Andriana Susak: Woman Who Became Assault Trooper

October 29, 2016November 2, 2025

An assault group during combat operations is designed for sudden attack and capturing enemy combat positions. For an assault to succeed, assault troops must be equipped and trained better than the enemy.

An assault trooper must be physically fit, enduring, and psychologically stable. Can a woman be an assault trooper? To many, even the phrase “female assault trooper” will seem illogical.

However, when it comes to liberating native land from an invader, and there’s no other way out — she can.

From Maidan to the Front Lines

Meet Andriana Susak, call sign “Malysh” (Kid). She’s an assault trooper of the Aidar Battalion. Moreover, she went through key operations in the Luhansk direction. Seven liberated cities stand behind her. Andriana planned to stay at the front for just five days but ended up serving as a volunteer for a year and a half. She recalls: “In war, I probably experienced all the feelings a person can experience in their entire life”.

In 2013-2014, she actively participated in the Revolution of Dignity. In May 2014, she enlisted as a volunteer in the Aidar Battalion. She was part of an assault group, holding the rank of junior sergeant. As part of the assault group, she participated in liberating occupied cities and battles for Luhansk Airport. At the front, she experienced love and pregnancy.

Several quotes from Andriana Susak herself:

About husband

On May 11, 2014, I met my future husband Maksym. Everything became clear from first sight. I thought: now I’m in trouble! We cared for each other, but I didn’t want to get attached.

Liberate Shchastia

On June 14, we planned an operation to liberate Shchastia. They issued us each a grenade. I was afraid of them. I wrapped mine with tape and shoved it in my bra.

Tht Hardest Battle

My physically hardest battle was for Khryashchuvate. We fought russian career military for 13 days. About 100 of us went in, and 40 returned. We had many wounded. We burned tires so black smoke would go up and the enemy couldn’t shoot accurately.

How good that I’m not a guy

Generally, if I weren’t a girl, I would’ve died long ago, for sure. Once at 5 AM I went to the toilet. The toilet was wooden, like in a village. When I lifted my head, bullets pierced the boards at human head level right at that moment. I crawled out from there. I think, how good that I’m not a guy and I pee sitting down.

Very bad haircut

Once the guys brought water in jugs from a broken pool to wash. I took off my clothes and heard mortar sounds. Dying naked is the biggest fear in war. I’m getting dressed and running — with wet hair into the sand. The next days I had a very bad haircut.

Love and Pregnancy on the Front

Where, it seemed, there’s no place for romance, the girl met her future husband Maksym. He’s a professional military man. They met at the front when serving in Aidar Battalion. However, they started dating after battles near Metalist and battles for Shchastia.

In 2015, in her fifth month of pregnancy, Andriana Susak together with Maksym left Aidar. Subsequently, she gave birth to a son. At the end of 2016, the couple moved to Kyiv.

Andriana received the Order “For Courage” III degree and the order “People’s Hero of Ukraine.”