Being a true patriot, Andrijus could not sit idly by as his country collapsed. Therefore, armed only with a smartphone, he began to photograph documents, buildings and places that he believed would be useful for the Ukrainian armed forces.
Secretly transmitted extremely important information
Andrijus was born and raised in Mariupol, a port city that Russia besieged and then captured in the first two months of the war in 2022. at the beginning
From 2022 In August, he learned of a secure social media channel through which he could send his information to the Ukrainian military, using rocket launchers adapted to a city just 100 miles away.
He then located and began photographing enemy barracks and troop movements, as well as arms and ammunition depots.
This vital information was used to kill Russian soldiers and destroy enemy equipment with missiles, drones and artillery shells.
Andriy is just one of tens of thousands of brave people who risked their lives in territories that many abroad call “occupied territories”, but Ukrainians themselves prefer to call them “temporarily occupied territories”.
About 20 percent The territories of Ukraine, mainly in the east of the country, are controlled by Russia.
“I was ready to die”
Millions of people are forced to live under the iron rule of the occupiers, who maintain order through threats of imprisonment, torture and even execution.
Recalling the beginning of the invasion, when he was still 19 years old and living with his family, Andrijus says: “I wanted to do something, however small, to help the country I love. I didn’t think my life was important compared to the bigger picture – I was ready to die.”
But eventually the Russian police and security services realized that he was a spy. Andrij realized he had to flee his hometown when he heard that Russian security officials, armed with his photo, were questioning people about his whereabouts.
Andrijus’ escape from Mariupol in March last year was very dangerous.
He prayed that he would not encounter any more armed guards
With all roads to the rest of Ukraine blocked, he had to cross into Russia.
During the nerve-wracking encounter at the border, Andrijus was taken to a room where he was examined by Russian border guards.
They were looking for tattoos linking him to Ukrainian military units or evidence that he had used a weapon against the Russians.
They then interrogated him for two hours before finally letting him go, satisfied with his story that he was a student who needed to visit Russia. He continued to travel through enemy territory by bus, stopping each time to pray that no more armed guards would board him looking for him.
After a long journey that seemed like an eternity, he crossed the Russian border into Belarus and from there to Kyiv.
“Life under Russian control was terrible”
He was sad to leave his family, but he was also relieved to leave a town with no electricity or drinking water, and little food or medical supplies in stores.
“Life under Russian control was horrible,” he says. – There was an information vacuum. Internet, Ukrainian and US television and radio channels were blocked. We were cut off from the outside world and only heard Russian propaganda.”
Today, Andrijus still works in the resistance movement, but as an administrator in the Dnipro region, in the east of the country.
He is in charge of spies still in Mariupol and passes important information to the armed forces.
“I’m still trying to do my job,” said Andrijus, who also resumed his studies. “I was a quiet homeboy during the invasion, but I’m proud of what I was able to do.”
Tags: #21yearold Andrijus revealed Ukraine collects secret information Russian soldiers ready die
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