Lost an arm, lost 30 kg: story of border guard from Azovstal released from captivity

Thousands of defenders of Mariupol remain in Russian captivity. At the same time, Ukraine succeeded in freeing several hundred fighters, including Azovstal defenders.

Ukraine's State Border Guard Service (SBGS) tells a story of one of them, a border guard called Serhii.

The border guard defended Mariupol as part of the Donetsk border detachment. He lived through the Siege of Azovstal and captivity.

Serhii lost 30 kilograms while in Russian captivity, and he lost an arm – but not the strength of his spirit – while defending Mariupol.

"I feel that I can still serve, and I have a lingering feeling of unfinished business," the border guard says after returning home.

SBGS tells Serhii's story on their Facebook page.

Serhii defended Mariupol as part of the Donetsk border detachment. Photo: SBGS

In March, Serhii, together with his comrades-in-arms from the Donetsk border detachment, came under shelling while defending Mariupol.

Then the fighter lost his arm and vision, and sustained injuries to his stomach and legs.

Serhii was evacuated to Azovstal, where his left arm was amputated. He stayed underground for about two months. 

As a result of the shelling, the fighter lost his arm and vision, and received stomach and leg injuries.

Serhii recalls that he didn't see what conditions he was living in, but he could feel dust in his mouth, rubbing on his teeth.

"Doctors had to perform surgeries and stitch up the wounded in such conditions", the border guard says. 

Despite the constant bombardment and lack of medical supplies, the defenders of Mariupol did not want to surrender to the invaders, but they received an order to leave in May.

"I started feeling dizzy because there was no fresh air underground. Then we were taken to Olenivka, where I stayed for 10 days," Serhii recalls.

"We were treated like cattle," Serhii recalls

Russians are holding hundreds of Ukrainians captive in a penal colony in Olenivka. The border guard describes the conditions there:

"We were treated like cattle. The hot food was very hot. And we were given 30 seconds to eat it. You ate two spoons, got up, and left. 

Toilet - once a day. No one cared about your needs and condition," the defender recalls.

Serhii returned home during the prisoner-of-war exchange on 29 June

Serhii together with 143 fellow prisoners returned home during the prisoner-of-war exchange on 29 June. Seventeen border guards were among the released defenders.

"Fortunately, the doctors managed to partially restore Serhii’s vision. 

Now the fighter lives in Lviv with his wife and youngest son. He received housing there and is undergoing rehabilitation and waiting for prosthetics," the State Border Guard Service writes.

Now the soldier lives in Lviv with his wife and youngest son but wants to return to service

Previously: on 29 June, 144 military personnel, including 95 defenders of Azovstal, returned to Ukraine.

On 21 September, Ukraine arranged the release of 215 soldiers who had defended the city of Mariupol, including commanders of the Azov Regiment, from Russian captivity.

An Azovstal paramedic known by the alias "Bird"(Ptashka), as well as photographer Dmytro "Orest" Kozatskyi, Azov’s soldier Mykola "Frost" Kushch, wounded marine Mykhailo Dianov, and doctor Mariana Mamonova, who gave birth to a daughter, also returned home.

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