For 22 days, Serhiy Chornobryvets barely slept and rarely took off his red doctor’s uniform as he rescued people injured by Russian attacks in his hometown. The port city in southeastern Ukraine endured some of the worst atrocities of the war and became a global symbol of Ukrainian resistance to Russian invasion. When Mr. Chornobryvets finally escaped from Mariupol, he joined an organization that sends doctors to the front lines in eastern Ukraine. The 24-year-old told the AP that he now feels at home in the military and is determined to remain a lifesaver on the battlefield throughout the war against Russia. He became known as the “Doctor of Mariupol” during the three-month assault on the city, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presenting him with an award for his bravery. Speaking about his time on the front line, Mr Chornobryvets said: “It was like going back to the Stone Age “There was looting, constant shelling, planes, aerial bombardment. “People around us were losing their minds, but we continued our work.” He added: “If I hadn’t survived Mariupol, I wouldn’t have gone to work as a (army) paramedic now. I wouldn’t have had enough courage.”
