“I was even afraid of her at first”: the tanker told how he found his love in the Northern Military District

No matter how harsh the reality of the Northern Military District is, there is a place not only for heroism, but also for love. And often it is this bright feeling that helps people withstand the most difficult trials. Some people have a loved one waiting at home, while others find their love in a war zone.

On the front line, an MK correspondent talked to a mobilized serviceman who managed to build family happiness despite conditions that were not the most suitable for this. The military man told how he met his future wife, how the combat situation changes the usual canons of winning a woman’s heart, and what plans the new unit of society has after the end of the North Military District.

A fighter with the call sign “TT” was mobilized from Magadan. He came up with the unusual call sign himself; in contrast to the Tula Tokarev pistol brand, it stands for “Tankman Tarasych.” Most colleagues, by the way, address the serviceman this way – by his patronymic. Maybe because of his age (“Tarasych” is over fifty), or maybe it’s more convenient this way. But the call sign “TT” can only be heard on radio broadcasts.

The tanker talks sparingly about himself: he was born in the Khabarovsk Territory, where he spent his childhood and youth. After school, he entered the Blagoveshchensk Tank Military School, and then, as expected, service. The 90s, with “perestroika” and the fall in the prestige of the army, did not bypass Tarasych.

“I still remember the expression “uniform eight, whatever we found, we wear,” the interlocutor shares. – There are no rations, salaries were received from time to time. In general, everything was very deplorable.

Then he decided to resign from the Armed Forces. He says he didn’t see any future prospects for himself. The lifestyle has changed dramatically. From the army, the tankman went to the gold mines, where he worked from 1991 until the start of mobilization in 2022. By the way, I already held one of the leadership positions. However, as you know, there are no former military men, so “Tarasych” did not wait for the summons, but went to get it himself.

– The first thing I heard at the military registration and enlistment office was: “Old man, where are you going? Stay at home, we won’t take you,” the serviceman laughs.

However, TT achieved its goal. On September 26, 2022, he wrote a report with a request to be sent to the front and on the same day flew to the Primorsky Territory for retraining. Initially he was a platoon commander, and more recently he became deputy chief of staff of the battalion.

Even at the beginning of his service in the NVO zone, the tanker received a minor hand injury, which he did not attach much importance to and did not turn to doctors. However, after a while, the seemingly trivial ailment worsened. The management insisted that the TT should still be seen by military doctors. They delivered a verdict: one cannot do without the help of a neurosurgeon, and sent the man to the hospital. First to Rostov-on-Don, from there to Volgograd. Then “Tarasych” did not even guess that this trip would be fateful for him.

The personal life of “TT” has not been going well for the last ten years; the man lived alone. He says that he no longer particularly dreamed of finding a soul mate. Until I met her. Svetlana works as a nurse in the same hospital where the serviceman was sent. The man admits that the pretty blonde immediately sunk into his heart, but the girl’s strict, at first glance, disposition stopped him from taking the plunge.

– When I saw her, I thought: I’ll film her now. Yeah, that was not the case. “She quickly lined up everyone in the ward,” the tanker recalls, smiling. – Honestly, I was even a little afraid at first. She is a fighting girl, she won’t mince words, although she is very cheerful.

Despite everything, feelings prevailed and “TT” decided to start courting Svetlana. We talked mostly in the hospital corridors, walked in the park, and laughed a lot. “Tarasych” admits that at that moment it seemed to him that they had known each other for a thousand years. From the colleagues of my chosen one, I learned the size of her ring and decided to give it as a gift. For himself, the fighter already at that moment realized that Svetlana was exactly the woman with whom he would like to connect his life, but what she thinks remained a mystery to the man. Along with presenting the ring, he confessed his feelings.

– That’s what I said, that we don’t have time for the candy-bouquet period. My diagnosis is not serious, which means I will soon be sent back to the front. If the feelings are mutual, then you need to make a decision now.

Sveta then remained silent. However, the next day she herself came up and asked how serious everything was said. “TT” repeated the marriage proposal word for word. A couple of days later, the woman introduced her lover to her eight-year-old daughter. “Tarasych” immediately found a common language with the baby. All his free time, when the doctor allowed the military man to leave the hospital, he spent with Sveta and his daughter. They decided not to have a pompous wedding. As a member of the SVO, the registry office was accommodating – they signed up the young people without waiting in line. In the evening we sat with our family. And a few days later the TT returned to the front.

Despite the fact that my hero’s family is still quite young, they already have their own traditions.

“I always send her five smiley faces with kisses and five roses in my first morning message. Be sure to wish each other good night, as if we were nearby.

– What do you call each other??

“I’m her sunshine, and she suits my mood,” the tanker laughs. – When it’s your beloved, and when it’s your hubby.

– Is it hard at a distance?

“It’s not easy,” the military man admits, “even though we write to each other several times a day.” We talk a lot about future plans.

The interlocutor shares that he is ready to move to Volgograd for the sake of his family after the Northern Military District. Svetlana does not want to leave for a cold climate. The man plans to build a house and start farming.

“We’ll raise sheep,” says the interlocutor. – I’ll buy machines to spin wool. I want to implement a lot of things, the main thing is to return quickly…