Alexander Abayev, 29 years. The City Of Khmelnitsky. Wounds received at the Institute, which could lead to the death of that restless and mobile, as mercury, young man, now became a subject for jokes of his friends. It is now called "Sasha – nine fingers", "Sanya-phalanx".

About this on his page in Facebook wrote the Cyborgs-2015 - art project about the heroes of our time.

February 20, 2014 sniper blew his thumb of his right hand. Another bullet went through the jaw and neck. Wounded Sasha and ass. Among the U.S. Marines such a wound is considered honorable...

Sasha instantly became soul of any company. He was joking, Joker, easily meets new people. Two years ago Alexander was still what was happening in the country.

-- Worked for a construction company, I was fine, î says Sasha. -- Weren't interested in policy. Who's in power, will we in Europe or not -- these issues didn't disturb me. But on November 30, when students were beaten on Maidan, in me like a switch turned. Suddenly it had become my personal reality. The first of December arrived in Kiev. And stayed there until the end. First issued vacation at work, then paid off.

The first of those killed February 20 on Instytutska street Alexander saw with his own eyes. Together with physicians of the Maidan tried to save them, was given first aid.

-- Nothing helped, had to certify death, says Alexander. -- But even after that the brain refused to accept what people shooting live bullets. I went up the street. When he reached the October Palace, he saw the burning car. Three of the protesters escorted from the building wounded soldier of Internal troops. Gave them my pack for bandages. Then came a convoy of protesters there was a group veveshnikov abandoned by their commanders. Remember, then held the passage through the Maidan, not allowing neither a hit nor undress? Although willing something to hide, were. Diagonally I ran across the street to the subway. There were many wounded, they had to endure. Took one of the fighters shield to use it as a stretcher, rushed to the man who was closer to me. When I sat down beside him, the bullet struck the shield and shot off my finger, and then passed along the nose and on the neck. Like a fist to the jaw greatly moved. I was deployed, and two bullets went into the buttocks. I thought to myself, "Shit I was a lifeguard". Appreciating his condition, he tried to get away from the danger zone. Got to do a few rushes, and then numb leg. This occurred near the hotel "Ukraine". The screen to select nearby was a fighter from my hundreds, and he caught me. We got to the field hospital deployed in the cafe at the hotel "Kozatskiy". Only then it dawned on me that they're shooting at us with lethal weapons. The thumb of my right hand was hanging by a single tendon. Asked doctors to strap him to not get lost. Hoping that will kill you. Doctors said his neck was broken...

Sasha looks up, and already I see a long white scar. Two millimeters to the left -- and the bullet interrupt vital blood vessels, the trachea...

-- And two bullets hit your ass, smiling -- "Milanovic". -- One passed through, and the other remained in the body. I will not show the scars, can?

On the day of the first hundred Lvivska Brama, in which Alexander was a centurion, killed five people... But Abaev learned, having come to the Maidan forty days. So many have taken his treatment.

In the neck -- there were many small fragments -- as many as 55, -- Alexander continues. -- They left themselves. It was painful and extremely unpleasant. The finger could not be saved. Left stump.

Notice that, when Sasha takes a glass of water. He helps himself left, sticking in the brush container.

-- Sometimes forget that I have no thumb, says Alexander. -- This is similar to the broken pottery. Can't take the object with the right hand. If the Cup is heavy or large saucepan, drop. Already broke a lot of dishes. Well, the wife tolerates it...

While Sasha was quickly retrained to write – he pinches the handle between your index and middle fingers perfectly and prints the letter, signs it.

Married Sasha after the injury. The near death taught him to appreciate sincere feelings.

-- Zhenya recently met, she was next to me after the injury, says Alexander. -- Nursed me, taught to use the four-fingered hand. The real battle a friend. The wedding we had on August 1. The next day we celebrated the day of Airborne troops (VDV), third number, the wife had a birthday, and the fifth I went to zone anti-terrorist operation, told the wife that I go on a trip. Pulled in debaltseve, where the battalion "Kiev-2", in which I volunteered.

Alexander came there with a sniper rifle. He bought her a famous journalist Yury Butusov.

-- What will be a war, I realized when we took the Crimea, Alexander -- continues. -- Once said: Krasnoperekopsk need to dig through the isthmus, cutting off the Peninsula from the mainland. And then he predicted that Russia will not stop. My mother and father liable for military service, I spent all my childhood in military camps. I was in the army, when engaged in the reconstruction of major battles. To analyze the behavior of the enemy. Unfortunately, I was not mistaken. I helped to form the battalion "Kyiv-2", it fought in Debaltsevo, Chernukhino, which last year were all at the hearing. After volunteer units became part of the Armed forces and the Ministry of internal Affairs of Ukraine, had the paperwork, sign a contract, what should pass the medical. Seeing that I have no thumb, all the doctors write: "Not good." I tried to bribe to give, to let me serve, and ready to fight, and in police work. Do not take. And I have the same experience! And, frankly, without one finger in an emergency situation will give odds to many, whose hands are intact. Not technically perfect to me. As they say, one beaten two unbeaten give.

-- Why do you call "Han"?

-- My name refers to the ancient Khan clan, in Vladikavkaz the ruins of the castle of the princes Abaevich, -- says Alexander. -- In addition, studying the history of his last name, I found out that Temujin and Tamerlane, the great-grandson of Genghis Khan, went seven genera. Three of them are in disgrace, and four -- in high esteem. My -- last. I told this to the guys when we were building the barricade on Instytutska street. And then I began to be called "Khan".

-- I was not afraid to die neither at Maidan, nor in the ATO zone, as if reading my mind says Alexander. -- Because our cause is right and Holy. Seek justice, protect their land. But the fact that I now have a son, my sequel, adds more strength. For him to live, but I am prepared to die.

The other day I learned about dream Sasha. He wants to shake hands with the famous actor Alexey Gorbunov, to communicate with him. Maybe someone can organize such meeting National Hero of Ukraine?

Violetta kirtoka of the Newspaper "the FACTS"

photo by Roman Nikolayev

Source: «Кіборги - 2015» / Cyborgs - 2015

МБФ "СЛАВА УКРАЇНІ" / ICF "GLORY TO UKRAINE" / FIB "GLOIRE À L'UKRAINE"