As part of the Heroes of War series of public meetings, our Museum welcomed Ruslan Stelmakh, call sign “Diadia” (Ukrainian nickname for an older, trusted comrade), a veteran of the Ukraine’s War of Independence and a senior soldier serving as a driver in the 2nd Motor Transport Section of the Motor Transport Platoon, Support Company, Logistics Battalion of the 101 Separate Brigade for the Protection of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, named after Colonel General Henadii Vorobiov.
Ruslan was born in the village of Varva, in the Chernihiv region. His professional experience included work for major companies in Ukraine and abroad. He gained his military grounding in 2008–2009 during his conscription service in the ranks of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
In the summer of 2024, Ruslan joined the ranks of the 101 Separate Brigade for the Protection of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. His combat path took him through Nelipivka and Toretsk, where he served as a mortar platoon driver on the very front line.
During the meeting, the soldier spoke about the exhausting nature of urban battles, in which positions had to be held directly at the entrances of half-destroyed apartment blocks.
“In Toretsk, we saw something beyond common sense. The enemy threw masses of prisoners into battle, men who seemed no longer fully human. They appeared to be under the influence of some substances: even in the late night, they moved forward at full height, without any camouflage, with loud music playing on their mobile phones. It was chilling to see them pushing straight ahead, like mechanical dolls, without any instinct for self-preservation. This was not a war of tactics. It was relentless, insane pressure by a human mass,” Ruslan recalled.
In addition to enemy assaults, everyday life was a challenge. Under heavy fire, even ordinary water became an unattainable luxury:
“The hardest thing is the silence while you wait, trapped in the entrance of a half-destroyed apartment block. You know the enemy is literally on the other side of the wall. And at that moment you are tormented by such thirst that your lungs feel dry. You know there is a bottle of water just 500 metres away, at a neighbouring position. But those 500 metres are a death zone, where every centimetre is under fire. So you simply grit your teeth, endure that fire in your throat, and wait, because your combat readiness is the only thing holding that position,” Ruslan said.
Despite the extremely difficult conditions, Ruslan found the strength to save civilians. One of his most moving memories was the evacuation of an elderly couple.
“We were leading the elderly couple to the vehicle. There was no direct fire at us at that moment, but the air was literally vibrating with danger. It took us almost 40 minutes to cover those miserable 500 metres, an eternity when every rustle feels fatal. They could barely move their feet, they were trembling, and all that time I was simply there beside them. I supported them with my arms, shielded them with my body, and listened to the sky so I could react in time to an incoming strike. At that moment, the whole world narrowed down to those two people. You know, I only exhaled and began to breathe again when the car door finally closed behind them,” Ruslan recalled.
Since June 2025, Ruslan Stelmakh has continued his service in the logistics battalion, on the “arteries” of the front through which everything needed for our victory is delivered.
In keeping with tradition, the guest donated personal belongings and wartime artefacts to the Museum’s collection storage. We sincerely thank Mr. Ruslan for his visit and for the open conversation. His story is a symbol of the unbreakable Ukrainian spirit, which we are obliged to preserve for future generations.
Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!
