so Nazariy still does not know exactly what his injuries were. He was thrown back and he lost his hearing for twenty minutes. He did not understand where he was, but he was comforted by his sworn brothers. They kept saying to him: “Grinka, Grinka, everything is OK. Just stay where you are.”  Grinka means toast and it was his nickname because he was so fond of eating toast. But Nazariy automatically took out his Makarov pistol saying: “Let’s go and destroy the Russians.”  He spent those twenty minutes recovering while his sworn brother were fighting the Russians. When he came to in twenty minutes Nazariy found himself sitting in the basement and at that very moment he saw another tank driving into their position. The tank entered the school yard but could not turn around and so it was backing straight into the basement of the building where Nazariy was sitting. Nazariy took grenades and simply threw them under the tank. He used his Kalashnikov and grenades trying to stop the tank but the tank would not stop. It was continuing moving backwards and it was breaking through the wall of the building. Nazariy transmitted by radio to his sworn brother: “The tank is backing towards me, perhaps I will be 200 (military jargon meaning killed) but I want to thank you for serving with me.”  His sworn brother answered: “Grinka, stay calm. I’ll think of something.” Nazariy was showering the tanks with his grenades while his sworn brother ran to the third floor of the school building and put a Mookha in front of him and fired at the tank. He took down the PKT, that is the tank machine gun, and the tank started to smoke. They thought that they would just have to shower the tank with grenades and that would be the end of it. Minus one more Russian tank. But the tank just drove away. The soldiers were fighting till the night came but those battles were not so fierce as the Russians understood that they would not be able to capture the battle position that day. In the evening Nazariy had blood coming from his ears and he was nauseous. He felt really bad.

​

The next morning new and fiercer battles started again. Nazariy needed to be evacuated but that was very difficult as that evacuation corridor was constantly covered with mortars. When Nazariy had been providing the wounded soldiers with the first aid and evacuating them he knew approximately where the checkpoint was located and how to get there but Nazariy was not completely conscious. So what did he do? He changed into civilian clothes, put his pistol in his pocket and started walking towards where he believed the lifeguard point should be. And somewhere on his way Nazariy lost consciousness and fell to the ground. Luckily, his sworn brothers found him and dragged him to the evacuation point. That was how Nazariy got to the Azovstal Steelworks. Nazariy did not remember the exact date but it was somewhere between 29th of March and 1st of April. Nazariy was in the Azovstal Zhalizyak hospital. Naturally, he had not seen it before as 29th he was fighting in the city but he had heard about it.

​

When Nazariy entered the hospital, his heart ached because he felt the pain of his sworn brothers being treated in insanitary conditions. He saw his sworn brothers lying without arms, without legs, without eyes, with shrapnel wounds, bullet wounds, with severe amputation. There were many of them there. They were Nazariy’s sworn brothers, they had trained together and had fun together and now they were in such a desperate state. His first thought was how he could help them but Nazariy lost consciousness and came to only next morning. Nazariy could talk to some of his sworn brothers and find out how they had been wounded so he understood that his condition was not as serious as theirs and that he had to go back and fight. So he asked his commander to give him some tasks and as Nazariy was not in normal state himself he was given tasks that he could do in his bunker, that is to dress the wounds of the wounded soldiers, to fetch food for them and to visit the bunkers where civilians were staying. It was a very moving story. When Nazariy saw his wounded sworn brothers it was difficult to bear but they were all military men and they all knew what could happen to them. They were fighting for the independence of Ukraine. 

​

The civilians were quite another story. It was heart breaking for Nazariy to see women and children who had to sleep under bombing attacks, who had nothing to eat or to drink. It was very difficult for Nazariy as he had a sister and a brother at home. It was really a horrifying picture to see civilians there. Nazariy and his sworn brothers did their best to find food for them, or nappies. Nazariy had a tablet so he tried to entertain children with games he loaded for them. He himself used to like to play “Angry Birds”.  They also found two kittens and gave them to some children so that they could play with them too.  Nazariy realized that he and his sworn brothers were fighting and shedding their blood for the sake of those people who were there. They were eager to do anything for the future of those people. Then, luckily, they managed to evacuate the civilians. All the soldiers were so happy for them. They all understood that they were men, they were servicemen, the defenders of their Fatherland and it was all wrong that the civilians had to be in the same conditions. The commanders arranged with the Russian Federation for a green corridor for the civilians and all of them were evacuated from the Azovstal plant.  After that the Russians started bombardment of the Azovstal complex with high-explosive aerial bombs (in military jargon MOAB, Massive Ordnance Air Blast) that were dropped from aeroplanes.

​

When Nazariy got better, although not completely recovered, he joined an antitank group. The task of his antitank group was to destroy enemy equipment. They were fighting quite successfully. But when the Russians showered them with high-explosive aerial bombs one bunker was destroyed and as a result 64 soldiers died under the ruins. And then another high-explosive aerial bomb hit the other bunker where 56 soldiers died under the ruins. And when you think about it, it was just stupid! But in a minute you lost 64 of your friends, who were someone’s children, husbands, brothers, sons.  At those moments you thought of the soldiers in the Zhalizyak hospital in a very dire state and how many there are of them, and all bombarded with high-explosive aerial bombs. The soldiers started to joke that it would be much easier for the Russians to kill them at their bases, and when the Russians started their full-scale aggression it would have been much easier for them to shower them from the Russian ships with their missiles. Then nothing like this would ever have happened. But the Azov soldiers did not lose their hope. They even had a plan to change into civilian clothes and attack the Russians and massacre them. The Azov soldiers knew what they were fighting for. They all wanted to fulfil their duty. They all wore the chevron of the Azov regiment and all of them wanted to be worthy of it. And in fact, all of the Azov soldiers were ready to fight to the last.

​

How Nazariy was wounded for the second time

​

After the hospital Nazariy fought with the antitank group. On 15th of April there was the so-called crossing. That is the crossing from the right bank to the Azovstal plant.  The Russian forces were enormous and the Azov soldiers were spread across both the right bank of the river and the left bank at the Azovstal steelworks.  This made it difficult to bring them all together, as well as to bring food, ammunition, to evacuate the wounded and so on. That is why the regimental command decided to form one strong “Fist”, that is to bring all of the Azov soldiers together, particularly taking into account the fact that that the Azovstal complex was surrounded by water on three sides so it would be easier to defend. Besides there were bunkers there to place all the wounded which could also help. Together they would feel stronger. So the order was to all cross to Azovstal. 

​

Nazariy remembered that night very well. He was woken up in the middle of the night and was told get his backpack ready. Our soldiers would be crossing the river. It would be necessary for Nazariy and his group to cover them and to help them.  Sure thing Nazariy was ready. His group took six stretchers. There were hangars in the Azovstal complex that can be reached from water. The first soldiers to cross the river went on foot.  You can imagine. It was in April.

​

The soldiers were in full gear with machine guns, they had to swim across the river with their wounded. There was tremendously dense enemy fire. It was horrific! When Nazariy reached the Azovstal he realized that the enemy was firing everything they had at their column of soldiers: rockets from Grad rocket launchers, 152 calibre, and lots of drones in the air making their aim more accurate. They were not just firing on the column of soldiers but also at the Azovstal steelworks. It looked as if the sky was burning. Very many Azov soldiers were wounded and Nazariy and his group were helping them. They would swim to those who could not reach the bank, fish them out of the water and put them on the stretchers.  If Nazariy could make it, he would give first aid and if he could not, he would just evacuate them to the medical evacuation transport. This was the transportation to take the wounded to the Azovstal complex. When the crossing was over the Azov defenders said that it was the worst day in their lives. But everyone understood that it was not the end of the game, that they would have to continue fighting. 

​

Nazariy was wounded again on 16th-17th of March. It happened when Nazariy and his group were coming back to their shelter after fulfilling their military mission for the day. They had to enter their bunker. The Russian 152 calibre guns were working to destroy the blast furnaces. One of the shells landed 200-300 metres away from the group. Then the second shell came. The group was moving in short bursts. Then the third shell came in10 metres away from Nazariy and threw him in the air. Nazariy checked his legs and arms quickly. All normal. Then he tested his teeth with his tongue. Luckily, the teeth had not been knocked out. But Nazariy felt that blood was coming down his face. He stood up, and practically blind ran into the bunker, looked on his mobile and saw that his maxillary sinus was broken through and his nose was broken. He was given a cigarette and when he lit it the smoke was coming out of his maxillary sinus. Nazariy cleaned the wound with chlorhexidine because there was no other medication. They managed to pick out a fragment of metal from his wound. Tanya, one of the nurses, gave Nazariy a gauze bandage. He dressed his wound but did not go to the hospital as Nazariy considered his wound tiny knowing that soldiers with severe wounds needed help at the hospital. Besides, it would have been difficult to get there. The left side of Nazariy’s face lost its sensitivity and up to the present day Nazariy can’t feel it. Nazariy remembers that he did not feel the pain on the left side of his face. It was just swollen that was all. The bone palate at the roof of his mouth was also broken.

Nazariy just had his face bandaged and the next morning Nazariy and his group continued fighting. There was heavy fighting every day. The Russians started to break through into the Azov plant itself and there were battles inside the plant. Those were fierce battles and there were many wounded. Many Azov defenders were killed.  Nazariy can’t speak for every soldier but he can speak about himself and his sworn brothers who were fighting together with him. All of them wanted Ukraine to be an independent state. They gave their lives for Ukraine. They were heroes. They were real tigers in the battles. They were not scared to fight against the strong and treacherous invaders who outnumbered them. Nazariy wants every Ukrainian to remember this and to tell their children and grandchildren about the brave Azov defenders. Nazariy wants every Ukrainian to be proud to be Ukrainian. Because the Azov defenders contributed much to our lives, to our ability to sit and drink coffee and enjoy time with our families.

​

There were problems with communication. Nazariy tried to contact his loved ones once a day. It was usually not more than a 5 minute call. Nazariy would tell his mum that everything was good and that he was sitting with his friends relaxing having fun communicating.  In fact there were only 3 or 4 Starlinks for the whole Azovstal plant. And if one had a chance to use the Internet, the main thing was to tell your family that you were alive and everything was OK.  Everything was super. Nazariy did not have time to follow the events outside the Azovstal plant. He did not read the news.  He tried to write to those of his sworn brothers who had to come to break the siege at Azovstal. As a serviceman Nazariy understood that it was an extremely difficult operation though Nazariy and many Azov defenders understood that there would be no way out. It was impossible to change the situation by military methods. So they decided to fight to the end. Nazariy called his mother and asked her to say hello to his brother and tell him that he loved him. Nazariy and his friends had had the chance at the beginning of the fight for Mariupol to watch videos of how conscripts from Kharkiv were fighting with the Russian invaders destroying tanks with shoulder fired RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades). They saw how men from Kyiv region were fighting tanks with their Javelins (man-portable anti-tank missiles) . All those videos inspired Nazariy and his sworn brothers. They understood that the whole of Ukraine was standing up against the Russian invaders. Ukraine did not surrender and they also wanted to fight their best in Mariupol. Nazariy understood that they had to fight in such a way that the Russians would be scared of them. And actually that’s how it was. The Russians were scared of the Mariupol defenders. Then the Azovstal command began recording videos. Nazariy’s friend Kalyna talked about realities in Mariupol at the Azovstal plant, about the hospital. He described the deficit of groceries, food and water. Those were not made up stories. Those were real stories. Nazariy and his four friends had one 1.5 litre bottle of water per day. They shared that single 1,5 litre bottle between five people. And during the last week before the Russian captivity they had a plastic glass of porridge to share for five people to eat. And hard tack biscuits. Just imagine how exhausted they were physically and morally. And what about severely wounded soldiers, those with amputated arms and legs. Those who had wounded stomachs. How could they rehabilitate if they had nothing to eat. How could they rehabilitate without medication. How could they rehabilitate without normal sleep because there was constant bombardment of Azovstal? And then one day Nazariy and his group came back from a mission and their commander told them that they would be evacuated straight into captivity. Nazariy was afraid of being a prisoner of war. He knew that captivity was captivity. But when he found out that they would be coming out together with their commander Redis and all the other commanders, in other words all of them, then Nazariy understood that it would be much more difficult for their commanders than for him, an ordinary soldier. So why should he, Nazariy, be scared. Nazariy promised his mother that he would come back. 

​

Russian Captivity

​

The Azov defenders started leaving the Azovstal plant. During the first two days they were taking out the wounded. That is all those who were at the Zhalizyaka hospital, all those with amputated limbs, all those with serious injuries. Nazariy was taken into the Russian captivity on 18th of May 2022. At first he was taken to Olenivka where he spent two months. (Olenivka is the place where Azov defenders were blown up by Russians in one of the barracks). Then he was taken to Donetsk prosecutor’s office, Donetsk military court and then Donetsk pre-trial detention centre.  All that time Nazariy had that piece of shell in his face. No medical assistance was given to him in Russian captivity despite the fact that Nazariy did tell them that there was a piece of metal in his face and that he could not feel that part of his face. Only after the exchange, Nazariy had an operation in a Ukrainian hospital. It was then that the metal fragment was taken out of his face and his nose was straightened up. 

​

During the Russian captivity the Russians filmed a long interview with Nazariy. You can find part of it on the Internet. Nazariy still remembers some of the questions that were asked. For example, “Have you seen how Ukrainian soldiers abuse Russian captive soldiers?” Nazariy answered: “No, I have not seen anything like that and besides where could I have seen it? Moreover, we, Ukrainians, have honour. I saw one video where the Kadyrovtsi (Chechen soldiers named after their leader Kadyrov) boasted that they would kill us all”. Another question was: “What is your attitude to your president Zelensky?” Nazariy answered: “He is the commander-in-chief and he is doing everything to win this war”. And immediately the Russians responded: “Oh, it’s not a war. It’s a special military operation”. Nazariy answered them: “Perhaps, it’s a special military operation for you, Russians, but for me it’s been a war since 2014.” Then the Russians snapped at Nazariy saying: “You have been bombing Donbas for eight years”. To which Nazariy told them: “You, Russians, were boasting that you destroyed Mariupol in two months. Just imagine what could have been left from Donbas after presumably eight years of bombardment?”. Then there was a question: “Why did someone as young as you decide to join the Azov regiment?”. Whatever facts Nazariy told the Russians they would try to find something that would suit their propaganda by twisting all the facts. The Russian showed that piece from the interview with the question: “Would you follow the orders of your commander?”. “Yes, if there had been such an order, I would have held my position to the last. I am a serviceman and I trust my commanders completely. I am ready to go to my last battle and if that battle had to be in Mariupol, I would not spare my blood and I would gladly shed my blood for Mariupol, for my country, for my loved ones and my relatives, for my friends”.

​

The Russians did not like Nazariy’s answers and after the interview they got their back on him. 

​

Actually, Nazariy would like people to see the whole interview because it shows the essence of the Russian World.

​

How Nazariy was exchanged from Russian captivity

​

Up to the last moment Nazariy could not believe that he would be exchanged. The procedure was as follows. The Russians put sacks on their heads and some tape over their eyes but Nazariy managed to move the tape so he could see where the Russians were taking them.  He saw the road when they left Donetsk, then Taganrog and then the airfield where a IL-76 landed and the PoWs were put on a plane. Nazariy was sitting near the flight mechanic so he could see the time when the airplane took off, then the altitude. The airplane flew to Moscow. It landed at 10:45. Then the crew was changed. Then the airplane took off again. Nazariy asked the flight mechanic: “Man, I am 19 years old. Tell me where are we going?” “We are in Moscow now and we are going to Belarus”.

​

Nazariy had a spark of hope. Perhaps, it really would be an exchange? When the airplane landed in Belarus, they took off the ropes from their hands and put them into a bus with nice seats. The men who were guarding them were swearing all the time and trying to assert psychological pressure. When they crossed the border, the sacks were taken off the PoWs’ heads and the Scotch tape from their eyes. The PoWs saw Ukrainian flags, a Ukrainian poster “Welcome to Ukraine” and cars with Ukrainian license numbers. But for about a week Nazariy could not believe that he was not in the Russian captivity any longer. Even when he hugged his mum. It was so difficult to believe that he was free from Russian captivity. It is still very difficult for Nazariy as he is thinking about those who are still captives. Nazariy knows what is happening there and how hard it is to live through winter in captivity. (He had been exchanged on 21st of September 2023). Nazariy wishes they were all back to Ukraine. He believes that they are the best sons of Ukraine. They are worthy to be exchanged and be back home. Nazariy hopes that our government will do its best to bring all Ukrainian PoWs home.

​

Nazariy dreams of a peaceful life. Life when he would start a family. Life when he would take his daughter to school and his son to a nursery. And in the evening when he comes home from work, his loving wife would cook cutlets and everything will be great. But we all understand that at the moment the war is going on and we all have to defend our Fatherland. Nazariy believes in the victory of Ukraine over Russia and wants to restore his country. Every Ukrainian should be proud to be Ukrainian and see what he can do for his country. Nazariy believes that Ukraine is the best country in the world.

-----------------------

This story is based on an interview with Nazariy after he was freed from Russian captivity.

After rehabilitation Nazariy went back to fight at the front and on 7th of May 2024 he was killed in action. Glory to a hero!

 

NOTES

Sworn brother:  the Ukrainian tradition of brotherhood dates back to the time of the Scythians. There is even a Ukrainian proverb saying: “Friendship and brotherhood are more precious than any  treasure." There was a special ceremony in the Ukrainian Cossack army when men about to become sworn brothers were bound by ties of friendship swearing loyalty to each other. They would also exchange their crosses and would present horses and weapons to each other. When one of them was captured (for example by the Turks and made to work hard in captivity) his sworn brother would come and exchange himself for his sworn brother. This phenomenon of sworn brothers made the Cossack army invincible. The same tradition was started in the Azov regiment. 

​