I jumped right under the tank, spun in the air and fell on my left side, with the gun in his right hand and a walkie-talkie in his left. The enemies saw that I jumped under their car, turned around and went right by a caterpillar along the trench, deciding crushing me. A tank ran over my left arm and leg, that is all down the left side. My helmet flew off, the boots too. The car stopped and then ran back at me again. I was under him. The caterpillar was just near the head. But I was fully conscious, we have all felt, saw and heard.

When I opened my eyes, I looked in different directions. I thought that's it - it's the end. But when the tank passed me the second time, I couldn't understand why still alive, and I thought, if you feel pain, then I will still live.

I was born in Chernivtsi region, and recently lived in Chernivtsi. Was working for himself, that is was an entrepreneur. When mobilized in August, I hit the 128 brigade, 15th separate grecophone battalion.

In September we were sent to the village of Golden. There was difficult, because we only arrived at the position and immediately began firing. We didn't have time to dig, no foothold. Ourselves had to manually dig trenches under fire and settle.

In Gold we had a month, and then we threw in Debaltsevo, thence to the village of the Luhansk, and then to the position which was called "Valerie" is the height 307,5 meters. She is somewhere between Trinity and Debaltsevo. Behind us was Gorlovka, and in front of us - the enemy positions. I was the senior Lieutenant, and on the profession of arms - commander of platoon mortar battery. However, at the height I was a gunner, coregulation artillery and our neighboring 25th and 26th brigades. In parallel was the commander, because my kids were there with me. I was supposed to go back temporarily, as koreguvatisya, but we rallied and held the position until January. At first all was quiet, we rarely fired. But in January began having frequent attacks. And with 20 number - daily, from different sides. And 23, 24, 25 January at us tanks went. They wanted to break through that position and take over it. On the 23rd we repulsed them, no casualties, no wounded on our side and even captured the trophy tank, the 24th is also survived by his position.

And on January 25 in our side occurred three attacks. Two of which we repulsed, and during the third took us on 5 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. And we can say that we hold the position, but on the verge. Because we were literally pressed our tanks and retreated. Position almost nobody left.

That day it all started somewhere around 7 am. The enemy fired at us from all sides: from mortars, self-propelled, from "Gradov". Two hours lupatini, and then we went tanks. They wanted to break through from the left side, but they did not work. I chopped off their artillery and they retreated back to the village Sangarwe. All fell silent, then began a two-hour shelling them. And a new offensive. We beat them the second time, but somewhere about two o'clock, they began the third attack, punching their way. They thought that we have a minefield near river Sangarwe. When broke a convoy of 10 tanks and IFVs, we saw them well, they parallel our heights, along the river. Five of them went further, and five turned in our direction. I reported on the radio that there is a convoy of vehicles, gave the coordinates, but they were at full speed, so in principle it is difficult to make artillery. I realized that in such a case can only be called the fire itself. From our side there was only 1 tank and 3 of the BMP, the BMP only one working. All climbed into the trenches, and the trenches were knee-deep, for the position was on rocky terrain and dig them deeper was impossible. The length of trenches about 90 meters, but they went in fits and starts, not where they were covered with snow. Against tanks we had only 2 Pture, 2 RPG and disposable rocket launchers. I thought they were just skipping us because it was the best option is to jump and then back all shot. But the first tank I saw, walked around our position on the left and wanted to go to us, but we managed to knock out. The second tank also walked us to the left and walked along the trenches themselves. This tank in front of me was crushed three of our guys from the intelligence that came to our rescue: Lieutenant - platoon commander and two of his subordinates. It all happened in seconds, for he was flying at full speed.

The enemy was driving straight at me, pointed the gun at an angle, that is, one caterpillar on the trench, and the second parapet. I started thinking, what are the options: run forward - will shoot if Peralta through the trench, too, there is no chance, because there are driving other tanks and from there is infantry. The only option is to jump under the tank, to jump between tracks, in the place where I noticed a slight digression to the side of the trench in which I could vmstats.

I had a gun, which I took instead of his gun. But he was or not oiled, or cleaned. I barely recharged it and managed to make only one turn, because it jammed. Then jumped right under the tank, spun in the air and fell on my left side, with the gun in his right hand and a walkie-talkie in his left. The enemies saw that I jumped under their car, turned around and went right by a caterpillar along the trench, deciding crushing me. A tank ran over my left arm and leg, that is all down the left side. My helmet flew off, the boots too. The car stopped and then ran back at me again. I was under him. The caterpillar was just near the head. But I was fully conscious, we have all felt, saw and heard. When I opened my eyes, I looked in different directions. I thought that's it - it's the end. But when the tank passed me the second time, I couldn't understand why still alive, and I thought, if you feel pain, then I will still live. I was saved by a bulletproof vest and knee pads. I regretted that I have not had pain meds. Although his right arm was broken and it is unlikely I would be able to stab them. When I got under the tank, the strap from the rifle stuck in the treads and this broke my arm. Now there he inserted a titanium plate and 7 screws. And my left arm all shattered. Yet, as found in the hospital, I had three fractured pelvis, burns, ruptures of muscles and just a torn muscle. The knee was intact, but the bottom I had an ankle fracture and three fracture in the foot, lacerations on the left side.

The right leg was intact, and I tried it myself even to dig, but to do it bare foot down hard. But in General the tank slammed my wounds and became a harness, so I didn't bleed out, but still lost a lot. If this tank wasn't paying attention to me, and not stuck on me, then surely he interrupted the latter, who remained in that position.

In that time I worked only logic and instinct. But your fear I overcame in Gold - just made my peace with death and all. That is, I convinced myself that death is not the worst that can be.
The worst is the loss of their military units, especially if I can be to blame; that's what I feared more than death. So while I was laying under the tank, I thought about my guys, and not ourselves, we're all alive. But during the period of hostilities I have not lost one of his fighter, and all the wounded have returned to duty.

In this position, under enemy machine, I spent about an hour. When it's stuck on me, we started to shoot him from an RPG. He twisted tower, but opened its vulnerable place and one of our soldiers had failed him. Ruslan Khalilov is my boyfriend, came over and threw inside 2 RGD-5 grenades, and a driver-mechanic pulled out and captured, only when went to help. Ruslan machine gun fired from the infantry, because she immediately went for the tanks. He still tried to get me, though he had not heard what I told him, because he was severely concussed. He thought I was dead, but still long and pulled in vain, because the body is clamped so that it was only possible to dig up. Ruslan had to retreat when the separatists got him to machine-gun tape and he had nothing to shoot.

The third enemy tank went from the right side. He went behind our positions and flew into a niche that we had for cars, so there it our and brought. He was burned along with our Ural standing there. The two other tanks ran, when it was our backup. Was almost evening when the guys got to me. Thrower Boris with me was one of the last in position, he saw me under the tank. But when arrived, he thought it was the enemies and began to retreat. They noticed him, approached him, and he first raised his hands, did not think to surrender. When I found out that is their own, showed them where I lie. Tank pulled. 

Now after a serious injury, how long you need to undergo rehabilitation, put the prosthesis.

But if possible, I will certainly return to your duties and the guys who weedage there waiting for me. Although without the arm and the leg will not be easy to pass the Commission, but I hope that I will be able to do it and once again feel full and need.

I think I have become more solid, and the war made me stronger. I had to command, to give tips, but it is not so simple, need to be sure 100 percent that you give the correct coordinates. To avoid losses among the population, in the artillery need to be accurate.

We must defend our land, because if the enemies invade Eastern region, then get to our lands and have to stop them at home already. Personally, I went to war to protect his family from all these separatists.

Alexander Zozulyaka awarded the order "For courage" III degrees for holding a position and save his platoon.

Source: http://censor.net.ua/