"After being hit by a missile from my "Igla", the downed "Ka-52" turned over in the air and flew away after landing. Two minutes later, a column of smoke came up there..." - Two and a half months before the invasion of Russia, I resigned from military service in the Armed Forces and on the first day of the war, February 24, I came to the military commissariat. I am from Transcarpathia, so I was assigned to the 128th brigade. During my military service, I was an anti-aircraft gunner. I knew how to work with the "Igla" portable anti-aircraft missile complex, and here I also became a MANPADS operator since mid-March. At that time, Russian aviation worked very actively - attack aircraft "SU-25", helicopters "Mi-8" and "Ka-52" ("Alligators"). The Ka-52 is especially dangerous - the latest combat helicopter, which is armed with a laser guidance system gun, an anti-tank missile system, aerial bombs and other weapons. There were shelling from the air several times a day, in addition, our positions were covered by artillery, mortars, and tanks. That day, after another shelling, I was sitting in the dugout when I heard the shout: "Air! Pinwheels!" I run out with the "Igla" and see how the "Ka-52" flies in for landing and turns around. I had removed the cover from the MANPADS and tried to capture the target, and then I saw two more helicopters - "Ka-52" and "Mi-8". All three lined up in one line at a distance of about two kilometers from us - one "Mi-8" in the middle and two "Ka-52" on the sides. They were preparing to open fire on our positions, but I captured the target - "Ka-52" - and fired. As soon as the shot rang out, the helicopters flew apart, but the missile had already captured the target and hit. The downed "Ka-52" turned upside down in the air and it started landing with a plume of smoke. Two minutes later, a thick column of black smoke fell from there. All my comrades saw the moment of impact and the black smoke, but in those days our intelligence did not launch drones, so there was no confirmation of the downed "Ka-52" for a long time. Only a few weeks later, special forces came to our positions with their drone and they found the remains of the helicopter and confirmed the destruction of the target. On the photo - a piece of cladding from cardan shaft, this is carbon, which is used in construction the Ka-52, not duralumin, which is used for the Mi-8 and most other helicopters. Losing a Ka-52 is very expensive, the helicopter costs more than 16 million dollars, so after that strike the Russian aviation worked very carefully. However, artillery, mortar and tank fire intensified. I had four contusions over the next few weeks. For the first time, a mine exploded three meters away. I fell into the dugout, so I survived. The second time our position was shelled by two tanks and a mortar, the third time – a cluster munition exploded in the air above me, and I was covered by an explosive wave. The fourth contusion was the most severe - a 152 mm artillery shell exploded 5 meters away. I was in the trenches, otherwise I would die. After the last contusion, I was taken to the hospital and then given several weeks of rehabilitation. I was able to go to my grandmother in Transcarpathia and rest in silence as I wanted. And now I'm ready for battle again...

"I shot an enemy BMP (infantry fighting vehicle) from 50 meters. The fireworks went off in a big way!" - I fought against Russia since 2015, voluntarily went to the front. And after demobilization and a short rest, I've signed contracts several more times. In those years, I met our current combatant, who was a company commander at the time. He never abandons soldiers in trouble, so I decided to go where he was - to the 128th brigade. I am a grenade launcher operator. I worked with foreign ATGMs, for example, NLAW, but in the end I stopped at the old Soviet RPG-7 base. It's simple launcher, but unpretentious, reliable and efficient. I destroyed a Russian BMP-2 with an RPG-7. The combat vehicle was intact, just next to it a tank blew up on a mine and the crew decided to escape. There was no way to carture that BMP, so the commander set the task to destroy it. With three scouts, we got to the whole side, then I put on an active headphones, approached the BMP 50 meters away and fired three times from a grenade launcher. The fireworks turned out to be very prophetic, the tower was even turned around. By the way, before the shots were fired, something was glowing in the triplex, perhaps part of the BMP crew or paratroopers was in the middle. But I don't feel sorry for them. A month ago I was injured. We left the settlement and stopped on the roadside between the trees. And then the mortar shelling began. I was standing on the side of the car when one mine exploded nearby. Neighboring trees were cut down like a scythe, and I was thrown under the caterpillar by shock wave. When I came to my senses, everything around me was whistling, flying, flapping. My head was splitting, but I realized that I had to survive, and I asked for help on the walkie-talkie. Then it occurred to me that one of the fragments hit me in the chest. Fortunately, the bulletproof vest stoped that fragment, so I survived. I will be in the Armed Forces until we drive these monsters out of our land...

128th Separate Mountain Assault Transcarpathian Brigade Command and soldiers are grateful for all assistance provided. But, pursuant to the Cabinet’s of Ministers of Ukraine Decree dated 7th March 2022 №224 (https://www.kmu.gov.ua/.../pro-zatverdzhennya-pereliku...) there is list of goods, that needs approval from regional state administration. Therefore, to simplify the border crossing send the following information to this email chudnovska1313@gmail.coin in advance (2-3 days before departure): • Driver's name and ID • Automobile's brand • List of goods that require a permission • Border crossing post