On the eve of the New Year's holidays, a KP correspondent talked via mobile phone to two university bachelor students who are now defending our lives at the front. They are two of more than 200 students and teachers who are fighting the enemy, holding out under fierce racist fire, sleeping in the cold in the trenches.
So, let's get acquainted: Ilya and Oleksandr. For obvious reasons, their surnames are not included in this article. Before the war, they both studied at the Heat and Power Engineering Faculty in different courses, but since February 24, 2022, they have been fighting in the hottest spots of the frontline. We are referring to the Bakhmut direction, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been holding the line for quite some time. Today our defenders are repelling a large number of offensive attacks under constant enemy shelling. Our heroes today - junior commanders - are holding every inch of Ukrainian territory together with their comrades. That is why the questions to each of them are understandable.
I offer short interviews online.
- Why did you go to the front?
Oleksandr:
- Right now, when the enemy has pulled together the remnants of its forces and is launching crazy attacks like a wounded animal, I realized that what Ukrainian soldiers are doing near Bakhmut, Kherson, and Kharkiv region is a daily feat. And how wonderful it is to feel that my contribution to the struggle for the future Victory is also there. So, it was not in vain that I enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I took a sabbatical and rushed to the military enlistment office.
Ilya:
- In short, from the first day of the large-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Nazi troops, I decided for myself that I would not stay at home.
- What is your military specialty? Where did the front lines take you?
Oleksandr:
- I started as a fighter of the Territorial Defense, because after graduating from the military department I had the appropriate skills. Then I went through the military routine of an infantryman, while acquiring the skills to operate military equipment - I learned to shoot from the Osa anti-aircraft missile system. And since September 12 this year, he has been at the forefront of defense. He fought near Soledar. Now he is the commander of a mortar unit in an important area. After all, mortar units are used, among other things, to reliably protect the borders between Bilyhorivka - Soledar - Bakhmut - Mayorsk.
Ilya:
- My military specialty is related to searching for the enemy. After all, combat aircraft are the eyes of the artillery of our Armed Forces. One drone and a UAV control station can replace a company of soldiers in terms of functionality during a combat mission. This saves human resources, money and time. The "bird" flies high, and it is difficult for the racists to hit it in the air. I am proud to work for the benefit of the brigade in the area of responsibility as a scout and artillery gunner, adjusting the fire of large caliber guns.
- Please recall the fiercest battle you ever fought.
Oleksandr:
- It happened that on October 10, my mortar team was 400 meters away from the enemy positions. Thanks to our coordinated actions, we "poured" 130 mortar shells on the Rashists that day. Of course, the number of casualties and wounded on the other side is known to military statistics. I am sure of one thing: we gave the front line of the racists a good "smoke". There were some wounded on our side as well. And this is where my first aid skills came in handy. I applied tourniquets to the wounded in time and waited for military medics. Now my guys are being treated in a military hospital. I am sure they will be back in service soon.
Ilya:
- I think that a military scout on the front lines is on the fiercest parts of the frontline every day. We are holding the line thanks to the resilience of our forward units and combat-ready reserves.
- What does the frontline teach us? What is combat brotherhood?
Oleksandr:
- There was a time when every soldier kept his military first aid kits with him even in emergency circumstances. Call it selfishness in the first days of the war. The last fierce battle I mentioned above proved that one soldier's injury is a concern for the entire unit. Frontline philosophy: if a bullet or shrapnel missed you today and wounded another, help the "three hundredth" as much as you can, treat this situation as if it belonged to a fellow soldier.
Ilya:
- War teaches you to establish cooperation with neighboring military units and commanders. This is the basis of any operation. And front-line brotherhood is respect for each other, and I'll say it without any extra pathos - it's the ability to sacrifice for the sake of your comrade's life.
- Did the knowledge you gained as a student come in handy?
Oleksandr:
- Absolutely. When preparing for mortar volleys, as a combat team leader, I do the necessary calculations: the shell must hit the target exactly. That's when practical classes in the exact sciences under the guidance of teachers Vitalii Anatoliiovych Peshko and Inna Stanislavivna Bednarska came in handy. The proverb "don't carry your knowledge around" is where the real meaning comes in. I am grateful to them for their science.
Ilya:
- The path to the desired victory is difficult. And I have learned to appreciate every step, every breath, every hour right now. You have made me remember my student years, lectures and seminars led by Vitaliy Peshko, Inna Bednarska, and Tatyana Shelesha. I like the idea I heard during my university lectures that all mathematics is a huge equation for other sciences. So, now I have to solve it at the front, launching my quadcopter into the sky, watching its work, and meeting it after a combat mission.
- What would you advise the newspaper's readers on the eve of the holidays?
Oleksandr:
- Obviously, the readers will receive standard New Year's wishes from their family, friends and colleagues. I would like to give a little advice. Please do not neglect air raid warnings. Even if there are no bomb shelters near you, try to take shelter in rooms below ground level. After all, the debris from missiles shot down by Ukrainian air defense can fly a long way. And this is dangerous.
Ilya:
- It is the military's job to protect the peace of peaceful Ukrainians. And civilians should not forget that they need to live their lives to the fullest, as they say, here and now. Don't listen to those who say that war is no time for a good rest. However, I would advise you to prepare for combat, despite the frontline reports from official sources. We know that the war is in its ninth year. And this is a reason, in particular for students, to take medical care courses and weapons handling courses. Be prepared to join the ranks of self-defense. The situation at the front is stable. But the enemy does not abandon its aggressive plans.
I thanked the soldiers for a short conversation. I wished Oleksandr and Ilya to return with victory. In response, I heard a laconic answer: "We will!"
Victor Zadvornov talked to