Sergeant Oleksandr Boyko, call sign “Otaman”, who returned to service after being seriously injured, does not hide his disappointment with the attitude of some men who avoid military service. After his concussion and treatment, he continues to work in the Eighth Department of the Poltava CCC in Mashivka, where he deals with documents of those liable for military service and serves summonses.
"Otaman" admits that he often hears harsh and insulting words from those to whom he writes out summonses: "It's so offensive in my soul that I fought for myself and for them, shed blood, and they are not only hiding, but also dissatisfied. They say: 'Go fight yourself.' You go yourself! If you love your family, your children, you have to go and protect them," Boyko emotionally declares.
The sergeant emphasizes that the most difficult thing is to work with people who do not understand that protecting their homeland is the duty of every man. He urges them not to hide behind others and not to delay when the enemy literally destroys Ukrainian villages and cities. “You need to beat the enemy as far away from your home as possible. When you realize this, it is no longer scary, because it is about the life and safety of your family,” he says.
For Boyko, being a real man means not only having courage, but also not leaving those you love in danger. Recalling the moment when he himself, together with his comrades, joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the sergeant speaks about the importance of not focusing on personal fear when the future of the country depends on you: “When the guys and I dropped everything and went to the front, no one thought about personal things. If every man realizes this duty, then the enemy army will not reach our homes.”.
