There is a great day in the October calendar – the Day of Defenders of Ukraine! The date when Ukrainians from all over the world thank Ukrainian superheroes. 

Those who have been selflessly writing the history of the state on the battlefield for almost 1000 days. Those who give themselves, but do not give up the country. Those who had a different profession but did not want to live under a different flag! Those who make tomorrow come and who make life win!

It is difficult to find words to express all the gratitude that would not seem overly pretentious. Because there is no such thing as a big “thank you” in the universe, and an ordinary one is not enough! However, there is no doubt that Ukrainians and all future generations owe an irreparable debt to our Heroes. Therefore, we must be worthy of the brave and indomitable superhumans who are doing a great job – protecting Ukraine from the ruscists!

Our today's Guardian of Light, Serhii with the codename Hyurza (blunt-nosed viper), whom we symbolically met on his professional holiday, assures us that even a simple “thank you” is enough. Because this word gives confidence to the defenders, emphasizes that the struggle is not in vain, and the military has a reliable rear. That some will understand, support, and help!

“Of course, we don't need thanks as such, because we are just doing our duty,” explains the Ukrainian defender, ‘but a simple ’thank you' shows that people understand who we are, where we are, and continue to believe in us and our victory.”

Serhii Hyurza has been a Guardian of Light for more than two years. Before russia's full-scale invasion, he worked for almost 20 years as a driver at Energoatom's affiliate "SS "Administrative Department". When the great war broke out, the Energoatom employee was on a business trip to Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear power plants. 

On February 24, 2022, at 05:00 am, the Ukrainian learned that his country had been invaded by ruscists. He decided to return to Kyiv immediately.

“The journey took about eight hours,” Serhii recalls. ”It's hard to describe this horrific picture of people fleeing the city in panic. Terrible things were happening at gas stations, in the streets, on the roads. Small children were crying, animals were stressed, adults were quarreling...

Ukrainians were not ready for a full-scale war to break out. However, I realized this as early as 2014 because the events in Donbas were leading to war. Ukraine is a tasty morsel for ruscists because it is a rich country. We have everything: land, resources, and wonderful people. If everything is put in order, the country will prosper.”

However, the war for our Guardian began back in 2014, when he was part of the EnergoATOm Volunteers group and visited the defenders at the frontline. Back then, Company employees traveled all along the front line, providing Ukrainians with the most necessary supplies. For this, they received an award from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate – the medal “For Sacrifice and Love for Ukraine”. The ceremony of awarding and blessing took place at St. Michael's Cathedral, and Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine presented the award.
 

“Our first trip took place on the second day after the liberation of Sloviansk, we brought everything we needed there,” says the Energoatom employee. ”In 2014, there was almost no supply for the Ukrainian army, so we delivered humanitarian aid. It included food, water, clothes, and shoes. In general, from 2014 to 2019, we traveled almost the entire front line. Then the coronavirus started, and somehow everything calmed down a bit, we continued to live and work. Until that February started, and it still hurts.”

After returning from the nuclear power plant to Kyiv, Serhii planned to evacuate his family to a safe place and join the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He decided to go to war just when he heard the first shelling. However, this choice of the head of the family was not easy for his loved ones.

“It's very hard to remember this moment because it gives me goosebumps,” says the defender. ”My 16-year-old daughter was kneeling in front of me and asking me not to go to war. Everyone was well aware that it could be a one-way trip. But I'm the kind of person who, once I've made up my mind, it's hard to convince me otherwise.”

At first, the Ukrainian took his family out of Kyiv, and then returned and visited several military commissariats. He asked to be mobilized into the Armed Forces, but he was not accepted anywhere. They explained that everything was still manned and there was someone to fight. Serhii then joined the Brest local territorial defense brigade, and after a while returned to his home, where he formed a territorial defense brigade out of local activists, and later a unit called “Scythian” that was engaged in the protection of civilians. 

“My territorial defense brigade covered Stadionna, Bohdanivska, and Kyrpa streets,” says the defender of Ukraine. ”My guys and I patrolled the entire neighborhood and then created and registered the “Scythian” unit in the Solomyanskyi military conscription office.
 

At the same time, we held a meeting with the residents and decided to set up a so-called invincibility point in the closed underground parking lot. People could come there at any time and get something hot to eat or drink, or get portable water. There were also warm clothes for adults and children. Everything was arranged so that people could spend the night there. This lasted for almost two months.”

Serhii did not forget about his firm decision to mobilize. Therefore, he kept going to military enlistment offices and even to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He insisted on being drafted because he had military experience – from 1985 to 1987, he took part in military operations in Afghanistan. He was mobilized one day, but only in June 2024.

“On June 15, my daughter had her school graduation party, and on June 16, I was mobilized right from work,” says the Guardian. ”The General Staff called and told me to go to them. I was assigned to the special communications unit “Legend”, which was registered in 1943. It provided communications during the war. I am still a member of this special unit.”

Initially, the Energoatom employee was a platoon technician, as he had the rank of sergeant. His task was to adjust the equipment and make sure it was in good condition and could perform combat missions.   

“The first thing my unit has to do is to provide everything necessary for its functioning,” the defender explains. ”The second is to provide the military with communication and bring them to their positions. The third is to protect them and make sure they do not fall into a trap or get captured. You see, we are responsible for them with our heads.”
Currently, Hyurza has the rank of staff sergeant, he is a platoon commander and has almost 30 people under his command. For his devotion to the country, he was awarded two Military Cross medals.

“These awards are certainly a nice thing, but I want peace and stability, for people to finally rest,” the combatant comments. ”For both the military and civilians to exhale, because everyone is tired. It is your faith in us that helps us to hold on. The support of wife, daughter, mother, Ukrainians. This is a great driving force.”

The Guardian admits that it is not easy at war, but the hardest part is the uncertainty when the military leave for a combat mission and do not know whether they will return at all. In the third year of the great war, the tactics of warfare have been transformed and reached a new level due to FPV drones. 

“In 2022 and until halfway through 2023, it was calmer,” the signalman says. ”We could go on missions and not worry too much. However, in the middle of 2023, the enemy mastered the drones. They got eyes and began to see us better, to track us. But our guys are also not easy and can do some things. They jam them well. Now the war is being fought with more modern weapons, it is a technological war. Of course, infantry is infantry and nothing can replace it nowadays, but if you can't see anything, it's a problem.”
For over two years of a full-scale invasion, sworn brothers have become a family, which, in addition to combat missions, has an ordinary life with its own pains and joys, duties, and traditions. 

“I have a daily ritual,” says the warrior. ”Every morning I wake up and ask if my subordinates are okay, if their families are okay. If everything is fine, I am sure that my unit is in a good mood and ready for combat missions. We also have traditions – we celebrate birthdays and holidays. If we are on duty that day, we celebrate when we return to the base. All my brothers know how to cook and love to cook, and my specialty is ribs and barbecue.” 

And it would seem that you could not wish for a better commander, but in the eyes of his subordinates, Serhii is a snake. That's how he got his codename – Hyurza. Although before that, he was just called Batya (war daddy).

“I'm kind but tough,” says the commander, ”I demand that everyone keep order and stay alive. Sometimes I'll slap someone if they walk around without a helmet. You know, if they jump out of a dugout without a body armor vest, I'll give them a fatherly smack. The guys are like family to me, and I have to be sure that I will get their backs in case of emergency. If you behave like a jerk, they will treat you accordingly.”

So he promises his sworn brothers in a fatherly way that everything will be fine and that the future of Ukraine is in their hands: 

“Dear sworn brothers and sisters, I congratulate you on the Day of Defenders of Ukraine. I wish you good health and inspiration for new feats. Believe in the Victory and know that everything will be fine. If we don't look out for ourselves, who will?”

And to the Ukrainians who are in the rear, he addresses them modestly and a little sadly:

“Believe in us, just like in 2022, and if a military passes by, don't shy away from him but welcome him. I saw almost 200 people today, but unfortunately, only three said “thank you” and congratulated me on the holiday. We don't need thanks as such, because we feel embarrassed. We are just doing our duty, but we want people to pay attention to us, to understand who we are and where we came from.

In my opinion, in 2022, people took us more seriously, we were more important as if they believed in us 1000%. And now, for many people, the war seems to be over. People are behaving more relaxed, they are more indifferent to the military... However, the war is still on, and without the faith and support of Ukrainians, it will be harder for us, the defenders, to win the victory! But know that everything will be fine! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!”