The Journey of a Female Ukrainian Combat Medic

Women in arms! Bravo! An angel in disguise!

"Marina once imagined a very different future for herself. After years spent studying and working toward a medical career in Poland, she expected her life to remain abroad.

Instead, the war pulled her back to Ukraine.

Today, under the call sign “Bandana,” the 29-year-old evacuation medic serves with the Black Cossacks near eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv, helping wounded soldiers survive in a war increasingly shaped by drones, distance and constant uncertainty. ..."

‘You No Longer Belong to Yourself Here’
– Journey of a Female Ukrainian Combat Medic "A woman who once planned her future abroad returned to Ukraine and joined the army. Today, as an evacuation medic, “Bandana” helps keep wounded soldiers alive."

Marina, known by the call sign “Bandana,” serves as an evacuation medic with the Black Cossacks near the grey zone east of Kharkiv, April 2026