The Military Path of Oleksandr Holub: "If You Can Go to Battle, You Must Go to Battle
There are people for whom war becomes an episode of life. And there are those for whom it is a process that began a long time ago and has not yet ended. The story of Oleksandr Holub is one of those. It is not about heroic clichеs or loud words. It is about choice, responsibility and an internal boundary that cannot be crossed.
His military path began in 2014 - on time and not by chance. Mobilization and Donbas, a unit that found itself in the hottest spots of that time. Ilovaisk, Debaltseve, the city of Happiness. Each of these names is perceived as a symbol today, but then they were a reality in which one had to survive, maintain order and complete tasks.
Oleksandr recalls that period without excessive emotions, as if speaking of a regularity. He admits that much in his life happened by chance, but at the same time he understands: it was this case that formed the basis of who he is now. In 2015, he was demobilized, but the war did not disappear from his inner world.
When the full-scale invasion began in 2022, Oleksandr's decision was quick. Poltava was at the intersection of enemy routes, and he could not expect the development of events from the outside.
“I did not see any other option for myself,” he says. Only the logic of a person who knows the price of inaction.
He does not regret this experience. On the contrary, he is convinced that regret is a futile business. Any choice shapes us, and even mistakes become part of the experience that cannot be obtained otherwise.
During his service, Oleksandr ended up in the assault units. At first, as an infantryman in Bakhmut, at a time when there was no clear structure of positions and ranks. There were commanders - and everyone else, who were called stormtroopers. They were the ones who did the hardest work.
Later, he was transferred to fire support. He led a mortar crew, and at the end of his combat career, he commanded a mortar battery. All of his positions were directly related to combat missions. He deliberately avoided rear-end roles.
For Oleksandr, one thing was of principle: not to give orders for tasks in which you yourself are not ready to participate. He considers the most difficult part of the service to be responsibility for others, especially when resources do not match the tasks.
“I always went forward with the guys,” he says. And not because he was looking for recognition, but because he considered it unfair to shift the risk only to subordinates.
At the end of his service, Oleksandr became the battalion’s chief sergeant. This role required not only professionalism, but also trust. In wartime, trust is the currency that is paid for with your life.
The army brings together people with completely different life experiences. What in civilian life would be a cause for conflict loses its meaning in combat conditions. When death is nearby, another feeling appears - something very close to the herd instinct.
In combat units, according to Oleksandr, formal hierarchy fades into the background. Authority is gained not by rank, but by action. Whoever has done more, endured more difficult things, and has not retreated - is the one who has the greatest respect.
He compares this model with the Cossack tradition: when there is a case - there is a result, there is a test - there is respect.
Each city occupies a special place in his memories. Avdiivka is a city that at the time of defense had almost ceased to exist. Empty houses, scattered personal belongings, photo albums that preserve someone else's past.
"When you see this, you don't need motivation. You simply understand that any city can look like this," Oleksandr explains
It was this understanding that gave him the strength to hold on and not give up. Not slogans or orders, but a clear awareness of what the guys are standing for to the last.
After demobilization, a stage begins for which neither statutes nor orders prepare. Adaptation. Oleksandr says bluntly: this is a problem that no country in the world has solved. There are no universal solutions, because each war experience is unique.
He does not believe that he has fully adapted. Psychology changes, as does the perception of reality. What seems like a trifle to a civilian can have a completely different weight for a veteran. Even the manner of communication, reactions, and pace of life change.
It is difficult to explain, and often impossible. Because for a veteran, war did not “been”, but “is”. It accompanies him in memory, in reflexes, in the decision to look at the world from a different angle.
Oleksandr admits that he is looking for his own ways of adaptation. Of the simple but necessary ones that help him: a dog, which has become emotional support; the opportunity to get a rush of adrenaline, which is constantly lacking after the war; a gradual return to civilian routine.
Today, Oleksandr returned to work and the civilian team. He was received warmly and with understanding. But he admits: the issue of adaptation is not to the team, but to himself.
Some people need space and silence, while others need maximum workload. These boundaries are individual and very fragile.
Despite everything, Oleksandr does not regret his path. He does not like to talk about his merits, but he clearly realizes: he was involved in a great cause, held back the pressure, saved his life. He considers the respect of his comrades and the gratitude of the community to be the highest award.
The story of Oleksandr Holub is a story of strength that cannot be measured by awards or titles. It is manifested in how he lives after the war, how he learns to rebuild a routine, discover civilian life for himself, and not lose what shaped his character.