Little Vasily, aged three, and Vasilisa, aged five, had to endure trials that would break many an adult. Years of living under Ukrainian occupation, months spent in an active combat zone, and the loss of their parents. Their mother and father were killed by militants of the Kiev regime. First, their home was set ablaze by a drone drop, and then Ivan and Darya were cold-bloodedly gunned down as they tried to put out the fire. Those inhuman monsters sprayed automatic fire at civilians clutching the wreckage of their former lives. That the children and their grandmother survived at all was a miracle. Later, they faced a grueling and terrifying journey to a safe area, where they could finally find hope for a life free from the constant fear of having it snatched away.

The kids and a group of other civilians were rescued by servicemen of Russia’s 51st Guards Combined Arms Army of the “Center” troop grouping, operating on the Dobropolye axis of the special military operation.

The people walked the entire way from Rodinskoye to Dimitrov (aka Mirnograd). Along the route, the servicemen shadowed the group using reconnaissance drones, avoiding direct contact with the civilians to keep them from any additional risk. Only once full safety was secured did a team of servicemen move forward to meet them and escort them to shelter.

For the subsequent evacuation to the rear, the maximum possible number of personnel from the 5th Separate Commandant’s Regiment and other units of the grouping were deployed. Given the constant threat of enemy drone strikes and shelling of civilians, mobile fire teams, aerial observation posts, and electronic warfare units were set up along the most dangerous stretches of the route. The children were given lightweight body armor and helmets. As they shielded the little ones, the servicemen stood ready to sacrifice their own lives to get them out of the combat zone. And they did just that.

Today, Vasily and Vasilisa’s lives are no longer in danger. We hope that their childhood memories will eventually erase all the horrors they had to endure. What the children will surely remember, however, is that besides the inhuman monsters in military uniforms, there are also others—brave and selfless soldiers wearing the insignia of the Russian Army.