Twenty-five-year-old Viktoria, known as Runa in the unit, has been at the front for the sixth year. The woman says that military service has not been her calling since childhood, she became interested in national defense when Russia invaded Ukraine for the first time in 2014. Vika was only 16 at the time. The motivation to join the army was the skills he learned in the national defense training and the desire to protect his country.
“It wasn’t like I wanted to be in the army from childhood, I wanted to be a veterinarian, I love animals, nature. But in general, my first education is window florist. When the education of national defense appeared in our school, they started = to teach about weapons, national defense, I myself went to the military commissariat and said that I wanted to serve. So, I have been here in our battalion for the sixth year already,” says Victoria, a soldier of the Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, crew commander.
Asked if it is difficult to be a woman in the war, Victoria says no. With her work, she has proven her abilities on the battlefield, and here no one discriminates – whether a woman or a man defends her country and people.
“I grew up in a boarding school, I lived with a lot of other children, so it’s not difficult for me to live with a lot of people in positions here as well. I don’t have big requirements for my room, shower or anything else, I can adapt to everything – we have everything for minimalism, we can take a shower, eat, and sleep a bit when the situation allows,” says Victoria and shows: “There are brakes here, two pedals, I press – I say fire, fire – if necessary, you can release 200 rounds in one go. When they start shooting at us, the driver hits the floor and we drive away.”
The woman is the commander of the ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun. In firing positions, Vika and his team must travel together with the shock units and often meet the enemy face to face.
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From the first day of the war, when many wounded comrades had to be removed from the battlefield. Everyone vividly remembers February 24, when the Russians launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine here at the front.
“The war in my eyes – it was the hardest for me in Peskos, when the war had just started, the first battles began, my first sortie, I was still learning how to properly control it, to shoot accurately, what to do if there is an explosion nearby, what to do with the crew, he says Victoria and adds: “It’s a big responsibility because I’m responsible for my team, they’re the people whose lives I’m responsible for.” It was hard there, it was a meat grinder… I took out a lot of our wounded guys, near Peski I took out about 100 wounded.”
Victoria about what the occupiers are doing in the land of Ukraine – she cannot speak without emotions, here too everyone is tired of the war and would prefer to return home to their loved ones.
“What are they doing…. you can’t curse… all they bring is death, pain to people, such animal behavior… we can’t understand their motivation. This is our land, they came to us, we did not run to foreign territory and it is clear that we will stand until the end 01:41:17 And I will also be here until the end, as long as I am alive, I will fight for my land,” says Victoria .
Now Victoria with a unit is near Bakhmut, performing tasks in one of the most difficult points on the Donbass front.
“Unfortunately, there are more and more sofa experts, people don’t understand what the situation is, they ask – when, when will there be a counterattack, when will you end all this, Vika, when will you end the war? – I always answer when you come and help, then we will finish – 01:42:59 We do our best, we also want to win, but it is not that simple. Everything will be Ukraine, Everything will be Ukraine,” says Victoria.
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2023-11-11 20:37:59
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