On a rare rest day amidst the turmoil of the war in Ukraine, Volodymyr Androshchuk decided to treat his squad leader to a sushi meal. The duo drove to a nearby supermarket in a modest car recently acquired by Androshchuk. Nestled in a safe house, they savored the flavors of the sushi and shared a small bottle of Cognac, momentarily basking in a sense of joy and relief from the ongoing conflict.
“We were so happy, it was crazy,” reminisced the squad leader, Volodymyr Dziubynsky, about that fleeting moment of respite.
However, as the night unfolded on January 24, 2023, Androshchuk’s demeanor shifted, expressing concern over the impending mission against Russian forces. In encrypted conversations, he confided in his loved ones about the challenging terrain that offered minimal cover, heightening the risks associated with the next day’s operation.
At the age of 22, Androshchuk was not yet obliged to serve in the military, as the draft age stood at 27. His background was rooted in sports rather than combat, excelling as a decathlete in various track and field events. With aspirations to represent Ukraine in the upcoming Olympics, his sights were set on the 2024 Paris Games or the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
“It was his dream,” remarked Oleksiy Kasyanov, the general secretary of Ukraine’s track and field federation and Androshchuk’s former decathlon coach.
Despite his athletic pursuits, injuries had sidelined Androshchuk by the time Russia initiated its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Undeterred, he volunteered to defend his country, trading his sports attire for the camouflage of a battlefield unit, embodying a new form of patriotism on the front lines.
