The war separated him from his usual daily activities, his favorite work. All hobbies of Oleksandr Gulyaev, forest master of the Liplyav Forestry in Cherkasy region, are related to nature. These are fishing, hunting, guarding and protecting the forest. And he considers his work to be his favorite occupation, because he spent almost all his time in nature before the war. He knows every path in the forest. Control over the correctness of forest use, protection and protection of green plantations in established forestry districts are the responsibilities of the foreman.
However, he has been at the front since last June. Another specialty of Oleksandr is sapper. He is fighting as part of the 25th separate rifle battalion. At first he defended Ukraine near Siversk, then near Bilogorivka, and now Soledar. Installation and disposal of combat shells, laying routes on minefields, participation in combat operations – such are the everyday lives of Oleksandr and his comrades. A heightened sense of duty
And although the silence of the forest remained in dreams and memories, the ability to observe and distinguish nature’s signals was useful in military affairs.
He is highly valued in the unit as a sapper. Thanks to Oleksandr, many people now better orient themselves on the terrain and detect dangerous objects. How many of them have already been neutralized is hard to say. The devices left by the occupiers are invisible. And only the sharpened sense of the sapper, his professionalism help to detect them. In the territories where active hostilities continue, mines, unexploded shells, bombs and grenades remain in the ground. Often, the occupiers scatter explosives, and it is the sappers who help clear the territories of deadly dirt.
A few months ago, the leadership of the military unit in which Oleksandr serves thanked the “Zoloton Forestry” branch for having a soldier and patriot working for them. His 13-year experience working in the forest and high professionalism came in handy in the Ukrainian army. And the call sign “Forest” most accurately reflects his essence.
He went on a short vacation with joy and inspiration that he had not felt for a long time. I understood how he missed the Liplyavsky Forest, his family. Here is the house. His wife and son Dmytryk and daughter Polinka greet him with tears of joy. The house, like a reliable talisman, envelops peace and confidence in life and victory. The pines familiar from childhood sway their branches in a friendly way.
And here is a group of schoolchildren with whom he planted more than one tree. According to tradition, the students of the Liplyavsk secondary school came out with shovels to plant another plot. In forestry, they have been cooperating with young foresters for a long time. The green corners created by their hands amuse the local landscapes. The participation of former forest master Oleksandr Gulyaev added a special flavor to this year’s planting campaign. His daughter Polinka worked diligently on a par with the elders. Together, they reforested almost 30 hundredths of a hectare, planting 2,000 Scots pine seedlings.
Children ask him about the war, the everyday life of a sapper. He tried to find words to warn them against possible reckless actions, to appreciate life more, to know the glorious history of their Cossack region, to protect nature. During the war, he became even more aware of the importance of the work of foresters. The forest is the key to a healthy future for the nation, Oleksandr convinced the children, and it was joyful to see the understanding in their eyes. He enthusiastically told the young listeners about his brothers who will always support and help, about the dangerous but necessary specialty of a sapper, about the ability to see what the enemies cannot see. He ignited children’s hearts with his faith and confidence in the victory of Ukraine.
Now the warrior is again on the front line. His heart is warmed by memories of dear people, native places, words of deep gratitude for military work, said by his fellow villagers. And this makes it easier for him to fight the Russian evil that has come to his native land.
