The path that changed everything: the story of Volodymyr Nikolayenko
There are moments after which life will no longer be the same as before. For Volodymyr Nikolayenko, a light truck driver from Zaporizhzhia, such a moment was the morning of February 24, 2022.
That day, as usual, he woke up at about five in the morning, heard several explosions and went to work. There, his colleagues told him that the war had begun. At first, Volodymyr did not believe it: “I say: we were joking - and that's enough.” But the next morning he himself came to the military coma.
The first months of service were difficult: registration, new tasks, business trips that could last from ten days to a month. In early 2023, Volodymyr, together with his comrades, underwent training at the training ground, after which he began to protect critical infrastructure. He remained in this service until his discharge.
He says that there was not much difference between him at work and in the army. If he saw injustice, he spoke about it, even when it came to commanders. Because of his character, he could sometimes not like someone, but he was not going to keep quiet when he thought something was wrong.
After his release, Volodymyr returned to civilian life. Operations, documents, communication with other services - all this takes time. It was necessary to get used to the usual rhythm of life again. And when it seemed that the restoration was over, on the night of February 26, 2026, a "Shahed" arrived at his house. The car was destroyed, part of the house was damaged. A pet died. Volodymyr and his family, fortunately, survived.
Today, he is gradually recovering and learning to live in a normal rhythm again. He says that after the service it is not always easy to get used to simple conversations, household chores and usual worries. You begin to perceive many things completely differently.
But despite everything, Volodymyr continues to make plans, work and look ahead.
His story is about a decision that had to be made one morning, about years of service, a difficult return, and a life that had to be chosen anew. But even more, it is about the power of moving on and planning for your tomorrow, even after what is left behind.