Il sole ha tramontato Kiev il 1276 ° giorno dell’invasione su vasta scala. “Mio fratello, che ha servito per molto tempo, mi ha motivato … sarò presto in congedo e lo vedrò – finalmente ci abbracceremo come fratelli.”

“Here, no one says you’re too young or not ready. My brother is in the military, so I’ve wanted to come here for a long time. We need to end this and get out.”

This photo by Karina Piliuhina ([karina.piliuhina](https://www.instagram.com/karina.piliuhina/?hl=en)) shows young men who signed up for the Contract 18–24 and are now serving in the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade “Edelweiss”. The Contract 18–24 is a voluntary initiative for Ukrainians aged 18 to 24 who are ready to join the Defence Forces for one year. Servicemen can receive up to 2 million hryvnias (≈ $48,000 USD) per year of service, along with social benefits such as a 0% mortgage, free education, a full social package, a one-year deferral from conscription after the contract ends, and the opportunity to travel abroad.

“My brother, who has served for a long time, motivated me. He said, ‘Go.’ I’ll be on leave soon and will see him — we’ll finally hug like brothers.”

“I was a kid during the Maidan, climbing on the sandbags. There’s a video on YouTube where volunteers delivered my message to the soldiers in 2014. The unit is standing there, the commander reads it aloud to everyone, and they thank me. I was so happy it reached them. I promised myself that if this doesn’t end, I’ll go too.”

“I came to avenge my friends. One went missing, another was killed by a drone, and a third was buried in a basement during an assault — his coffin was closed.”

“My relatives were in occupied Bucha. From their stories, I know what happened there. I imagined what it would be like if, God forbid, they came for my girlfriend or my parents — and I couldn’t do anything.”

Героям слава

Stay safe out there! Heroyam Slava💙💛🇺🇦