From painter to military: National Guard tells story of fighter with call sign Lialia

National Guard officer Viacheslav, with the call sign Lialia, had lived in Kharkiv and worked as a house painter before the full-scale Russian invasion. But the war forced the man to change his profession and stand up for the country, the National Guard tells. Viacheslav notes that he never dreamed of becoming a soldier and had not even served in the army. 

At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he went to the bank for a certificate but met a representative of the military enlistment office and received a summons for military service.

Photo: National Guard of Ukraine "For some reason, they took us to [the city of] Dnipro, but I didn't have a military ID card with me, which makes sense, because I was going to the bank, so they brought us back to Kharkiv. There I took my military ID card from home and joined the National Guard of Ukraine the next day.

We must defend our homeland. If they give me a summons, then I'm needed", says Viacheslav. He was taken to a training centre, and later, together with his brothers-in-arms, he went near Balakliia.

After that they were in Kupiansk, Izium and Kreminna. 

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"Comparing the contact line in Balakliia and Kreminna is like comparing heaven and earth. There were constant contact battles, artillery and tank attacks during the day in the Serebrianka Forest.

It was possible to do something [during the day], dig or cover; only at night, so we did so", Lialia recalls.

Portrait of Lialia His company commander notes that Lialia courageously repelled the Russian invasion during the assault attempt in early March. Viacheslav was nominated for a state award for his bravery.

Russian soldiers had the support of a tank and infantry fighting vehicles.  "The smoke screen was put up, and everything was done correctly, but Lialia, who was at the observation post, very timely radioed the coordinates of the Russians to artillery. Our mortars and artillery worked hard - the tank was damaged and went back because it could not shoot. 

Lialia and the squad fought against forces three times larger, there was even a 'box' [infantry fighting vehicles or any combat vehicle - ed.] shooting from the flank. So Lialia used a grenade launcher, jammed its turret and demolished the gun. It was a tough fight," the company officer says proudly. 

He adds that during that battle, more than 15 Russians were killed.

Lialia assembles an assault rifle Viacheslav is happy that during the assault, all his brothers-in-arms remained healthy and unharmed - there were not even any wounded.  He adds that he realised he was already a soldier in the war.

"I do my job efficiently. Now it helps protect every inch of our land. We don't need someone else's, but we won't give anything of our own to the enemy!" says the military man.

But he has no plans after the victory yet. "I understand that there is no peaceful life in my head and in reality, anymore," adds the guardsman. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine.

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