Interview with a Russian soldier fighting in Ukraine (Part 1)

Interview with the Russian tank gunner, who, together with his battalion, was sent to fight for Debaltseve, Ukraine
(Translated from Russian by I.M.)

Dorzhi Batomunkuev, 20 years old, 5th Tank Brigade (Ulan-Ude), military base № 46108. Conscript, called to service on November 25, 2013; in June 2014 signed a three year contract. Personal Number 200220, military ID 2609999.

Face burned, wrapped a bandage, blood showing from under the bandage. Hands wrapped too. Ears burned and shriveled.

I know that he was wounded in Logvinovo. Logvinovo – “neck” of the Debaltsevo cauldron – was closed off on the early morning of 9 February by the DNR spetsnaz company, 90% of which consisted of Russians volunteers. The cauldron was closed so quickly that the Ukrainian military stationed in Debaltseve, did not know about it. In the hours that followed, troops of DNR freely fired upon cars coming out of Debaltseve. Deputy head of the ATO (Ukrainian Anti-Terrorist Operation) was killed this way.

Specnaz moved back, their positions taken by the DNR-Cossacks when the Ukrainian artillery fired. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military began to organize a breakthrough out of the cauldron. A Russian tank battalion was sent to hold the position. By now, the battalion had been in the Donetsk region for several days.

- On February 19, I was aroused from sleep. At dusk. The 19th, according to the Buddhist calendar, was the New Year. So, beginning of the new year was hard for me. (He tries to smile; blood quickly flows from his lip). Yesterday, they changed the bandage on my face, it has all dried up. They’re not doing the operation yet, because I might get worse on the way. When I move the fingers, it bleeds also. I hope to get to Russia soon.

- In the tank. There was a tank battle. I hit the enemy tank, it exploded. Hit another tank, but it had protection, the protection worked good. He turned and hid in the woods. Then we rolled back to a different location. And then he hit us hard.

The sound was so deafening - "ding." I open my eyes - I have a fire in front of the eyes, a very bright light. I hear: "trrts, trrts" – that’s powder in the ammunition exploding. I try to open the door, I can’t. The only thing I think: that’s it, I will die. I’m thinking: what, is this it? 20 years I lived – and that’s all? Next immediate thing entering my head was safety. I can move, so I’m alive. If I’m alive, then I must get out.

Once again I tried to open the hatch. It opened. I pulled myself out of the tank, fell from the tank, and started rolling to extinguish the fire. I saw a little snow and started crawling towards it. Rolling, trying to extinguish it. But how to extinguish it? I feel the face is all lit and the headset is burning. I take the headset off with my hands, look and the skin is coming off with the headset. Put out the fire on my hands, move, look for the snow. Then came another BMP, the driver ran: "Brother, brother, come here." I look and he has the red fire extinguisher. He put the fire out, I ran to him. He shouts: "Lie down, lie down" - and I lay down, he puts it out some more. The commander of the infantry platoon pulled out promedol (Trimeperidine – an opiod analgesic) – I remember it exactly, and I was immediately loaded into BMP. We left there while under fire. Then they put me on a tank, and we drove to some village. And there, some man was injecting more needles, was telling me something, talked to me. Then we drove to Gorlovka. They also injected into legs, promodel into muscle, so I wouldn’t lose consciousness. In Gorlovka I was placed in intensive care, as I recall. Then, early in the morning they brought me here, to Donetsk. I woke up here because I wanted to eat. I woke up on the 20th. They fed me as good as they could.

- My conscript term began on 25 November 25, 2013. Came (to Ukraine) voluntarily. They send only contractors, but I came to Rostov (Russia) as conscript. I, being a draftee, gave good results – was good at shooting and physical training. I was conscripted in Chita (East Russia, bordering Mongolia and China), passed the boot camp in Chita, but in Ulan-Ude decided to sign the contract. In June, wrote a report with a request. Got into the Second Battalion. And Second Battalion, in the event of war, is always the first to leave. Every military base has such a unit. They had contractors in the battalion, but overall, it was mostly conscripts. Closer to the fall, in October, they began to collect those on contracts into one battalion. Our base did not have enough contractors to make a tank battalion, so they transferred men from city of Kyahta. We were all gathered in a group, got to know each other, lived together for four days, and that’s it, onto the train.

My conscription term was supposed to end on November 27. In Rostov we arrived in October, I was still a conscript. So I began a contract already here. We’re the Fifth Armored separate brigade.

We were told it was military exercise, but we knew where we were going. We all knew where we were going. I was already prepared morally and mentally, that it will Ukraine.

We painted over the tanks in Ulan-Ude. Right on the rail car. Painted over the numbers, someone had the Guards tanks icon, it was painted as well. Army insignias and chevrons were removed here when we arrived at the polygon (Note: a military range in Russian). All were removed for the purpose maskirovka . Passport was left on the military base, military ID on the polygon.

But we also had experienced guys. Some already did just over a year on the contract, someone for 20 years. They say: Do not listen to the command, we're going to bomb the khokhols (ethic slur, meaning Ukrainians). Even if they do hold exercises, they’re still going to send us to bomb khokhols.

Overall, there were a lot of transports. We spent the night in the barracks. Before us, there were specnaz guys from Khabarovsk, from different cities, all from the east. One by one, you understand? Leaving every day. Our group was fifth, on 25th or 27th of October.

We unloaded in Matveyev Kurgan (near the Ukrainian border). While traveling from Ulan-Ude to Matveyev Kurgan, we’ve seen so many cities. 10 days of train riding. The closer we got, the more people were welcoming us. Hands waving, giving the sign of the cross. For the most part, we’re all buryats (ethnic minority living near the Mongolian border). Sign of the cross. (He laughs, blood is flowing again).

And here, too, when we were driving. Old people, children, locals give sign the cross...Old ladies crying cry.

- Kuz'minskii. There are many such polygons. Tent cities. Some people coming in, others leaving. Previous transports came there. Kantemirovsk brigade from Moscow region was after us. They’re infantry and have a small tank company. But our tank battalion has 31 tanks. Can do something serious with it.

- It is possible, of course. Nobody was forced. There were those who refused in Ulan-Ude when they sensed there’s something ahead. One officer refused.

- I do not know. I haven’t refused. Also in Rostov there were those who refused. In our battalion I know of one. Vania Romanov. We were in boot camp together, served in the same company. The man didn’t have his priorities right. Commander of the Eastern Military District Colonel-General Surovikin visited our polygon before the New Year. He came to our tank company. Shook hands with everybody... Took Vania home with him, to Novosibirsk. I do not know where Romanov is now. But the fact is, it’s possible to leave.

He didn’t say anything. (Laughs). While we were on the train for 10 days, there were various rumors. Someone said that this was just an excuse, somebody else that no, it really was a military exercise. In the end, both took place. One month of training, then second, then a third month. So we really did go there for the exercises! And also to show that our troops were on the border, to give Ukrainians a little scare. Just that we were there – that’s already a psychological attack.

As was planned, we had military exercises for three months. And then ... at the end of exercises, we were already counting the days that were left. We have special people, zampolit (political officers), who have their own staff. They’re briefed in meetings, (then) they tell us. Zampolit says, "wait a week, we’ll go home." Our replacements have arrived already. We are told, that’s it, our train will be coming, tanks will be loaded, mechanics and drivers will travel by train, the rest - the commanders and gunners – will fly from Rostov to Ulan-Ude. 12 hours of flight time and home.

- It was on February 8th. The captain of our group just came out and said, guys we’re going; readiness one. Readiness one – sitting in the tank with the engine on. Then the column set forth.

- We, military people, do everything quickly. Duffel bag, gun - and into the tank. Fueled up the tank, started it and drove off. I carry everything with me.

Only when we leaving the polygon, they told us to leave telephones, documents, everything. From Kuz'minskii we left for the Russian border, waited near woods. When I got in the tank, it was still light; when getting out, it was dark already. Then we received the signal. They haven’t read us their notes. Said, we begin to march. We all understood it, without words. What it’s to me, I got into the tank, and that’s it, we’re going.

- It turns out, no one - not the political officer or commander – talked to you about Ukraine?

- No, because it was understood by everybody. No need to waste time. Also, no one was pushing patriotic shit on us. We all knew, even as we were getting into the train (to Rostov).

- We all understood that we were crossing the border. What else was there to do? We weren’t stopping. We have orders. We all knew what we were doing and what can happen. And yet, there were only few people who showed fear. Our commanders are good, doing everything consistently, accurately and competently.

- When? When we read the sign, when you enter the city ... There's also an inscription – DNR (Donetsk People’s Republic). Oh, we're in Ukraine! It was dark, night time. I got out of the hatch to look at the city. A beautiful city, I liked it. To the right, to the left - everything is beautiful. I look to the right - a huge cathedral. Very beautiful.

In Donetsk, we drove to the hangar, parked. They took us to camp for warm food, gave us rooms. Then we all got into one room, one of us had a phone. Well, someone took a phone with him anyway. We found radio "Sputnik". And just then, there was a discussion about whether there is Russian military here in Ukraine. And all the guests are: "No, no, no." Our whole company there: Well, yeah. But who’s going to say it in the open? Our government understands that it needs to help (DNR), and if troops officially enter, then Europe will get involved, NATO. Although you understand that, NATO is already involved in this, supplying them (Ukrainians) with weapons.

- No. We knew that the whole war depends on us. That’s why they were drilling us for these three months and driving us hard in training. I can only say, that they really prepared us well, our snipers, all kinds of troops.

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Part 2 of the interview where he talks about his experiences in Ukraine, coming up.

Novaya Gazeta is one of the last Russian newspapers that is not controlled by the Kremlin.

There's also a video with badly burned buryat being greeted by Russian singer Kobzon in Donetsk which might be the same soldier in this interview.

:) The article in Russian is one big ass article. I think I translated about a half of it, and even that took me a few hours.

Going off topic - do you remember a while ago, we brought up stereotypes that Ukrainians have about visiting Russia, that the Russians there kill Ukrainians on sight. It was laughed off, because laughing at stereotypes is funny. But a Ukrainian man was beaten to death few weeks ago by a group of Russian nationalists on a Moscow train station platform who took him for a foreigner. Isn’t that something?

I don’t remember we have ever discussed a thing but I interact with numerous Ukrainians in Russia on a daily basis. I have worked with them as their partner, boss and had Ukrainian bosses as well. I have Ukrainian relatives too. Not ‘Russian’ Eastern Ukrainians as you put it in ‘New Ukraine’ these days, but 100% Ukie, none of them are Nazi though. I never thought about killing one.

I thought you were wetphoenix, still do :) - stylistically, you’re similar. I don’t know how he got banned.

Anyway, this was in Aug 2014, post 82
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3194994/posts?page=82#82

There are probably ten million people who has Ukrainian roots living in Russia. You can’t scream ‘rasist!’ and claim discrimination over a single act of violence.

Sure I can. And there has been more than one act of violence.

A blind man can see the amount of anti-Ukrainian hysteria on Russian TV and Ukrainians living there would be wise to blend in. I give it fifty-fifty that a person would be harassed if he was to speak Ukrainian while walking on a Russian street or be in the subway train.

Not the case with Russians in Ukraine, even in Bandera-towns like Lviv.

Okay, Ivan. You are entitled to think whatever you wish but it seems like you, while blaming Russian media, aren’t himself unaffected by your domestic media spin, which is at least no more truthful than here.

Anti-Ukrainian spin is barely of any ethnic nature in Russian media.
Two sides aren’t even portrayed as ‘us’ vs ‘theirs’ or Russians vs Ukrainians. Their narrative are ‘citizens of Ukraine who disapprove unconstitutional coup’ or ‘citizen militia’ or ‘volonteers’ vs ‘junta’, ‘neo-Nazi’, ‘punitive governments forces’. Ethnic aspect is rarely touched unless there is a discussion on status of language.
By the way, last week I’ve seen a guy in a gym who had ‘I am xoxol!’ on his shirt. Nobody was beating him. Now imagine a guy in Lvov wearing ‘I am vatnik!’ shirt.

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