Ukraine's Heroes: Oksana Rubaniak destroys invading Russian forces, between battles gains 3 qualifications 

"Free. Strong. Independent. That's what Ukrainian women are. And also, as the present shows, they are very courageous and freedom-loving. In all manifestations. Your limits are only in your head. Remember that", she is convinced.

Together with her unit, machine gunner Oksana destroys the Russian occupiers on the front line in the Donetsk region. Before the war, the girl worked in the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council as the deputy head of the youth council of the regional center - she organized various patriotic activities and events. However, Oksana wanted to serve in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for a long time, a year ago she even entered the military department of one of the universities for this purpose.

"I cannot come to terms with the thought that I will sit in the rear, and people will die here. I cannot allow the thought that I will not live in Ukraine, that I will move somewhere. I want my children and I to live in Ukraine", the fighter said. 

In addition to working in the city council, the girl was preparing to become a teacher of junior classes. She did not give up her studies - she studies between battles. At the same time, she obtained 3 higher educations: pedagogical, philological, and psychological one at the military department. She even defended her diploma with honors and plans to get her fourth education. Two years ago, her first collection of poems was published. Prophetic, as Oksana's teachers add, who tirelessly volunteer for the beloved student and her peers.

"This is a unit of Ivano-Frankivsk. We correspond with them constantly and they have already become family for us, thanks to Oksana", her college teacher said. 

The teachers were the first to get to know that the girl signed a contract with the Ukrainian Armed Forces and went to the front. She did not dare to tell her parents for a long time, as she did not want them to worry. However, they found out exactly where their daughter went from Facebook.

"I didn't tell my parents until the end, I didn't want to upset and make them nervous. They found out about this from the Internet, from Facebook - friends and relatives started telling them where I was. But they accepted my decision quite loyally and calmly. Now they wish victory and strength to us", Oksana Rubaniak recalled. 

On February 24, the future fighter was woken up by the owner of the apartment she rented: "I remember how she screamed to me in fear that the war had started. A greater understanding of what was happening came to me when explosions occurred near the local airport. I was confused, but, gathering my will into a fist, I started going to work".

At the same time, in Ivano-Frankivsk, as in other cities of Ukraine, people began to organize themselves into voluntary formations, and Oksana joined one of them.

"We helped the law enforcement officers to maintain public order in the city. Later on, I became a military woman", the machine gunner said. "There was not enough time to master the military profession, so I had to learn everything quickly and, mostly, already in the area of ​​hostilities".

Oksana Rubaniak loves her unit very much, and she considers her colleagues to be her greatest support. The fighters appreciate the girl as well. 

"She performs her functional duties on an equal footing with everyone else, stands in positions, and destroys invaders. She is a person with a very strong character who motivates our entire unit", her colleague said. 

The girl is convinced that Ukraine's victory may not be as quick as we would like, but it will certainly come. The Ukrainian defenders will take care of that.

Espreso continues the series of stories about Heroes of Ukraine who defended and are defending the country from invading Russian forces. You can read more stories in our column of the same name "Heroes of Ukraine".