Over 20 years in the military: National Guardsman "Staryi" talks about service from Simferopol to Kharkiv
A National Guardsman from a Kharkiv brigade with the call sign "Staryi" has served in various units for over 20 years and is currently an assistant to a checkpoint chief. The soldier served in Simferopol, Odesa, and Kharkiv, guarded diplomatic institutions and critical infrastructure facilities.
The story of the soldier was told by the 5th Sloboda Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine "Skif".
"I started as an ordinary serviceman, a private, in an engineering and technical battalion in the city of Simferopol. Then I was transferred to Odesa, and from there I decided to enter the ensign school. I ended up in the 324th ensign school," says "Staryi".
After five and a half months of training, the soldier was appointed to the position of assistant head of the personnel department of the 148th anti-aircraft missile brigade in Kharkiv. He served five years under contract, and after the reduction and reorganization of the brigade, he left the service.
Later, "Staryi" transferred to the internal troops and ended up in military unit 3005, where he was the head of the guard. He served in this unit for about six and a half years. In 2009, "Staryi" transferred to the company for the protection of diplomatic and consular institutions, where he served until 2024. After the unit was disbanded, he moved to the patrol battalion.
The defender met the full-scale invasion in service. On the night of February 23-24, 2022, he and his comrades guarded the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland.
"Around four to five in the morning, some strange sounds began. Then there were loud explosions in the city," recalls the soldier.
After the full-scale invasion began, the servicemen were sent to guard the Kharkiv Regional Council, and later – near Balakliya. After that, the unit guarded a critical infrastructure facility for almost three years. According to him, 38 missiles hit the facility in three years.
Currently, "Staryi" serves as an assistant checkpoint chief. Speaking about the future, the soldier said that he wants to build a dacha by the Seversky Donets River.
"I want to build a dacha. So there's something to do. Near the Seversky Donets River," plans the defender.
