Thread by @EuromaidanPress

STORY BEHIND PICTURE OF UKRAINIAN GIRL IN RED DRESS

Everyone saw pic of Valeria, the Kharkiv school graduate in prom dress in front of ruins of her school.

Here is the story behind photo: about how Russians couldn't capture Kharkiv, directly connected with man on the right 🧵

This is Dmytro Oliynyk. In the first days of Russia’s full-blown war, he took weapons into his hands. Even though he was preparing for this war, but he got his first battle experience in February. And what a battle experience it was! 👇

On 27 February, a Russian special forces group entered Kharkiv. Reportedly, they were paratroopers and GRU operatives. A part of this group made this school their base. Who knows how events would have developed if they managed to stay there. 👇

But a group of Ukrainians was found to storm the school Guys from the 82nd brigade, a SWAT team, and volunteers. Dmytro was among the latter. A guy who only yesterday had no battle experience went again a special forces group. Awesome story, isn’t it? 👇

The battle lasted the entire day, 10-12 hours. The occupiers were destroyed. But so was the school.

The battle had consequences for Dmytro, too. He was wounded by shrapnel. At first everything seemed OK and he was released from the hospital and returned to the front.👇

But 1 fragment started acting up. Dmytro nearly lost his leg. He got lucky: a transfer to Kyiv & the leg was saved. Now he is in rehabilitation. I hope he'll be able 2
walk again

I believe he will. He had courage to go agnst special forces. So he will find it just to go again👇

And I so want Dmytro to dance sometime in this restored school. With the graduate in the red dress. Then we can speak about the logical and bright ending to this story. ❌🧵

Story: Oleksii Bratushchak
📷 1: Valerie and family.
📷 2: Dmytro Oliinyk
More: hromadske.ua/posts/bij-za-s…