- Dette innlegget er også tilgjengelig på norsk.
When a soldier is killed in the front in Ukraine, it is the “Angels” who make sure the fallen are brought back home. In July, Fritt Ukraina delivered its second freezer truck to the unit. A vehicle that are going to make sure that the final journey can take place with dignity, regardless of distance or weather.
The long road home
Distances in Ukraine are vast. From the trenches in the east to small towns in the west, the journey can stretch more than two thousand kilometers. In the summer heat, time becomes an enemy, so an ordinary vehicles are not enough. The bodies must be protected from heat and decay.
That requires freezer trucks with solid insulation, as well as space for coffins and cooling systems that keep running even when the engine is off. Whether at checkpoints, during pauses, or in the silence before a memorial, the cooling must never stop. Moreover, the vehicle must endure repeated use, thousands of kilometers, without failing its mission.
For the “Angels”
In July, Fritt Ukraina delivered another freezer truck to the “Angels.” This is the second freezer truck in less than a year, and both deliveries were overseen by Jahn Brusdal Eriksen. Together with Sjur Herheim, he launched the fundraising campaign that made the first delivery possible.
– “Family, friends, and fellow soldiers need the assurance that their loved ones will be brought home. These vehicles are not only for the dead, but also for the bereaved and for society,” says Jahn Brusdal Eriksen.
They accompany them all the way
The “Angels” were established in 2014 as a direct response to the realities of war, and are part of the protection service in the 3rd Assault Brigade. Their missions range from medical support to rehabilitation, coordination with hospitals, and the repatriation of the fallen.
Transport takes place in several stages. First, the fallen are evacuated from the front in armored vehicles. Then the “Angels” take over, handling documentation, the coffin, and the long journey home.
The soldiers are then brought to military district offices, which serve as both morgues and gathering points for families. Often, it is also the “Angels” who organize the funeral, because many families are in shock and do not know what to do.
– “Many families are in shock. They don’t know what to order, or what must be done. The Angels arrange flowers, musicians, and ensure the ceremony is carried out. Even in small villages, they make the calls and organize everything,” says Irene Avetisian, contact person at Fritt Ukraina’s partner, Peoples Self Defence Lviv.