The news of Russian troops crossing the border into Ukraine did not reach Serhii through TV, but through his window. The car mechanic was working in his shop when he heard the sounds of tanks rolling into Bucha, a town that was to become infamous a few weeks later when the Russians reportedly executed hundreds of civilians and prisoners of war.

Serhii (aged 42) says: "My only thoughts are around staying alive; keeping my family alive; that’s it. Every time I left the house, I wasn’t sure whether I would come back. There was a moment when I was riding a bicycle and a few metres away there was a man carrying water… I heard the gunshot, and he fell down. The man was just walking.”

When a tank approached Serhii’s house, where his wife and daughters were hidden in the basement, Serhii kneeled down in front of it and begged for the life of his children. Once again, he is ready to put his life on the line to ensure the horror that took place in his hometown does not repeat itself. Through training, Serhii becomes one of Pasha's closest companions.