During the interview, I look up at him. He’s such a big, beautiful, courageous, sincere, well, just a plain-fellow. And the eyes, he has such kind eyes. He jokes all the time, smiling to me.
I can only address him formally. He is smiling and telling me:
- Let’s address informally, formality is a little awkward!
- And how old are you? – I am asking.
- Twenty eight – the warrior is telling me.
- I am 29 – I replied and we start to laugh.
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His name is Vladimir Konovalov. The call sign – Chechen. He is a volunteer from the Solonyansky district. He services in the 39 Separate Mechanized Infantry Battalion at the helm of Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Particularly today, the so-called “day of silence”, when it was publicly announced that “for the first time the Ukrainian military did not suffer losses,” I really want to tell this story. We met after the battle in September. He had just got out of the scorching heat – the Ilovaisk boiler. He survived. At home he has a wife and mother who are waiting for him. He said that they didn’t want him to go. But he went. Who else if not he?!
Even after the Ilovaisk boiler he did not hurry to go home. There was a much more important thing to do. He had to organize the evacuation of a girl from the Donetsk region to Dnipropetrovsk. She despised the fact that her life can be in danger by hiding Vladimir `s two army friends in her house. So she hid them from the separatists. One of them was seriously injured. He survived only due to the courage of this girl. So Vladimir did all that was needed. The girl together with her family was evacuated. Everything turned out well. He is pleased. He is doubly pleased that we are telling the story of this girl. He believes that everyone should know that there are not just separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. There are also people like this girl, which he now calls his sister.
For those like her he is planning to return on front, even after the Ilovaisky boiler and rotation. Even though his mother and wife again didn’t want him to leave. But Vladimir went again. Who else if not he?!
And now, three months after meeting, I turn on the evening news and listen to the speaker of the National Security Council: “Silence mode already brought the first positive results. For the first time Ukrainian military did not suffer losses” I am listening closer: “FOR THE FIRST TIME UKRAINIAN MILITARY DID NOT SUFFER LOSSES” But what about Vladimir? He was not Ukrainian military ?! Well, why that’s so.
Precisely today `Vova’ died. Together with his sworn brother. They were shot in an ambush. Shot by enemies. Just at the time when the boys were transported humanitarian aid for local residents. Just – during the “armistice”, in the “day of silence”.
And right now when in all the newscasts the National Security Council is cradling Ukrainian with this false phrase: “FOR THE FIRST TIME UKRAINIAN MILITARY DID NOT SUFFER LOSSES” someone organize the exportation of Vladimir`s body from there to Dnepropetrovsk.
Sleep peacefully, my country. “Silence” after all. “Armistice”.
Written and posted on Facebook by Inna Lysak
Original: https://www.facebook.com/inna.lysak.1/posts/979647992064722 [3]
Translated by Anastasia Pochekutova