#EuroMaidan Medic Shot in Neck Lives to Tweet: “I Am Alive!” · Global Voices
Tetyana Bohdanova

Volunteer medics attend to the wounded on the morning of February 20, 2014 when snipers indiscriminately took aim at protesters from the roof of Hotel Ukraine. Photo by Alan Turgutoglu © Copyright Demotix
As snipers fired at EuroMaidan protesters on February 20, 2014 one young medical volunteer was hit in the neck, but managed to write on Twitter: “I am dying”. Her message was shared by thousands of people until finally, two hours later, she tweeted that she had survived.
A tense truce between protesters and the Ukrainian government was broken that morning and sniper shots were fired at up to a hundred people in the square. Many shots were aimed at the head or neck, apparently for the purpose of killing. [There are photos and videos – WARNING graphic content].
As the shooting began, medical volunteers rushed to the scene despite the danger. Among them was a 21-year old volunteer from Ternopil, Olesya Zhukovskaya.
Olesya has been volunteering on Maidan for over three months. According to the administrator of a Facebook page about Maidan activists called “Єлюди – maidaners”, she had caught the attention of other volunteers for her bravery. On February 19, the day before shooting, one person had written to the Facebook page encouraging them to take note of Olesya and write something about her.
Олеся Жуковська з Тернополя (Кременець) на Майдані з першого дня. Їй 21 рік, працює за 250 км від дому медиком-фельдшером. На Майдан поїхала як медик-волонтер. Що вона там тільки не бачила. На Грушевського їй згорів одяг, поруч граната впала…..але вона нікуди не пішла, а лишилась допомагати людям. За 3 місяці перебування на майдані захворіла, мала страшну ангіну і лежала в лікарні. кілька днів тому поїхала додому до мами, бо матуся плакала і просила показатись їй живою, а Олеся одна єдина в сім'ї. Поїхала на кілька днів додому. Але вчора, коли побачила, що коїться на Майдані, попри сльози мами, переживання тата та родини, вночі поїхала на Майдан автобусом, в якому були тільки чоловіки, 18 людей і вона сама……Зараз вона на Майдані в медпункті біля йолки. я горджусь такими як вона, думаю, що Олеся варта того, щоб Ви про неї написали».
Olesya Zhukovskya is from Kremenets, in the Ternopil region and has been on Maidan [central square in Kyiv] from day one. She is 21 years old, and works as a medical assistant 250km away from home. She came to Maidan as a medical volunteer. She has experienced everything there. On Hrushevskogo [street where the first clashes took place] her clothing was burned when a grenade fell next to her… but she has not left, she stayed to help people. After three months on Maidan, she fell ill, had a terrible angina and had to stay at the hospital.
A few days ago she went home to see her mother, because her mother prayed and pleaded for her only child to show up at home alive.  She stayed at home for a few days. But yesterday, when she saw what was happening on Maidan, despite her mother's tears, and the concerns of her father and other family, she took a night bus to Maidan with 18 people, all men…. Now she is on Maidan, at the medical aid point next to the “Christmas tree”. I take pride in people like her and beleive Olesya deserves to be written about [on your page].
The next day snipers opened fire on protesters. Here's what Olesya tweeted that morning:
ТЕРМІНОВО ВСІ НА КИЇВ,БУДЬ-ЯКИМ ШЛЯХОМ! Потрібна ваша підтримка! Якщо бойня почалась з ранку,до вечора буде.. http://t.co/sQ7Z10oNKb
— Olesya Zhukovskaya (@OlesyaZhukovska) February 20, 2014
EVERYONE COME TO KYIV URGENTLY, IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE! Your support is needed! If a massacre has begun in the morning, there will be horror by evening! Especially when Russian troops arrive aiming to shoot Western extremists [as protesters are called in Putin's official statements].
According to the timestamp, about 20 minutes later she was shot in the neck, despite wearing a bright medical volunteer uniform. Already wounded, Olesya tweeted [uk]:
Я вмираю
— Olesya Zhukovskaya (@OlesyaZhukovska) February 20, 2014
I am dying
Her tweet went viral immediately. Media even reported Olesya's death:
The wild story of a paramedic shot in the neck in #Kiev who managed to tweet "I'm dying": http://t.co/l9B9hPMhgL pic.twitter.com/DjhB7viqrc
— The New Republic (@tnr) February 21, 2014
However, Olesya did not die, but was taken to a hospital and received an operation. Just as Maidan was trying to come to terms with the unprecedented loss of life, she tweeted again [uk]:
Я жива! Дякую всім,хто підтримує та молиться за мене! / Я в лікарні.стан поки що стабільний!
— Olesya Zhukovskaya (@OlesyaZhukovska) February 21, 2014
I am alive! Thank you to everyone who's supporting and praying for me! / I am at the hospital. My state is stable so far.
Many have referred to Olesya as “Maidan's heroine” [uk]. She gained around 8,000 new followers on her twitter account in one day. People from all over the world sent their messages of support:
@OlesyaZhukovska Олеся, выздоравливай! мы в Москве, но мы с тобой и волнуемся за тебя. ты молодец.
— Юлiя Архiпова (@moskless) February 21, 2014
Olesya, get well! We are in Moscow, but we are with you and worry for you. You have done great.
@OlesyaZhukovska Stay strong and live a long life Olesya! Ukranian, Turkish,Venezuelan, Brazilian, we're all together in this! Love and hugs
— 바흐리에 (@kitiarauthmatar) February 21, 2014
@OlesyaZhukovska <3 from Germany! Get well soon and stay strong. I believe in the power of people. May you get the democracy you fight for!
— anke domscheit-berg (@anked) February 21, 2014
In recognition of Olesya's service and sacrifice, Hungarian Red Cross held an action of solidarity for her:
200 volunteers of the Hungarian Red Cross express their solidarity. Get well soon, @OlesyaZhukovska ! pic.twitter.com/RIfhUUTyWn
— Hungarian Red Cross (@MVoroskereszt) February 21, 2014