A soldier’s battle for life: Red and his team survived a T72 attack

Earlier this year, NFM received a heartfelt email from a soldier, we’ll call him Red, who wanted to express his gratitude for our ballistic plates. He shared his harrowing story of survival in Ukraine, attributing his own and his team’s lives to the protection offered by NFM products.

Born in the US, Red relocated to Ukraine a decade ago, captivated by the country’s vibrant culture and warm people. Before moving, he served in the US Army for nearly a decade.

Red was living in Ukraine with his family when the Russian military invaded the country on February 24th, 2022. The shocking turn of events quickly became serious. Despite his extensive military background and legal Ukrainian status, Red’s foreign heritage initially prevented him from joining the Ukrainian army under an official status.

As the situation escalated, the Ukrainian military opened its ranks to foreign residents. With his military experience and competence, Red was assigned to a specialized unit early March 2022. While at a staging area, Red discovered a storage unit of protective gear. Investigating the protective vests, Red found that the protective equipment was labelled NFM and NIJ Level 4.

Lack of knowledge puts soldiers at risk

Unfortunately, many inexperienced soldiers struggle to choose the right protective gear. This is highly relevant issue in Ukraine, as a vast majority of Ukrainian soldiers were forced to buy or use whatever protective equipment available. However, Red’s extensive experience with ballistic protection, led him to recognize the quality of NFM’s ballistic plates. He ensured that he and his team had the highest level of protection. Of course, teams change, and work evolves.

“These NFM plates are the only reason we are alive today,” says Red.

During a perilous mission in a hot zone, Red and his team faced a life-threatening situation when their evacuation vehicle broke down amidst incoming Russian T72 tanks. They took cover, but the enemy’s drones and tanks quickly targeted them.

Caught in a hail of shrapnel and fragments, the team’s lives were on the line. One soldier’s plate carrier was pierced by a shell fragment near his heart, while another was injured by a flying tree. They couldn’t move back, left, or right without giving up critical protective terrain between them and the tanks. With drones overhead, they played dead to survive.

Left with no alternative, the team members made a frantic sprint towards the evacuation vehicle, braving additional shell impacts. Though they reached safety, it came at a cost as each one sustained severe injury, the loss of a hand, a loss of a foot, a deep gash in the chest and in a shoulder, and extensive blunt force trauma to their torsos.

Miraculously, all members of the team survived their injuries, including the individual who suffered a critical chest wound.

Recovering to return and fight

Since the war started NFM has delivered around 100 000 vest systems with hard ballistic plates to Ukraine. Red credits the NFM vests for his survival, and those he distributed early in the war, saying, “Those NFM vests saved our lives. Without them, we would all be dead.” He explains that tank and artillery shrapnel is the biggest threat faced by soldiers at the front, with most injuries resulting from being hit by flying fragments.

We spoke to Red via Teams from his hospital room after surgery from the injuries from the attack. He expressed his gratitude for NFM’s reliable vests and ballistic plates, which he believes saved his life.

Our reason to go to work

Red’s story made a great impact on all of us at NFM. His experience confirms the very core of our mission: to protect those who protect us. When we hear testimonials like this, it becomes very clear why we dedicate ourselves to innovation, technology, and quality every day.

Our work is not just about manufacturing equipment; it’s about protecting individuals against the unpredictable man-made and natural threats of modern combat.

Red is back on the front lines, continuing the fight for his homeland, protected by NFM gear. We are incredibly proud to play a part in his, and many others’, continued safety and are committed to upholding this standard of protection for all those who serve.

This is why we go to work every day—to make a difference in the lives of those who risk everything for the greater good. We understand the extent of this responsibility and we don’t take it lightly.

Statements from testimonials reflect the individuals’ own experiences and encounters with NFM products. The results in these statements have not been independently verified, and NFM does not claim that these experiences are typical. Statements do not constitute guarantees or warranties of service or functionality.