In this photograph taken on August 16, 2022 Ukranian Vladyslav Zhaivoronok poses on a street in Kyiv. AFP
KYIV 鈥� In contrast to festive summer crowds around him in central Kyiv, Vladyslav Zhaivoronok has a grim story to tell about the defense of Mariupol, the injuries he suffered and his weeks in captivity.
The 29-year-old Azov Regiment soldier, who leans on his crutches as he lost his left leg in combat, spoke to AFP in front of a huge banner reading 鈥淔ree Mariupol Defenders鈥� on a city hall building.
鈥淚t was getting worse and worse, harder and harder. We held the defense as long as it could be held,鈥� he said of the fighting at the Azovstal steelworks 鈥� some of the fiercest in the last six months.
Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24 and within days had surrounded Mariupol, a strategic industrial port hub on the Sea of Azov.
Zhaivoronok said he and his comrades took up positions in the city鈥檚 sprawling Azovstal facility in March in a desperate attempt to fight on.
Under constant shelling, he made his base in a half-ruined bunker, going out during the day to carry out his duties as a drone operator.
He said that 鈥渢he entire area was littered with fragments of buildings鈥� and there was a desperate lack of water, food and weapons.
鈥淚t was consistently bad everywhere,鈥� said Zhaivoronok.
As he spoke, passers-by looked back at the soldier, who wore military-style brown shorts with an empty left trouser leg.
Stretchered out of Azovstal
This photograph taken on August 16, 2022 shows a band with the colors of Ukranian flag on the crutches of Vladyslav Zhaivoronok in Kyiv. AFP
Despite the rapidly deteriorating situation at Azovstal, Zhaivoronok said the soldiers managed to keep up morale.
鈥淭he last days I was anticipating a kind of the last battle. We were waiting for this and were ready for this,鈥� he said.
Then, on May 15, he was hit by an anti-tank missile.
Rushed to the 鈥渕edical bunker鈥�, he found himself on an improvised operating table on the verge of death.
His right eye was also badly wounded in the blast.
On the morning of the following day, he had his leg amputated.
He regained consciousness afterwards for just a few seconds before being taken out of Azovstal.
He remembers being stretchered out and seeing the Russian soldiers鈥� patches bearing the 鈥淶鈥� symbol used by the invaders.
Due to his heavy injury, he was spared the fate of his comrades who were sent to the notorious Olenivka prison in the occupied Donetsk region, where a blast last month reportedly killed dozens of Ukrainian prisoners.
But the weeks that Zhaivoronok spent in captivity in one of the Donetsk hospitals brought him suffering of a different kind.
鈥淭here was no contact with relatives, no access to the phone,鈥� he said.
Medical care was 鈥渧ery low-grade鈥� and medicines were in short supply.
鈥淚 was just dripping rotten meat because, after being seriously wounded, I did not start receiving antibiotics until the fifth day,鈥� he said.
He and three other soldiers from his ward were given just enough food 鈥渟o that the heart would not stop鈥�.
鈥淎nd we were told every day that no one needed us, that they would not exchange us for anyone, that everyone had abandoned us.鈥�
鈥榃hat presses from within鈥�
This photograph taken on August 16, 2022 shows Ukranian Vladyslav Zhaivoronok walking in Kyiv. AFP
His month-and-a-half of captivity ended without warning.
鈥淲e were awakened at 4:00 am, the lists were read out, we were taken outside, loaded onto buses and driven until evening,鈥� Zhaivoronok recalls.
He and over a hundred other wounded Ukrainian prisoners left the hospital for a prisoner exchange.
鈥淚 could not breathe out until I was on Ukrainian territory, out of reach of (Russian) artillery.鈥�
Zhaivoronok tries to crack jokes, making light of his heavy injuries.
鈥淚鈥檝e brought a lot of work to our medics,鈥� he grins.
As a career serviceman, he said he continues to fulfil certain military obligations despite his injuries.
The soldier speaks very calmly.
His voice slightly breaks only once 鈥� when he talks about the thousands of Ukrainian prisoners remaining in Russian captivity.
鈥淚t does not give rest. This is what presses from within. When the guys are back, I鈥檒l be able to breathe more freely.鈥�
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