Marines Commander Sergiy Volyna becomes a voice of Azovstal

Yesterday, we introduced readers to Ilya Samoilenko, a fighter with perfect English who has a titanium hand and who told the world about hell in Azovstal. Today's hero is Sergiy Volynsky, better known as Volyna. The Marine regularly reports on the situation in Mariupol, the city which Russians turned into hell.

From out of occupation to Marines Brigade Commander

Sergiy Volynsky served in Ukrainian troops during the occupation of Crimea in 2014. On the basis of units derived from Crimea, the 36th Separate Marines Brigade was formed in 2015, in 2019 it received the name of kontradmiral Mykhailo Bilynsky. It was located in Mykolaiv. Since 2015 as a part of brigade Sergiy Volynsky participated in ATO. Marines fought in the Mariupol direction.

In 2015, President Poroshenko awarded Senior Lieutenant Volynsky the order ‘For Courage’  III degree. In 2020, Volynsky received the medal "For Military Service of Ukraine" from President Zelensky as a captain. He was awarded another order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree on May 3, when he was already in the Azovstal dungeons.

About a month ago, the 36th Marines Brigade split up. Commander Volodymyr Baranyuk, who was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine in March, and a group of fighters made a decision which Azov called "incomprehensible" and even "cowardly" - to break out of the encirclement towards the front line with a column of equipment.  As a result, part of the Marines, led by the brigadier general, was taken prisoner, the fate of most of the fighters in this group remains unknown. Baranyuk himself was taken prisoner - Russian propagandists shared videos with him.

Instead, the other unit made its way to Azovstal, joining forces with the Azov Regiment on April 12. It was Volynsky who commanded this unit. He took over command of the brigade due to the absence / death of senior commanders. The next day, April 13, Volynsky said in his video message:

"Conducted a successful operation with the Azov Regiment. Joined them, had a successful regrouping. We continue to perform combat missions. Our morale is strong. We know what we're doing, why we are here. We will do everything that we need to successfully perform combat missions."

Voice from Azovstal hell

A week after the break out, Sergiy Volynsky called on the public through social media. Marines’ desire to confront Russians hasn’t diminished. But Volyna asked for help so the fight wasn’t in vain:

"We will not surrender and we will fight to the end. But our loyalty oath is not enough to liberate Mariupol."

On April 18, the Marines commander wrote a letter to Pope Francis to save people from Mariupol.

Two days later he wrote an appeal to the four world leaders: Joe Biden, Boris Johnson, Recep Erdogan and Volodymyr Zelensky. He asked to de-blockade Mariupol to evacuate civilians including children, wounded and dead who stayed in Azovstal dungeons.

Volodymye Zelensky received another appeal.

"I wanted Ukraine to be a state where the soldier is the president's friend! For two months I’ve been communicating with the Ukrainian President personally, these are phone calls and messages in the middle of the night, we support each other as true friends in difficult moments. Now my friend says: "We don’t have time to dream. We don’t have a dream, Ukraine has one goal! We will take our people back." I used to trust and be confident in my friends!"

However, in May Sergiy Volyna made a publication which had over 120,000 reposts with less hopes and dreams.

"It seems like I’m in some hellish reality show where we, the military, are fighting for life, using every opportunity to save, and the world is just watching an interesting story! Such scenarios used to be in films and TV shows. The only difference is that it’s not a movie, and we aren’t fictional characters, this is real life! The pain, suffering, hunger, tears, fear, death are all real!

What surprises me? Cynicism!!! Human cynicism has no limits!!! There are common rules that are the same for all, certified by a bunch of laws, signatures and seals, but they don’t work! Then why do we need them? "

Fight continues

In addition to the strong text, Volyna’s face struck readers the most. Face of a 30-year-old man, an elite unit soldier, is significantly different from pictures made even several months ago.

Now Ukrainians hope that ‘powerful people’ heard the message of Azovstal dungeons heroes. And very soon Sergiy Volyna will get his Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky himself. And most importantly will meet again with his family.