Helicopter Mission to Azovstal: From Mariupol to russian Captivity and Back to Duty (video)

11/25/2025

Call Sign “Mama”: Returning to the Besieged Mariupol. The Story of an Operational Nurse

Sick, wounded, and severely injured patients were the reality Nadiia Irish faced on February 24, 2022.

After evacuating a patient to Dnipro, she couldn’t leave behind those she cared for at the military hospital. That’s why she made the decision to return to Mariupol on a helicopter mission.

What happened next will forever remain in “Mama’s” memory: Azovstal, captivity, 41 days in a solitary cell, and the screams of wounded and dying Azov fighters in Olenivka.

She endured every trial with dignity, returned home, and joined the ranks of the 12th Azov Brigade alongside her son.