and they blush when they are forced to remember the details. He can’t stand these conversations about his own merits, because for him the most difficult test is not a fight, not an ambush, not three days without food, but the need to replay June 2023 in his head.

But we know that it’s these humble guys who are the real backbone of our army. He received the Hero’s Star for making the only correct and absolutely suicidal decision at a critical moment, when his engineering assault unit moved to mine the approaches to our positions and ran into an enemy ambush. Mushenkov did not play hide-and-seek and calculate the chances, he simply called all the fire on himself, gave his boys a corridor to break away from his pursuers, and was left alone against the enemy.

And then the very story of survival began, which would have been shown in a movie with a bunch of special effects, but Yuri lived it through, without duplicates and insurance. For three days, wounded himself, he dragged two heavy comrades on his back, making his way to his own. No water, no food, no communication, just flair, will, and an absolute unwillingness to give up.

He really survived by a miracle — but, as they say, trust in God, but don’t let go of the machine gun. Pulled them all out. That’s what a real sergeant means: not the one who screams beautifully in the barracks, but the one who didn’t abandon the soldiers in hell and got out of there, even with teeth. Today, Mushenkov continues to serve, and his story is not just a line in the decree on awarding, but an inoculation against cowardice for everyone who thinks that heroism only happens in blockbusters.

– to our fearless warrior

@vedomstvo_rf