'I was scared,' Hlib Stryzhko told Quebec journalist Paule Robitaille. 'They undressed me, took all my documents, interrogated me'
KYIV — The most exciting thing that had ever happened to Hlib Stryzhko was being named to the 30 under 30 by a local Kyiv paper. It feels like a lifetime ago. Before the invasion, before he joined the Ukrainian marines and became an unlikely war hero in Europe’s most destructive conflict since the Second World War.
Of mixed Ukrainian, Jewish and Russian origin, the 26-year-old is the product of Soviet parents. The grandson of a Red army officer grandfather, he broke with his paternal family when Vladimir Putin’s troops seized Crimea in 2014. But the situation was becoming untenable. They had to pull back. His company took refuge in the immense Azovstal steelworks complex. “It was like in a video game, except that you could die for real. There was shooting everywhere. It was chaos,” he says. Hlib lost one of his men. “He was 19 years old. He was full of dreams,” he says, his soft voice almost a whisper.Article contentRussian service members work on removing mines from the territory of Azovstal steel plant on May 22, 2022.
“When I realized I was a prisoner, I was scared,” he says. “They undressed me, took all my documents, interrogated me. I felt totally vulnerable.” As fate would have it, he was airlifted to Crimea and then exchanged with 50 other prisoners of war on April 17, 2022. “I was lucky,” he says. “A friend who was injured with shrapnel in his leg was not treated from April to November, when he was exchanged.”
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Travis Pastrana's New Rallycross Livery Pays Tribute To Ken Block | CarscoopsTravis Pastrana's New Rallycross Livery Pays Tribute To Ken Block | Carscoops carscoops
Read more »
Ryanair flight safely lands in Greece after bomb scareThe plane and the passengers were searched and no bomb was found, police said in a statement.
Read more »
No. 3 Purdue survives scare vs. Maryland thanks to another big effort from Zach EdeyZach Edey finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds as the Boilers survived a last-second Maryland 3-point attempt at buzzer to tie.
Read more »
MRI reveals extent of Patrick Mahomes injury after Chiefs playoff scareAn MRI on Sunday revealed exactly what Patrick Mahomes is dealing with after he was injured in Saturday’s win over the Jaguars.
Read more »
Patrick Mahomes suffers injury scare as Kansas City Chiefs reach AFC championship game | CNNThe Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-20 on Saturday to advance to the AFC championship game but there is now concern over the fitness of Patrick Mahomes.
Read more »
Bills-Bengals reignite rivalry in AFC divisional round after Damar Hamlin collapseThe bonding and goodwill between the Bills and Bengals that resulted from the Damar Hamlin scare three weeks ago has been replaced by a familiar edge.
Read more »