We Were Recruits (2024) Movie Script
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 war 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 assault 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 war 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 war,
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 war?
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 war 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 war zone.
You can only feel it.
At the resort.
We've been fucked over with artillery.
There was no artillery 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 war
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 artillery
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 gunshot wound.
In my leg, and in my arm.
As for the leg,
everything worked out fine.
The bullet 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 bullet went through,
so everything was ok.
And as for my arm
everything was much more complicated
as the bullet 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 gun 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 kill 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 war 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 war
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 assault brigade
in the first assault 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 war is completely different.
There wasn't such a big amount
of different military equipment
in anti-terrorist 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 war.
The war 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 war.
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 assault battalion,
to which the tanks, the mortars
and artillery 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 shooting!
And they just escaped!
Hate them!
- Maybe you will catch them up?
- I'm not interested in it anymore!
I was going for a shooting
with normal guys
to have a shoot with normal guys!
Look how cocky he is.
Video shooting 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 war.
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 war.
What does it mean to you?
My philosophy at war?
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 assault battalion,
as ours, for example,
will be more effective
than the whole assault 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 war 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 war 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 war, 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 war,
because we are constantly at war
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 artillery
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 shooting 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 war begin for you?
What came before
and how did you end up being at the war?
I met a full-scale war
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 killed.
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 killed
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.
War is war,
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. Shoot there!
Machine-gun 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 assault, 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!
Fuck, Klatch, hide there!
I don't know, I feel really confident.
I'm simply sure about my guys.
I'm sure about our artillery,
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 kill, 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 shoot 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!
Fuck, 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 assault,
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.
War reveals your soul.
Let's put it this way.
War 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 assault trooper,
running with a machine gun.
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 war 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.
Artillery 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 killed.
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 assault,
you have to keep moving forward
to avoid getting pinned down.
If you stop,
artillery 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 assault troops in this war
are the most heroic people,
the most resilient
because everyone wants to kill 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 artillery 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 missile 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 war?
Let's put it this way.
There are people who love war.
There are people
who see war as an opportunity,
let's say, to legally destroy
the enemies of our nation.
But for me, war is a very bad time.
I think war 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 kill 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 war 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 killed 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 war,
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 war."
No one is made for war.
What will you tell your children,
your relatives after the war 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 sniper
with the call sign Helga.
A former choreography teacher,
she gave up dancing
at the start of the full-scale war
and joined the Third Assault.
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, bastard.
Bam.
What is the philosophy of war for you?
It's a nice phrase,
but I don't really understand its meaning.
If you're talking about
the romance of war,
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 war,
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 gunfire
were only coming from our APC,
no one was shooting 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 kill 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 gun
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 bullet in the stomach.
It's the sniper'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 ammo,
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 Assault Brigade?
What advantages does it have
from your experience?
From my experience,
in the 3rd Assault 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 Assault 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 war,
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 bastards fucked off.
What we learned to do at the beginning,
let's say at the beginning of the war.
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.
- Fuck it. I don't give a fuck. 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 War Belt.
The War Belt is worn,
the same DC, the essentials.
One or two magazines,
a knife, a pistol, 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 war,
about metaphysics, and so on.
When we're directly working
in the fields of war,
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 war
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 ammo.
They are!
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 war 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 assault 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 war 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 war,
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 war?
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 war 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 war zone.
You can only feel it.
At the resort.
We've been fucked over with artillery.
There was no artillery 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 war
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 artillery
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 gunshot wound.
In my leg, and in my arm.
As for the leg,
everything worked out fine.
The bullet 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 bullet went through,
so everything was ok.
And as for my arm
everything was much more complicated
as the bullet 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 gun 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 kill 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 war 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 war
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 assault brigade
in the first assault 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 war is completely different.
There wasn't such a big amount
of different military equipment
in anti-terrorist 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 war.
The war 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 war.
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 assault battalion,
to which the tanks, the mortars
and artillery 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 shooting!
And they just escaped!
Hate them!
- Maybe you will catch them up?
- I'm not interested in it anymore!
I was going for a shooting
with normal guys
to have a shoot with normal guys!
Look how cocky he is.
Video shooting 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 war.
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 war.
What does it mean to you?
My philosophy at war?
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 assault battalion,
as ours, for example,
will be more effective
than the whole assault 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 war 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 war 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 war, 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 war,
because we are constantly at war
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 artillery
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 shooting 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 war begin for you?
What came before
and how did you end up being at the war?
I met a full-scale war
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 killed.
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 killed
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.
War is war,
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. Shoot there!
Machine-gun 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 assault, 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!
Fuck, Klatch, hide there!
I don't know, I feel really confident.
I'm simply sure about my guys.
I'm sure about our artillery,
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 kill, 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 shoot 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!
Fuck, 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 assault,
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.
War reveals your soul.
Let's put it this way.
War 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 assault trooper,
running with a machine gun.
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 war 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.
Artillery 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 killed.
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 assault,
you have to keep moving forward
to avoid getting pinned down.
If you stop,
artillery 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 assault troops in this war
are the most heroic people,
the most resilient
because everyone wants to kill 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 artillery 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 missile 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 war?
Let's put it this way.
There are people who love war.
There are people
who see war as an opportunity,
let's say, to legally destroy
the enemies of our nation.
But for me, war is a very bad time.
I think war 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 kill 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 war 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 killed 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 war,
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 war."
No one is made for war.
What will you tell your children,
your relatives after the war 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 sniper
with the call sign Helga.
A former choreography teacher,
she gave up dancing
at the start of the full-scale war
and joined the Third Assault.
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, bastard.
Bam.
What is the philosophy of war for you?
It's a nice phrase,
but I don't really understand its meaning.
If you're talking about
the romance of war,
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 war,
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 gunfire
were only coming from our APC,
no one was shooting 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 kill 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 gun
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 bullet in the stomach.
It's the sniper'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 ammo,
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 Assault Brigade?
What advantages does it have
from your experience?
From my experience,
in the 3rd Assault 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 Assault 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 war,
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 bastards fucked off.
What we learned to do at the beginning,
let's say at the beginning of the war.
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.
- Fuck it. I don't give a fuck. 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 War Belt.
The War Belt is worn,
the same DC, the essentials.
One or two magazines,
a knife, a pistol, 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 war,
about metaphysics, and so on.
When we're directly working
in the fields of war,
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 war
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 ammo.
They are!