Rescued fighters in Mariupol: a female medic became the first woman — Hero of Ukraine in the Navy

Combat medic Olha Taran, who was saving the wounded during the defense of Mariupol, was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine with the presentation of the “Golden Star” order. The President of Ukraine signed the corresponding decree on October 1. She became the first female servicemember of the Ukrainian Navy (Armed Forces of Ukraine) to be honored with this title.

The senior sergeant with the call sign “Zima” served in the 36th Separate Marine Brigade. She joined the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in December 2015, and after training on a tactical medicine course she was deployed to the Donbas.

During her service she carried out combat missions near Vodyane, Hranitne and Shyrokyne. Her work covered various units:

• medic of a tank battalion;
• medic of a field communications node;
• combat medic of a medical company.

In December 2021 the servicewoman went to Sartana near Mariupol. There the full-scale invasion by Russia caught her. She began evacuating the wounded as early as February 22.

When on February 24 the defense of the city began, the brigade found itself surrounded. Despite shelling and extremely difficult conditions the medic did not stop helping the wounded.

During an attempt by the unit to break out of the encirclement, the column came under heavy enemy fire. Her comrade Yevhen Polishchuk, who returned from captivity, said: Olha rushed to save a wounded fighter and covered him with her own body. The shrapnel wounds she sustained proved fatal.

Among her decorations for service were also:

• medal “For a Saved Life”;
• order “For Courage” III degree, which she was awarded posthumously.

Earlier we wrote:

• Saved two wounded under drones: Vladyslav Polskyi became a Hero of Ukraine
• Kim: the region must manage to choose everything: the coat of arms, school food and a candidate for the “Golden Star”
• “He promised to stand to the end”: in Mykolaiv they bid farewell to the marine and the ataman of the Korabelnyi district, Serhii Paraskun