Thread by @U24_gov_ua

Mariia  ‘Gerda’ Chekh is a Ukraine’s defender who survived the siege of Mariupol and russian captivity.

This is her story🧵👇
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This is an archival photo of the Azov Brigade servicewoman, celebrating her birthday in one of the Azovstal’s bunkers. She is the only one in the photo who survived.

In the early days of the full-scale invasion, Gerda documented the humanitarian catastrophe and civilian casualties in Mariupol. She sought refuge at Azovstal, as russian forces relentlessly bombarded the city with artillery and airstrikes.

To break the defense of Azovstal, the russians dropped powerful high-explosive bombs on the plant. As a result of an airstrike, Gerda lost her close friend, Nastya, who shielded her with her own body during the explosion, saving her life.

After leaving Azovstal, Gerda ended up in infamous Olenivka. During interrogations, she occasionally caught glimpses of her husband, and those were the happiest moments for her imprisonment.

On July 29, 2022, an explosion occurred in the prison where Azovstal defenders were held. The prison guards refused to tell Mariia what had happened to her husband, but taunted her with hints that he had been killed.

In captivity, there were beatings, electric torture, and psychological abuse. What helped her endure it all was pouring ice-cold water over herself in winter and coming up with designs for a clothing line.

Gerda was released from captivity on May 6, 2023. Her husband had been freed 9 months earlier. After suffering a brain injury at Azovstal, she experienced coordination issues and memory problems.

Recently, Gerda, together with her sister-in-arms Valeriia ‘Nava’ Subotina, joined the Antarctic Space2Sea expedition organized by FUTURE of SPACE. This journey was made possible thanks to @StationCDRKelly, polar researchers, UNITED24 and our partners, Activites.

During the Antarctic expedition, Gerda aims to remind the world about the 700 fighters of the Azov Brigade who are still held in russian captivity.