Orysya is a paramedic of the volunteer medical battalion "Hospitaliers".

She gave up her call sign and uses her first name at the front.

He says that it is quite rare and few people have it.

In conversation with us, she is cheerful, sincere and open, but her cheerful voice changes as soon as she starts talking about the most secret and painful things.

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these words of the paramedic aptly reflect the exorbitant price we pay not just for our independence, but for the right to be Ukrainians.

How do "hospitaliers" work and in what conditions do they live, what is the most difficult thing in war and what motivates them - paramedic Orysya told in an interview with

How she became a "hospitalist"

Until February 24, the girl lived a civilian life - studied and simultaneously worked at the Ukrainian Catholic University.

He says everything is like everyone else's.

She says that she learned medicine in the "Plast" scout organization, which she once belonged to.

Later, she took a medical course at the university from a volunteer, which became the biggest impetus to go to the front.

However, Orysia did not immediately enter the front on February 24.

At first, the girl volunteered: she helped with resettlement in Lviv and worked in a military hospital.

In the end, she went to work for the "Hospitaliers".

"I can't sit here if I have the skills of a paramedic. I think now everyone should do what they know how to do," the girl explains her decision.

"Hospitalierka" Orysia found herself at the front after a full-scale attack by the Russian Federation

"Every evacuation is something terrible"

The paramedic remembers her first patient in "Hospitaliers" with a smile on her face.

She says that then a curious thing happened, and she was mistakenly informed that an elderly woman died in the hospital after stabilization, and even her relatives were preparing for the funeral.

However, as it turned out later, the pensioner was rescued and she survived.

"It was a civilian grandmother. She was completely beaten, she had two broken legs, a brain injury, as if there was an internal hemorrhage. I thought she was really going to die, but we pumped her up a little and brought her to the hospital alive. The next day for some reason we were told that she died. I already prayed for her soul, her family ordered a mushroom. And then I call the doctor again, ask about my grandmother, and he says: "She's alive," - the girl recalls with a smile.

At the same time, the paramedic says that she doesn't have any specific situations that she remembers the most: "It's just not romantic.

Scary pictures. It's not fun."

Currently, the "hospitalist" works in various directions, but mostly where it is "hot".

The last time I was in the direction of Bakhmut and near Pisky.

He says that now the occupiers have begun to fire artillery more actively at Ukrainian positions, which is why the fighters have mostly shrapnel or explosive wounds.

There are fewer bullets, he says.

"If it's shrapnel, it's to put a tourniquet, wrap it with a bandage, tampon it to stop the bleeding, and take it to the point. And if it's more serious injuries, then we try to do everything in our power, but we're not wizards. Sometimes wizards, we think, how was it possible to do that," the defender notes.

A checkpoint that was already bombed by the Russians

How paramedics work

The "hospitalier" says that her main task is to take the wounded out of the battlefield as quickly as possible.

The paramedics learn about the call through the radio and immediately leave to pick up the wounded, who are evacuated to the headquarters.

According to her, this is a place where you can normally stabilize a soldier, and then take him to a full-fledged hospital.

"Stabposts are mostly places that are not very similar to a hospital. This is a very fast aid, 10 minutes - and they sent further so as not to delay. After the stabpost, they are transferred to an ambulance and taken to more professional hospitals. During evacuation, the most important thing is to quickly pick up from the battlefield of the wounded," says Orysya.

Usually four people worked in her crew: a paramedic, a paramedic, a fireman and a driver.

But the last time they worked in pairs, for example, a paramedic and a driver, and another paramedic and a driver.

He explains that it is much easier this way and more wounded can be taken away.

"During my last rotations, we drove in a pickup truck, and we had to take it very quickly and not provide help on the spot. The main thing is to stop the blood so that it does not flow. Therefore, we quickly checked all the tourniquets and threw them in the car, and quickly drove away And by the way, if there is a doctor, he tries to help," says the paramedic.

For paramedics, the most important thing is to quickly remove the wounded from the battlefield

During evacuations at the front, according to her,

The defense attorney explains that paramedics and their crews have to drive around the wounded without headlights or other lights in order to be unnoticed by the Russians, but because of this, their cars often get into accidents.

Orysia recalled the recent accident with an ambulance, in which one of the "hospitaliers" died - Nataliya Frauscher, a volunteer military medic who, after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, returned from Austria to Ukraine to rescue the wounded.

"We were in Piske just this rotation, and you can't use the light there at all, everything inside was turned off - the clock, the tape recorder, because it all lit up like a Christmas tree. And we asked for volunteers and very quickly collected money and bought this device. And the driver says, I can see everything as in the day," explains the paramedic.

"For Russians, the red cross is the number one target"

The paramedic states that the Russians regularly open fire on them during evacuations, and the situations are extremely dangerous.

"For the Russians, the red cross on the uniform is target number. We came under fire. The last time, I don't know how we survived. We actually went to get to know the battalion to which we were attached, but we got to ground zero, because there was trauma, and they started firing at us (occupiers - Ed.). We approached the armored personnel carrier, and it just flew in front of us. Very close. I have never prayed so much in my life, it's scary," says the "hospitalist" and adds with relief , - it's good that you survived."

For Russians, doctors are a number one goal, says Orysya

What taught me to live without a bath and light

The paramedic notes that she did not have to adapt to the new conditions, because she learned to do without water and live in tents even in "Plast".

Nowadays, he says, the conditions are different, there may even be a shower and Wi-Fi.

"And sometimes - in the basement, where there is no shower, no Wi-Fi, no toilet, and you have to look for all this somewhere. But you can get out. We will find a way out everywhere, I think. I am very glad that I was once in "Plast" , because it taught me what it's like to live without a bath and without light. And it helped a lot, - says the paramedic and adds, jokingly - the main thing is to have a generator."

How women can prepare for the army

Speaking about the gender issue in the war, the paramedic notes that they are all equal, and in "Hospitaliers" it is quite normal that a woman is a soldier.

"In our battalion, about half are women, half are men. It's normal for us. As a driver, I can prepare food or clean up, so I can do it. Whoever is free, he does it. It's not a man - a woman, it's brother, and everyone is equal, that's how I feel, - the paramedic shares her experience, but adds about the trend she noticed on the front line - men very often protect women on the front. It seems that everyone should be equal, but they say: "You you won't go there, because you have to be here."

Paramedic Orysia is on the front line taking care of wounded and dead soldiers

The paramedic advises women who are still thinking about their decision to stay at the front to

, because it is not known when certain skills will be needed.

"Don't take this step emotionally. Emotional things pass and your eyes open. But after you sign the contract, you can't go back, there's no way back. And it's normal to prepare - depending on what position you're going for," she emphasizes.

The main thing is to survive

A paramedic's greatest motivation

He says that he always thinks about them during the shelling.

"The main thing is to survive. This is the main goal, for sure. Whenever there is shelling, I think: "What will my parents be like without me, and what about my sister, relatives, friends." This is the scariest thing. This is probably the biggest motivation to live. And also it's unpleasant, when I see a dead soldier, I immediately think about his parents as well, how difficult it will be for them too," the "hospitalist" shares her experiences.

In addition, she admits that she is troubled by thoughts if it is not immediately possible to take the body of the deceased from the battlefield, because there is ongoing shelling.

"And as long as he is lying there, it is very difficult for me. Because I think that it is necessary to take him away as soon as possible in order to give him to his relatives, so that the orcs do not enter that territory and then it will be completely impossible to take him back. Is it an exchange," explains the paramedic.

Difficulties of civilian life

Orysya says that the lack of a contract allows her to periodically go on rotations, earn a living and study at the university at the same time.

In addition, this is also an additional opportunity to emotionally recover.

But returning to Lviv after the frontline, he admits that it is difficult to get used to reality: "It's strange, because I have pictures here of people without arms and legs, and here there are drunken people walking around Lviv."

The paramedic admits that it's a little unpleasant.

However, she is extremely pleased with how Ukrainians know how to band together and how powerfully they volunteer.

"I hope there will be enough of them until the end of the war," adds the "hospitalist" in conclusion.

Thanks to "Hospitaliers" for saving lives

Read the candid story of the "hospitalist" Kateryna Galushka about the pain of loss, fears and challenges and gender stereotypes in the war

It will be recalled that in September, Ukraine

- 19-year-old paramedic Nazariya with the call sign "Grink" - from Russian captivity.

His mother says that the family did not know about the exchange, but felt it.

In the evening, when the son finally called, he says that he was born again.

"He called: "Mom, it's me, Nazar.

I'm in Ukraine." We cried, shouted, rejoiced. We are the happiest and he is, hell is behind us," the woman said.

Maryana Mamonova, head of the medical service of the 501st battalion of marines, was also dismissed.

A pregnant woman was taken into Russian captivity, where she spent half a year.

All of Ukraine was worried about Maryana's fate.

On the fourth day after the liberation, the doctor

Now she is getting used to free life and motherhood.

Read about the free life of the medical woman from "Azovstal" 

Read also:

• Ukrainian beauty defenders starred in a photo shoot for ELLE "Women on the Front"

• Defender of "Azovstal" "Ptashka" told about her fiancé who died in the war (video)

• The combat medic told why she decided to join the ranks of the Armed Forces