Why it is possible to call not all defenders of the Donetsk airport "cyborgs" as the equipment of the last century helps to cipher signals of military and why from enemies of our enemy it will not turn out the friend - in interview the Censor.NET Alexey Berezhko, the foreman of the 40th crew of tactical aircraft from Vasilkov told. During October-November it as a part of summary group of air forces of Ukraine stayed in an environment under continuous attack, beating off enemy attacks to the airport.

Very soon Alexey will return on the front on the next rotation. For now in a peace Kiev situation it shows me front pictures from life of the group "Dick of the muscleman":

"It is the production photo. Relatives started worrying - on the previous photos it was not visible my left hand. They interrogated that with it. Especially for them I was photographed in an entrenchment that hands it was visible".

Among numerous videos which the fighter removed on mobile, one is allocated - the grass in vicinities of the airport turns green and … is silent. Video is shot on November 2 - the only day when Alexey and his colleagues was not fired.

AT DONETSK WEATHER IT IS INCREDIBLY HEAVY TO SNIPER TO WORK

- Alexey, you serve in rocket and antiaircraft troops. How it is possible to call your colleagues in a word? "Antiaircraft gunners"?

- In a word it will not turn out. Call "land pilots". Earlier I was not connected in any way with aircraft therefore for me was surprise that rocket and antiaircraft parts too belong to the flight. But is formal we as a part of the Ukrainian aviaforces.

- You are called "aviacyborgs" …

- Any we are not "cyborgs". We did not endure also a half of that children in the new terminal. Here they are absolute heroes. Their conditions were one hundred times more difficult, than ours.

Extreme point of protection of the bunker. In the distance the terminal of the airport burns

- Where your division settled down?

- At the Donetsk airport there is the former rocket and antiaircraft part which protected air space. There we also served. Entered with difficulties there. On the road we started being fired at first "Gradami", then from RPG, then from small arms. We were pushed on our point, and mortar attack began at once. And all have units of fire still empty, nobody knows precisely what to do. Our commanders were same not fired, as well as we. But the panic was not allowed.

And already the exit from the airport in November was easier, but too not ideal. We went with the switched-off headlights and in the dark missed the mark on turn a little. And where we had to go to that time, second in a second mortars laid down.

When we left from Vasilkov, to us at once told that we go to the airport, but nobody knew that we will stand in an environment. Round part it was possible to shoot on 360 degrees, you will not get to one. Separa equally fired also at us, and the terminal.

Consequences of the next attack

- Which tasks laid down on your division?

- Was to cover with our task the left side of the new terminal - approaches to Avdeevka, Thin, to Sand, Skilled in the fall. Directly speaking, we beat off attacks to "cyborgs" and gunners that neither tanks did not approach them, nor the infantry did not approach. Personally I carried out a role both the sniper, both the spotter, and the antiaircraft gunner. If carried out tasks of the sniper is a cover of the children and counteraction to other snipers. Severe weather, of course, played against us. I am from Zaporozhye is too the steppe, but to the south. Donetsk conditions - absolutely another. Madness was when some days in a row, without ceasing, only in one direction the strong wind to 8 meters per second blew. In such conditions it is incredibly heavy to sniper to work.

The environment to us managed to be broken through in the middle of October. In January, after our departure, the situation cardinally exchanged. In the middle of the month there were constant tank actions. Our children and said to us that they have a Kursk arch there. And than everything ended - now we see. At my service one officer - Yaroslav was lost. At mortar attack in its shelter the mine flew. In the following rotation two dead, one of them at the last fights for the airport.

- During your stay in the airport, as if you estimated coordination of actions between different divisions of the Ukrainian forces?

- Ideal. If we needed the help, the artillery supported us, and vice versa. Ammunition was enough for all completely. They old, but it is enough of it.

THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY - MY ENEMY: TERRORISTS ARE AT WAR AMONG THEMSELVES

- Direct storms on you was much?

- Practically was not. Simply methodically and constantly us survived by means of artillery from there, also "Stronghold" postrelivat from small arms. But we did not know who against us costs. The following rotation took one of them prisoner, and only then understood that against us there were "oplotovets". On radio interception we heard that the motorolovsky group is at enmity with "Stronghold". They by cars had distinctive stripes. And the Motorola by radio said to the that it is necessary to bring down cars of "oplotovets". And between them constantly firefights were. It turns out, the enemy of my enemy - my enemy.

- Had experience of communication with the enemy of the enemy?

- We took one prisoner for my rotation, from the local. Well to tell … At the person are raked simply over the coals. We handed over it to an escort from the 93rd crew which to us brought ammunition. The further destiny of this person is unknown to me. It welcome all contact. From their party no promotion existed. Once was indicative storm on us at night. They approached on distance of shots from RPG. That is, shot at us, whom only not laziness. Wanted to suppress morally.

- Did not suppress?

- There are people at whom the mentality did not maintain a situation: you do not see the enemy, but you receive continuous attack. Or on the contrary, at someone in the head the bulb joins, and they are torn in attack whereas there is an order to hold height. But it too because of nerves.

- How you resulted such fighters in the necessary standard?

- We were very lucky with the doctor Yura Kleymishin. He and provided medical care skillfully, and very much all of us encouraged. I felt his masterful hand when he in those conditions took a splinter from my shoulder. Command too chose, as on me, the best tactics from the possible: anybody held nobody. If to the fighter it was morally bad or for other reasons he could not be there, the next escort him brought to the back. Such person did not need to think out anything - could tell directly that at him nerves do not maintain. The deserter did not do of him.

- In the back fighters are given psychological assistance? In particular, not sustained until the end of service?

- Only that who gets to hospital. And that, not in each military hospital to patients let psychologists. I underwent rehabilitation after a contusion in the Central Kiev hospital. There both volunteers, and psychologists madly work.

Psychologists are not provided in part, we did not prepare for war. Psychologists only before sending to the front, and that in groups, but not individually worked with us.

THE RUSSIAN TELEVISION CALLED US BY THE POLISH SPECIAL TROOPS

- After fighting tasks you managed to have a rest and fill up forces somehow?

- For rest there was well strengthened antinuclear bunker in which it was really safe to sleep. It is the only plus of that height. The infrastructure there all is destroyed. Lack of water was the biggest problem. There were two underground tanks with water, but it was possible to drink only from one. At the end of drinking water almost did not remain.

To my rotation to us there came a volunteer Igor known as the Spaniard twice, and that it by miracle broke. The first time - for the third day of our service. While we faced in Thin sending for a point, a half of our column burned "Gradami", including the food and equipment. Volunteers quickly oriented and to us helped. The second time it broke when struck frosts - brought thermolinen, warm things, water, vkusnyashka house. The house food in general at the front goes with a bang. We had supplies, but physically we could not prepare there because constantly were under attacks.

- What main needs of defenders of the territory near the airport today?

- Our bunker is not designed for there to put oven heating - there is no opening for a smoke exit, the system of ventilation does not work. But the bunker that half in the earth so there as in a cave, constant temperature about 15 degrees - it is dampish, but it is tolerant.

Because of dampness and what is no place to be washed and there is no time, big need for clothes. Also in footwear. There earth as clay. Time walked on a task - then it is necessary to tear off long. So in an ideal on each fighter has to be on two couples berets. Also always the additional equipment is necessary, beginning from the banal field-glass.

- They were not or were, but bad quality?

- From that equipment which we have, almost all hunting, that is, not for such scales of work. On it it is possible to see something depending on weather conditions not further 200-300 meters. And equipment for hunting not strong. For example, at us it is banal the device of night vision which we left on the street deteriorated - on it dew got in the morning, and all. And in the conditions of continuous attack not subtly that devices do not maintain. The military equipment more exact, more powerful and is more hardy. But it costs a fantastic sum.

With tablets and cards we had no problems in general. And rotation which after us went, as far as I know, had practically no cards. Because of it they sat on holes, did not even cause artillery to the aid. It is wine of the commander, I consider: first, it was not prepared, and secondly, did not address to volunteers.

- In your rotation what exactly to you was delivered by volunteers?

- Yes up to clothes. At first separa and the Russian television nicknamed us the Polish special troops. Our deputy on arms has a call sign Poland. All demand units of fire and their distribution on posts from it. Plus, we have children from the Western Ukraine who well in Polish talk. And still to us volunteers brought Polish a single-breasted coat with white-red stripes. Here also the counter walked on the Russian television that to the airport there arrived the Polish special troops. And now we have other counter - volunteers thought up to call our group "Dick of the muscleman".

- Why?

- Even I do not know … Because ducks well fly.

LOCALS WERE SOMEHOW INFORMED BY MISSILE DEFENCE ATTACKS

- As far as you were provided with communication? Today it nearly first requirement of our troops.

- Fighters had a communication usual. To speak less in air, on posts we used remarkable piece of wire communication from the last century - a topic. It is the device in which it is necessary to scroll the handle and then to speak. Our commander got these topics in warehouses, where their shaft. The operator put the small switchboard and laid wires to all our posts. Commanders had a communication protected from listening.

- And how received news from "continent"?

- Mobile communication there the very bad. Then in a staff adjusted the Internet. But more to us called behind news, we and so saw everything.

- To know about the new laws adopted by the Verkhovna Rada or on course of reforms it was not interesting to you?

- It is not interesting at all. When everyone shoots at you almost round the clock, concentrate on surviving and performing the task. In total! I do not remember day of our elections, but I remember number of their so-called elections - on November 2. Simply it was the only day when did not shoot.

- By the way, concerning elections. You had contacts with local population? What there moods?

- In Spartak from inhabitants there was only one grandfather. It though was against us, but we respected him only that it remained. We made a post on the road from Avdeevka on Spartak (then it still was under control of the Ukrainian forces). There by minibuses to both parties there went locals. We even had a sign: if the local come on Spartak and take away things, means there will be something rigid. They were somehow informed about attacks, but to us never told nothing. One through clenched teeth smiled, others did not look at us at all. And, unclear, did not look because of hostility or because did not want to show support.

In Donetsk a lot of proukrainska of the adjusted people remained, but they are afraid to show loyalty to the Ukrainian troops. There it is punishable, and is very rigid. And the help from local was especially not necessary to us. In the end one of inhabitants brought to us water - not bottled, and gathered in a well. We at first were afraid, whether she is poisoned. But everything is good.

- The Donetsk airport managed to christen also the Ukrainian Stalingrad, and ours Borodino, and a citadel of Europe. How you perceive this outpost?

- I do not do any cult of it. Donetsk is our earth. Without difference, it is the airport, the city, the village or a piece of a field - the earth needs to be protected.

Olga Skorokhod, "Censor.NET"

Source: http://censor.net.ua/