Serhiy Tyshchenko spent 16 months living in a tiny underground bunker in Ukraine after fearing he would be killed by a Russian drone. Serhiy, a sergeant in the Ukrainian army, was fighting near Bakhmut, on the front line in eastern Ukraine in 2023.

He was attempting to collect rations from a nearby bunker when he and a colleague were spotted by a Russian drone. They decided to hide behind tall grass with Serhiy’s colleague even deciding to say his goodbyes, fearing they were about to be killed.

The two men made a dash for another bunker, but the worst was yet to come. The bunker, hidden by a trench and camouflaged with dirt and sand, was soon attacked by a Russian assault team.

Serhiy lost three of his comrades who found themselves in the bunker with him. He could have been killed himself, but the attacker’s gun jammed, leaving Serhiy with enough of an opportunity to strike.

A few days later another colleague was killed, leaving four men living in the tiny underground bunker together. Too risky to get either in or out, he knew they were there for the long haul.

Serhiy however told the Independent that he never realised he had been underground for over a year. He recalls: “The breaking point was when the guys died in that assault, and I saw that there is no one to change for the dead guys.

“Five, then four of us remained. I realised that we will sit here for a long time after that first assault”.

Getting rid of bodies was difficult, including a number of dead Russians that had built up at the entrance to the hideaway. Serhiy added: “We climbed over them and had to throw soil on them to get rid of the stink. But that stink never goes.”

Serhiy and his team had to carve coffin-shaped beds in the dirt beneath the road above them. He says relentless attacks arrived day and night and the small observation window had to be closed up.

Small “bomber drones” were used to drop supplies for the men. Although they could only bring 10kg of food at a time, meaning they were often left with just 500ml of water to get them by.

Day and night soon became indistinguishable and their boredom was relieved by runs into the open to retrieve rations. And, while it carried a mortal risk, they would often find themselves sprinting to a better equipped bunker that could charge batteries.

Their breathing however eventually became laboured as the drones continued to bombard them with attacks. They managed to exchange messages with their family via Starlink, something Serhiy says “gave him strength”.

Eventually Serhiy received orders to get ready to leave, but his first attempt was dashed by a Russian air assault. Three weeks later he managed to make the 3km dash to freedom.

But the exposure to fresh air, combined with atrophied muscles, meant he was left feeling weak and dizzy. He was subsequently awarded the Hero of Ukraine medal.

The 46-year-old, who missed two birthdays and all the landmarks in the lives of his five children, plans to open a veterinary clinic once the war is over.