Interview with the paramedic's sister Tatyana Vasilchenko, callsign “Borisovna” – Natalia/Collage of Channel 24 website defenders who were at Azovstal and are now in captivity, there are also paramedics from the volunteer organization Hospitallers. In particular, “Bird”, “Dream”, “Borisovna” and “Bizon”.
Channel 24 website journalists talked to Tatyana Vasilchenko's sister with the call sign “Borisovna” – Natalya. The woman spoke about the work of the “Hospitallers” in Mariupol, saving people and animals, as well as the call “Borisovna” made from captivity.
“I believe only to Ukraine”
Tell me about your sister…
My sister's motto is “We believe in God. We believe in Ukraine.” My sister really had our Ukraine in her heart. She said: “I believe only in Ukraine.” She is a very fair and purposeful person. She has a strong enough personality. She knows how to control herself and at the same time loves and adores all her relatives. She is a very sincere, open and loving person.
I saw a video online of my hooded sister being led away behind the line. Until now, we didn't really know what was going on. On May 24, we saw the video. All the days since the withdrawal from Azovstal, I have searched Russian public sites, watched dozens of videos, hoping to see her there. And finally I saw it. From that day on, we began to apply officially and report that she was in captivity.
Paramedic Tatyana Vasilchenko, call sign “Borisovna”, “Azovstal”/Photo from the personal archive of Natalya's sister
It turns out so interesting that part of our family teaches, and part protects. Grandfather was the political officer of our military tank school in Khmelnitsky. Mom served in the Soviet army in the missile forces. Our late brother also served – he was a military artilleryman. Tanya protects us, and I teach the children.
From the first weeks of the war, her daughter, together with colleagues from the company, began to cook food for the refugees who were in Khmelnitsky. The head of the company organized this, so to speak, food point in her apartment. And they prepared from morning till night up to 200 meals for people arriving in our city.
It must have helped her to get a little distracted and not pay attention to that pain and horror. Because she worked seven days a week from morning to night. And then she returned home, where her daughter was waiting for her. And my job gave me consolation – I teach English. And working with students was a kind of outlet.
Sisters Natalya and Tatiana/Photo from the personal archive of sister Natalya
“Already On February 24, Tanya got off the train under shelling”
When did Tatiana arrive in Mariupol?
It so happened that Tanya served all the rotations in the Mariupol direction and, together with other “Hospitallers”, was constantly with our military. She didn't say much because she said we didn't need to know. But they tried to carry away the wounded under shelling and, as a rule, managed to do it. She was glad that their crew rescued everyone and delivered people who could be further cured and left in the ranks.
On February 23, 2022, I took her on a train to Mariupol. She was in a hurry and worried. There were no tickets before, because the brothers needed every person. She already understood that the situation on the outskirts of the city was tense – she was informed about this. Therefore, she tried to get there as soon as possible.
Already on February 24, Tanya got off the train under shelling. At 6:17 in the morning she wrote: “I arrived, try to be at Bobby's today.” That's what we call our dad, jokingly. She added that “at least there is a basement there, our cities are being shelled.”
“They tried to carry away the wounded under shelling”/Photo from the personal archive of Natalya's sister
What did your sister say while she was in Mariupol?
She said that they had excellent housing – a cozy basement and even a fireplace room. That's how she joked. It was about the surviving room in an abandoned house where they could gather at a time when there was no shelling, when it was calm, when it was possible to turn on the electricity, that is, the generator.
She didn't say anything about what was happening. She only ended the conversation in the evening by reassuring us that our planes survived, which were in the sky at the beginning of the war. She said that “we must hold on, because panic will not lead to anything good.” And she said that the attack on Kharkov was stopped because our family lives there, and we were very worried about her.
Tatiana Vasilchenko with her granddaughter/Photo from Natalia's sister's personal archive
She wrote : “The attack on Kharkov has been stopped. We believe.” And she added: “Hold on, we will not retreat, we will not turn back a single step.” Then she appealed to everyone to help with funds for refueling a medical vehicle to take out the wounded.
I work in a lyceum and my students from school were constantly interested in how she was. They supported both me and her. And I wrote this to her in the first days, and Tanya thanked them and asked them to convey these words: “We will not surrender our Ukraine, I love you and our country.”
From the previous rotation, she brought two rescued cats – Arseny and Prapor. And one of her requests was when she was driving on February 23 that I take care of the animals. And she always asked me to send them congratulations from the Motherland – from the Mariupol region.
Paramedic Tatyana Vasilchenko, call sign “Borisovna”/Photo from the personal archive of Natalya's sister
She asked not to tell dad the truth, because he does not know that she is in captivity. He is quite an elderly man, he is 79 years old. And, of course, it will be very difficult for him. Already on February 25, she wrote that “Everything is fine, everyone is safe, Sveta is gone, the connection is not for long.” Light is electricity. She asked for money to be thrown up so they could fill up. Then they still had such an opportunity.
What is known about the other “Hospitallers”?
When she was on rotation before the start of the war, she said that thanks to the volunteers and the help of all our Ukrainians, they have the opportunity to save all of our wounded. With her at that time was “Bird”, which everyone knows, “Dream” and “Bison”. The fifth member of their unit, unfortunately, died.
On February 28, a message came: “I'm alive, how are you? I came out of such a” hell ” , which is just terrible. I love everyone, they are shelling everyone again.”
Then there was silence and on March 1 asked all of us to hide. By some miracle, she knew about all our air raid alerts. And immediately wrote to hide in a shelter. She said where the rockets were coming from and from which direction. On March 2, she just wrote: “I'm fine, they didn't let me through. I'll come, I'll line everyone up.” On March 31, she wrote only the words: “I love you.” Then there was silence again.
On April 6, she wrote again: “Alive, I love you.” And then again a terrible silence, when there was no connection from her, and we received information only from television, news and social networks.
On April 21, we read: “I'm fine, I love you, I'll be back, trust me.” This is the day when they were able to break through to Azovstal from the Mariupol Ilyich Iron and Steel Works. She wrote that our prayers kept them and all only three hundredths, but all alive.
Together with other paramedics, Tanya helped both civilians and animals. Because somehow she called on the phone and said that they went to Mariupol, because they needed to help several cats, because they were sick. The cats are fighting … And the guys are worried about them, but they are not veterinarians. So they treated the cats to specialists, and treated them at home.
Tatiana Vasilchenko rarely got in touch to report that she was alive/Photo from Natalya's sister's personal archive
“We began to ask to pay attention to her so that she would be on the lists”
What do you know about the evacuation from Azovstal?
On April 23, she only wrote that she was in touch. And then this emptiness. Really, like you can't breathe, like there's something blocking here. Before each of her messages or messages from one of the people who received news from their relatives and then passed it on to their daughter. And already when they announced the start of the withdrawal of our military from Azovstal, I began to search and watch all the videos on Russian public sites, hoping that I would see her.
And yet on May 24 I saw this video, where it is. I sent it to my daughter, and from that day on we began to act and apply, to ask that they pay attention to her, that she be on the lists. We still pray and hope that she will return.
Did she contact her family while in captivity?
She was able to call her daughter from the colony in Olenovka. She said that the International Red Cross was only at the beginning, she said that she had lost some more weight. When asked whether we should be silent or not, she stammered, because they controlled it, not to be silent. And she said that everything is fine, that she will return, so that we believe.
I remember how, after the rotation in the fall, I invited her to my school. She told the children about how they save people, how to provide first aid. My children were delighted to listen to her and were amazed at how strong and courageous she is. And, probably, that is why the students of this lyceum were a great support for her and for me all this time. Because not a day goes by that they don't ask about her, ask how she's doing, say hello.
From the colony where she is, Tatyana called the phone only once – her daughter/Photo from the personal archive of Natalia's sister< /p>
Everyone was worried about her fate. My colleagues, friends said that understanding that this is a person close to you adds even more pain in expectations. And in the team, my girls made me a motanka in military uniform and gave me with the words: “This is your sister, she is red-haired and she will always be with you, and believe that she will return alive.”
< strong>Have you personally contacted the International Red Cross?
After we saw the video, we submitted information to the center of prisoners. We called every organization we could. The ICRC phoned half an hour later, after the daughter contacted the 1648 national search hotline, where they also confirmed that Tanya was on the list of evacuees, and that they could not say more because … “confidential information”.
And already on June 8, Tatyana called her daughter from a Russian number and said that there, in the colony, they communicated with her from the International Red Cross. That they were at first, but now they don’t even appear. And the ICRC confirmed to her daughter that she was in normal conditions.
Important!The editors of Channel 24 turned to the International Red Cross for a comment. The answer was: “The ICRC visits prisoners of war from all sides of the international armed conflict. And we continue our bilateral dialogue to gain access to all people in captivity. We believe that keeping this dialogue confidential will help us get more results, so we do not disclose all the details of this work publicly. Families looking for the whereabouts of a captive or missing relative can contact our Central Tracing Agency via the link.” Back to news
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