Freedom Flights: Episode 25 – Irreversible Path – Part 3
This is part 3 of the August episode of Freedom Flights. The next part will continue to cover events in early July when various key events occurred in Europe and the USA. As foreshadowed in the last scene of Episode 24, the monthly movie night will happen.
Until a just peace for Ukraine is reached, I will continue to write more episodes, never forgetting the brave people fighting for freedom. Let’s pray Western aid and weapons like F-16s continue to reach the frontlines and in time to change their fortunes.
Links to the previous episodes can be found on my Freedom Flights page on the left-hand sidebar.
Episode 25 – Irreversible Path
2024
PART 3 – Immoral Attack
Monday, July 8th – Chayka Field, Volyn Oblast, Ukraine1
Russian strategic bomber TU-95 carrying Kh-101 missiles. Source: Defense Express. https://euromaidanpress.com/2022/12/29/russians-used-x-101-cruise-missiles-produced-in-the-last-quarter-of-2022-to-attack-ukraines-power-grid-on-29-november/Nawel Leaping Jaguar in the Squadron Command Centre sounded the alarm at 0608 when Aenoheso Little Hawk passed on the alert from Maksym.
“Russians are launching dozens of cruise, aerial ballistic and guided missiles in a combined attack on key cities. Scramble all interceptors safely over time.”
Before any craft took off, the Saab MSHORAD and all the Night Owls scanned the area around the base. Once the skies were clear, the five MiG-29 flights took off at ten-minute intervals, each followed by a Eurocopter Tiger scanning for hostiles.
“Tell Maksym the remaining four helicopters are on standby with security including K9s and stretchers,” said Kalyna.
For ages, all they heard were brief reports of missiles intercepted. Then the frantic reports of missile hits… strategic infrastructure and unwarranted civilian destruction.
Then Aenoheso Little Hawk sent a coded message from Maksym.
As Nawel Leaping Jaguar decoded it, tears were choking her voice.
“Massive attack on Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital, Kyiv.” She paused briefly, before continuing. “Staff and children trapped. Send help.”
Kalyna glanced at the details on the waiting helicopters.
“Control, clear Kilo and Hotel for relief flight to Kyiv. We’ll prepare reception.”
She turned to Nawel Leaping Jaguar. “Code to Maksym. K9 searchers and stretchers sent. Expect Kilo and Hotel.”
The four K9 units would arrive by KAI LAH while two paramedic-trained Night Owls would bring five stretchers in the Black Hawk. But how safe would they be?
She studied the table map and noted that Vasy with Green Flight were patrolling near Kyiv.
“Green Leader, protect Kilo and Hotel flying relief to Kyiv.”
*
Photo: KAI.Aldona Jagoda was pleased her Belgian Malinois, Taika had been calm during the flight from Chayka Field, as had the three other K9s. Before they climbed out of the KAI LAH, Captain Jeong Chae-Yeong reassured them that she’d remain in the park where they landed for as long as necessary.
A volunteer driver was waiting with a truck, and she noted the approaching paramedics from the Black Hawk.
“I’m Olha, there should be room for all six of you and the stretchers. Great you’re here… especially the dogs. We don’t know how many are trapped under the rubble.”
“Our dogs are keen to help,” said Kseniya, Nyx’s handler. Her Doberman rested his head on her knee as the last stretcher was loaded.
As they drove towards the devastation, it was clear the bombing of civilian targets was paramount in this campaign of terror.
Approaching the hospital the Owls saw one section of the building had collapsed burying staff and patients. How many were still alive? Hundreds of people from the surrounding area were removing rubble brick by brick.
Rescuers work at Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine, soon after officials said the facility was severely damaged by a wave of Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, July 8, 2024.Gleb Garanich/REUTERSEstera Sówka and her sister paramedic, Alicja Dubicka approached a senior medic.
“We’re paramedics from UAF. We have an evacuation helicopter nearby if needed… and stretchers on that truck. But we’ll help where ordered.”
“Evacuation might help with seriously wounded or seriously ill children but leave the stretchers until needed. For now, follow me. We’ve set up an emergency station to treat the innumerable injuries.”
It wasn’t long before Estera and Alicja were using all their medical skill to treat people with injuries from flying glass gashes to fractured limbs on trapped victims pulled from the wreckage.
In an area where floors had collapsed on each other, Aldona and the other K9 handlers had joined two other units to try and detect trapped victims so rescuers could remove debris and free them.
After five minutes, Taika froze at the same time as one of the local dogs crouched.
Aldona and the other handler waved over Leo, their supervisor.
He knew the local handler, Anhelina Tkachuk, so he addressed her.
“Has Quetzal sensed someone?”
She pointed at Taika, “They both have… and my friend here is the experienced team.”
Leo smiled at Aldona and then radioed for a rescue team but gestured for the other handlers to keep searching for signs of more trapped people.
Anhelina and Aldona knelt midway between their dogs, then called out to the trapped people.
“Can you hear us? Help is coming.”
A muffled male voice replied.
“We worried nobody would find us… in time.” He coughed a choking sound. “I’m Doctor Avenlosky… in haematology. There are three kids here needing help.” Another cough. “One is serious…”
Then silence.
“We’ll be here for them,” said Aldona.
By the time the rescue team arrived, two more groups of survivors had been found by the other local K9 and by Kseniya’s Nyx.
Leo suggested that the noise of the rescue might make it harder to search in the same area, so they should move to another spot.
“As long as we know when those people are saved,” said Anhelina and everyone agreed.
On the way to the new search area, Daniela Stasiuk’s Rihi abruptly sat down.
“More trapped people?” asked Leo.
“I don’t think so,” replied Daniela. “Rihi usually freezes. This could be explosives.”
Medical staff and members of the community move rubble away from damaged areas at the hospital and search for survivors. Gleb Garanich/Reuters
She marked the spot where Rihi sat, and then they cleared the area while Leo called in a Bomb disposal team.
The team arrived and carefully examined the area. Eventually, they detected what looked like a curved, red metallic object embedded in the earth. Slowly, the lead expert excavated the object and then stood up.
“Now we can be sure the Russians are responsible for this barbaric attack. This is part of one of their Kh-101 cruise missiles. Your dog must have detected traces of explosives on this component. The Security Service of Ukraine will be grateful you both found this.”
Leo’s radio beeped and he passed on an update.
“The doctor and the children have been saved and want to meet the heroic dogs… before the medics take them to another hospital.”
Back at the collapsed building, Doctor Avenlosky and the three kids were on stretchers and being cared for by medics, including Estera and Alicja. All the kids wanted to meet Quetzal and Taika, give them treats and cautiously stroke them.
However, Estera apologised.
“We have to evacuate Stepan here to Lutz for an operation.”
“But we insist on going too,” said the other two kids. “We’ve got to see that he behaves.”
“Nothing to do with flying in a helicopter of course,” said Estera. “I’m staying to help, while Alicja accompanies these youngsters and another two emergencies in the Black Hawk.”
When the patients and some medics had left, Estera and the others waited for the second rescue
Five minutes later, a nurse and a girl in a wheelchair were winched to safety. The paramedics methodically checked them over for injuries. If it wasn’t for the nurse’s comforting presence, the girl might have been traumatized from being trapped in the dark. Again meeting the dogs helped both patients relax.
With the light beginning to fade, Leo was hesitant to continue, but the Night Owls were trained for this.
“Rest for a short while. Make sure your dogs have food and water,” said Estera. ‘Then continue with night gear,” She realized Anhelina probably had none, so said to her, “If you want to continue, you can use mine. I’m going back to the medical station. See you all later.”
Anhelina took the goggles and infra-red torch. “Does this make us part of your awesome team… even if I hardly speak any Polish.” She laughed.
Estera and the others chuckled.
“I think Anhelina Tkachuk and Quetzal proved themselves earlier,” said Aldona. ”Can they be recruited to the Night Owls, please? If they’re okay relocating to our highly secret base up north.”
“You’d be more than welcome to wear our uniform,” said Estera. “And you’ll find Ukrainians, Poles, Canadians, plus other nationalities at the base. All sisters united for freedom.”
Anhelina knelt and whispered to her Siberian Husky., who lifted her red and white head licking her handler.
“She wants in and all I must do is tell Mum… she’s helping here too. But she always wanted us to serve somehow. This is perfect.”
*
MiG-29 Fulcrum – @hesja.plKalyna watched from the blacked-out Control Tower as the squadron returned to Chayka Field at cautiously staggered intervals. Each flight used a different approach and the prepared farm roads as a landing strip. With multiple taxiways, each plane could manoeuvre to its designated concrete pad among the concealing trees.
Between each flight their shadowing Tiger landed and scanned the area for prying enemies like drones. Throughout the evening and into the night, the Saab MSHORAD and the Night Owls also scanned the area.
Finally, when Green Flight returned safely, Kalyna began to relax… until she remembered the helicopters sent to Kyiv.
She rushed down to the Command Centre where she found Vasy receiving a cipher message from Maksym.
“Echo, Kilo, and Hotel are returning late from Kyiv together when the worst of the rubble at the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital has been cleared. They are reluctant to abandon this disaster, but I’ll ensure a flight escorts them home. I’ll remind them about tomorrow’s Irreversible Path exercise.”
Kalyna hoped they returned at a reasonable time and were not exhausted. The whole squadron needed to be involved and that included all the helicopters since they were the most vulnerable if the Russians attacked across the border in multiple places. As yet Lutsk had avoided the heavy fighting the East had suffered.
But in the early days of the war, there had been key incursions from Belarus. Best to be prepared for the worst scenario.
“What’s with this Irreversible Path name,” asked Vasy. “Who decided on that? Does it mean there’s no turning back?”
A picture shared by President Zelensky on his official X page showing a young patient injured in the strike. ZelenskyyUa/X
**
FCA 1,581 words
Slava Ukrayini
