This girl’s name is Christina. Another of her names has become ‘Curly [Kudriava]‘. The girl got it long ago, before her service. She is a senior lieutenant in the National Guard of Ukraine. She is now defending the country in Luhansk, one of the hottest spots of the Russian-Ukrainian war. She became a soldier by chance when the labour exchange sent her, aged nineteen, to a unit. There she was offered the post of head of the club, and the next day she already had the stamp of “soldier of the internal troops”. And so began the army’s long history as a fighter.

Every night, when fatigue takes its toll, I mentally say goodbye to everyone

I remember the bloody night of the invasion, I couldn’t even sleep then. A few days before the full-scale war, it was already turbulent. In the 20s of February, the town of Shchastia and Stanytsia Luhanska were being shelled from “hailstones”. It was clear that Russia was overturning its forces in this way, because this had not happened in recent years. For two months there has been fighting every day. We are defending the conglomeration of Rubizhne-Severodonetsk-Lysychansk. Our brigade together with the AFU do not allow the enemy to set foot further. This direction is one of the hottest.

Every night, when fatigue takes its toll, I mentally say goodbye to everyone. We all pray every night to wake up in the morning. There is a huge amount of Russian artillery and aviation constantly at work here. The information that Russians have been sent here from Bucha has added to the hatred. The hardest thing for me emotionally is the loss of my fellow men and sisters. For one day you can hug a man and tomorrow he will be gone.

Parcels for “Curly” is a separate kind of inspiration

I get a lot of help from the support of fellow men and sisters. And those who work on the home front. For example, my cousin recently started to understand armor, helmets and radios. I wanted a strike drone for my birthday and I said: Let’s look for a “Bayraktar” for me. Of course, I laugh because I know it’s a lot of money. And in reply I hear: Hristia, we will collect. This is strong.

I certainly don’t remember how “Curly” came about. For security reasons, a call sign should not echo a surname or a first name. “Curly” caught on a long time ago, parcels come in under that name. By the way, my curls are docile, I tie them in pigtails and may not wash my hair for weeks. My hair is a bit smaller, but it will grow back after the war.

Picking up these parcels for Curly is a separate kind of inspiration. Recently a boy named Mark sent me a picture of the defenders destroying enemy equipment, and Artem gave me a gingerbread blue and yellow heart. In my native Frankivsk, displaced children make such cakes and write us notes. These letters from children are to the heart.

When I feel bad, I disarm the magazine, pack it up again and read poetry

My mother is a person of incredible strength. It must be hard to be approached and pitied because daughter is in the army. And she is often asked: “How is your Christine?”. When it was calmer, I was often reminded of the birth of my child. But I always thought it was a prejudice that had been fed for centuries. Now all the labels have been erased and everyone chooses a vocation to their liking. No one tells me anymore that I am not where I am supposed to be.

Leaving Stanytsia Luhanska, I should have left all my things there and run out with just one backpack. I didn’t take a spare pair of pants, but I did take a collection of poems by Yury Izdryk. When I feel unwell, I disarm the magazine, pack it up again and read the poetry.

A few days ago, a friend asked: “What do you dream about?” I don’t dream. I’m happy with what I have, and when something turns out better, I’m more happy. I try not to think about what could and will be. I have eliminated deferred life mode. We have a unique chance to destroy the evil that has kept us from being ourselves for so many years.

Source: souspilnist_foundation