"War is won not by wise generals, but by patriotic soldiers": the story of Viktor Ozhogin, who has been fighting since 2014.

These unanswered questions continuously pulsed in my mind and heart as I prepared for a conversation with Viktor Ozhogin – a renowned sports commentator, honored journalist of Ukraine, major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a man who has experienced the hottest spots on the front line. Additionally, he is my godfather, whom I have known well since early childhood.

To be precise, I used to think I knew him well. However, it turned out that this was not entirely true. The sincere kind-hearted and cheerful Ozhogin – as he is affectionately called by children, adults, old friends, and even acquaintances – is a man of celebration, the soul of the company, and the commander of a company who participated with his comrades in numerous fierce battles against the Russians, now seem to me like individuals from different worlds.

I spoke with my godfather on Sunday afternoon. My call caught him just as he had returned from a sports field where he had been playing football with his comrades (despite his respectable age and two serious injuries, he strives to live as fully as he once did – this is Ozhogin, I recognize him!) and was about to cook the soup his daughter had asked for in the morning. She said that no one cooks this dish as deliciously as dad does, and neither she nor her mother can manage it. Or perhaps Karina deliberately asked her dad for this, wanting to have another opportunity to express her gratitude and boundless love.

At that moment, despite my long-standing experience in the profession, I felt a bit flustered. Of course, I prepared a series of questions for our conversation, arranging them in what I believed was a logical sequence. But this was an unusual interview – with my godfather, a war hero… So, I sensed that I needed to start this communication in a unique way. But how exactly?...

A moment of silence hung in the air. Then my godfather, sensing the main reason for that pause, cheerfully commanded:

His story, resembling more of a confession, was so touching and captivating that it immersed my imagination in the horrific events he recounted, making me empathize with the narrator so deeply that I simply couldn't dare to interrupt him. Clarifying questions arose later – during our ongoing conversation and when I was preparing the text for publication.

"The Elder Grandfather" of the National Guard: from battles on the front line to service in the rear

– I will start my story from the end, so to speak. I spent 2024 in the rear, – Viktor Ozhogin recounts. – After my second injury, which occurred on July 3, 2023, I spent four months in recovery – first in Dnipro, then in Kyiv. A fragment of an enemy shell hit the same spot as almost a year before. To be honest, I seriously considered resigning from the army at that time. But the commander insisted: "Viktor Ivanovich, we lack experienced officers. You are a combat veteran; please stay."

My hesitations faded – I continued my service. Initially, I worked as the deputy commander of the battalion, a political officer in the infantry battalion, responsible for the security of particularly important facilities in Dnipropetrovsk region. I received the rank of major: previously, I was a captain, a company commander, and now I became the deputy commander of the battalion.

Half a year later, I was transferred to the regiment. This was somewhat of a relief: finally, I had the opportunity to sleep at home. In our regiment, officers and soldiers who are not on duty have this right.

3

In my new position, the responsibilities were no less but different. My department deals with personnel matters: upbringing, support, investigations. It may not be the front line, but it is still a war. We have many wounded, some captured, and others missing in action. Each case requires attention, careful investigation, and clarification of the circumstances.

A particular challenge arose with cases of unauthorized abandonment of the unit (UAU). Here, too, we had to study the situations, analyze what drives people to such actions. There is a lot of work, mostly paperwork. I can't say that I enjoy this aspect of service, but someone has to do it. Each document, each case represents someone's life, and thus it is an important part of our struggle.

However, my journey in the Armed Forces of Ukraine is coming to an end. The final decision has already been made, and I have informed the leadership. In March, I will turn 67 years old. To be honest, I don't think there are many officers my age left in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I jokingly call myself the "elder grandfather" of the National Guard of Ukraine.

– But you look, without exaggeration, ten years younger. Despite the challenges you have faced...

– Well, according to the relevant documents, I am indeed ten years younger. I will reveal a secret that has long been known to many – smiles Viktor Ivanovich. – When at the beginning of the war, I was refused a call-up to the Armed Forces of Ukraine because I was supposedly too "old," I "corrected" my year of birth in my military ID: instead of 1958, I put down 1968. So I became ten years younger.

– These ten years of war have left a profound mark. So many events, battles, injuries, and life tragedies. To me, a person far from the front, it seems that only some superhuman with special physical, psychological, and moral capabilities can endure such experiences. It is no wonder that you, war heroes, are called cyborgs, steel, unbreakable...

– As for me, I am an ordinary person, – replies Viktor Ivanovich. – And you, Yulia, know me. Perhaps my character and physical preparation allowed me to carry out combat missions even in the toughest conditions. If it weren't for my injuries, I would still be on the front line. But now, to be honest, I can no longer walk 5-6 kilometers as quickly as I used to. I can't run like I did all these years either. So, I decided to help in the rear. There is enough work here too.

Of course, not only front-line soldiers but literally all Ukrainians are exhausted by this war now. But those who have been on this path from the very beginning – the volunteers I served with and who continue to serve – have the strength to hold on. My comrades are currently fighting in Kharkiv region. They face a new challenge there.

A volunteer at 56: 2014, the beginning of the war

– The Russians brought war to our land in 2014, and it was then that you immediately went to the front as a volunteer. What motivated you? Your daughter was just a little girl then...

– Yes, my youngest daughter Karina was only three and a half years old...

What motivated me? You know, when I once saw how the Russians were sinking our ships in Donuzlav near Yevpatoria, tears welled up. This is the very place where I once served! I had some experience: I graduated from the military department, served my conscription in the navy back in the USSR. And most importantly, I understood that young guys who were being mobilized en masse at that time needed help. Their experience was minimal or completely lacking, especially for those called up from rural areas. Even then, I realized that this war would last a long time. We had to prepare seriously.

In 2014, our army was practically stripped bare: no boots, no helmets, no proper body armor. My friends and classmates from Kyiv University helped our unit, and thanks to this, we were at least provided with the essentials. At that time, I was a platoon commander.

Initially, they didn't want to take me: 56 years old, reserve senior lieutenant. "We don't need officers like that," they said. But I told them, "Tomorrow you will be looking for me. Take me now because you will call me up anyway later." My specialty is the commander of a tank motorized rifle company.

– And then you went as a volunteer?

– Yes, I first joined the 17th Tank Brigade. But it quickly became clear that there was a shortage of officers in the National Guard, and I was transferred there. That’s where I began my service. I commanded a platoon. After a short training period, our platoon was sent to Talakivka, which is 15 kilometers from Mariupol. That was the front line.

4

At that time, the Minsk agreements had just been signed. We were undergoing training in Dnipro and were eager to go to the front to help our comrades who were holding the defense after Ilovaisk. But we were sent to Mariupol. There we were not allowed to shoot. Instead, the Russians fired at us with everything they had.

At that time, the governor of the Donetsk region was Serhiy Taruta. Thanks to his