Lieutenant Dmitri Voronin Awarded Hero of Grozovia Medal
December 20th, 2023 – Lieutenant Dmitri Voronin of the Grozovian Armed Forces has captivated the hearts & minds of Grozovian’s across the country with his tales of heroism, sacrifice & dedication to his fellow comrades. After hearing of Dmitri’s courageous actions, President Leonid Kotenko swiftly awarded him the highest honor a Grozovian can achieve, the prestigious Hero of Grozovia medal. This, of course, is not a title to be taken lightly – but those who have heard his story will agree, Dmitri has more than earned the honor.
Dmitri Voronin, 69, was born to a Lyborian farmer & loving mother in the Spring of 1954. At the age of 18 he enlisted in the Soviet Ground Forces & quickly found his passion for field medicine. In late 1979, Dmitri was deployed to Afghanistan as a combat medic attached to the 107th Zagorsk Motor Rifle Division. Over the years, Dmitri gained a reputation for being an outstanding comrade & combat medic, saving countless lives & making many friends along the way.
When the Grozovian SSR gained independence from the Soviet Union in June of 1991, Dmitri was the first man to enlist in the Grozovian Armed Forces. After years of loyalty & dedication to the Republic of Grozovia, his body began to deteriorate with age. Countless military commanders had attempted to persuade Dmitri into retirement, but he never once faltered. Instead, Dmitri was assigned to the 9th Motorized Regiment as the unit armorer & has maintained his post for years until fate brought him into the grateful embrace of Zagorsk citizens & Grozovian’s around the nation.
During the attacks on November 25th, Dmitri was returning to Stasov Radar Base with supplies when he unexpectedly came under fire. Springing into action, he fought his way through countless insurgents before reaching the headquarters building. There, he found a team of heavily wounded Grozovian servicemen. Dimitri began rendering aid whilst simultaneously repelling enemy attacks; this continued for several hours before he & his team were forced to flee the radar base & seek shelter elsewhere.
Grozovian Special Forces dispatched to quell the insurgency later found Dimitri & the others held up in an improvised defensive position atop the hill east of Stasov Radar Base. Initially, the GSF team assumed the position was manned by enemy insurgents & decided to proceed with caution. As they approached, an elderly gentleman in GAF fatigues appeared, exclaiming “Welcome, friends. We have vodka & cigarettes, come – take a seat”, said one GSF member. Dmitri & the other heavily wounded soldiers were then quickly extracted to Zagorsk for immediate medical care.
During his award ceremony, Dmitri addressed his fellow comrades, stating “Ever since I was a child, all I ever wanted was to serve my country. Today, I stand before you an old man – in age, but not in spirit. Though I am physically exhausted, I remain mentally rigid. Many have asked what I will do next & my answer is always the same – I will continue to serve this great nation of Grozovia in any capacity that is required of me until my final days. I have heard words of our comrades’ battles in the west, my heart goes out to them. My hopes are that, once recovered, I will be able to rejoin my unit & continue my duties, oh how I miss those men. Thank you all for this great honor”.
Although he could have fled, saving his own life, Dmitri thought first of his fellow comrades. Instantly & without regard for his own safety, the vigorous assault of his hastily-formed team of warriors accounted for the destruction of countless enemy forces, and saved the lives of six fellow Grozovians. By his bold leadership, wise judgment, and complete dedication to duty, Lieutenant Dmitri Voronin reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Grozovian Armed Forces and the Republic of Grozovia as a whole.
