Danylo “Viking” is one of countless young Ukrainian conscripts. He went through regular service and fierce combat.
Ukraine’s National Guard has recently shared Danylo’s story.
Danylo, 20, is serving in a patrol battalion as part of the 5th Slobozhanshchyna Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine.
He was only one month into his regular service when the full-scale war started, plunging him in the middle of heavy fighting.
“By the second day I saw a brother-in-arms of mine get killed; a bunch of Grad rockets hit our position, and a contract soldier was killed. We all saw it, and we all knew it could have been us,” Viking says.
Danylo “Viking”. Photo: National Guard of Ukraine
Viking recalls that he was among the soldiers defending Piatykhatky, Ruska Lozova and Cherkaska Lozova before being transferred to Dementiivka, which was difficult because Russian tanks, artillery and aircraft were constantly targeting the Ukrainian positions.
It was there that Viking had his first taste of close-quarters combat.
“The closest we’ve come [to enemy forces] was 10-15 metres. I know for sure I hit my target because I saw my assault rifle discharge at the enemy with my own eyes,” Viking says.
He also took part in the Kharkiv counteroffensive; his company liberated the village of Udy. Russian forces fled the village and Viking’s company suffered no losses.
Viking spent last winter in damp and cold trenches, where he caught a kidney infection. After two surgeries, the military medical commission declared him partially fit.
“Together with other conscripts I was transferred to the 5th Slobozhanshchyna Brigade; my old brigade became an assault brigade and conscripts can’t be involved in combat,” he says.
Viking is now guarding strategic facilities.
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