“Captain Nick from Kropyvnytskyi — from a “white-collar worker” to a defender in the Armed Forces of the Sumy Oblast. His strength and motivation.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
“I worked in a suit… But when the enemy so brazenly encroached on my land, I realized that I am a warrior at heart“, the man recalls. On February 24, war swept through his city. Together with everyone, Nick went to the TCC. After training, he was sent to Odessa – to the anti-aircraft missile forces.
From white collar to Patriot Mykola is from Kropyvnytskyi, and in Odesa region he served as the deputy commander of a company for psychological support of personnel.In 2023, his division received one of the most powerful air defense systems in the world — American Patriot.
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Before that, the boys trained in the Netherlands. And when they returned, they began to study together: “I just went and asked everything. In the fields, they taught me to deploy the installation. What they learned abroad – I taught on the ground, in the dust, in the rain“.
2025 year. A new stage and a new front In June 2025, Nick transfers to the Combined Rifle Brigade — as it were company commander for psychological support. He says that now his role is to be both a father and a mother for the fighters.
“I support the boys, solve their problems, try to make them smile. There is an enemy ahead. Behind are our homes. And no one will protect them except us“.
On the northern borders of the Sumy region, Captain Nick spent a week in combat positions. A week of fire, dirt, constant shelters and struggle for every minute of life.
“We could hide from FPV up to thirty times a day” The situation is complicated. Constant shelling, flocks of enemy FPV drones, the work of “Grads”. And the earth is like a stone: wet, heavy, sticky.
“We dug the position, but it does not dig. The ground is damp, wet. During the day, 30 descended to hide from the drones“.
At the same time, the operators of Ukrainian drones – the “eyes of the infantry” – work continuously. And in the sky above the Sumy region there are real swarms of Russian FPVs.
“It is impossible to go out at night. They see in infrared. Just unreal. You cannot go to the toilet“.
“Zhduny”, fog and the struggle for invisibility A separate problem is “prowling drones”. They hang in the air in groups, one insuring the other. And Nick and the boys neutralize them when he can.
The weather saves: “It’s good when it’s foggy, overcast. The camera doesn’t see well for them – it’s good for us. But the sun is trouble“.
But the biggest difficulty is don’t betray yourself.You can’t just shoot at the drone – the position will burn. The enemy is waiting for just that.
“We bite into every meter of our land” Now they have a defense. The guys dig, dig into the ground, hold every centimeter.Everyone has their own work, their own front.
And Nick also has his own source of strength.
“Ukraine motivates me. I was born here. I am proud to be called Ukrainian. I will gnaw the ground with my teeth, I will destroy the enemy with my bare hands, if there are no weapons. I will do everything to make Ukraine whole“.
From Sumy region, Nadia Balagurak – an officer of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
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