An angel on the battlefield: a 23-year-old girl from Zhytomyr saves the lives of Ukrainian soldiers on the front line
Maria Andreyshyn is not just a paramedic, she is a real angel on the battlefield who risks her life every day, saving others. She is only 23, but she already has 4 years of brutal war behind her shoulders. During this time, she saved more than 1000 lives. Her work is exhausting and difficult, but the girl does not complain. For her, the most important thing is to keep as many of our defenders as possible.
Journalist IA “FACT” Yuliya Khomenko spoke with the paramedic of the 2nd medical station of the 95th brigade of the DShB, Maria Andreyshyn, about the difficulties of work and saving the lives of our defenders.
Maria, you are a real hero for us! Tell me, please, where you come from, how long you have been in the war, and what impressed you the most recently?
I come from Zhytomyr, in the war since 2021, in my 23 years I managed to visit the hottest spots. Previously, I worked as a paramedic in the evacuation department of the medical company of the 95th brigade. Now I am already in the position of a paramedic of the medical station 2 of the DShB of the same brigade. I met a full-scale invasion in the East of Ukraine, from February 24 there was no normal sleep and rest – all our crews worked non-stop. Explosive mines, shrapnel, traumatic amputations – we saved the lives of soldiers who suffered terrible injuries. My job is really difficult and dangerous. Working conditions are constantly changing, so we have to be ready for anything.
What are the conditions for providing assistance?
The conditions are different. If the situation allows, then help can be provided directly on the spot, but this rarely happens due to the danger of enemy drone activity. Therefore, most often we provide assistance in a medical car while driving. Of course, in my work there was also such that they took turns in the middle of the forest. Unfortunately, we have to pick up the bodies of dead soldiers. In general, the most important help is provided in the car, on the way to the LSB. The wounded are bandaged on the go, connected to medical equipment, and the necessary drugs are administered. The road is often off-road, through a forest or a field.
Do you have everything you need to provide qualified assistance?
Yes, we are provided with all the necessary medical equipment and medicines. There are no complaints regarding the provision of first aid at our stage.
What is the most difficult thing for you in this job?
The hardest part is losing people. There were cases when, due to the severity of the injury, we did not manage to save life. It hurts a lot…
And what are the happiest moments in your work?
The happiest moments are when you restore life to a wounded person in a hopeless situation. Father for children, husband for wife, son for parents. It is an incredible feeling when you realize that you managed to save a person.
You are currently raising funds for EMS equipment for emergency vehicles. Tell me in more detail.
Right now, our recovery vehicles are the enemy’s number one target. In order to protect the lives of the brigade and the wounded, we desperately need EW (radio-electronic warfare) means. This will help us safely evacuate people from the battlefield.
How do the wounded endure pain during evacuation?
It depends on the severity of the injury, pain threshold and psycho-emotional state. They usually tolerate it stably, but there is also despair, especially when a limb is severed. I will say that there were very serious injuries. It happened that we were taking boys, but they did not believe that they were wounded, and asked to go back to their brothers. Of course, most are determined to recover and then go to the front line again. In general, there are no such people in war who do not feel fear. It was during one of the assaults. The evacuation point for the wounded was determined for us. It was already dark outside when we left for that place. But suddenly, as soon as we approached, the shelling began. We quickly loaded the wounded into the car and started to leave. The way back was blocked, and we had to find a detour. The driver turned the steering wheel, looking for a safe way, and I sat with the wounded, expecting the worst. Fear gripped the heart. I thought that we could all die. What will happen to these people I swore to save? Finally, we managed to find a detour and escape from the shelling zone. After getting the wounded to safety, I felt an incredible sense of relief, mixed with debilitating fear. I will remember this incident forever. In war, for me, there is only fear for my life and those whom you save.
What are your dreams for the future?
I dream, like every conscious citizen of our country, about the fastest end to the war. I want to return home to my family and friends and live a peaceful life.
So far, Maria has announced a fundraiser for WEB funds. These sets of measures interfere with the operation of enemy radio-electronic means and complicate the operation of their communication systems. Emergency response equipment is an extremely important tool for saving human lives. They make it possible to protect evacuation vehicles from shelling, reduce the risk of death of the wounded during transportation to hospitals.
You can help Maria by transferring money to the bank for link
