Text taken from an article which appeared in news.mail.ru
[ColonelCassad] A 21-year-old soldier held his position for 68 days and lost both feet.
Sergey Yarashev, a soldier who held his position alone for 68 days in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), will be awarded the title Hero of Russia. Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), told the president the story of the young soldier. During a meeting with Denis Pushilin, head of the DPR, in the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin learned of the heroic deed of Sergey Yarashev, a 21-year-old soldier from Samara.
The young soldier, who signed a contract after completing his military service, demonstrated exceptional courage by leading assault groups in the Red Army sector near the village of Grishino. According to Pushilin, at one point during the operation, the soldier found himself alone in his position. Nevertheless, he continued to hold the line for 68 days, repelling numerous enemy attacks.
"When his assault group entered, he was essentially left alone. "He held his positions for 68 days. I just spoke with the command, it's the 51st Army, Southern Military District.
"68 days—can you imagine how many enemy counterattacks there were?" the Head of the DPR noted. The soldier was supplied exclusively by drone. Reaching him by land was impossible due to constant artillery shelling and enemy attacks. "They used copters to deliver ammunition and provisions, just so he could endure it all. They tried at night and during the day, with artillery preparation and from the flank. He held them for 68 days," Pushilin reported.
Yarashev was evacuated; he completed all assigned tasks. Doctors were forced to amputate both of the soldier's feet. He is currently under medical observation. A fellow soldier named Dmitry noted that Sergey performed a heroic act on his very first combat mission. The soldier had not been in contact for a long time. Dmitry admitted it was hard to hold back his tears when he learned that Sergei had survived.
"I prayed for him. When I found out he was alive, to be honest, I burst into tears," the serviceman said. Dmitry credits Yarashev's tenacity and responsibility for his perseverance.
Now, Sergei is holding firm and is glad to be alive. His mother, Tatyana, said Sergei wants to return to duty after treatment. She recounted how her son also demonstrated heroism during his school years. He saved animals and helped his comrades in difficult times. Tatyana isn't surprised that Sergei was able to perform such a heroic act in the SVO zone.
"It's in his nature. It's a shame about his legs, of course, but the main thing is he's alive," she said. Following Pushilin's testimony, Putin ordered the preparation of a decree awarding the title Hero of Russia to Sergei Yarashev.
According to presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, Putin requested a detailed report from the Ministry of Defense, personally spoke with Colonel General Sergei Medvedev, commander of the Southern Military District, and ordered the preparation of a corresponding decree.
Peskov noted that the document will be signed in the very near future.
Furthermore, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the RT television channel and the Rossiya Segodnya media group, announced that Yarashev will be awarded the Tigran Keosayan Prize.
Samara Region Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev also noted that the region will do everything possible to rehabilitate the soldier and support his family.
"The best prosthetics, medical care, and full social security—all of this will be provided in full," Fedorishchev said.
After treatment and rehabilitation, he wants to return to duty.
More from regnum.ru
The Russian Ministry of Defense has released footage of soldier Yarashev at the position he defended for 68 days.
A drone filmed Russian Armed Forces private and Hero of Russia Sergei Yarashev at a position in the DPR, which he held single-handedly for 68 days. The Russian Ministry of Defense published the video on March 11.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has released footage of soldier Yarashev at the position he defended for 68 days.
The footage shows a drone dropping a large white bag into the dugout. Yarashev picks it up and carries it away.
"We secretly used drones to deliver food and radio batteries to him. The guy really loves sweets, and he even asked over the radio for raspberry jam. We passed it on. We sealed homemade borscht and passed it on," said one of Yarashev's colleagues.
On March 10, the head of the Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin, reported on Yarashev's heroic deed to President Vladimir Putin during a meeting. He explained that the soldier, despite counterattacks by Ukrainian forces, single-handedly held his positions in the Red Army sector. Drones delivered food and ammunition to him.