At the War Museum, a meeting took place with combat medic Sergeant Valentyna Hnidenko (call sign “Stitch”) of the reconnaissance company of the 101st Brigade for the Protection of the General Staff named after Colonel-General Henadii Vorobiov.
Valentyna (“Stitch”) shared the story of her life and service. While still studying at the Berdiansk Medical College, when the war began in Donbas, she could not remain on the sidelines of events in her native region and chose the path of service and saving lives. Since 2016, Valentyna has been saving lives on the front line. Her first deployments were with the volunteer battalion “Hospitallers” as an evacuation medic, followed by service as a sanitary instructor, and now she is the senior combat medic of the reconnaissance company of the 101st Separate Brigade. Her resilience and professionalism have become a reliable support for many brothers-in-arms.
Valentyna Hnidenko has passed through the hottest points of the war in Chasiv Yar, Ozarianivka, Maiorsk, Starytsia, and Toretsk, saving the lives of Ukrainian defenders in the most difficult conditions. She is also a participant in the defense of Kyiv.
Her sincere account of the real life of a medic at war – about seconds that decide fates, nighttime evacuations, the pain of losses, and the immeasurable value of every saved life – deeply moved those present.
For her courage and service, Valentyna Hnidenko has been awarded the honorary breast badge of the Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine “For Saved Life”, the distinction of the President of Ukraine “For the Defense of Ukraine”, as well as the distinctions “Participant in Hostilities” and “For the Defense of the City of Toretsk” from the Toretsk City Military Administration.
The defender transferred to the War Museum’s collection chevrons, personal items, and an enemy field first-aid kit – artifacts that will preserve for future generations the memory of “Stitch’s” combat path. Deputy Director General of the War Museum Dmytro Haynetdinov noted Valentyna’s courage and strength of character, thanks to which she endures all the trials of war.
The Museum sincerely thanks Sergeant Valentyna Hnidenko for her bravery, devotion to her brothers-in-arms, and significant contribution to preserving the memory of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
