When we took prisoners, spoke with them, understood that to them all the same that occurs if only money paid. I, for example, should clear some bar, no matter what, and I or will be lost, or I will take it, and to mercenaries - it is all the same, I will take it or not. They should live till the evening, because in the evening a salary – and all. But 19-year-old I feel sorry for boys.

They cry then on interrogations and swear that they did not know where carry them that to them told - on doctrines. Also it is the truth, but they are a military personnel and have to execute the order .

My rank - the second lieutenant. I am a commander of the third platoon, the third company of a battalion of Kulchitsky. Itself it is from Donetsk region, Selidovo, there is such town (Is under the Ukrainian control. - Edition). I have three children, the son and 2 daughters. Earlier I worked as the miner, but when arrived to Kiev, and it happened a few years ago, started working in firm which is engaged in plastic windows. When called to the colors in "Natsgvardiya", went the volunteer.

I lost a half-platoon in accident near Artemovsk. Our bus collided with truck. It was collision "a forehead in a forehead" because at KRAZA the wheel burst.

I as the senior sat ahead near the driver and I was lucky because threw out me through a windshield. At first I was written down as "200th", managed even to remember in part, but to spite of enemies - I live

In that place where I sat, from the bus remained nothing. I was found by local people who went on the road. I lay at distance of 20 meters from accident, in a ditch. We were taken out to Artemovsky hospital, and from there to Kharkov.

Very much impressed me as after a funeral of one of fighters in the Western Ukraine we were met by inhabitants. When we left from the table ambassador of commemoration, people stood in the row and clapped to us, crying out "Glory to Ukraine!"

Among fighters my close friend was lost. To me it was very heavy: the first two days in general it there was a wish to be shot. Because that calls someone's wife, someone's daughter: "Why the father died, you promised them to return?" In fight I would try to save them, but here - combination of circumstances. How many I fought for that we became a platoon. When we were on rotation, we did not stay at home, and ran on the woods, were engaged. My platoon was ideally ready to performance of tasks, and I lost it in a flash. A half was lost, a half is now incapacitated. The 7th told me that my grandmother died, and I do not test any emotions any more because I was so tired to bury boys that apprehended death of the grandmother as the fact. Though she was to me very dear person, brought up me when I was small. After I leave hospital, I will collect a new platoon, but we have a flag on which all surnames of our lost fighters are written down - they will be at war with us further. They forever will remain in our third platoon.

When we stood near Debaltsev, it just was almost in a ring, there was such small ledge between Gorlovka and Enakiyev is Uglegorsk. Because we held it, not the ring, but a bag turned out any more. We conducted there battles which for me it is difficult to call heavy because it is habitual. We were not beaten "Gradami", generally battles were conducted by small arms. We stood in direct contact with the enemy, saw how they changed as they ate, and they saw us. In the city there was a waste heap, and once investigation reported that on it anybody is not present, and it was literally in two kilometers from our posts. There our children came around, and it appeared that there are enemies and they were dug round already very not bad. And from our children who came around there, it turned out three wounded and one killed. The guy, Erema was lost, he was 21 years old, he should not have gone, but at the last minute jumped on BMD, asked with us. Next day we left to this waste heap on two BMP, us there were 8 people, and broke them in stuff. At the same time blew up an enemy warehouse of ammunition. Our sniper removed two enemy snipers, here so we revenged for Erema.

With civilians we had excellent relations, they drove us to themselves to bathe, be erased, heated to us a bath, gave water because we stood in a bare floor and held the line of tank break. And children of 7-8 years always resorted to us and spoke: "Mother, asked grain".

We to them rice, buckwheat, will give all, and thanks to volunteers, at us all was enough. Volunteers and in hospital fill up us with all necessary. They helped me to see children whom I did not see nearly a year since war began. They live on Donbass. I was simply shocked by how they changed. On the son, and he is a senior, to it 14 will be, is noticeable that grew up, and dotsya, it already 7, is there was such small miracle, and now such clever became. She sits on a lap, me embraces and speaks: "The father, listen to me now", and tells such clever things that I am surprised. And the third daughter at me from second marriage.

I am a patriot and to much explained that I cannot change the Homeland in one day, I was always Ukrainian, I admire our Cossacks, and I am proud that I am their descendant. I had nothing against Russians until they came to my earth. And time is sent, conversation short. And whoever it was: Russians, Americans, still someone, the main thing that they rushed on others earth and shoot at my relatives whom we have to protect. For the some Donetsk friends I am a traitor, the Banderovite, "fennel". They are not friends to me more, but now I had brothers, and it is better, than friends.

I, strangely enough, feel sorry for the Russian mothers, whose sons we call "refrigerator troops". They do not ask the children: "Go and kill the Ukrainian!" One person stirred up it everything, and pay off from both parties. But we die heroes, and they - in general it is not known whom. Many of them even home are not taken.

I have an uncle - the press secretary of the commander of troops of the Russian Federation on the Voronezh district. This is my Godfather, but now he - on that party. He wanted to take away my mother to himself, but she did not want to go to Russia, decided to live at me. Though mother also voted at first for "DNR", now all realized.

Then many voted. And not against Ukraine, and they voted for Donbass.

And when understood that it not patriots of Donbass, but simply Russian mercenaries came, started changing opinion. I saw it both in Debaltsev, and in Slavyansk. Grandmothers approached us, embraced and spoke: "Children, only do not leave more, please".

I will never forget the dead woman with the small child in Slavyansk. To death covered both of them with splinters. On us thrashed from mortars, and it got under a mine, stealing a march. It had a little girl, on age approximately same, as my younger daughter, about two years.

And looking at how mother and the child lie in a blood pool, they after all bad did not make anything, the weapon in hand did not take at anybody did not shoot, and simply wanted to live, I told for myself that I will be at war up to the end.

But God protects me again, and I hope that until the end of war I will live. There was a moment when on us the tank beat separskiya in Uglegorsk and the stone blocks flied in different directions. Because to me at first the stone in an eye flew, I remained is living because splinters afterwards departed and got on a stone, instead of my person. There is a lot of such moments, everything not to count. Even before war when I worked in mine, too God saved from death. My crew completely was lost in the lit-up mine, and I overslept and did not come to work in time. It was 2004, Ukraine mine, in the city of Ukrainsk.

Our boys, soldiers, - freaky completely. These are children who are ready on everything. I saw 19-year-old conscripts of tankmen, we their "bears" called because they growth small, and they when on the tank creep, are similar to bears. Children were lost. They burned near Slavyansk 4 hours in the tank and shot back to the last boss, but the tank did not throw. These are heroes. I even more than am proud of them. Also it is simply small example of how we now were grouped and rose. The battalion commander says to me that three houses can stay, receive medical treatment month now, and I to it - that next week leave, I collect things and back, on war. Then it it is indignant: "You are loonies, abnormal!!" I answer: "So precisely! And we are proud of it!

When we took prisoners, spoke with them, understood that to them all the same that occurs if only money paid. I, for example, should clear some bar, no matter what, and I or will be lost, or I will take it, and to mercenaries - it is all the same, I will take it or not. They should live till the evening, because in the evening a salary - and all. But 19-year-old I feel sorry for boys.

They cry then on interrogations and swear that they did not know where carry them that to them told - on doctrines. Also it is the truth, but they are a military personnel and have to execute the order.

I very much would like that did not forget about us. That did not leave as with Afghans: there were soldiers, and now are necessary to nobody.

And still I would like some small corner, a lodge, ogorodik and to live to myself simply quietly. I dream to return to myself to Donbass. To bring there the second wife and the younger daughter, to show them the homeland. Very much I want that as we were the uniform country, and remained.

I became more released, a lot of things seem such trifles, that now occurs in the east. Therefore when I houses, I a little somewhere leave, I lie - I read. With many to me it is simple there is nothing to say, that I want to tell, they will not understand, that speak to me - I do not understand. Most important - human life. Earlier I did not think of it, lived for today. And now I reflect on it constantly, worrying about the children.

After war, of course, it will be necessary to be rehabilitated, join this life. Everyone asks: "Well there in the war?" I do not know that to tell them, I cannot explain that such war even if very much I will want. Never you will understand that this such, yet the friend you will not pull out from under fire until on yourself you try it. War can only be worried.

Text and photo: Vika Yasinskaya, Censor.NET
Source: http://censor.net.ua/