An officer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces spent 343 days on the front line in the Zaporizhzhia sector
An officer from the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade named Oleksiy, call sign ‘Botanik’, spent 343 days on the front line in the Zaporizhzhia sector. This was reported by CNN. His time on the front line lasted from 1 April 2025 to 8 March 2026. Despite the opportunity to leave his post, he decided to stay due to a shortage of personnel.
According to the soldier, his company, like other units, is understaffed. Around half of the fighters are men over the age of 50. The battalion notes that the typical duration of service on the front line is usually three or four months, so Oleksiy’s service is considered one of the longest among officers.
He earned the call sign ‘Botanic’ because of his appearance and glasses, as well as his education. Oleksii is a biologist and holds a degree from V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. He describes his main task as minimising casualties, and his motivation as a desire to ensure that his family and daughter do not have to witness the consequences of war.
After 343 days on the front line, the officer was granted a month’s leave. During this time, he celebrated his daughter’s 10th birthday and taught her to ride a bike, before returning to his unit.
