Azovstal defender Mykhailo Dianov hands over $81,000 in crowdfunded medical donations to children of fallen Ukrainian servicemen

Mykhailo Dianov, a Ukrainian marine who defended the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, has transferred money donated for his treatment to the children of his fallen comrades-in-arms, according to a post on his Facebook page.

Dianov transferred the first part of the intended sum – 3 million hryvnias (approximately $81,000) – to the Association of the Families of the Defenders of Azovstal. The organization is run, among others, by Azovstal workers themselves.

“Each subsequent day [in Russian captivity] was more and more difficult. But I personally knew that my daughter was waiting for me at home. And thanks to many people and each of you I got a chance to hug her, talk to her now, and be near her. But there are children who will never see their parents again. This is the worst thing,” Dianov wrote.

After his release from Russian captivity, Dianov was missing 4 cm of bone in his shattered arm. He also had bullet wounds in his legs. The Ukrainians announced a donation rally for the treatment of the marine. More than 6.5 million hryvnias (over $175,000) were collected in the first 24 hours of his release alone. On October 14, Dianov sent 23.4 million hryvnia (roughly $634,000) to his fellow soldiers, adding that the Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov and the soccer club Shakhtar helped him with his treatment.