“I want this war to stop on our generation,” - combat medicine on pseudo Angel
In everyday life, she is a good hostess, a caring wife, a loving mother and an extraordinary grandmother. At work, she is a strong, strong-willed and demanding leader who is 100% confident in all his
actions, always controls the situation and does not know what confusion, despair and fear are.
This is what a real military medic should be like. And this is exactly what the head of the medical service of the 105th border detachment named after Prince Vladimir the Great, lieutenant colonel of the medical service Irina Komleva. Thanks to its resilience, hundreds of lives were saved during the active phase of hostilities on the territory of Chernihiv region. All wounded border guards who fell into the hands of Irina Komleva remained alive. To fulfill her military and medical duty, this heroic woman continues to this day.
For 22 years, Irina Komleva worked as a neurologist in civilian hospitals. During this time, she had to see a lot - the severe consequences of diseases, incurable cases, the death of patients, but, as it turned out, in the future fate prepared for her much more serious tests.
— In 2019, my husband Rostyslav (Rostyslav Komlevyi — a famous Chernihiv surgeon — Avt.) was mobilized to the ranks of border guards. Even then, I could say, in absentia got acquainted with what the border service and military medicine are. So, when I was offered to change my civilian specialty to a military one, I was already ready for this,” recalls Irina Anatolyevna. “And for me personally, this was a very important and fundamental issue. The fact is that I come from Donetsk region. The last time I went there was a long time ago. I remember how I stopped on the Donetsk-Zaporozhye highway, stood near the mound and just inhaled the smell of the native steppe. Now I constantly remember that smell, and I hate the rascists who took away my opportunity to hear it again.
When entering military service, although it was during a period of relatively peaceful life, Irina Komleva had to completely change the approach to her work.
“I used to be a neurologist, but here I became both a therapist, a traumatologist, a surgeon, and a psychologist,” she smiles. - Actually, the specialist who is now called a family doctor. I will not say that it was difficult, just in a different way. However, the specialization of the neurologist very much agreed with me during the active phase of hostilities.
The eldest daughter of Irina Komleva is also a serviceman. On the eve of the invasion of the Russians, she and her unit were in the east, and therefore the 9-year-old granddaughter of Irina Anatolyevna Ulyanka, together with her grandparents, remained in Chernihiv.
- In the evening of February 23, I read Ulyanka a fairy tale about a hedgehog. A very beautiful fairy tale about the good, eternal, human. When my granddaughter fell asleep, I slowly stroked her hair, and the thought hung in my head: “Will we have tomorrow?” in the sense of a peaceful day. At 4 in the morning there was a call. Twenty minutes after that, I was already at war...
The first task for the medics of the border patrol was not long in coming — they urgently had to evacuate wounded colleagues from the border. They did this in cooperation with the doctors of the Armed Forces. They urgently formed a paramedic brigade and left. The wounded were brought to Chernihiv. First to the hospital of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and then further. That day we still managed to evacuate the boys to Kiev, later there was no such possibility.
There was no physical ability or moral right. Firstly, from the first hours of the full-scale invasion, we provided medical care in the basement — we managed to transfer the entire medical center there (couches, communication, medicines, medical books). Secondly, in the first days we developed a clear algorithm of actions. Already on February 24, we had both wounded, killed, and... sick. So, many people have complications of chronic diseases. Most often it was increased pressure. It is, of course, such stress! Unfortunately, the law of paired cases worked here. There were two severe cases with an acute violation of cerebral circulation (in other words, a stroke). We dumped these patients just in our basement and, although it was very difficult, evacuated them to a civilian hospital. Honestly, they were very afraid to lose them, because the medical center of the military unit is not at all intended for the treatment of complicated cardiovascular pathology. Here I was helped by the fact that I am a neurologist — the algorithm for treating such patients was maintained, so, thank God, everything is fine with them — after rehabilitation they returned to health.
“The worst thing is to close your eyes.”
“At first there were five assistants next to me — three female paramedics and two boys. Then we were divided by units and only two girls were left with me. However, these were real professionals who did not need to explain something once again, we understood each other from one point of view. When there were wounded nearby, fear and despair went somewhere, everything was done quickly and correctly. The confusion was only in the first minutes — I understood with my head what had happened, but with my heart I could not perceive what this could be in the 21st century. The most difficult thing in our work is when you understand that with a person, but there is nothing you can do to help. At that time it was just like that. The dead... No seriously wounded compare to them. When you take the body to the morgue and realize that's all... And you know them. And God forbid, at this time the phone will also ring in your pocket... How scary it is! I used to tell my girls on such occasions: we have to do our job, and then you can walk away, yell, cry and... get back in shape. That was and remains the worst thing for me — to close my eyes that will never be opened again. During the period of active hostilities, there was no time to think about it, but now... I dream of it. Often I wake up at night and can't sleep.
More than once, Irina Komleva herself had to risk her own life.
— Once, when the dead were being picked up, an enemy UAV hung over our resuscitation vehicle. The driver shouted that he had to flee. We managed to jump into the car and drive away from the place just a kilometer, as the arrival occurred. Then there was a serious shooting. We jumped into the dungeon and waited there. Fortunately, everyone remained intact. I am often asked if there was a desire to leave then. No! Because why did I wear shoulder straps then? Why did I study medicine? The profession of a doctor is to help everyone in any case, in any place and under any circumstances. Even such. The only doubt that did not give me peace at that time was the safety of my granddaughter... When we managed to get her out of the city, my hands were even looser. I was ready to tear the enemy with my hands. And thank God that then I did not have to provide medical assistance to any of the wounded rashists. I understand that I would have to do this as a doctor, but I don't know if I could,” admits Irina Komleva. “Before, I never thought that I could hate someone so much, and now... Once in the group of our institute, one of the classmates, who even after studying left for Holland, wrote that In any case, we must be merciful, we are doctors. I answered her, and I was ready to repeat it to everyone again: “Do not ask me for mercy. Now I am not a doctor and not just a person, I am a soldier. And there can be no question of any mercy towards the enemy. They have been destroying my country, killing my people, trampling my land, destroying everything dear to me since 2014. And you want me to pity them? This will definitely never happen!
President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky awarded Irina Komleva the Order of Princess Olga III degree. This award is not the first for her, but special.
From time to time I take it in my hands, I look. This is proof that we women can do much more than we think. And we are not talking about gender equality (although it is also about it), but about the strength of female nature that is in each of us. We are mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters, we are guided by instincts, we need to protect our children, and it does not matter whether we gave birth to it or not. When I am told that women have nothing to do at the front, I answer: not everyone. There are women who are able to perform some functions on the same level as men, and maybe perform other functions. Personally, I will continue to do everything I can to accelerate our Victory. I don't want my granddaughter to live in an occupation or fight. I want her to build her future in a peaceful free country. I want this war to stop for our generation. And, no matter how pathetic it may sound, after the Victory I dream of driving through my bombed, but unconquered country, to visit all its corners, to see all the most interesting and beautiful. And it will definitely be!
State Border Guard Service of Ukraine
