"I was a soldier in the explosives company of a paratrooper reconnaissance unit, and during the entry into Gaza, I was injured and my right thumb was amputated.
In April 2018, just before dusk, riots began on the border fence in Gaza. We were very quickly mobilized. To bring troops from the northern line to the Gaza Strip we needed our Hummers equipped with all the best equipment. At that time I was a company sergeant in the fighters' platoon and I was asked to help fix one of the tools. I found myself in a complex situation, while working quickly and under pressure of time, something went wrong and my thumb was severed from my hand, right in front of my eyes. From then on, Murphy's law kicked in and everything that could go wrong, did. I was battling against time, and after a few long hours I went into surgery. Allegedly the injury ended there... However, I deal with the pain every day, both mentally as well as the extensive nerve damage which still causes physical pain. I have a welcome opportunity to raise awareness of the mentally injured fighters, and I thank each and every one of you for the amazing desire to explain to all a little of what we go through every day. "

Photo: Smirnov Gleb