Roman

“Stormtroopers don't live long”: the story of a car mechanic who became an infantryman in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He is 28 years old and comes from Mariupol. He is a car mechanic and engineer by profession, with experience of managing a department at Silpo and working in a commercial company. He is also an anime fan, which is why he chose the appropriate combat call sign — “Taki”. In 2023, Roman signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and joined the 46th Separate Assault Brigade. The choice was not accidental — his brothers-in-arms were already serving there. He passed the military medical examination, joined the brigade, and initially was trained as an artilleryman. But the frontline made its own adjustments — reality quickly changes plans. “I made friends with my mates during the basic general military training — we decided to stick together. And the only places available were in the infantry. So off we went,” says Roman. Not long ago, Roman was performing technical tasks at work, managing a team in a shop, and studying engineering. But just a few months later: “First, there was coordination training at the military proving ground, then the third line of defense, the second, the first... My baptism by fire was near Maryinka,” recalls Taki. His baptism by fire took place near Maryinka — one of the hottest spots in 2023. The situation on the frontline was rapidly deteriorating — especially due to the enemy's massive use of FPV drones. Roman served on the frontline for about three months. “Assault troops don't live long”, he says ironically. But with a smile, after surviving his injuries. “You can never fully prepare for war,” says Taki. In early 2024, Roman was seriously wounded. Now – already discharged from the Armed Forces of Ukraine – he is undergoing rehabilitation. He still remains deeply immersed in the subject of war, analyzing and drawing conclusions. "There aren’t enough people, so sometimes one has to perform tasks that aren’t typical. You can never fully prepare for war beforehand. The battlefield changes by the minute, but the methods don’t. Understanding comes only in the process," shares Roman. Taki’s life today. Currently, Roman is going through recuperation, makes plans for the future, and does not lose his sense of humor. He says, you should not overthink or dwell on negativity. Yes, there is a problem, the war continues — but life does not stop.