Testimony of a former Ukrainian officer. How the punitive forces bombed civilians
Among those who, thanks to the exchange of prisoners of war, got out of the Ukrainian dungeons on the eve of the New Year, there are many people with difficult destinies who withstood the blows of fate. But, perhaps, one of the most thorny paths had to go through (although, apparently, there are still many new adventures ahead) Odessa policeman Vladimir Biryukov.
After graduating from the Odessa Law School, Vladimir was forced to work for three years as assigned - a kind of payment for budget education. The Odessa resident chose a difficult career as a policeman and eventually received the rank of police captain. And in August 2014 he was mobilized and sent to the village. Shirokiy Lan, Nikolaev region, where he was appointed commander for working with personnel in the Grad MLRS division, preparing for a punitive expedition to the Donbass.
Service in the Nikolaev region did not work out - conflicts soon followed with other officers of the Ukrainian army, and after them a fight, which ended for Vladimir Biryukov with a long stay in the hospital. The ex-political officer of the Ukrainian rocketeers himself claims that the cause of the conflict was his “free thinking” and, in the opinion of other military personnel, insufficient patriotism.
Vladimir ended up in Donbass in September 2014, but did not serve long in the ranks of the “knights”. Two weeks later he left the location and moved towards the positions of the DPR militia. There, a man from Odessa was greeted hospitably and, after going through all the necessary procedures, he was offered the opportunity to fight for the Republic on the southwestern sector of the front.
Vladimir accepted the offer and fought on the side of the DPR with the rank of private for 4 months, and was seriously wounded. And then he was captured by the Ukrainians - he prefers not to divulge how exactly. Fortunately for the young man, he was included in the exchange list. Now Vladimir Biryukov is being tested and preparing for a new appointment, but in the meantime he agreed to answer some questions "PolitNavigator".
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– You were mobilized when the “southern cauldron” was already in full flame. Didn't you think it was better to try to avoid a trip to Donbass? I'm not talking about the moral component - just out of a sense of self-preservation.
Vladimir Biryukov: I learned about what was happening in the Donbass and, in particular, in the “southern cauldron” much later, when I was already in the so-called ATO zone. As for trying to avoid it, I would have lost my title and received a prison sentence. But I have a family...
“It’s better to lose your title than to lose your leg.”
Vladimir Biryukov: In general, they promised me something completely different from what turned out in the end. They promised that I would not go to war. But in the end I quarreled with the command and other commanders - mainly from Western Ukraine. I asked too many questions and laughed at the official cult. As a result, they were taken to the hospital and then sent to the ATO.
“And still they wouldn’t have dragged me there with a rope.” Or he would desert right there.
Vladimir Biryukov: And I deserted only two weeks later. In fact, while we were in Ukraine, desertion was a serious problem - about 30% of the personnel left. And in Donbass we were protected like the apple of our eye. They took us to the position and took us back. There are tripwires, mines, patrols around...
– “In position” means, as I understand it, to shoot from a Grad. Was it embarrassing to anyone that you were working in a civilian position?
Vladimir Biryukov: We were on the third line of defense and had no idea where we were shooting. The command gave the coordinates, and they were already working on them - few people guessed what was there.
- Clear. Everyone is innocent. Did you receive the “answer”?
Vladimir Biryukov: no - we were too far from the front line. But there were enough non-combat losses. People fell into mines, were poisoned with a stick - drunkenness was a serious problem. There were crossbows, drunken showdowns with the use of weapons and subsequent deaths. Sometimes there were losses from clashes with the “pravosek” and other “volunteers”.
– Didn’t your patriotism suit them?
Vladimir Biryukov: Contrary to the orders of the command, the Right Sectors constantly tried to break through the front line in order to capture new objects for looting. From time to time they had to be held back by opening fire. There were clashes and there were losses.
– How was the fighting spirit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in general?
Vladimir Biryukov: More likely it was than not. Drunkenness and stories from those who had already been in serious trouble had a negative impact. They didn’t know how to fight back then. Things are probably different now.
– What are your plans now?
Vladimir Biryukov: I would really like to become an officer again. Only now in the DPR. There is something to think about - the DPR is exchanging its privates from captivity, and Ukraine doesn’t even care about officers. I will work on getting the title. In the meantime, we are healing.
– Good luck in your endeavors! Thank you.
English version :: Read in English Testimony of a former Ukrainian officer. How the punitive forces bombed civilians