We Were Recruits (2024)

[bunniefuu]

Hi.

I'm 19 and I'm studying

to be a journalist.

Now I'm going to drink my coffee

and take care of Everest.

That's my dog, by the way.

The best friend of my childhood.

And I will go to the lectures.

There are 35 girls on my floor.

It's really cool.

But either them or me

But either they or I may never become

what we are studying for.

Because there is a w*r in my country.

That's the reason

I will not attend classes today.

Our civil future is in question.

So 'Journalist' is now my call sign.

And I'm a recruit

of the third as*ault brigade.

This is the place

where they become legends.

And maybe one day

I will become one of them.

But today I have another role.

I will interview the real martial legends,

showing you that superheroes

are ordinary people,

the same as those

who are able to watch the film now.

The first person

I'm going to tell you about

will be the soldier

with the call sign - Tokha.

The w*r caught him at the peak

of his sports career.

In the fight at Makhach he was fighting

under the nickname Berserk.

Well, in simple words - fierce warrior.

He wanted to keep

this call sign in the w*r,

but the thought struck his mind:

Am I really furious?

And because of his modesty,

Anton has turned into Tokha.

Have you somehow been involved

in the army before the full-scale w*r?

I haven't been involved,

I only had experience in

compulsory military service in 2008.

So there is no way to call it

involvement in the army.

Have you completed the service

and continued doing your business?

Yes, those were the times

when the army was being plundered

and destroyed as such.

So I didn't really like it

and I've taken a different path,

the path of sport.

That's why I haven't been involved.

What kind of sport were you into?

Generally, my main sport

is mixed martial arts

and at the same time

I was into Brazilian jiujitsu,

Thai boxing, classical boxing.

The main goal wasn't any titles,

but growth.

A wonderful start

for going into combat experience.

Tell me about it, please!

Well, overall it was absolutely awesome,

as I've never had

any similar experience before.

As the w*r is such a thing

which is not possible to see

on the video or in the photos.

It's not even possible to understand it

when you commute to the w*r zone.

You can only feel it.

At the resort.

We've been f*cked over with a*tillery.

There was no a*tillery support at all.

Everything explodes, burns,

and you are on the verge

of life and death.

These emotions are unforgettable.

So, the first experience

was really unforgettable.

Me and my two comrades arrived in Kyiv

at the end of February.

We went to our first combat position.

And it was really epic.

As I was imagining

that I would come to the w*r

and there would be some combat equipment,

any tanks, the arms.

We ran out, line up

and I think something is going to approach

any armored vehicles

or any other equipment.

Hammers.

And while approaching

I see a yellow Bohdan bus

with the inscription AZOV.

I'm standing and waiting,

thinking: Maybe it's any kind of minibus?

And then I see

everyone sitting into the cabin

and realize

that this is our combat transport.

- Get in the bus!

- In the bus!

Don't stray together.

Go and spread out!

Don't fuss once again! I told him.

You kept going. Did you have a feeling

that here was your mission?

That you had something to live for.

I felt it when...

when we went.

Two or three nights

every minute the shells hit us.

Then the infantry approached,

we were leading the gunfight

and that was my first combat experience.

When were just hammered by a*tillery

24 hours in a row,

the infantry intruded

and on the distance of 100 meters

we saw our enemy and opened the fire.

Watch carefully,

they will come down to you from the hill.

On the right?

Left! Left!

Hurry up!

Let's go! Move on!

In fact, that was the battle for Kyiv.

As on the distance of

15 kilometers from that place

Obolon' was located.

Are you a mobilized

or voluntary soldier in the army?

No, I'm a volunteer.

And I'm really proud of it.

As I can define the volunteers

as a unique phenomenon

which is actually common for us,

for Ukraine.

The voluntary combat is the one who goes,

sacrifices everything the most precious

not requiring anything in return.

Tell me about the military dodge.

Well, our military dodge is really cool,

and there are no analogies to it

in the world.

Today is the first open tournament

of Azov Regiment in boxing.

This kind of boxing

differs from ordinary boxing.

As here only the combatants

of our Regiment box

and also the format requires boxing,

wearing combat boots and camouflage pants.

But as for the rules,

everything remains unchanged.

Maybe you've got any injuries?

Yes, I've got a g*nsh*t wound.

In my leg, and in my arm.

As for the leg,

everything worked out fine.

The b*llet went straight through,

without hurting an artery, the bone.

Brother, what's wrong with you?

Everything is fine.

You are going to be evacuated.

The b*llet went through,

so everything was ok.

And as for my arm

everything was much more complicated

as the b*llet hit my hand,

split up the bone.

Tore the nerve, and also went through.

And the machines rose

from the ashes of the nuclear fire.

Have you offered the doctors

any alternative to the implant?

I have.

I said that if there is any opportunity

to sew the g*n or grenade launcher

instead of the arm

I am ready to cut my arm off

so that they would set the arms there

in order for me to k*ll the enemy

more effectively and in a bigger quantity.

But unfortunately they said that

they are unable

to give me such kind of service,

so, my arm has been saved.

The brotherhood in the army:

Is it the truth?

I can't talk about the other divisions

but for our division

this is the key source

our division is standing on.

Brother-in-arms is not a blood brother.

It even happens

that the brother-in-arms

is much closer to you,

than your blood brother

because he knows you from the point

nobody else knows.

He is aware of the things

that nobody else knows about you,

even your family:

your Mum, or Dad, or your wife.

Because the w*r is something

you can only feel

and just the person who is next to you

at that moment, fully understands you.

It's high time!

- My friend, we've got to finish now.

- It was a pleasure to hear you.

I see that support

from the home front is felt.

Yeah, we are shipping now.

Yesterday our brigade

got a new combat order

and we are going to bombard "Bombas".

But to talk seriously,

I've got mixed feelings

because I'm going to the w*r

for the first time.

But with such brother-in-arms

I'm feeling confident enough.

Just look at these guys.

Is it really possible to have any fears,

If they are nearby?

Then we had to pick our combat

with the call sign Skhid.

And took a decision

that a bit of posturing in the center

of Kyiv would not interfere us.

Hi, friend! I'm all ears!

Yes, I see you. Rodger that.

The call to all the groups!

We're going to have

a one-minute stop in 500 meters.

To pick up the combatant.

A one-minute stop.

Am I heard?

The commander told

that we've got 10 minutes.

That's why I decided to catch the moment

and interview somebody else.

And then I saw Khata.

My hand stretched to pull out

my working notebook itself.

And I've already had a pile of questions

that I wanted to ask him.

My brothers-in-arms say

that Khata is the soul of the company

and really kind and sensible person.

But I was looking at Khata,

saying to myself:

Khata is kind,

he will not eat you, he is not evil.

It's just his appearance - formidable.

Oh my God, there is also Dok there.

I'll tell you about Dok a bit later.

That's it: all the bridges are burnt.

Hi, friend.

My call sign is a Journalist

and I am filming here,

flunking everybody out with my questions.

May I also flunk you out,

while we're having time?

- Is it you, the journalist?

- Yes.

I've heard of you.

Come on!

To begin with, my name is Artem,

my call sign is Khata

and I'm currently serving

in the third as*ault brigade

in the first as*ault battalion,

in the position of

the commander of the squadron.

My rank is the 2nd Lieutenant.

But generally,

my military way began in 2014.

Azov regiment?

At first I was a servant in Pravyy Sector.

Not long, about a month,

took part in military operations.

Then I had a short break

for around four months.

And at the beginning of 2015

I joined Azov Regiment.

I was serving there, taking part

in military operations by 2020.

Tell me about Kyiv Campaign.

The first thing I realized myself was

that this w*r is completely different.

There wasn't such a big amount

of different military equipment

in anti-t*rror1st operation

as there was in Kyiv.

So much aviation, helicopters.

If I can say it in simple words,

I was really speechless.

We've already got the task

to redeploy to another place.

There will be the w*r.

The w*r is already here.

- Really?

- It is supposed to be.

I thought we've been here

for May Day celebrations.

Talking about your physical shape at w*r.

How do you respond and react

to some stupid questions?

My physical shape?

So to speak, I perform the tasks that

do not require a good physical shape

I am valued in my division

and I am holding the position

not due to how I am physically trained

but because of my thinking skills.

Stop. There's a mine.

Shipment to the same location.

And here is the walkie-talkie as this is

the mean of communication with him.

On the floor! On the floor!

I've heard that you had the motorbike

in the Eastern direction.

Yes, I had it.

- Did you ride it?

- I did.

Look at it!

Let's have a talk about Kherson.

About Kherson campaign?

Well, at that time we were

at a military training ground in Rivne.

Before that we had been the servants

of Special Operation Forces

and we got an order to form a brigade.

We had to move in the third echelon

which meant that one brigade

breaks through the frontline,

the second draws in

and we had to enter through their orders

to pass and cut off

the hostile groups on the rears.

We had one battalion tactical group.

Our first as*ault battalion,

to which the tanks, the mortars

and a*tillery have been transmitted

and other divisions.

That was the way it had to be,

but as soon as we reached

the point of accumulation

we had been told that six hours ago

the enemy started to deviate.

And we started, let's say, chasing them.

I was going to the sh**ting!

And they just escaped!

Hate them!

- Maybe you will catch them up?

- I'm not interested in it anymore!

I was going for a sh**ting

with normal guys

to have a sh**t with normal guys!

Look how c*ck he is.

Video sh**ting is not allowed here.

Turn off your camera!

Khata, you're nice.

I am a lion.

Khata, how not to have fear?

Tell me about motivation.

Look, only the fool

is not scared at the w*r.

If you're not scared,

you're most likely to die.

Because if the person is not scared,

he doesn't have a

self-preservation instinct.

You know, not to be afraid of

means to be able to master your fear.

Because any person

may fall into screeching halt

and it's really hard

to withdraw the person from it.

The fear has to be mastered.

If you succeed in it,

everything will be alright.

Actually, it's really scary

at the beginning of the fight

and at the end of it.

After you'd overcome that moment,

you'd get a relief.

About the philosophy at w*r.

What does it mean to you?

My philosophy at w*r?

You know, the main thing in my philosophy

is probably my attitude

towards people and combat training.

Because if there is none,

it doesn't make any sense.

As there are many divisions,

and there can be the brigade.

Where they have a lot of equipment

and many other essential things.

But if they are not trained enough

or have not enough experience,

one as*ault battalion,

as ours, for example,

will be more effective

than the whole as*ault brigade.

What would you like to say to civilians?

This is what I'd like

to say the civilians:

Those, who can't fight, help, donate!

Do even the smallest things!

Don't say that the w*r makes you tired.

As they say.

Because, well...

It's quiet here. You go to work.

You woke up in the morning,

had a cup of coffee,

kissed your wife, if you have one,

or your kids.

You can't get tired of w*r here.

But the guys who are struggling

for our right to be independent

for days and nights on end,

they are the ones who are having

a really hard time.

So, if you're unable to fight, then help.

And to other adult men

who consider themselves men

and not just the citizens of this country,

I want to recommend training,

to join the army.

Because this w*r, I'm sure, will continue

until they reach an agreement

or until either we or they are finished.

That's my understanding.

We need this hundred-year

or even two-hundred-year w*r,

because we are constantly at w*r

with them.

I guess it's time to end it

so that our children can peacefully...

And the children of our children can

peacefully live on and build this country.

That's all I can say.

Thank you.

- Was a pleasure to listen to you.

- Likewise.

I finished my conversation with Khata

right at the moment when Skhid appeared.

This is why I didn't make anyone wait.

As for me, our conversation's gone well.

Friends

On every stripe

Do not live in such a tense

Due to such guys like Khata,

Kyiv has rapidly forgotten

how Russian a*tillery

struck the shopping malls.

You know, out of an armored Humvee

you can see expensive shops,

people at the restaurants.

It causes quite mixed feelings.

Like there is

an atmosphere of safety in the city.

But on the other hand, I understand,

that all of this can suddenly change.

There is no safe place in Ukraine today

and this is what

should be remembered every day.

In my opinion, Kyiv today seems like

a predator lying in wait.

The next location of ours

is the place

where we recruit the rations.

Voluntary base,

which is not a secretive facility,

and this is why I've been allowed

to film here.

This is a great place

for striking up a conversation

with a combat, whose call sign is Skhid.

The guys introduced him to me

as a legendary person.

I welcome you, my friend Skhid.

You don't know me yet.

I'm a journalist, I'm sh**ting films.

I'd like to put a few questions to you.

Yes, we've got a few minutes.

There are legends about you.

How did the full-scale w*r begin for you?

What came before

and how did you end up being at the w*r?

I met a full-scale w*r

off the Somali coast.

There I was dealing with

the marine protection from the piracy.

I was protecting civilian vessels

from the pirates.

And at the beginning,

you've arrived here, in Kyiv.

I've arrived only on the 13th of March.

Crossed the Ukrainian border.

And on the 14th of March I joined,

at that time,

territorial defense Azov Kyiv,

and in nine days I flied...

to Mariupol' by a helicopter.

There were 31 people in a helicopter.

It was the first crew

with the landing force.

And our task was

to fly for 45 minutes on our territory,

controlled by our troops.

And 45 minutes on the territory,

controlled by the enemy.

And we have been told

that we would be delivered somewhere

by the best pilots of our country.

And it was really so.

We've managed

to successfully reach Mariupol,

land Azovstal'.

Unload all the property

we've taken with us,

as anti-tank weapons, star links...

medical devices, that have already been

in a lack in Mariupol at that time.

Guys, take a lower position!

And after that

we had loaded heavily wounded guys,

who had the amputations.

Head injuries and the others.

Really heavy injuries.

We have loaded these guys

into the helicopters,

and the pilots

successfully took them

to the hospital in Dnipro.

We are now

on the opposite bank of the river,

thinking of...

the way to tackle a river obstacle.

To reunite with our guys in Azovstal.

Together with the comrades

we sailed across the river on a life-raft.

We were rowing like hell.

We are now sitting in a landing,

gobbling nuts...

and sugar.

A strong one!

As for your decision to stay at Azovstal.

Did you realize that it was a real gamble?

You might not have survived.

Yes, and I refused

to surrender to captivity.

As I've never considered such an option.

When I was flying, what I was thinking

of was either we are released

or we will die.

I have never considered captivity.

When we were told

we had to leave our positions,

I came up to the commander of my platoon

and informed him about my decision

that I would not go into captivity.

And I kept staying at Azovstal.

How did you survive?

Some knowledge

that I obtained during my previous service

and the part of percentage

was the usual luck, a fortune.

Will you tell us

how you were getting out step by step?

In total, I had to walk for

two hundred kilometers

on the territory, controlled by the enemy.

But how it actually was,

I'd share in my book

that I'm working on now.

Did you rescue your injured comrades?

There was an occasion

nearly at the end of Azovstal,

when the enemy

was continuously

dropping bombs on Azovstal.

The shelter I was dislocated

in has been punched.

But I have survived there,

as well as the other guys.

And eight comrades have been k*lled.

When the next day we were ordered

to look for another shelter

for those who were kept alive

I made a decision to go through the town

where we were defeated at night.

And I realized that

I would never forgive myself

unless I shout

and ask if there isn't anyone

under the rubble.

And when I started

shouting and ask about it,

my comrade heard

that out of the ground,

out of the rubble someone replied.

And in a few hours

we've managed to save one life.

In this rescue operation

I'd like to tell about one soldier,

whose call sign was Paskha.

He was really small,

he's managed to fit through the rubble,

between the plates,

elevate the fallen plate

to give an opportunity

for the other soldier to come out.

But Paskha was cowardly k*lled

in captivity by the enemy.

Thank you, Skhid!

We moved further,

and I was texting my Mum.

You know, She is worrying a lot

because I'm here, in the army.

So I had to calm her down a bit

and say, that I'm a journalist there.

When leaving the city

we decided to go to the gas station.

w*r is w*r,

but hot-dog and coffee is the ritual

that nobody will make us refuse of.

By the way, an interesting observation.

I'm sure that almost each of you,

while travelling around the country

overlapped with the soldiers.

The place, where the distance between

the civil and military people disappears.

The crossroads, where we can look

into the eyes of each other.

But now I only want to enjoy the moment

when I am on the other side,

because I've always envied,

looking at the cool tigers,

wearing the uniform.

By the way, talking about the tigers.

This is Datsyk.

Datsyk is a commander-storm-trooper,

who is a real You-Tube star.

And here comes a master-class

of how to shame oneself out of the blue:

I wanted to hear his story so much,

that haven't even noticed the place

I was going to interview him in.

Thanks to everyone.

The master-class is over.

There are a lot of videos on the internet,

where you demonstrate your flair.

Is it intuition,

or something magical, supreme?

How to say it?

The fight is on, you're completely into

what's going around you.

And the main task of mine

is the fast and wise decision-making.

At the beginning, when I was entitled

as the division commander,

I was hesitating,

if the decision

would be taken correctly or not.

And then, with experience,

I understood that...

The initiative needed?

You have to catch up

with less bad thoughts,

but simply act.

And so it turns out,

that all the last assaults

all my decisions

have been taken fast and correctly.

Run across!

There! Into the trench!

Into the trench!

There they are!

There, to the guys!

Into the trench!

Into the trench!

I have saved them, bro!

I have saved them!

Let's move on? Fudbik...

Fudbik, Halychyna.

Fudbik, Halychyna.

You have to stay here now. sh**t there!

Machine-g*n should not be removed.

We will gain a foothold, I will leave.

Nazar, step back, I have to go.

We will get there.

Follow us now!

Palp it, look for the mines!

How do you get ready for the fight?

What gives you adrenaline?

Could you repeat?

How are you getting ready

before the fight?

What gives you adrenaline?

Primarily, I completely isolate myself...

from communication

with my nearest and dearest.

With civil friends.

I completely dive in a set task.

So, we were told:

an as*ault, a particular site, two nights.

So, we've trained with the guys,

worked out on layouts.

I instructed every soldier with the task.

What he takes with him

and what he does in a fight.

This is a group coordination

before the fight.

Time-X approaches.

The most disturbing is

to reach the starting point.

To the point,

where you start your pedestrian route.

Take it to the left, to the left.

Jump out!

Move forward!

f*ck, Klatch, hide there!

I don't know, I feel really confident.

I'm simply sure about my guys.

I'm sure about our a*tillery,

and I'm sure about our intelligence,

that has given us information

right before the fight.

I know that the guys know

what they have to do,

and we just go and fulfill our task.

We don't have something,

as we are sent to death,

or we go there to die.

We go there to k*ll, that's it.

There is no other way.

We don't think of anything else.

Where is Mimimi?

Mimimi, go, they are calling you!

Gal, Gut will come,

take his fighting stance.

Sectors - there.

And sh**t here and there.

Look, you and me,

now we are going to run across together.

Then you'll start to move the guys,

step by step, deal?

Keep a machine gunner in any case.

Let's go!

f*ck, it's nice!

This is why I say we have to move.

The enemy is there, don't go out!

My group...

The defense number 360.

Let's consolidate!

Have you talked about counteroffensive?

Launch a counteroffensive!

Give me water, bro!

I'm mopping up, mopping up!

Got it!

You're a con!

- What?

- I'll be going with you.

Bro!

We've got the coolest clubs!

And the coolest hangout

is where Datsyk is, isn't it?

What do you dream about?

I'll tell you this.

I don't push my dreams

far into the future.

I don't dream of a fancy car

or a country house.

My dreams are a bit simpler.

I dream that

when we're assigned a specific area

for cleanup or as*ault,

the operation goes as smoothly as possible

with no casualties or wounded on our side,

and as many dead Russians as possible.

That's what I dream about for now.

And it's going pretty well so far.

Behind the scenes, Datsik promised me

that he would try

to make his dream a reality.

THE CONSEQUENCES

OF THE RUSSIAN WORLD INVASION

I should admit that words like these and

people like him are incredibly inspiring.

Our next path

took us through the basic training course.

This is the place I recently left.

It's the training base of our brigade.

And it's here that the youth

first touch weapons

and become real warriors.

We needed to pick up

a few comrades and move on.

But seeing Istok and how passionately

he talked with the recruits,

I thought this would be the right place

for our interview.

Comrades say that Istok

is a very deep person.

But he doesn't open up to everyone.

The main thing you need to remember

is that this is a tool;

You will become the weapon.

You can modify it, rework it,

adapt it to yourself.

But it will still remain a tool.

You will be the weapon. Do you understand?

Yes. We do.

If you keep laughing out of line,

they will mess you up

for a very long time.

Then they'll mess up

the whole squad because of you.

We're moving away from the Soviet system,

but it will still be unpleasant

if 100 people have to do 200 push-ups

because of you.

And then you'll have to talk to them

separately in a room as well.

- Do you understand?

- Yes. We do.

All right, men, stand at ease.

- Istok, greetings!

- Greetings, friend!

I need your answers

to my questions for my film.

- I think we can do that.

- Do you have a couple of minutes?

- Probably.

- Great.

I'll say this.

w*r reveals your soul.

Let's put it this way.

w*r reveals the essence of your soul.

- The essence?

- Yes, the essence of your soul.

What you truly have inside.

You can be a jock, a gym-goer,

pumping iron at the gym.

Or you can throw someone

some rattling on the street.

You're a badass.

But when it comes to the point

where you might lose your life

or be crippled for life,

these badasses deflate quickly.

Sporty types, many of them boxers.

They suddenly realize

that apart from their

personal pursuits or money,

nothing else matters to them in life.

Let the guys, the losers, fight.

That's their classic line.

But the simple guys, the rural guys,

the ordinary, plain guys...

You know,

as they say in Kyiv from Troyeshchyna.

- An ordinary guy, streetwise.

- A fellow villager.

Yes, a fellow villager.

It doesn't matter. From the provinces.

An ordinary guy takes up a weapon

and does the job.

There are very good examples.

Recruits came to our basic training.

And there were recruits

who were really strong,

100-110 kilograms, buff guys.

They deflated in the first three days.

But there was one guy - the Indyuk.

The Indyk, he called himself

and always corrected people.

- Did he choose that call sign himself?

- Yes.

I called him Indyuk

and he always corrected me to Indyk.

And they always trained him hard

because you need to break

the recruit's mindset.

And honestly, the guy was very weak.

He had this kind of hair.

Although he had nationalism in his heart,

for Ukraine, for Ukrainians.

But it didn't seem like

he would survive the basic training.

But now, as far as I know

from the first mechanized battalion,

from my friend Bot -

the battalion commander,

the guy is an as*ault trooper,

running with a machine g*n.

Well, he's taking down enemies.

I don't even know what to say here.

Maximum dedication from the person,

despite being small, skinny,

with minimal physical development.

He found his calling.

Yes, maybe he found his calling,

but this is the same example

when physical skills are needed,

but they can be developed

if you have the strength of spirit.

If you don't have the strength of spirit,

you won't achieve anything in life.

One!

- Two.

- Two!

- Three.

- Three!

During the w*r near Kyiv, I had a comrade

with the call sign Schnobel.

Schnobel didn't make

a cover for himself over the trench.

A NURS hit a tree above him,

and shrapnel got into his lungs.

Very tricky.

So, you always need to make cover

if you have the opportunity

so you don't get injured

and taken out of the fight.

Because if you're out of the fight,

then the platoon, for example,

loses a unit.

A unit that can inflict damage

on the enemy.

And the first serious battle was Moshchun.

Please tell us about it.

Well, they assembled us then,

I don't remember exactly,

but I remember they assembled us.

And there was a speech

that this was most likely our last battle.

If we lose...

The commander said that to you?

Yes, he said it factually,

if we lose this battle,

then they will enter Kyiv.

They will just wipe us out and that's it.

If we can't hold out,

then most likely we will die.

And they told us

that this was the last battle

so everyone should fight bravely,

to the last, to hold the line.

And our company

began to gather for Moshchun.

Whatever anyone had.

It was like a real Taliban.

Completely random things...

In ski suits...

Completely random things,

everything you could imagine.

Of course, back then no one understood

what could keep you warm,

for example, in spring trenches.

No one understood

how to dig those trenches at all.

The essence of a trench.

You crawl up.

It should be about 180 centimeters long

and about 60 centimeters wide.

We dig down 40-50 centimeters.

We make a firing position.

The firing position should be

at 30 centimeters, oh, I mean 30 degrees.

Tell us about the Soviet defensive line,

the DOTs. Did it help at all?

Where I was stationed,

there was only one DOT.

And on that DOT we had our command post.

The guys set up a company command post.

Back then, my company commander

was a friend, Lycurg,

and his deputy was the Strategist.

They set up the command post there.

I was stationed a bit

further from the DOT.

We made our own positions.

It helped. It helped a lot,

but I think it was

a decent protection against shrapnel

but a very questionable protection

against a direct hit.

Where Istok is,

they are digging in, but there are hits.

Where Istok is, there's House 3.

Communications went down here.

We can hear

but we can't transmit to our headquarters.

a*tillery shelling nearby.

How are you doing? How's everything?

Come in, have a seat.

You can walk further

and see the luxurious apartments.

Yes, you have luxurious apartments here.

A magnificent helicopter outside.

In general, they managed

to drive us out of our positions

because there were many wounded.

Almost everyone was concussed.

Many were injured, and some were k*lled.

At that moment,

a guy jumped into my trench.

His call sign was Ryzhyi.

He said,

"Something's about to hit us, brother,

something's about to hit us."

And a shell hit the trench wall.

He died. I was heavily concussed.

Immediately you get these effects,

like a blur before your eyes.

You start vomiting. You feel very bad.

On the left.

On the left where?

Garrison, three-hundredth.

Brother, are you okay?

I don't know. Brother.

During an as*ault,

you have to keep moving forward

to avoid getting pinned down.

If you stop,

a*tillery or possibly more accurate

airstrikes will start targeting you.

And your advance will stall.

This ends very badly, with many deaths.

So it's very difficult morally.

I believe the as*ault troops in this w*r

are the most heroic people,

the most resilient

because everyone wants to k*ll you

before you reach those positions,

absolutely everyone,

from people to planes.

You have to get there,

clear it, and hold it.

I know one good principle.

If a heavy a*tillery barrage starts

and you know your vehicle

won't move forward,

you need to unload from that vehicle.

That's the principle.

Because what if there's an

anti-tank m*ssile somewhere, you know?

Or something else.

Or what if they start

targeting you precisely? You never know.

And a vehicle is a big target

that's easy to adjust fire on.

In Zaporizhzhia,

I got a second concussion.

It hit me pretty hard in the head,

and in the hospital, they told me

that combat operations

were over for me for now.

How long is unknown,

because one more concussion

and I'll probably be

a vegetable, drooling.

This was clearly stated to me.

His information was communicated

to my command,

and they told me that

I needed to focus on training.

Ack then, it was still

the Special Operations Forces regiment.

They told me

that I needed to focus on training,

to create a training unit,

to take charge of it

under the supervision of commanders.

So I started doing that.

We then created a so-called

Basic Military Training course.

What does civilian life mean to you?

Who's waiting for you at home?

My wife is a servicewoman.

She's been with me since the first day,

since the full-scale invasion

on February 24th.

She said she would help me.

We weren't married at that time.

She said, "I'll help you

with whatever you need."

I said, "Alright, go back to the kitchen,

help with everything you can,"

and she stayed with our unit

until recently.

Because she gave birth to our son,

she's out of the picture now.

She's a servicewoman, she was with me,

supporting me in all situations.

Her name is Yana.

- Wonderful.

- Yes.

What's your philosophy of w*r?

Let's put it this way.

There are people who love w*r.

There are people

who see w*r as an opportunity,

let's say, to legally destroy

the enemies of our nation.

But for me, w*r is a very bad time.

I think w*r is death, dirt, and blood.

There's nothing good in it, people die,

your friends die,

and mostly they can die in your arms,

right next to you.

You have to k*ll people.

Well, how can I put it?

With the Russians, it's not so bad,

but your psychology still suffers.

Even the best fighters, I'm sure,

their psyche will suffer

from this in civilian life.

The biggest problem

is that for many people,

the w*r will remain

in their minds forever.

It won't end for them.

It's very hard to socialize when

an ordinary person

walking down the street doesn't know.

Yes, maybe they've been

under a few missiles,

heard some explosions,

but they've never k*lled people,

never felt the smell of death.

They've never lost friends,

never given the last they have -

their health, their life for this country.

What would you like to say

to the military and civilians?

Can I add a little swearing, lightly?

Go ahead, say it as it is.

What I want is for us

not to screw up this country

after all this ends successfully for us.

I really worry about that.

If I die in this w*r,

if it happens

that I go back into the fight,

if such an order is given,

I want my son, my family

to live in a decent,

strong, independent country.

Please don't screw up the country.

This applies to everyone.

I want to add something about civilians.

Those who are helping the country

in their own ways,

I commend you, you're great.

Those who are just

sitting around doing nothing,

saying, "This isn't my thing.

I'm not made for w*r."

No one is made for w*r.

What will you tell your children,

your relatives after the w*r ends?

How will you be able to look

in the eyes of my comrades and me?

What right will you have,

the right of a citizen

to be in this country for which we fought,

when you've done nothing for it?

This especially applies to those

who quickly ran off to Poland

or other countries

and are just sitting there now.

Honestly, I might sound harsh,

but I don't want them to come back.

- They found a new life.

- Let them find it.

I would support stripping them

of their citizenship.

Let them live there, please.

If you're not helping,

not participating

in the life of the country

and just sitting there, stay there,

don't come back, please.

People are dying for this country,

losing their health,

giving their last money,

doing everything they can.

If you're doing nothing,

we don't need you

as citizens of this country.

Imagine recruits who dared

to laugh in formation in front of Istok,

now silently and with admiration

listen to the sn*per

with the call sign Helga.

A former choreography teacher,

she gave up dancing

at the start of the full-scale w*r

and joined the Third as*ault.

Helga's charisma captivated everyone,

and I'm no exception.

So, let's move on to the interview.

My call sign is Journalist,

I would like to ask you this question:

what is it like for a woman

in the army in general?

I can speak from my experience.

Honestly, it depends on the team.

I like everything.

I joined a very combat-orientated unit

where the focus is on results,

not on whether you're a woman or a man.

I see. And how is it going in the unit,

the relationships?

It depends on how you present yourself.

Everything is proven by actions, and then...

If I show by example

that respect can be earned

through actions,

then it's possible.

Tell me, what's your combat experience?

My first combat outing was in Bakhmut,

right off the bat.

And honestly,

I was so confident in my comrades

that there was no hesitation.

You were motivated and confident.

I had been waiting for this

for a long time.

How was your Basic Military Training?

My BMT was a three-week trial,

hellish, really hellish.

It exhausted you physically and mentally.

Were you the only girl there?

I heard that a few girls

had been there before me,

but they left on the first day.

No one kicks you out

until you say you're quitting BMT.

- You endured?

- Yes.

What are your plans for the future?

For now, to fight

as long as there's fighting to be done.

Do you have any dreams?

My dream is for this all to end

as soon as possible.

That's it.

Honestly, I enjoy the process.

I'll say it again,

we fight as long as there's fighting.

I don't know,

I'm completely satisfied with the guys

and the people around me.

I have complete confidence in them.

- And you enjoy it.

- I don't want to back down.

Get lost, b*stard.

Bam.

What is the philosophy of w*r for you?

It's a nice phrase,

but I don't really understand its meaning.

If you're talking about

the romance of w*r,

there's absolutely none.

It's all romanticism.

Istok said it's dirt and blood.

- That's right.

- It's stench, dirt, blood.

It's complete unsanitary conditions.

How it's portrayed is something else.

Honestly, I like what I do.

This is how victory is achieved.

Through pain, dirt, blood,

and lack of any conditions.

We won't give up. Thank you.

No problem.

Either the coat is buttoned up

or it's not worn at all.

Army statute.

Thank you.

Got it.

Because we picked up a few more fighters,

my prime spot in the HMMWV was taken,

and I rode next to Dock

in another vehicle.

People said about him,

"Dock is a tough

and professional warrior."

He lost a close friend in the w*r,

and it's a very heroic story

I wanted to learn about.

At the same time,

I didn't want to make him relive it.

So I sat there thinking

if I should interview him.

Okay, I'll take the risk.

You have been part of

many successful operations.

Tell us about them,

especially those no one has heard about,

where something went wrong.

The first that comes to mind is

the attempt

to break the siege of Mariupol.

It was April 2022.

The operation was entirely voluntary.

They gathered the personnel

and said,

"Guys, this could be a one-way ticket,"

meaning only volunteers.

And it was, you know,

such a turning point,

if you retreat and raise the question

of who you are fighting with.

At that moment I realized

that I was with real great warriors.

Because not one of them

stepped out of line.

Khmuryi!

Yes!

Distribute the damn box.

And take up defense here. Got it?

Plus up!

Get down!

Our guys are there, three are wounded.

We could cover them with the box.

- Physicist! Come here.

- Organize everything there.

Kremin! Kremin!

But as always, something went wrong.

The enemy wasn't engaged in battle.

And the enemy already knew

that the breakthrough column was coming.

Just 30 minutes before...

we were supposed to break through

between the villages,

we get a new task.

We were told that the neighboring unit

couldn't complete their task,

and we received a new order

to storm a certain village.

Was it Novozlatopil?

Yes, it was Novozlatopil.

A plan was made.

We formed up in combat order

behind the APC,

and moved to the outskirts of the village.

We began to enter the village.

At some point, I realized

that the sounds of g*nf*re

were only coming from our APC,

no one was sh**ting at us.

And then, suddenly,

everything turned bright orange.

At that moment, a shell from a BMP-1

hit the side of our APC.

I realized we were being attacked

from the right flank,

and I ordered the group

to retreat to the left side of the road,

to lie down and take cover.

At that moment,

my comrade, his call sign was Tanchyk...

I want to go into battle looking good.

You need to go into battle looking scary.

It's going to be scary here.

I will k*ll with my beauty.

Ignoring the order

and making a decision with his life,

I don't know what he was thinking then.

In the end, his action at that moment

saved the lives of over 20 people.

Just as I gave the order to retreat

he lay down with his machine g*n

where he was standing,

suppressing the enemy's firing positions

with overwhelming fire.

When we were retreating, I realized

Tanchyk was still laying down

fire from the mortar.

I shouted to him,

"Fall back! We've got you covered."

At that moment, he turned towards me,

and I saw him get hit

by a b*llet in the stomach.

It's the sn*per's usual tactic:

wound a soldier,

so another one rushes to help,

only to be targeted

the same way, and so on.

I just see Tanchyk starting to bleed,

and right then,

Tanchyk's mortar goes silent,

and the mortar

on the other side starts firing.

The barrage was so intense

that I had to bury

my helmet in the ground,

branches were just snapping above my head.

I'm lying there, watching my friend dying,

and I can't do a damn thing about it.

Tanchyk is down.

We're lying there, and I'm thinking,

"Damn, is this really it?

Is this all there is to this position?"

Then Veles, my buddy...

kicks my boot.

I turn, and he signals

with a smoke grenade.

All my bags were packed,

and I was loaded up with a*mo,

so I had nowhere to put

that smoke grenade.

I wanted to leave it behind,

but then I give it to Veles and say,

"Take it."

And that smoke grenade he showed me

ended up saving everyone

lying on the left side of the road.

Move! Move away, buddy, move!

Roland, I might run back to my guys.

Let's go.

Who's waiting for you back home?

Literally, no one is waiting for me

back home.

Mom and my little brother

were sent to Poland.

And Dad is actually

fighting with me in the unit.

Here...

It was kinda expected, you know?

I had a strict but fair upbringing

raised by a man.

So the person who gave me that upbringing,

it wasn't surprising he came with me.

Why do you think the recruits

specifically chose

the 3rd as*ault Brigade?

What advantages does it have

from your experience?

From my experience,

in the 3rd as*ault Brigade,

there are no so-called desk officers,

people who just studied in the academy,

got their officer rank

without any combat experience,

fighting by the book.

Every commander,

every person in a position of authority

has direct combat experience.

In the 3rd as*ault Brigade,

there's a tendency,

I repeat, we never pity a soldier,

but we protect him.

Our next task

was to meet with the adjacent unit.

They were supposed

to give us intelligence.

The meeting was planned in the green zone,

just minutes away.

And before we went into battle,

I really wanted to do one final interview.

But for now, I'll keep quiet

and let you just enjoy this moment.

Skif! Skif! This is Khmuryi, I see you.

At 11 o'clock from your movement.

I stood there, speechless,

with a lump in my throat.

This scene is about

unity and professionalism.

It was the most powerful energy

I have ever felt.

Let's talk about how you decided

to become a reconnaissance commander.

Well, how did you decide?

Certain circumstances led to it.

Back in 2015...

a close person convinced me

to stay for the scout training course,

led by a very experienced instructor.

At that time, I wanted to be an assaulter,

and go to Pisky,

then from there to Donetsk airport.

But they persuaded me to stay

and take the reconnaissance course.

I stayed, and a couple of weeks later,

just when I was supposed to be in

those areas according to my calculations,

the airport fell.

And I realized it wasn't all in vain.

And then,

as I developed in this direction,

I understood that character makeup

mindset, certain physiology matter.

And, let's say, it fascinated me,

and it became a lifestyle.

You found your calling.

Yes, if you're a reconnaissance commander,

it's not just during the w*r,

it's forever.

Bahmut.

About secret operations

that cannot be discussed.

They can't be discussed.

Khmuryi, want to arm up a bit?

I do.

Give me the AT, damn it.

They'll take us at the crossing.

Can you make it to the crossing?

Go! Go! Go!

Again!

The b*stards f*cked off.

What we learned to do at the beginning,

let's say at the beginning of the w*r.

That's good, sensible,

professional, coordinated.

Retreat, turn around, and reassemble.

About how you helped train recruits

after being wounded in Zaporizhia.

I helped with training recruits

both before and after

being wounded in Zaporizhia region.

It was after the injury in Bucha,

I had problems with my leg,

it didn't bend.

Khmuryi is three-hundredth.

What do you mean?

Three-hundredth in what sense?

And what happened?

How are you? Alive, brother?

- I'm fine.

- Feeling alright?

Yeah, he's cut up.

- Damn, shouldn't have cut it.

- f*ck it. I don't give a f*ck. Damn it.

Yeah. Bleeding, bleeding a bit.

It's leaking.

We need a tourniquet, quickly.

Get ready, guys.

Guys, someone time it, guys.

- Second leg also wounded.

- Second leg too?

Second one's also wounded.

Checking the second leg.

There was a cut in the bone, as they say.

It wasn't a walk in the park for us.

After getting wounded,

without fully healing,

you go straight into battle.

I've heard that from the guys.

- Is that so?

- Well, it heals slowly.

Nothing hit you? All good?

Respectable.

I just know how to...

have the ability to pass on knowledge.

Some know a lot but can't teach.

I, knowing and mastering quite a bit,

can simply pass on this knowledge.

Let's talk about the difference

between the RPS and the w*r Belt.

The w*r Belt is worn,

the same DC, the essentials.

One or two magazines,

a knife, a p*stol, a med kit

multi-tool, marker.

Something like that.

And a few more magazines.

What helps you

to be in harmony with yourself?

Making quick decisions?

I don't know exactly what helps me

be in harmony with myself,

but it's there somehow.

Let's say, philosophy in general,

it has to be there when we're at the base,

at some permanent deployment point,

outing.

We can think

about the enemy, about the w*r,

about metaphysics, and so on.

When we're directly working

in the fields of w*r,

it's just mechanical work

that needs to be done well,

which also needs to be put soul into,

needs to be done responsibly

and very precisely,

then everything will be clear.

Who's waiting for you back home?

Everyone's waiting, family and loved ones.

So we're squabbling.

Thank you, Khmuryi!

Hope we'll talk again.

The path of any warrior

starts with a simple act.

Today you're a courier.

Or a rescuer.

Or a tender girl.

Working in an office.

Gas station attendant.

Just a guy on the street.

Or skateboarding.

And tomorrow - you're a living legend!

And what separates you from that

is just one decision.

The midwife smiled at Mom

Ma'am, you've given birth to a son

Look fierce, butt in cartoons

Clearly born for w*r

Never asked for TDU of Monaco

God spared from the Bukovel cauldron

Had a prophetic dream in childhood

A filthy fur coat is waiting for me

And I wanted to hold the economic front

Life doesn't always go smoothly

So while the dog Patron holds the area

We boys hold the position

We boys hold the position

And here I go along the dusty road

The right-hand twist

Is getting jammed again

I stood in a willow tree in exhaustion

I wish the Muscovite wouldn't have hit

And I wanted to hold the economic front

Life doesn't always go smoothly

So while the dog Patron holds the area

We boys hold the position

We boys hold the position

I'm empty.

Oh, a grenade. Get down!

Cover him.

Your guys have turned on you!

You have one chance to survive!

You know, for security reasons,

I can't tell you the specific objective

of the operation I was recruited for,

but I won't leave you without a spoiler.

Using Browning?

Yes.

Let them conserve ammunition.

Just conserve the a*mo.

They are!