Paratrooper Diamant saved a fellow soldier using a tourniquet and built a shelter that drones couldn't locate
A Ukrainian paratrooper with the call sign “Diamond” saved the life of a wounded comrade during his first combat mission by applying a tourniquet in time. Later, thanks to his construction experience, he built an underground shelter that Russian aerial reconnaissance was unable to detect for two months.
During his first combat mission, “Diamond” saw that his comrade had suffered shrapnel wounds and was bleeding heavily. The soldier immediately applied a tourniquet, which helped save the wounded man’s life.
“On my first mission, I already had strong self-discipline. I saw that my comrade was bleeding heavily, immediately applied a tourniquet, and most importantly—that’s exactly what allowed him to survive,” recalls the paratrooper.
“Diamond” is originally from the Donetsk region. Before the full-scale invasion, he worked as a foreman on a construction site, where he got used to meticulously planning his work, assessing risks, and taking responsibility for the results. After joining the 77th Brigade, these professional skills came in handy on the front lines.
In particular, he began studying how deep mortar shells could penetrate the ground to better understand the principles of constructing defensive positions.
After the first fierce assaults, he joined the consolidation team. While setting up one of the positions, the paratrooper assessed the terrain and the condition of the existing cover and suggested ways to improve it.
Together with his comrades, the soldiers created an extensive underground shelter that provided protection for the troops. Thanks to clever camouflage, Russian aerial reconnaissance was unable to detect this position for two months.
“Diamond” understood that even reliable cover does not guarantee safety during combat operations. Therefore, he always took a practical approach to packing his gear: he took the necessary ammunition, water, and a little food, avoiding excess weight.
According to him, in a critical situation, a matter of seconds can be decisive, and overloaded gear limits a soldier’s mobility.
His attitude toward danger also changed. During his first combat mission, the paratrooper did not yet fully realize what he would have to face.
However, during the next mop-up operation, the fear was much more acute. He came to understand the real threats and how quickly the situation could change.
The soldier saw how, due to severe stress, some of his comrades would freeze up and temporarily lose the ability to act. In such situations, he tried to help them regain their composure and return to carrying out their mission.
In the paratrooper’s view, it’s not worth fueling panic with abrupt actions—it’s important to find a way to help a person regain self-control.
“In our work, the most important things are setting the task correctly, understanding what needs to be done, and team cohesion. When everyone understands their role, when everyone is ready to support and cover for one another—that’s the key to successfully completing the mission,” the soldier emphasizes.
To better understand the people he works with, “Diamond” closely observes their personalities, reactions, and behavior in critical situations.
He is also interested in human psychology in his free time. In particular, he is fascinated by numerology, analyzes birthdates, and looks for connections between numbers and personality traits.
However, in his opinion, it is the circumstances of war that reveal a person’s true nature.
“War lays a person bare psychologically; it immediately becomes clear who is who and who can be trusted,” explains the soldier. “Fear is normal. But fear should protect you, save your life,” he says.
The soldier’s story was shared by the 77th Separate Airborne Dnipro Brigade of the 7th Corps of the Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
As a reminder, Miroshka, a senior F-16 aircraft maintenance technician with the 107th Air Wing, originally dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot.
