Oksana Rubaniak is now 23 years old. She joined the army at 19 — in February 2022, she enlisted in a volunteer formation in Ivano-Frankivsk, and later joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade (OMBr). Now Oksana serves in the 67th OMBr’s unmanned systems battalion as the commander of the second company of strike unmanned aerial systems.
May 9, 2026. Dnipropetrovsk region. A brother-in-arms and I were driving and we saw goats. I was born in the year of the Goat: in my childhood, they told me I was as restless as a goat. And I adore them. My brother-in-arms didn’t understand what was happening then. I said, “There are goats. I’m going to pet the goats.”
May 9, 2026. Dnipropetrovsk region. A brother-in-arms and I were driving and we saw goats. I was born in the year of the Goat: in my childhood, they told me I was as restless as a goat. And I adore them. My brother-in-arms didn’t understand what was happening then. I said, “There are goats. I’m going to pet the goats.”
Beautiful fields of the Dnipropetrovsk region, and my brother-in-arms takes a picture of me driving. We were driving on that same day we saw the goats.
Beautiful fields of the Dnipropetrovsk region, and my brother-in-arms takes a picture of me driving. We were driving on that same day we saw the goats.
The guys and I were making a video thank-you for the shotguns. My friend — I call her the godmother of our unit — Natalia Haripova collected funds during her European tour and bought four pump-action shotguns for the company. With the help of these shotguns, we shoot down FPV drones: their crews take them along when they drive in or enter their positions.
The guys and I were making a video thank-you for the shotguns. My friend — I call her the godmother of our unit — Natalia Haripova collected funds during her European tour and bought four pump-action shotguns for the company. With the help of these shotguns, we shoot down FPV drones: their crews take them along when they drive in or enter their positions.
This is my dog, Zori. She has been living with me for a year and a half: she was in the Donetsk region near the stele, she went to the training ground, and she heard how Shaheds fly in and how they are shot down over our house. She is crazy and unbalanced — just like her owner.
I bought her in 2025, on the day of my fiancé Maksym’s funeral. We were planning a house, a dog, a family…. Zori comes from the Latin word Procyon — this is the name of the genus of animals that includes raccoons, and my fiancé had the call sign “Yenot” (Raccoon). He always called me his little star. I even have a star tattoo — I got it in memory of Maksym.
This is my dog, Zori. She has been living with me for a year and a half: she was in the Donetsk region near the stele, she went to the training ground, and she heard how Shaheds fly in and how they are shot down over our house. She is crazy and unbalanced — just like her owner.
I bought her in 2025, on the day of my fiancé Maksym’s funeral. We were planning a house, a dog, a family…. Zori comes from the Latin word Procyon — this is the name of the genus of animals that includes raccoons, and my fiancé had the call sign “Yenot” (Raccoon). He always called me his little star. I even have a star tattoo — I got it in memory of Maksym.
A photo from the dugout, from the position where our spotters are — they equip the drones. During that rotation, I went to the position with them. In the photo are our things: ammunition, jackets, and at the bottom — weapons.
A photo from the dugout, from the position where our spotters are — they equip the drones. During that rotation, I went to the position with them. In the photo are our things: ammunition, jackets, and at the bottom — weapons.
The guys are getting ready for their position, loading the “Vampire.” These are two of my brothers-in-arms — Simpson and Yaha.
The guys are getting ready for their position, loading the “Vampire.” These are two of my brothers-in-arms — Simpson and Yaha.
I am the commander of the bomber company. The pilots, thanks to remote control, are set back from the front line. In the photo is combat work: the navigator and pilot of the heavy bomber “Vampire” are striking the enemy.
I am the commander of the bomber company. The pilots, thanks to remote control, are set back from the front line. In the photo is combat work: the navigator and pilot of the heavy bomber “Vampire” are striking the enemy.
Is there love and friendship in war?
There is both friendship and love — both for a person and for the cause. I recently met an acquaintance, I was telling her about the unit and combat work, and she said, “Oksana, your eyes shine so much when you talk about work.” And I really do love it. I like what I am doing right now. It seems to me that I am in the right place, and I definitely feel love for my unit.
Finding love in the military is also possible. That’s what happened to me, but unfortunately, Maksym (Yenot) Yemets was killed in February 2025.
Is there love and friendship in war?
There is both friendship and love — both for a person and for the cause. I recently met an acquaintance, I was telling her about the unit and combat work, and she said, “Oksana, your eyes shine so much when you talk about work.” And I really do love it. I like what I am doing right now. It seems to me that I am in the right place, and I definitely feel love for my unit.
Finding love in the military is also possible. That’s what happened to me, but unfortunately, Maksym (Yenot) Yemets was killed in February 2025.
Shooting at the training ground. This is my “AR” (AR-15), which my brothers-in-arms gave me for my birthday. It was on my wishlist. And another brother-in-arms gave me the sight. I love different weapons. But forever in my heart is the “Browning M2.”
Shooting at the training ground. This is my “AR” (AR-15), which my brothers-in-arms gave me for my birthday. It was on my wishlist. And another brother-in-arms gave me the sight. I love different weapons. But forever in my heart is the “Browning M2.”
This is us preparing to leave. There was a camera near me, and I asked to be photographed. I joked then: “Miniature: Oksana in her old age puts on a bulletproof vest and goes somewhere.”
This is us preparing to leave. There was a camera near me, and I asked to be photographed. I joked then: “Miniature: Oksana in her old age puts on a bulletproof vest and goes somewhere.”
What, in your opinion, distinguishes your generation from others?
A tremendous amount of responsibility for the future course of events has been placed on our generation. It depends on us what Ukraine will be like and whether it will exist at all. It depends on whether we defend the country, fight for its existence, and work for the army and within the army.
What, in your opinion, distinguishes your generation from others?
A tremendous amount of responsibility for the future course of events has been placed on our generation. It depends on us what Ukraine will be like and whether it will exist at all. It depends on whether we defend the country, fight for its existence, and work for the army and within the army.
These are my brothers-in-arms — Cooper and Sakharok, cleaning weapons. They are a heavy bomber crew.
These are my brothers-in-arms — Cooper and Sakharok, cleaning weapons. They are a heavy bomber crew.
These are the ammunition boxes we use at positions to destroy the enemy. Mostly we work on enemy shelters. But we also destroy equipment, motorcycles, and personnel. In the photo are empty boxes. Everything has flown at the enemy.
These are the ammunition boxes we use at positions to destroy the enemy. Mostly we work on enemy shelters. But we also destroy equipment, motorcycles, and personnel. In the photo are empty boxes. Everything has flown at the enemy.
The guys receive ammunition before leaving, and they leave the empty boxes behind. When the crews go to their positions, they load up provisions for themselves, ammunition, and drones, if necessary. Now we mostly transport drones by air and do not take them with us in the vehicle, because they take up a lot of space. There were moments when logistics were very difficult, and we loaded up as much ammunition and fuel as possible, because sometimes we couldn’t drive in and deliver what was needed for a week or two. Even Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) didn’t make it. Now, to some positions, we deliver only with the help of UGVs or heavy bombers, and we go in on foot.
The guys receive ammunition before leaving, and they leave the empty boxes behind. When the crews go to their positions, they load up provisions for themselves, ammunition, and drones, if necessary. Now we mostly transport drones by air and do not take them with us in the vehicle, because they take up a lot of space. There were moments when logistics were very difficult, and we loaded up as much ammunition and fuel as possible, because sometimes we couldn’t drive in and deliver what was needed for a week or two. Even Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) didn’t make it. Now, to some positions, we deliver only with the help of UGVs or heavy bombers, and we go in on foot.
How do you cope with the terrible and the beautiful in your life?
In any difficult situation, a military approach helps. When you have a critical situation, you simply break it down into points. And then the panic disappears: you know that you have a step-by-step instruction that you created. Of course, it only sounds like this — on the spot, everything can be different.
For example, it was Easter, four in the morning, an FPV hit the car — there is no connection with the crew. I don’t know whether the car is burning or not, whether they are alive or not, and the guys aren’t getting in touch. I look for adjacent units, contact them — they say that the guys are already with them. Then I think: did the car burn — yes; is evacuation of people needed — no; are there injuries — no; can the guys continue working — they can. You ask yourself questions and answer them. The main thing is to do this quickly and with a cold mind. Without unnecessary emotions.
At the beginning, the task was different: they were supposed to be driven to a point by car, then they had to disperse and conduct reconnaissance. But everything changed while they were on the move. And this happens often in the army. Therefore, you need to make decisions quickly and take responsibility.
This is my room. When I bought a shelf, I said that this was already a sign that I had settled down and no longer thought about civilian life. This fabric wardrobe has been traveling with me since 2024; the AFU bed that appeared not so long ago, my sleeping bag, books — lots of books. Right now, I mostly read about military affairs: on the shelf is Lawrence Freedman’s book Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine, about significant battles and the causes of defeats. It is very useful for a commander of any level to read it.
This is my room. When I bought a shelf, I said that this was already a sign that I had settled down and no longer thought about civilian life. This fabric wardrobe has been traveling with me since 2024; the AFU bed that appeared not so long ago, my sleeping bag, books — lots of books. Right now, I mostly read about military affairs: on the shelf is Lawrence Freedman’s book Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine, about significant battles and the causes of defeats. It is very useful for a commander of any level to read it.
Here is a bed, a sleeping bag, jackets, ammunition, and a lamp given to me by a friend. And there is also a mattress that has been traveling with me for about three years now, ever since I became a platoon commander. That’s when I acquired some stable things. When I was a soldier in the infantry, I only had a sleeping bag and a duffel bag. And when I became a platoon commander, I got a little closer to civilization: I got a fabric wardrobe and a mattress. Luxury, I consider it.
Here is a bed, a sleeping bag, jackets, ammunition, and a lamp given to me by a friend. And there is also a mattress that has been traveling with me for about three years now, ever since I became a platoon commander. That’s when I acquired some stable things. When I was a soldier in the infantry, I only had a sleeping bag and a duffel bag. And when I became a platoon commander, I got a little closer to civilization: I got a fabric wardrobe and a mattress. Luxury, I consider it.
What will you tell your grandchildren in your old age?
I will tell them about the people I had the chance to meet here. First of all, about the good ones, because there really are a lot of them in the army. I will tell them about the settlements where I had to carry out missions. I hope by that time they will be liberated. If my grandchildren never manage to see them with their own eyes, then they will have a grandmother who will tell them about it.
Worked on the story:
Photos and stories: Oksana Rubaniak
Interviewed and written by: Iryna Kravets
Proofreading: Iryna Klymko
Coordinated by: Maryna Pertsovych
