On the morning of November 17, soldier Natalia Hrabarchuk successfully intercepted a cruise missile using an Igla MANPADS. It was her first combat launch, and it hit the target!
Natalia underwent five months of intensive training at a military center, mastering various types of portable anti-aircraft missile systems.
"When the enemy missile appeared before me, I pushed aside all emotions and fear. I had performed hundreds of practice launches on simulators," Natalia shared. "But this was my first real shot — and a direct hit! The Igla weighs around 18 kilograms, and the responsibility is equally heavy. I’m very proud it worked out. Only after the mission did I let myself feel the emotions."
She is part of a mobile fire group composed of female soldiers, all of whom work tirelessly to achieve their mission goals.
In civilian life, Natalia was a preschool educator. Since 2021, she has served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the air defense unit of the Galician-Volyn Radio Engineering Brigade, under the Western Air Command.
