{"id":39636,"date":"2023-12-02T21:39:25","date_gmt":"2023-12-02T21:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/miamiheatnation.com\/?p=39636"},"modified":"2023-12-02T21:39:25","modified_gmt":"2023-12-02T21:39:25","slug":"ukraine-soldier-orders-strikes-on-himself-after-russian-ambush-he-survived","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/miamiheatnation.com\/world-news\/ukraine-soldier-orders-strikes-on-himself-after-russian-ambush-he-survived\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine soldier orders strikes on himself after Russian ambush – he survived"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Ukrainian soldier didn't expect to survive when he became trapped in the frontline trenches against Russia and risked his life by telling his commander to fire down on his own position.<\/p>\n

Former handyman Serhi, 36, joined the army soon after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. But in October the infantryman came close to death as he was assigned a mission to hold down the trenches on the outskirts of Bakhmut.<\/p>\n

Now on the frontline and pinned down by enemy fire his unit faced relentless shelling for days when a mortar exploded near to the trench containing Serhii and two others. It cut them off just as they were about to move and broke his comrades' legs and jaws.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/b>WW3 threat as Putin ally warns European Borders will not 'exist much longer'<\/b><\/p>\n

For more of the latest news from Ukraine, click here.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Multiple evacuation teams risked their lives to get to Serhii over the next two weeks of what was supposed to be a three-day mission and some died in the process. He was "under constant enemy fire". <\/p>\n

"The enemy seemed to be looking for our weaknesses or testing our endurance,\u201d he said. During the ordeal his commander used a drone to drop off water, painkillers, chocolate and even cigarettes to the location as Serhii remained trapped.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

At the same time, Russian drones ambushed the trench with grenades. "It exploded near the other soldier\u2019s back and half a meter from me, near my feet," he recalls. "We were wounded but lucky to survive."<\/p>\n

Feeling hopeless, Serhii could hear Russian troops getting closer and closer to his position. Thinking his time was up, he told his commander the coordinates of the enemy and called in artillery strikes on his very own position which could have killed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was surrounded by enemies,\u201d Serhii explained. \u201cWhen they couldn\u2019t hear me, I whispered the coordinates again on the radio and our artillery fired at them.\u201d<\/p>\n

With all efforts to evacuate Serhii exhausted, his commander eventually told him the only way out was to crawl and pray. \u201cI had to crawl through the dugout where Russians were," he said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n