A female military cook whose unusual hairstyle and large glasses - which really suited her call sign of “Owl” – prepares her version of traditional Ukrainian Christmas dishes: kutia made from wheat grains and nuts in syrup, dumplings with potatoes and mushroom gravy, meat, salads, uzvar made from dried pears, citrus fruits, and apples, as well as sweets.
This is how the medics of the 12th Azov Brigade of the National Guard celebrated Christmas on the frontline, with the line of contact is just a few kilometers away.
While Owl sets the table, her comrades – surgeons and anesthesiologists – are working to save yet another soldier who was wounded just half an hour earlier.
This is one of Ukraine’s most modern battlefield stabilization points. It has all the necessary drugs and medications, stocks of blood of all types and Rh factors, as well as ultrasound devices, ventilators, and even an X-ray machine.
The patient is an infantryman who was hit by a mortar. A member of the medical team searches for the fragment that is buried deep in his leg. Having found where it is he makes an incision before carefully removing it with a magnet. In just another 30 minutes the wounded man will be transported to a rear area hospital.
Taking advantage of the fact that there are currently no other wounded who need their attention, the medics gather around the table. They light candles and begin with kutia – a dish that symbolizes unity. For a few moments, fatigue is replaced by jokes and smiles. They are united in their brotherhood and determination to achieve victory, like a Ukrainian family gathered around the Christmas table.
Frontline cook with the call sign "Owl" – based on her unusual hairstyle and large glasses – is preparing Christmas dishes
This is a traditional Ukrainian Christmas table. This is how the medics of the 12th Brigade of the National Guard "Azov" celebrate Christmas on the frontline.
Kutia: a traditional Ukrainian Christmas dish made of wheat grains and nuts in syrup, dumplings with potatoes and mushroom gravy, meat, salads, uzvar made from dried pears, citrus fruits, and apples, as well as sweets.
The line of contact is just a few kilometers away. While "Owl" sets the table, her comrades – surgeons and anesthesiologists – are saving another soldier who was wounded just half an hour earlier.
This is one of the most modern medical stabilize points on the frontline.
While there are no other wounded, the medics gather around the table. They light candles and begin with kutia – a dish symbolizing unity. For a few moments, fatigue fades. They are united in their brotherhood and determination to achieve victory, like a