Regiment “Azov” combat medic Olena Kushnir: Don’t pity me. I’m a medic, I’m a combatant, I’m a Ukrainian.
On April 16, 22022 arrived the news Regiment “Azov” combat medic Olena Kushnir had been killed by the Russian army combatants in Mariupol. She became a known face when on March 15, 2022 made a statement of Russian army combatants seizing Mariupol hospital no 2 with 400 patients and medical staff. She urged back then to start to pay attention to deblockading Mariupol as the civilians can’t survive in such environment. What she stated in he addressing was the inability to perform even most basic first aid or treat wounded when there is no access to first aid or medical facility.
On April 16, 2022 the news came she was awarded the Hero of Ukraine Golden Star medal for bravery. In her private exchange with an acquaintance, she told she managed to get her son out of Mariupol on-time and that was most important. She was a single mother but she found love again. Her partner got killed in early days of the war.
In her undated messages to her acquaintance Olena Kushnir told: “Just don’t pity me. I’m a medic, I’m a combatant, and I am a Ukrainian.” On Monday, April 11, 2022 Marines of 36th OMBr wrote the final goodbye letter on their Facebook page, On Tuesday, the next day, the news came the 36th OBMr marines made through the semi encirclement and joined Regiments “Azov” in Azovstal. On Saturday the news came Russian army had deployed the strategic bombers Tu-22M3 which dropped FAB-3000 bombs, a 3 ton bomb, on Azovstal. When exactly Regiment “Azov” combat medic Olena Kushnir died remains unclear. The only thing certain is she fell defending Mariupol.
Russian army strategic bombers bombing Azovstal manufacturing plant with the strategic bombers Tu-22M3. The same area was several weeks ago shelled with heavy flame thrower thermobaric MLRS TOS-1 Buratino.pic.twitter.com/QJxCp3ogod
— SA Vabaallikate demokraatia fond (@ValdefOrg) April 15, 2022
He plea to draw attention to catastrophic situation in Mariupol is here – https://valdef.org/?p=6673&lang=en
