May on the War in Ukraine
Beginning
Hello, guys. My name is Victor. I work as a programmer with an American product company. Also, since February 28th, I have served as a military chaplain in Kyiv.
It’s been three months since the ruscists made the biggest mistake of their lives by starting a full-scale war with Ukraine.
If you like this article and want to support me, below I will tell you how you can do that and share a few links to my other articles about the war with russia.
There are people among you that support me every month. I am immensely grateful to you for that!
May Report
- Bus for Vadym — 4400 USD
- A pickup truck for Special Operations Forces — 500 USD
- Aid for civilians and volunteers — 426 USD
- Aid to the Ukrainian Armed Forces — 11 vests for bullet magazines, 2 bulletproof vests, and 150 USD
- Tactical clothing and chevrons —226 USD
- Chaplains —280 USD
- Repairing a crashed car — 800 USD
- Food, fuel, medicine, and other current needs- 1050 USD
On my telegram channel, I publish videos and other materials I cannot post here, and share my experiences from the past and present.
Also, I deleted the russian keyboard language from my phone and laptop and try to only speak Ukrainian.
This May was full of events for me.
At the beginning of the month, I completed a two-day-long training course, where I learned first aid. We also trained in evacuating the wounded from red and yellow areas of the battlefield. I covered the expenses of this training for Vadym and Dmytro, who evacuate civilians and aid the military in Eastern Ukraine.
Collage from training
I had the opportunity to practice shooting, and receive practice in working with the Kalashnikov
Emotions
During this month, I was more and more overwhelmed with memories of the great life we had before the war. I want to bring it back. We all do. So many lives of our warriors and civilians were taken by this war, that no one will be able to return to us.
I take comfort in the thought that we must live our lives with dignity, because we are happy, that we are alive.
On February 25th, 20222, on the border with Poland, I gave my wife my wedding ring and clock, so that she may sell them if need be. I had little hope to stay in one piece in March 2022 in Kyiv. But God was merciful and I even took my belongings back.
On May 16th, my son turned 9. It was his first birthday without me. But my family had the opportunity to visit me in Ukraine after his birthday. We hiked the Khom’yak mountain, where my son wrapped himself in the Ukrainian flag and sang his favorite song: “Oy u luzi chervona kalyna”
Gabriel with the flag
One day, we will be together again. One day, we will work together, and attend conferences and meet-ups together. But we will never be the same. The war very painfully divided our lives into before and after for all of us.
We together in 2021
Once, unfortunately, I don’t have a link, a foreign journalist, fighting on our side said, “I took part as a representative of the press in around 20 military conflicts. And in every one, there was some truth to each side. The so-called gray areas of perception of what is happening. In Ukraine, everything is different. There is no gray. Only white and black. Good fighting evil.”
Trip to Mykolayiv
In the middle of May, I took a trip to Mykolayiv with the unit I was helping here in Kyiv.
The fuel situation in Kirovograd, Cherkasy, Odesa, and Mykolayiv Oblasts is a lot worse than in Kyiv Oblast. The closer you get to the frontlines, the less civilian transport you see on the roads. In Mykolayiv Oblast, there is virtually none. Only military. No hotels work. Tap water is taken from the river. You can forget about taking a normal shower, because the water is yellow and brown.
When the sirens sound in Mykolayiv, it’s perceived differently than in Kyiv or Lviv. Dogs start gathering around you, whining, seeking shelter. That night the occupiers fired with the “Uragan” Multiple Rocket Launchers. Didn’t let me sleep. Anyway, the next morning I helped the chief of staff of a battalion get to Kyiv from Mykolayiv, to his new position.
It was a great time spent with an interesting person with a lot of service experience, starting with reconnaissance in Afghanistan. His batalion was one of the first that defended Kyiv in February 2022.
One of the units we take care of
Vadym’s Adventures
In April, Vadym, whom we also support, exploded on a bus near Lysychans’k. They survived but had to escape as they were. Vadym is not a simple guy. He has seen and experienced a lot. When Vadym said his goodbyes to me, I realized that right now the greatest struggle for his life is taking place. Thank God they got out. Later, I asked Dmytro, who was with Vadym, what he thought at that time. He answered: “I took off my helmet. So that if I died, it would be quick.”
The boys returned to Kyiv and we needed a new bus. I asked my friend Vova Rozhkov to organize a collection on his Telegram channel and we raised $4400 dollars for a new bus for Vadym. You can watch the video where Vadym receives the money here. Vadym raised more money, and even managed to take his old bus to the Ukrainian Armed Forces positions and break down there. He returned to Kyiv and is currently trying to buy decent transport. I think, he ended up deciding to get it from Europe.
Epilogue
My wife continues to coordinate humanitarian trucks from Poland to Ukraine, for which I am very grateful to her, Lukasik Yaroslav and Lukasik Nataliya, and their organization Easter Europe Reformation, and all who support it.
A lot of work is done by the Christian Rescue Service. I support them with what I can. Almost two months ago I saw a need for transport and gave away the bus I received in the Eastern European Reformation. It was probably one of my most significant investments in nearing our victory.
The chaplains’ trip to the east.
We have a constant stream of needs. Besides the current ones, we have specific ones. Currently, we are planning to send to the South and deliver to the East a few generators, medkits, tourniquets, medication, and other goods
There are several ways to support us:
- IBAN UA123220010000026207312567578
- Patreon
- PayPal (by request)
Below are my articles about the war and my time in russian captivity.
