"Academik (Academician) on line". Last Battle of Hero of Ukraine Pavlo Sbytov. Film by Iryna Sampan

I dedicate this film to my friend, a loyal commander, Hero of Ukraine (posthumously), Pavlo Sbytov. On March 9, 2022, mechanized columns of Russian troops comprising five battalion tactical groups (up to 2,000 personnel) launched an offensive against Zachativka, near Volnovakha in the Donetsk region. At that time, these settlements were defended only by the 503rd Separate Marine Battalion and a company of the 140th SRB (Separate Reconnaissance Battalion). Under the command of battalion commander Pavlo Sbytov, the marines engaged in an uneven battle, suffering their first casualties.

To avoid encirclement, the battalion withdrew to Yevhenivka and established a perimeter defense. On March 11, the enemy almost completely surrounded the village, but marines held their ground. Battalion commander Pavlo Sbytov refused to leave his troops and withdrew to a remote command post.

Dmytro Bahatiuk, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB (Separate Marine Battalion)

- At the time of the full-scale invasion, Pasha (hypocoristics of "Pavlo" are "Pasha", "Pavlyk" - ed.note), was the commander of a Separate Marine Battalion. And at that time, we were on a combat mission, taking up defensive positions along the borders near the village of Verkhnotoretske.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- Nothing significant was happening on our section of the front at first, except for an increase in shelling. A couple of days later, the enemy began sabotage and reconnaissance operations, something we had not previously observed in that area. Moreover, this area included one of the pedestrian entry-exit checkpoints, which had been closed and unused since the start of COVID.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

- I called him on the 24th, and I asked him: ‘Pavlyk, is it war?’ He answered, ‘You have a war there too, haven`t you?’ I said, ‘Yes, we have it too.’ He realized we were far away here in Lviv.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- On February 28, we received a combat order to hand over our sector within 12 hours and move to a concentration area.

Viacheslav Shanda, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- We received an order to move toward Mariupol. We were instructed to take ammunition only—no personal belongings, nothing except ammunition and weapons.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- We already knew that the fighting was taking place right on the outskirts of Mariupol. The frontline had reached the outskirts, and in some areas, battles were already within city limits. We realized that our primary task at that moment was to prevent the enemy from advancing along the border between Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, thus avoiding encirclement of all units defending in the Joint Forces Operation area. Such encirclement would have dealt a severe blow to the Armed Forces as a whole.

Oleksandr Svynarchuk, a soldier of the 36th SMB

- At first, everything was under control, everything was fine, our units were on the line, carrying out all the attacks. In our direction, as far as I understood from the information that came to me, everything was fine until they breached defenses of the unit that was our neighbor on the left. I think it was the 53rd Brigade in the Volnovakha area. And it turns out that if you look towards the enemy, they started to outflank us from the left side of Mariupol. At the same time, other units of the Russian Federation were moving from Kherson, from Crimea. 

Vladyslav Sochynskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- From that moment, our battalion was unleashed. Before that, we couldn’t fire freely—we had to report every shot. But now it was just war, and we could finally kill the b*stards.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- Since most of the battalion’s soldiers and their families at that time were local residents of Mariupol, the unit’s morale and fighting spirit were extremely high. Everyone was eager to get home and fight the Katsaps. No one even considered refusing to carry out the mission or trying to avoid it.

Viacheslav Shanda, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- But we didn’t make it there because by that time, there was encirclement around Mariupol. That meant we could no longer reach the city.

Oleksandr Svynarchuk, a soldier of the 36th SMB

- They kept surrounding, surrounding, surrounding us... and I think by March 10, the encirclement had completely closed. The connection was lost—mobile service, I think—somewhere around March 7-8.

A fragment from the video: Those bastards bombed a school, a kindergarten. Everything is on fire. There are 37 children in the basement. F#ck, 37 children. These b#stards are hitting us with Grads. And tell me, who the fuck is the real evil here, huh?

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- On the night of March 1 to 2, we transitioned to a defensive position, taking up fortifications near the village of Zachativka. The battalion was spread across several settlements: Zaliznychna, Zachativka, and Krasna Poliana. By that time, the first combat clashes had already begun, particularly near the Zachativka and Zaliznychna railway stations.

Vladyslav Sochynskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- From March 3 to 9, we defended these settlements. It was extremely difficult, but the battalion performed exceptionally well.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

- On March 8, I was at work, just about to go home when my Viber rang—it was Pavlusyk. He was probably in a trench; it was very dark. There was a small light above him. He looked overgrown, darkened, and I couldn't even say a word. And then he started congratulating me on March 8. And I just started crying. And he said: 'Everything will be fine, Mom. I love you so much. I love you very much.' And I told him: 'Take care of yourself, my son, I beg you because I don’t know what’s going to happen.' He replied: 'Everything will be fine, don’t worry.'"

Vladyslav Sochynskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- On March 9, a force of around 2,000 enemy troops came at us—three APCs (armored personnel carriers). They struck right at the junction points between our units.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- At night, we were at the command post with the battalion commander. At that time, I was the head of intelligence, and all the data passed through me before I relayed it to the commander. He then made decisions based on the situation. Around 3:30 AM, I received an intelligence report—aerial reconnaissance images. To say we were shocked would be an understatement. We saw with our own eyes what was positioned right next to us—a column up to 2 km long, spread across five rows. They were stationed along the tree lines. Around 6 AM, this entire horde was advancing at us. They advanced from multiple directions: from Zachativka, the railway, and the road leading from the settlement of Azovske. Then, battalions moved in columns between the settlements of Chervona Poliana and directly towards Chervona Polyana itself. The enemy deployed a battalion tactical group against each of our companies defending its sector—equipped with tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and an overwhelming number of infantry troops.

In the first hours of the battle, our soldiers were simply stunned by the sheer number of enemy personnel advancing on us. The machine gunners were losing their minds. The Russians (ed.) kept marching forward, stepping over their own dead, falling, and continuing their advance—just wave after wave, relentless. The senior command ordered a withdrawal to another settlement, to the area of Vilne, and later to Yevhenivka. By that time, we learned that the neighboring units on our left and right had already been forced to withdraw, as they could no longer hold their positions. This put us under an immediate and serious threat of encirclement—the first time we had ever faced such a massive risk of being surrounded. Our units conducted a highly organized maneuver, covering each other as they withdrew to another settlement, where they immediately set up new defensive positions. However, the situation was far more complicated for the second marine company, positioned on the right flank of the battalion. The enemy managed to partially encircle them in Chervona Poliana.

Viacheslav Shanda, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- My company was still making its way out of Chervona Poliana on the 9th—it took us another full day to break through the encirclement. We managed to spend the nights of March 9-10 and 10-11 in Yevhenivka. There, only artillery was active. On the first night, nearly all of us took shelter in a church. The next day, the church was gone. Thank God, none of our people were inside when it was destroyed. By March 10, the defense lines had already been taken up. My company was positioned on the first street, covering the direction from which the enemy was advancing. The air assault company took positions along the approach to Vuhledar. Slightly further back, on the second street, radio jamming station was deployed. Meanwhile, the first company was stationed in the hangars.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- By the morning of March 10, the first enemy units—if I'm not mistaken, from the 160th Motorized Rifle Division—had already begun their assault on the village of Yevhenivka.

Viacheslav Shanda, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

And the COP (command and observation post) was near that church. And there was a club opposite. And, as always, it was one of the largest premises where we could stay, where we could at least organise something. That is, the headquarters was somewhere on the fourth street.

Vladyslav Sochynskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

On the 10th, we held a defence. It was also very difficult, in fact. Because it was new for us. It was all about moving, plus we lost almost all our equipment. Except for three IFVs (infantry fighting vehicles).

Viacheslav Shanda, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

Grads, aviation, and helicopters were constantly striking us. Everything that could be used against us was used—tanks, BMP-3s, fighter jets. We had no equipment left in my company, for example. Our vehicles were left in the encirclement, forcing us to destroy them—either by mining or burning them.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- On March 10, we fought off. Accordingly, enemy retreated. However, the artillery fire continued non-stop, 24/7. The enemy also attempted fire raids using tanks—one would roll out, fire, and withdraw. They operated in mobile strike groups. Then, on the morning of March 11, the enemy launched another offensive, but this time from three directions. On our left flank, we had a slight advantage—a reservoir. It was a natural defensive barrier that helped us slow the enemy’s movement.

We took control of all the key roads, bridges, and dams in the area, placing them under fire control. Engineers had already fortified and mined these routes, making it clear to the enemy that maneuvering through the area would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. By March 11, as the enemy intensified pressure from multiple directions, the shelling of our positions increased dramatically. That was when our battalion suffered its first significant losses.

Viacheslav Shanda, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- I remember the IFVs arriving on March 10. The first company had been in constant combat because they had armored vehicles and were positioned in the hangars. One of the IFVs—I'm not sure how it got through such an IFV—was taken out by our second company. When we searched the wreckage, we found documents and personal belongings of our comrades who had been trapped in the encirclement.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- Despite the dire situation, Pavlo kept control as much as possible, leading his units directly from the center of the battle alongside his marines. He stayed with them, not at a safe distance, not at some rear command post—he was right there in the settlement. He was repeatedly told, 'Pasha, you need to pull back a little to rear positions", first of all, to maintain command and stable communication. You need to reposition slightly to avoid the risk of losing control.' But he refused to leave his men.

Vladyslav Sochynskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- This battle was even harder because the enemy had regrouped, identified our positions, and was now targeting the same junction points where they had managed to partially break through on the first day before retreating. By midday, the situation had reached a critical point—perhaps the most critical moment of that battle—because the center of our forces, our unit, began to suffer heavy losses. As a result, some of our troops started pulling back through the streets, unable to hold the line any longer. On top of that, the enemy had BMP-3s and waves of infantry they were throwing at us without any hesitation.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

- On the morning of March 11, I was getting ready for work. Just as I stepped out of the house, I saw an incoming call from Pavlyk. I quickly picked up the phone. I asked, 'Pavlyk, why haven’t you written anything? How are you, my son? What’s happening over there?' But he just said, 'Mom, listen, don’t talk—just listen, I don’t have any time. Mom, I’m begging you, some girls are coming to you. I don’t know how many, they’ll come with their families, but they will come. Whoever comes to you from me, please accept them all.' And with that, he cut off the conversation. I didn’t even have time to say anything back. Later, I told him, 'You know, I’ll give everything for them. Just hold on, son."

Viacheslav Shanda, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- Thank God, at that moment, we were supplied with disposable launchers from different countries. Some of them came from Germany. We were sitting in a basement under fire, reading the instructions on how to use them. Everyone was in position, sheltering under cover, waiting for the right moment—there was no point in rushing out under artillery fire. Observers were stationed at their posts, keeping watch. At one point, the company commander was transmitting over the radio and said, 'Alright, I’ll go check where the tanks are.' He stepped outside. The very moment he walked out, a tank shell hit. I thought he was dead. Then suddenly, he ran back inside, shouting, 'I’m alive, everything’s fine!' We just stared at him, thinking, 'How did you survive?'"

Dmytro Bahatiuk, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- After the BMP-3 columns started advancing, we needed to adjust our artillery fire. I left the hideout to relay coordinates. Moments later, a tank round landed right in front of us. I was hit by multiple shrapnel wounds. I fell to the ground, lost consciousness for a moment, then came to. I immediately radioed the battalion commander, Academician, and reported: 'I’m wounded. I need evacuation.'

Viacheslav Shanda, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- Pavlo Olehovych said, 'That’s it, evacuate him.' I ran out, and at that moment, a tank shell landed near me. The blast threw me several meters. I couldn’t hear anything, I couldn’t see anything, but somehow, I had no shrapnel wounds. After about a minute, I started seeing flashes of light, then faint sounds came through. I looked ahead and saw a gate right in front of us. That was our only way in—we just had to run for it. Just as I was about to enter, another shell hit, slamming me straight into that gate.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- Running purely on adrenaline, he made it to the command post. He reported that Dmytro was seriously wounded. He himself was also injured—his leg was barely functioning. He said he needed help to get Dmytro to the evacuation point. I told Pavlo, 'I’m going to get Dmytro.' He answered, 'Go ahead.

Viacheslav Shanda, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- I somehow managed to get back on my feet. Pavlo Olehovych and I went to find a car. I remember it clearly—it was an old cherry-red Zhiguli station wagon. As we approached, Pavlo Olehovych headed to the rear passenger door, Veselov went to the driver’s side, and I stood by the hood. A tank shell hit. The blast shattered my leg. Another round struck my body armor. I remember my last thought: 'Shit, I’m not wearing a helmet.' Instinctively, I hunched my head into my shoulders. Then I collapsed. Pavlo Olehovych and Veselov grabbed me and loaded me into the car.

Vladyslav Sochynskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- When the situation reached a critical moment, the center of our line was forced to withdraw. We tried to stabilize the situation by sending in reserves. But the enemy outflanked us with tanks, maneuvering between the nearby settlements on our left. Our neighbors were the Aidar unit, and the enemy broke through at the junction point between our positions. From the rear, they began shelling the approximate area of our СOP with tanks. At that point, we had a large number of wounded. The battalion commander and his deputies were actively coordinating the battle—moving between positions, monitoring the situation, issuing orders over the radio. At one point, our units were evacuating the wounded. Among them was a company commander. Pavlo Sbytov went to check on the wounded and to ensure the company commander had been evacuated. And at that very moment, a tank shell struck the COP.

11.03.2022

Vladyslav Sochynskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- There was dust everywhere—we couldn’t see a thing, couldn’t tell what was happening. My comrade and I immediately ran to check on the commander. He had been partially crushed by the collapsing building. We started pulling him out as quickly as we could, but the debris, rubble, and fallen stones were in the way. Still, we managed to drag him some distance away. Then, another explosion went off—the tank shell hit the wall, and the entire structure collapsed. We got injured there—not too badly, just bruises and minor wounds from flying bricks. But the commander got buried under even more rubble.

Pavlo Sbitov's remark in an interview from 2019

-  I became a company commander when I was 23 years old. I believe that no matter what kind of commander you are, you must always remain human. You must always communicate with your troops, listen to them, understand them, and, above all, support them. When soldiers feel the commander’s support, when they know they can rely on him, leading them becomes much easier.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

- Pavlo was born in a small village. He was a long-awaited, deeply desired child. But when he was just five months old, he fell gravely ill and was admitted to intensive care. The doctors gave him no chance of survival. But because we are Christians, we come from a deeply devout family, and our only hope was in God. Every day, I prayed. I stood outside the intensive care unit, pleading with God to save him. And I made a promise to myself: if he survived, he would become a priest. I kept saying, 'God, he will save people’s souls.

Pavlo Sbytov's homeform teacher Kateryna Ivanivna.

- Pavlo studied in this class. There were 15 boys and one girl, Iryna. Pavlo was the class monitor and the captain of the football team. They always won top prizes. I often scolded him—probably because he sometimes exceeded his authority. He thought he knew everything and could do anything. But I also had to maintain my own authority. That’s why he got in trouble from time to time. One day, Pavlo really pushed his limits. I had to come up with a punishment for him. So I typed up a notice stating that Pavlo Sbytov would be expelled from school for violating discipline. I took the notice straight to the stadium, where they were playing a football match. They didn’t hear or see me at first. But I called out, 'Come here, Pavlo.' He took the paper. I told him, 'Read it, read it—you've played around enough.' He read it, furrowed his eyebrows—he had such beautiful eyebrows—then frowned and said, 'You have no right. This is illegal.' I told him, 'I have every right, Pavlo.' He handed the paper back to me and ran off to join his friends. That was our Pavlo—cheerful, confident, and always a man of his word.

Pavlo Sbytov's remark in an interview from 2019

-  You are 25 years old. How long have you been in the army?

- If you can call it an army, then I started my military journey back in 2010 at the Heroes of Kruty Military Lyceum, when I was only 15 years old.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

-  That’s how it started—‘I will go to the Heroes of Kruty Lyceum, I want to go there.’ Initially, students could enroll right after the 8th grade. The lyceum was in Lviv. But 8th grade still seemed too young for us. I told him, 'Pavlo, maybe you should reconsider, you still have time. The school here is close, stay with us a little longer.' So he stayed through the 8th grade. But in 9th grade, he finally said, 'Mom, I want to go to the lyceum.' I thought, 'A lyceum isn’t a bad idea. It’s not the end of the road. He will see the discipline, the structure, the semi-military life. Maybe he will change his mind later.' My husband and I didn’t try to stop him. We didn’t say, 'You don’t need this.' Instead, we told him, 'If you want to try it, go ahead.' And so, in 9th grade, we sent him to Lviv, to that lyceum.

Dmytro Bahatiuk, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- What did we grow up on? Before 2009, when I finished school and went to college, what kind of movies did they show us? Films about Chechnya, about Afghanistan, about '9th Company.' We looked up to those Russian paratroopers—they were our role models. But Pasha grew up on the Sich Riflemen, on the UPA soldiers, on national heroes.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

-  His dream was to study at the Lviv Land Forces Academy—he had planned everything out. But instead, he was assigned to the airborne troops and transferred to Odesa. As it turned out, that was exactly what he had dreamed of. He didn’t want the infantry—he wanted something different. And I, as a mother, not knowing anything about the military, thought, 'Oh God, what are you thinking? Odesa? No, no, no, Pavlo, that’s too much.' I told him, 'Choose something in Lviv, or don’t go into the military at all.'

Pavlo Sbytov's remark in an interview from 2019

- They were always against me joining the army and building my career solely in the military. But I think that's how most parents are, especially since there were no military personnel in my family—I was the first. It was something completely new for us, an unknown step—this whole army thing, all those scary movies, and so on—back when there was no war. They all kept asking, ‘Why do you need this? Stay with us.’ They wanted me to go to a civilian university instead, but I said no—I wanted to be a soldier. So I entered the Lviv Academy.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

- And so, to avoid upsetting me too much, he said, ‘Alright, alright, let’s do this.’ That’s how he ended up choosing the Faculty of Command and Control of Mechanized Units—what’s commonly referred to as infantry. And so, he enrolled in the academy.

Volodymyr Melnyk, head of the training course at the National Army Academy

-At that time, he demonstrated strong leadership and organizational skills, which led to his first command appointment—as the squad leader of a unit specializing in the management of mechanized forces. He served in this position until he graduated from our academy.

As a course leader, I was always surprised that, despite coming from a town near the academy, he never requested leave. Instead, he always prioritized his subordinates, ensuring they had more opportunities to rest. He spent most of his weekends at the academy, dedicating himself to extra physical training and other activities. 

He understood any task I assigned almost instantly. He belonged to that category of servicemen who needed only to be given a task—without the need for constant supervision. In his studies, he was primarily interested in military disciplines, with a particular focus on firearms training rather than tactics. He regularly attended additional classes and extracurricular clubs organized by the firearms training department. He especially loved taking on the role of combat vehicle commander during live-fire exercises with BMP-2 and BTR-80 weapons. He always made an effort to lead, not only to support his subordinates but also to assist his fellow cadets in mastering various shooting drills.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

-  I was at that final forming-up. I saw how they opened those envelopes, how each one read aloud where they were assigned to serve. Then my Pavlo read his: ‘Marine Corps. Mykolaiv.’ They were also released a little early. After the ceremony, I found out that there were about five of them in the group—guys who, due to certain achievements, had the right to choose their assignments. And it turned out that my Pavlo had chosen the Marines himself. He picked his own unit.

Pavlo Sbytov's father Oleh Sbytov

- He kept saying to me, ‘Dad, I want to go somewhere hot, somewhere where is intense.’ He kept repeating it over and over."

Pavlo Sbytov's remark in an interview from 2019

- I just want to say—there's probably nothing to worry about. As long as we are here, as long as the Armed Forces of Ukraine stand, as long as the Ukrainian Marines exist—you can sleep peacefully.

It was on the outskirts of Mariupol, in the Mariupol sector. This was 2016, just after I graduated from the academy. Barely six months had passed since I took command of my unit, trained them a little, and then we immediately deployed on rotation. I thought I was ready. But in reality, everything turned out to be completely different. What you see on TV, what your senior comrades tell you—it’s all different in practice. Out there, you have to make split-second decisions. And you realize that every choice you make means the life and health of your men.

Dmytro Bahatiuk, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

-  Since the beginning of both his and my career in the Marines, we’ve always moved forward side by side. When we were company commanders—if I had a problem, he helped me. If he had a problem, I helped him. Other commanders from different military units, when they heard that two company commanders were actively communicating and helping each other, they thought we were crazy. ‘That’s not how things work in the army,’ they said. ‘Everyone is supposed to compete, not cooperate.’ But we supported each other. And it wasn’t just the two of us—it was how everyone in our unit treated one another. That was how we were raised.

Pavlo Sbytov's remark in a radio interview

-  Everyone knows that the Marine Corps is like a family. All are friends, all are comrades. And when a unit embarks on long marches, that family bond truly shows itself—everyone helps each other, and no one gets left behind. The goal isn’t to prove how physically strong you are, whether you can march 60, 100, or even 150 kilometers. The goal is for this team, this unit that set out together, to complete the journey together.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- I had known him for many years. He was my best friend. We lived together, spent time together—I knew him well. I understood what he was going through, but he never showed it. And the troops looked at him and saw the same thing—a commander with high morale, calm and composed, with no trace of panic. He was always focused on setting combat tasks and managing the battle. That was his talent.

Oleksandr Svynarchuk, a soldier of the 36th SMB

- On Friday morning, part of the battalion—including Pavlo, myself, and many others—was scheduled to deploy for the Agile Spirit exercises in Georgia. In five days, we were supposed to set sail from the port of Ochakiv to Georgia across the Black Sea. The commander gave permission for those involved in the exercises to go home, gather the necessary gear, rest, and visit their families—under Pavlo’s responsibility. While we were having dinner, Pavlo said: 'Look, why should we go to Mariupol? We have four days. Let’s go to my parents’ place in Lviv region. We’re leaving from Odesa, and I doubt we’ll find any train tickets at this point. So what do you suggest?' I had an idea. I asked, 'Do you still have your salary? Ours just came in.' He said, 'Yeah, I do.' So I said, 'Alright, let’s find a car with foreign plates, buy it, drive to my place, then to yours, and when we get back, we’ll still have a car. 'Perfect,' he said. 'Let’s do it—start looking.

Pavlo Sbytov's remark in an interview

-  The Marines are about three elements—air, land, and sea. We’ve conquered the air. We’ve proven our strength on land, executing combat missions. And now, at sea, we have shown that we can also be sailors. I am a true Marine—of all three elements. I am also a sailor. Right now, our Marine unit is heading to the Agile Spirit 2019 international exercises in Georgia. This year’s exercises are on a much larger scale, with the Ukrainian ground forces deploying a company-sized unit with armored vehicles, as well as a warship that is currently undergoing sea trials.

Dmytro Bahatiuk, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

-  We used to joke about the fact that whenever he went on foreign deployments, he got paid in foreign currency. And he traveled quite a lot. So every time he came back, we’d say, ‘Oh, our bro’s back from working abroad!’ That meant it was time to go out, have fun, and relax. Then, of course, after a while, the money would run out—maybe a salary delay, maybe unexpected expenses. And we'd sit there thinking, ‘Alright, looks like we need to send Pavel back abroad to earn some more!’ (laughs).

Pavlo Sbytov's remark in an interview

- We are striving to join NATO. And as a country that will—I'm certain of it—become a NATO member in the future, we must learn to cooperate with all allied nations and be capable of working together with them at any moment. That’s the first thing. And secondly, we must build strong cooperation with the Georgians—because we have a common enemy.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

- Do you know what he wanted most of all? He wanted us to buy him a house in Mariupol. It must have been around 2018 or 2019, and he was so eager about it. I told him, ‘Pavlo, serve your five years and then leave the army. What house in Mariupol? What are you even talking about?’ But he just said, ‘Mom, there are amazing houses there, and they’re so cheap!’ I told him, ‘What are you thinking? Mariupol is far from us. You’ll finish your service and come home for a bit.’ He asked, ‘And what am I supposed to do at home?’

I told him, ‘Well, there’s work here too—you’ll find something.’ And he just laughed at me, ‘You keep talking, Mom. But I know what I want.’

Dmytro Bahatiuk, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- Regular time spent in trenches, dugouts, constant drafts, freezing temperatures—it all takes a toll on your health. When he had health problems, when I had health problems, when Bohdan did—we would sit down in the evenings and realize that guys who were only 25-27 years old already had the same health issues as men in their 50s. Every soldier who serves for more than five years develops a certain set of chronic conditions. And he used to say, ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if I don’t make it to 40.’ It wasn’t the first time he said that. And honestly, none of us really thought too far ahead. We just lived for the day.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- Pavlo sustained multiple injuries that, unfortunately, were incompatible with life. When I got back to the command post, he was already gone. I couldn’t believe it at first. I turned to the assistant deputy artillery officer and said, ‘Vasyl Olehovych, maybe he’s still alive? Maybe he’s just unconscious?

Dmytro Bahatiuk, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

-  An evacuation vehicle arrived. I was lying on the ground because I had shrapnel wounds to my face and leg. I was just coming to after all the medical interventions, and then I saw it—a black body bag about 10 meters away. I asked the medic, ‘Who is that?’ He answered, ‘That’s the Academician.’ And in that moment, I realized—just 20, maybe 25 minutes ago, I was talking to him over the radio.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

-  He could have relocated the command post to a safer position—but he chose otherwise. He sent the chief of staff and the operations unit back with the command APC at rear positions, so they could maintain communication with higher command. If they could set up an internet connection, they would be able to transmit and receive such data. But he stayed. I, as the head of intelligence, was always by his side, along with the chief of artillery and several sergeants who helped run the command post.

Vladyslav Sochynskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- The enemy was pushed back. First and foremost, all credit goes to the men on the frontlines. They held their ground, they didn’t break, they didn’t panic—they kept fighting, even after hearing over the radio that their commander had been killed. We were also reinforced by a company from the 95th Brigade. Their tank crews were absolutely fearless—they stormed into the village, destroying everything in their path. They tore through the enemy, maneuvering unpredictably, striking hard, and causing chaos. Their contribution was crucial to the outcome of that battle. As a result, the enemy retreated. They failed to break through our lines. We regrouped and were ordered to withdraw to Novoukrainka.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

- Everyone was in shock—this was a tremendous loss for all of us. For me personally, it felt like losing a brother. For the soldiers, the officers, his subordinates—it was the same. That evening, when the battle had quieted down a bit, I told everyone not to call anyone just yet. I took it upon myself to call Pavlo’s mother—because I knew that if anyone had to tell her, it should be me. Even though it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

- I started calling everyone—I refused to believe it was true. His best friend was the first to tell me. Then the connection was lost. I called everyone I could, everyone I knew. I begged the military commissariat—‘Bring me my son.

Bohdan Przehalinskyi, a serviceman of the 503rd SMB

-  He was always at the front. His leadership style was built on leading by example. He believed that his men should always see their commander right there beside them. And in that situation—one that was incredibly difficult—his presence meant everything. When the Marines saw their commander fighting alongside them, just as they were, they drew strength from it. It pushed them forward—it made them fight harder, with even more determination. That’s why, I believe, Pavlo made the choice to stay.

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

-  No matter where I was—leaving the house, coming back home—I could always see the grave. Later, closer to summer, when the trees began to bloom and the branches filled out, they covered it a little from view. I looked at it, and somehow, it made me feel just a little calmer. There hasn’t been a single day that I haven’t visited. When I go to work twice a day, I stop by the grave first. On my way home—I go to the grave. No matter where I go during lunch, no matter where I’m coming from, I always go to the grave.

Pavlo Sbytov's father Oleh Sbytov

-  Every single day. If I miss a day, I can’t bear it. I go to the grave, sit on the bench. It’s easier to talk to him there. Because here… here, everything just tightens inside. But there, I sit down, and I talk to him. About what? Memories. I’m sorry… it’s hard for me to talk right now

Pavlo Sbytov's mother Ivanna Sbytova

-  Even before they brought him home, I already knew about the award. A few days before, I had heard that he had been honored. But I didn’t understand what they were trying to tell me. They kept saying, ‘He’s a hero, he’s a hero.’ He is a hero… but they’re all heroes. Only after the funeral did it really sink in—that he had been awarded the title of Hero and the Golden Star. That it was the highest honor the state could bestow. I am proud of him. But it's very hard for me. It's very hard. You realize that nothing can be changed, that you just have to live with it. And you realize you’re not alone. That there are so many other mothers like you. And then you think—there are mothers who never even got to bury their children. And that thought leaves nothing more to say. Every night, I pray to God, asking that this war ends as soon as possible, that peace comes as soon as possible. That we don’t leave this suffering for our grandchildren. That this death, these sacrifices, the heroism of our children—will not have been in vain.