In peacetime, Denis Valuiev worked as a mining machine operator at the coal mining site No. 2 of CG "Pokrovs'ke". Before the start of the war, he went to serve under a contract in the 56th separate motorised infantry brigade. Today, the miner defends Ukraine near Chasiv Yar, which is one of the hottest areas of the front.
The full-scale war caught Denys at the Desna training centre for the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Military training had to be interrupted on 24 February, because they had to meet a column of the russians near Chernihiv. Only at the beginning of May, he joined the tank battalion of his cherished brigade, fighting in Donetsk region.
“Then there were fierce battles near Pisky, Maryinka, Krasnogorivka, Grygorivka and Kurakhovo. Then, we were re-deployed to Zaporizhzhia region. After that, there was Bakhmut and the nearest settlements,” Denis recalls the geography of the battles.
In military service he holds the position of a senior driver-mechanic of a tank company and has the rank of junior sergeant. While working in the mine, Denys was responsible for the technical condition of the shearer, and now he takes care of ten battle tanks of the third tank company. The man jokes that in wartime repairs take place in free from combat assaults time, during the breaks, like at school.
"In a tank crew, I am a driver-mechanic. Together with our brothers, we go on combat missions, remain on duty, and conduct assaults on enemy positions. During the battle in the Grygorivka area, I received shrapnel wounds to the head and stomach. But after the first aid, I refused to leave the combat vehicle and decided to take the tank out of the line of fire. Thanks to fire support, we successfully evacuated the tank,” says Denys.
Together with the tank, a significant part of the infantry soldiers were extracted from the dangerous place. The russians fired at the car from "Grad", but all the eight infantry fighters survived. After this battle, Denys received concussion twice more. But he was always treated at the unit’s line, and he also underwent rehabilitation there. He received several awards for bravery and courage, including the medal “For the Defence of Bakhmut.” He has the “Best Tankman” award, but says that he is not fighting for the award.
After the war, Denys dreams of having a rest with his family. In two years, he saw his family for only two weeks. He says that he misses family comfort, calmness, quietness and his favourite job.
“I've been always proud of working in the mine. If, after returning from the front, I need to use my mining experience, I will get back to the colliery group with great pleasure,” says Denys. "My family supports me a lot, my beloved wife Karina and son Gleb. He's only five years old. Now they are in evacuation, live in Odesa. Thanks to the prayers of my wife and mother, I hope to return home alive. Like everyone else, I dream of our victory. Now, this is the main goal.
