My name is Ishchuk Nataliya Dmytrivna. Wife of the fallen soldier, Ishchuk Volodymyr Stepanovych.
Nick name “Kushch.” Killed in Ilovaisk on August 26th.
When he left, I begged him not to go. I told him I’d go to my mother’s, someplace far away.
I told him that if he left, I would not stay. This was his decision. Men…you just have to listen to them.
His mother said that she followed him. He walked away, turned around, wiped the tears from his eyes and left. He knew where he was going.
I think they entered Ilovaisk on August 19th. I talked to him then, he said 20 kilometers from Donetsk.
He mostly asked me questions: what’s going on at home, how the kids were, how mom was. “Everything ok over there?”. He constantly worried that he hadn’t prepared wood for the winter before he left.
He said he couldn’t, he’d stay and cover. For some reason he stayed. He waited for the whole group, until everyone [in the vehicle – Ed.].
As a result, he was last. He was covering them, that’s how I understood it. When he fell, Misha Biletskyy saw him.
He retreated right before, was running to the vehicle.
He saw him, went back. Grabbed him under the arms. Brought him back to the vehicle and they drove him to the school.
He said: “Tell my wife and kids that I fought to the end.”
I said: “Ishchuk.” He asked: “Volodymyr?” “Yes, Ishchuk, Volodymyr Stepanovych,” I said.
“He’s been killed.” And that was it. Not a drop of sympathy, nothing.
I was looking at him: “How did he die?” Valya started crying immediately. “How did he die?” I demanded.
He just turned 30.
Stas (son) turned 3 on August 16th. Vova was 30, and his son was 3. Anyechka was only 9 months old.
I don’t remember those days very well. I remember how Stasyk [son – Ed.] came up to my sister and said: “Grandma is crying, maybe my daddy’s been killed in the war.” This I remember very well.
I believe that the Good Lord in heaven sees everything. I believe that, if not here, then there, they [Russians – Ed.] will suffer for all that they do.