Voice of Ukraine

From Euromaiden Press: Good morning World! Good morning Ukraine!

Oksana, an operating room nurse with the 128th Brigade, shares her experiences in the war zone.

Despite heavy casualties, wounded soldiers continue fighting and liberating their land. Oksana, aka “Ksiukha”, has been with the brigade since the war began in 2015. Ksiukha is an army jargon term referring to a shortened version of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, specifically the AKSU. It features a folding stock and a shortened barrel.

Initially, there was no stabilization medical center, so Oksana worked tirelessly evacuating the wounded. She became skilled at administering medical aid while on the move. She recalls two shell-shocked soldiers who were disoriented and experiencing severe trauma. With no sedatives available, she calmed them by singing a lullaby and managed to safely transport them to the hospital.

Oksana emphasizes the contrast between medical work in offensive and defensive operations. In Kherson Oblast, even seriously wounded soldiers remain determined to rejoin their comrades in battle. Their resilience and dedication inspire the medical staff. Oksana shares a lighthearted moment with one soldier, joking about a catheter, which brings laughter to the group.

“I put a catheter in his bladder, and he looks at me angrily: ‘What are you doing?’ ‘You’re going to the hospital with an extension cord so long that all the girls will be yours.’ I reply. The rest of the guys are rolling over with laughter.”

However, the atmosphere changes during deadly defense situations. In Bakhmut, physically and psychologically wounded soldiers express despair, questioning when the enemy onslaught will end.

“How many more of them out there? When will they finally run out of meat? They keep coming and coming…”

Oksana, the sole operating room nurse in the area, faces grueling conditions, constantly on call and rarely sleeping more than three hours at a time. Despite the challenges, no patient dies on her table.

To cope with the stress, Oksana turns to knitting, her longstanding hobby. It provides a much-needed escape from the war’s realities. While crocheting, she finds solace in counting stitches and disconnects from the overwhelming environment. Her son jokingly remarks that his mother fights with knitting needles.