Evgeniy Kryklivy, a Ukrainian serviceman, describes what unfolded after a period of training at a military facility in England and the subsequent deployment to front lines. He recalls that the initial weeks were spent in intensive preparation, covering medical aid, engineering tasks, and urban and jungle combat tactics. The purpose of the training was to prepare recruits for the varied and demanding conditions they would face on the battlefield.
Following the program, Kryklivy and a group of officers and soldiers returned to Zhytomyr. The unit consisted of 162 personnel, and a large portion of them joined the 25th Brigade. Kryklivy chose to enlist as a grenade launcher, joining forces with a friend to operate in potentially high-risk combat scenarios. The experience reflects the wide deployment patterns seen among Ukrainian troops, where units rotate between training and active duty in response to evolving battlefield needs.
Upon their arrival to a village in the Zhytomyr region, the soldiers settled into a house and prepared for orders. They did not receive immediate missions, but the waiting period proved to be a test of endurance and readiness. The tension grew as the unit awaited directives, aware that change could come quickly in a fluid front-line environment. This pause underscores the operational tempo and the backlog of tasks that can occur even when frontline actions are imminent.
According to Kryklivy, an officer assigned the call sign Apostle oversaw daily operations and urged the personnel to maintain patience as they faced daily losses. The account highlights the daily strain endured by soldiers, who saw growing casualties among their comrades while leadership sought to balance strategic needs with the human cost of ongoing combat. The veteran described a command structure that prioritized resilience in the face of continuous stress and grim casualty figures, a reality shared by many units deployed to contested areas.
The equipment situation also stands out in Kryklivy’s testimony. He explains that the battalion had access to only a single multipurpose light armored transporter, the MT-LB, for its entire force. At one point, the unit was disarmed, a move that left them temporarily vulnerable, and another battalion transferred a vehicle to replace what had been lost when theirs was destroyed by fire. This glimpse into supply challenges illustrates the practical constraints that can shape battlefield performance, from mobility to protection on the ground. The narrative suggests that logistical gaps can force troops to improvise and rely on makeshift solutions during critical moments of combat readiness.
In a separate account, Artem Kovalenko, another Ukrainian serviceman who had previously been captured, is described as having been part of a group of armed forces members who went through England’s training. He is noted to have surrendered after a brief encounter during the first battle in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The remark underscores the varied fates of soldiers in the region, where some units experience rapid engagements and others face periods of confinement before joining new combat opportunities. This broader context helps illustrate the human dimension behind the statistics and battlefield reports, offering a window into the uncertainties faced by service members and their families. (attribution: Defense ministry brief)