Former Nurse is awarded for taking out a group of Russians with a grenade launcher
Just another of the hero stories coming out of Ukraine every day, as the country fights Russia’s genocidal invasion happened this week. Combat medic Svitlana, serving with Ukraine’s 128th Territorial Defense Brigade in the Zaporizhzhia region, playing a crucial role in foiling an enemy encirclement attempt, demonstrating extraordinary bravery under fire. According to Ukraine’s General Staff, on Monday, May 12, she spotted advancing Russian troops and, without hesitation, took up a grenade launcher. Her precise strike eliminated the enemy group and disrupted the assault.
Before the full-scale invasion in 2022, Svitlana was a seasoned intensive care nurse at Dnipro’s Mechnikov Hospital. When war broke out, she volunteered for Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces, bringing her lifesaving skills to the battlefield.
Guided via radio by the battalion commander—who monitored the battlefield through a livestream—Svitlana coordinated the defense, directing her fellow soldiers with calm determination.
The strongpoint was located among the ruins of a devastated village. Initially, she fought side-by-side with her comrades. But when Russian forces flanked the unit and occupied a nearby house—cutting off their retreat and resupply routes—Svitlana made a critical decision.
“I told the guys to hold their ground, no matter what,” she recalls. “If we abandoned our positions, they’d overrun us.”
Realizing the threat was just two houses away, she grabbed a single-use grenade launcher, flanked the enemy, stood up in full view, and fired through the window of the occupied building—neutralizing the entire group.
Thanks to her decisive actions and the resilience of Ukrainian defenders, the enemy’s plan collapsed. The position held firm, and within days, the unit was able to rotate and safely withdraw from the frontline near Staromaiorske.
“The guys told me, ‘You’re crazy!’” she says with a smile. “But what else was I supposed to do—wait for them to kill us all?”
“The guys told me, ‘You’re crazy!’” she says with a smile. “But what else was I supposed to do—wait for them to kill us all?”
In recognition of her courage, the commander of the 128th “Dyke Pole” Territorial Defense Brigade awarded Svitlana the prestigious Cross of the Ground Forces. She’s no stranger to honors: she already holds Golden Crosses of both the first and second class, along with several other awards.
“I even felt a bit awkward,” she admits. “There are people who’ve been nominated multiple times and still haven’t received one.”
Like every member of the 230th Battalion, Svitlana underwent extensive training on military ranges, learning to handle various weapons, including grenade launchers. Still, she says, “Training is one thing. Real combat is something else entirely.”