One of my friends who served with me in Bosnia is now a soldier in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Across both wars, he has spent more than seven years on the battlefield. He survived some of the bloodiest battles, and his only wartime injury occurred last year when he was hit by a piece of shrapnel in the abdomen.

At the same time, dozens of soldiers who served alongside him have been killed.

When you look at this guy’s skill set and capabilities, it becomes interesting:

• He is, of course, a man with solid basic skills. That’s not particularly hard to achieve. His preferred weapon for the past seven and a half years has remained the same: an Avtomat Kalashnikov.
• Yet, he never developed any specialized skills—no experience with more sophisticated equipment like FPV drones, radios, or Javelin anti-tank missiles.

In short: he knows only a few things, but he’s very good at them.

• He is brave; the kind of man who will defend his position to the last bullet if ordered to do so.
• But he’s not the type who can lead others. Despite his extensive experience, he still holds the lowest rank in the hierarchy. This is due to a combination of factors: a lack of ambition, a direct and often undiplomatic approach, and a complete absence of language skills.
• Last but not least, despite being a senior citizen, the guy is in absolute top physical shape. On a 30-mile march, he’s the last one to get tired.

I believe he possesses the perfect combination of skills to survive on the frontline. At the same time, he lacks the traits that might expose him to additional danger.

(Picture: all rights by the author)

Of course, survival also comes down to luck, but beyond his extensive combat experience, solid infantry skills, and outstanding physical condition, I think it’s his character that makes him a “survivor.”

• When he arrives at a position that isn’t properly built, he says so. He doesn’t do what most soldiers do—stay quiet and hope there won’t be an attack during his shift. Instead, he grabs a pickaxe or a spade and starts improving the damn thing.
• He is stoic. He functions even when all hell breaks loose. Those are the situations where most newbies get killed: the enemy attacks, panic sets in, and that’s the end of the story.
• Not with him, though. He reacts as calmly under fire as if you were drinking a cup of tea with him in Kyiv (he doesn’t drink alcohol).
• He doesn’t brag. He doesn’t want a medal. And he’s not volunteering. He has nothing left to prove—neither to himself nor to the world.
• If there’s a raid or a dangerous night patrol, others will be chosen for that job—usually younger men. But that’s exactly the second category of situations where many people die: assault operations and special missions.

And if the war in Ukraine continues for another three years, I’m pretty sure my buddy will make it out alive.

He has all it takes—he just needs a bit of luck.