Dmytro Skoromokh

From Ukrainian Pravda:

“’If I had not voluntarily gone to the front, I would have been dead’: the story of a soldier who overcame cancer”

(Dmytro Skoromokh – a volunteer from Lysychansk)

Dmytro Skoromokh, a volunteer from Lysychansk who survived captivity, was wounded, and overcame a fatal illness. In October last year, 50-year-old Dmytro returned to service and continued to defend his native land. However, in December, performing a combat mission, the fighter hit a mine and is undergoing treatment and rehabilitation again. Dmitry believes that the Guardian Angel protects him all the time. "Ukrayinska Pravda. Life" tells his story.

How Dmytro got into territorial defense People say about someone like Dmytro – "born in a shirt". The military man was born and raised in Luhansk region. In 1991, Dmytro got into the first army draft. Then he returned to his usual life. He worked at the Lysychansk meat processing plant. In July 2012, the man got married. It seemed that nothing would disturb the usual peace and harmony. Only after the Revolution of Dignity, 2014, when the Russians captured Lysychansk, the first difficult trials appeared in Dmytro's life. "I am a builder, I worked at various jobs and in construction. He worked part-time as a loader at one of the stores. A woman worked there, whose husband was an active member of the "Prizrak" battalion, a special unit in Mozgovoy's army from the so-called "LPR". One day she thought I was cooperating with the Right Sector.

In July 2014, five militants from the Prizrak battalion were waiting for me after work. They took me to Loskutivka, where they had a base on the territory of an abandoned military unit, and for a week I was mercilessly beaten. I've already dug my own grave. They forced me to admit that I cooperate with the Right Sector. Of course, I explained that this was not the case. I'm a civilian." – Dmytro recalls. Dmytro's relatives began to actively search, his wife filed a police report, his mother appealed to the head of the militants, his sister also sounded the alarm among all her acquaintances. A week later, a man with broken ribs, damaged eardrums and stab wounds was taken away and thrown into the street. "I was treated and went to the military registration and enlistment office, because I felt obliged to serve my homeland not by word, but by deed. However, they looked at me and my injuries and refused. After that, my wife and I began to help the military with everything they needed: kitchen utensils, food, warm clothes, socks. The soldiers often ordered my signature dish of croutons with garlic," says the man.

Dmitry and his wife raised their own daughter, then decided to adopt another girl. Now the eldest daughter is 21 years old, the youngest is 6. The man met his first day of the large-scale invasion of the occupiers at work. However, in the evening he became a soldier of the counter-sabotage company of the 111th TRO brigade and clutched a machine gun into his sleeve. "In the first days of the war, we were on duty at checkpoints, identifying enemy spotters, Russian saboteurs, as well as traitors. The most memorable was February 26, when it was announced that an enemy landing force was expected. It was scary then. Fortunately, our combat units approached, and the landing changed their mind about landing here. Then our unit was transferred to Pryvilya, a satellite city of Lysychansk. We were a reserve unit of Lviv TRO," says the fighter.

The first severe signs of illness

(Dmitry hit a mine, he had to amputate his leg)

During the performance of military missions, Dmitry each time felt the symptoms of the disease, but did not guess that it was cancer. He says that more than once he lost consciousness when he had to climb a hill. Brothers more than once helped to get up and again stand in service. "On the sixth of June, during mortar shelling, I received shrapnel wounds. I had respiratory arrest, but the doctor saved me. Then I was brought to a hospital in Dnipro and diagnosed with cancer there. A tumor was about to kill me. I was sent to Ivano-Frankivsk, where I underwent an emergency operation. I completed the third course of treatment and received a CT scan. The indications are good, there are no formations or metastases, but during the year you need to be examined. If I had not voluntarily gone to the front, I would have already been dead. If I hadn't been injured in Pryville, I'd also be dead. That's the irony of this war." Dmytro says with a slight smile. And on October 10, the fighter returned to the unit again and continued to defend the country. And on December 3, returning from a combat mission, Dmytro hit a mine. He was again admitted to a hospital bed, as a result of his injury, his foot had to be amputated. But Dmitry's willpower is impressive. He smiles and confidently says: "If God gives so many chances for life, I will definitely see our glorious victory!"

^ This is both sad and inspiring. ^

https://life.pravda.com.ua/society/2023/03/17/253368/