February 24th 2024.
Heorhii Roshka's life took a drastic turn after he was severely injured during the siege of Mariupol. Surrounded by Russian forces, the Ukrainian marine, known as 'Gosha', would have preferred to die on the battlefield rather than become a burden to his fellow soldiers. In the midst of the siege, he even asked one of his comrades to 'finish him off' as the defenders of Mariupol fought to maintain their resistance from inside the besieged Azovstal steelworks.
Today, as the war reaches its two-year mark, Heorhii still carries the physical scars of battle, but his unwavering belief in victory and a peaceful future for his family remains unshakeable. Despite facing mistreatment while in Russian captivity and losing his left arm, Heorhii remains convinced that Ukraine will emerge victorious. He firmly states, "Ukraine will win. For me, it's not just a matter of faith or hope, it's a matter of confidence."
"In this war, we are sacrificing the most valuable things - our lives and our health," Heorhii continues. "We are fighting for the most precious things that humanity has - freedom and peace. And we will not give up on our goal. However, the speed at which we achieve victory depends greatly on the help of our foreign partners."
Heorhii also acknowledges the strength and courage of his fellow Ukrainians, but emphasizes the need for help from their allies in order to defeat their insidious enemy. He shares his dream for the future - a peaceful sky for his family and a happy childhood for his children.
During the siege, Heorhii was a grenadier in the 36th Separate Marine Brigade's assault battalion. Tasked with engaging the enemy in areas where they had broken through Ukrainian lines, he sustained a leg wound from an 82mm mortar shell. Despite his injury, he continued to fight alongside his comrades as they held their ground in the Azovstal steel mill - their final stronghold.
"We fought round-the-clock, without a moment of rest," Heorhii recalls. "We were constantly under fire from all types of weapons, including mortars." The conditions they endured were hellish, with civilians and severely injured soldiers seeking shelter alongside them.
"It was freezing," Heorhii remembers. "Everyone found their own spot to sleep - some on wooden boards, others on dirty rags. We all thought it was the end. We knew that only a miracle could save us. But as the circle around Azovstal continued to tighten, our hope for that miracle dwindled."
In addition to being a place of shelter, the basement where Heorhii and his comrades slept also served as an emergency clinic. He recounts the horrors that took place there - limbs being amputated in the same room where they lay, with surgeons being miraculously flown in via helicopter through the encirclement.
Heorhii was wounded for a second time on May 4, this time by enemy shell while in the vicinity of the Azovstal plant. He vividly remembers his friend yelling "OUT!" as a warning before the explosion. "That one word changed my life forever," he says. "If my friend hadn't shouted and I hadn't turned around, I would have been hit in the face by shrapnel. Instead, my arm took the brunt of the injury."
Despite facing immense challenges and experiencing the horrors of war, Heorhii remains determined and resolute. He and his fellow soldiers managed to survive the siege of Mariupol and emerge from the conflict with their heads held high. As he looks towards the future, Heorhii's dream of a peaceful sky for his family and a happy childhood for his children remains within reach, thanks to the bravery and sacrifice of himself and his comrades.
Heorhii Roshka was a Ukrainian marine who bravely fought in the siege of Mariupol. Despite being severely injured and surrounded by Russian forces, he refused to give up and would rather have died on the battlefield than be a burden to his unit. He recalls telling a comrade to "finish him" as they fought against Russian forces that were trying to take over the besieged Azovstal steelworks.
Today, as the war marks its two-year anniversary, Heorhii still bears the scars of battle but remains unwavering in his belief that Ukraine will emerge victorious. He endured mistreatment in Russian captivity, lost his left arm, and saw Russia seize the initiative on the battlefield, but his conviction in Ukraine's victory remains unshakeable. He firmly believes that they are fighting for the most valuable things in life - freedom and peace - and they will not give up their goal. However, he also acknowledges that the speed of their victory depends on the help of their foreign partners.
Heorhii, who is now 31 years old, was a grenadier with the 36th Separate Marine Brigade's assault battalion when Russian forces and their proxies advanced on the southern port city in February 2022. He was responsible for engaging the enemy in areas where they had broken through Ukrainian lines. He was first injured in the leg by an 82mm mortar shell while on a reconnaissance operation on the outskirts of the city. Despite his wound, he continued to fight as they were surrounded by Russian forces in the Azovstal steel mill, their final stronghold.
Heorhii and his comrades endured unimaginable conditions in the steelworks, constantly under fire from the enemy's various weapons. They were left to shelter in the bowels of the complex, with civilians and severely injured soldiers. It was freezing and they had to make do with whatever they could find, such as wooden boards or dirty rags, to sleep on. They all thought it was the end, but they held on, hoping for a miracle. However, as the enemy tightened their circle around the steel plant, their hope dwindled.
The basement where they slept also served as an emergency clinic, with surgeries being performed on site. Heorhii recalls how limbs were amputated in the same room where they were lying. The surgeons were miraculously airlifted in through the encirclement to perform these operations. Heorhii was also injured a second time by enemy ordnance, but he remained with his comrades until the end.
On May 4, while in the vicinity of the steel plant, Heorhii was injured for the second time by an enemy shell. He vividly remembers his friend shouting "OUT" before an explosion, a word that changed his life forever. If his friend hadn't warned him and he hadn't turned around, the shrapnel would have hit him directly in the face. Despite losing his arm, he considers himself lucky to have survived.
Through all the hardships and horrors of war, Heorhii's determination to protect his family and his country's freedom and peace remains unbreakable. He believes that Ukraine is a strong and courageous nation and knows how to fight, but they need the help of their partners to defeat such a treacherous enemy. Heorhii's only dream for the future is a peaceful sky over Ukraine for his family and a happy childhood for his children.
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