Two members of the US Marines shook hands with a blinded Ukrainian soldier in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday, April 25, and gifted him with support patches as commendation for his heroism.

Video by Alina Ageeva shows a young woman holding the patches and reading the words on the patches aloud. “Stronger together, helping hands, healing heroes,” Ageeva reads out, and translates the kind gesture to the Ukrainian man, Vladislav Alexandrovich Yeshchenko, who shakes hands with the two Marines.

“Thank you for your sacrifice,” one of the men can be heard saying.

Talking to Storyful, Yeshschenko’s translator said that a lot of people had approached him to express their gratitude on that day. “The most shocking thing for Vlad was the meeting with the US Marines,” she said.

“After the meeting, he was in a stupor and satisfied because it is a great honor to shake hands with other heroes,” she added. Credit: Vladislav Alexandrovich Yeshchenko via Storyful

Video transcript

- Patches.

ALINA AGEEVA: Oh, thank you. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] "stronger together, helping hands healing arrows.

- Healing arrows.

VLADISLAV ALEXANDROVICH YESHCHENKO: [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

ALINA AGEEVA: [INAUDIBLE]

- [INAUDIBLE], brother.

VLADISLAV ALEXANDROVICH YESHCHENKO: [INAUDIBLE]

- You're our heroes. You guys are amazing, amazing people. Thank you for doing everything, OK?

ALINA AGEEVA: Thank you so much.

- Thank you for your sacrifice.

- Thank you so much.

ALINA AGEEVA: You're welcome. Thank you.

- Patches.

ALINA AGEEVA: Oh, thank you. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] "stronger together, helping hands healing arrows."

- Healing arrows.

VLADISLAV ALEXANDROVICH YESHCHENKO: [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

ALINA AGEEVA: Thank you so much.

- [INAUDIBLE], brother.

VLADISLAV ALEXANDROVICH YESHCHENKO: [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

- You're our heroes. You guys are amazing, amazing people. Thank you for doing everything, OK?

ALINA AGEEVA: Thank you so much.

- Thank you for your sacrifice.

- Thank you so much.

ALINA AGEEVA: You're welcome. Thank you.