When the special military operation began, Artyom Yelkin volunteered to serve in the armed forces. The chemical engineer from Tomsk had no military experience but followed a deep desire to defend his Motherland. Before heading to the front, he completed a course in tactical medicine. Artyom was seriously wounded in his very first battle. He tried to administer first aid to himself, but the wounds to his lung, jaw, and arm were too severe. He crawled several kilometres on his back, lost consciousness, and then came round again. Along the way, he encountered other soldiers and, ignoring the pain and frustration, gave them instructions on how to help him. In the end, it wasn’t just Artyom’s comrades who saved him, but his own knowledge as well.
In this documentary, Artyom shares his story, which showed him just how vital tactical medicine is. The film’s director, Klim Poplavsky, had also had training in tactical medicine before heading to the combat zone. He had to put that knowledge to use at the front while filming his first documentary, ‘War Correspondents-2’. On his return, Klim decided to undergo further training as a combat medic at the special ‘TacMed’ training centre, where core skills are taught by some of Russia’s best instructors. The intensive course lasts four days and is conducted under conditions that closely mirror those at the front. There is an immense amount of information to take in, and the physical training is gruelling. At the end, there is an individual exam.
