The Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, awarded three women defenders whose efforts led to the successful interception of a Russian X-101 cruise missile.
“Today, I had the honour of personally meeting three incredible defenders who have become symbols of professionalism and courage. Their coordinated efforts allowed us to protect a critical infrastructure facility in the Rivne Region by shooting down a Russian X-101 cruise missile,” Umerov wrote.
The video of the operation was filmed by Senior Soldier Olha Maksymenko. Her recordings not only documented the successful mission but also served as an inspiring reminder for all of us.
Senior Soldier Valentyna Steblevets used a tablet to monitor the airspace and transmit key information about the target, while Soldier Nataliya Hrabarchuk, who had completed two training courses at the Desna training centre, operated the Igla man-portable air defence system.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Defence and all of Ukraine, I thanked Olha, Valentyna, and Nataliya for their dedication and bravery and presented them with well-deserved awards from the Ministry of Defence,” the minister said.
- The Air Force previously reported that this was servicewoman Nataliya Hrabarchuk's first combat launch and first hit. She completed a five-month training course at a training centre and mastered various types of man-portable air defence systems.
- Before that, she worked as a kindergarten teacher.