Guard Cap - about the battles for Kharkov and the Svatov direction
The defense of Pyatikhatok, the liberation of Malaya Rogan, Russkaya Lozova and the north of Kharkiv region, the fighting for Novoselivske, - our hero told about the combat clashes in which his unit took part from the beginning of the full-scale invasion until the end of last year.
Cap was called up for conscription into Military Unit 3017 in 2019. Soon he signed a contract, studied to be the commander of the department. Repeatedly involved in the implementation of tasks in the area of the operation of the United Forces, also participated in anti-terrorist activities in Kharkiv region. A full-scale invasion met with weapons in hand.
“Before the full-scale invasion began, he was on duty at the Anti-Terrorist Center. These were joint actions of the police, the SBU and the National Guard on the night of February 23-24. And in the morning we immediately went to our location. Received tasks and took up defense in the area of Feldman Park on a combat vehicle, - recalls Kep. - At this time, Russian occupation forces conducted a massive artillery barrage on the outskirts of Kharkov. We were covered with mortar fire. Then we changed position, but the enemy plane covered us - dropped an air bomb. Never in my life felt like that then. I'll tell you the truth: it was scary.”
Events unfolded stunningly. The operational situation changed every minute. Mechanized columns of the enemy broke through to Kharkov. There was a threat to the environment.
“We pulled back a little bit. They occupied the defense at the height and waited for the enemy. But the column was already approaching Kharkov. And after a short battle, they decided to pull back: to the Allies — the 92nd Brigade and units of the 3rd Battalion. And here it began, like in a Hollywood movie! There was an enemy column. And we were with punctured wheels on the BTR. And they went in their column. Only they walked on the right side. We overtook them on the left. They did not understand: their own or not their own. There was such confusion that it played into our hand. We overtook them, and already when they approached their own, the Russians opened fire on us, that is, in the back. But there he hit literally one shell of the 30th caliber, which did not penetrate the armor. We moved behind our positions and opened fire on the damage - in the area of Pyatikhatok and “Bavaria. Motors”. The column stopped, and we anchored in this area. Later I found out that we fought there together with the Hero of Ukraine Thunder,” Kep shares his memories.
In two weeks, he and his brothers had already held the defense at the other end of Kharkov and participated in the liberation of Malaya Rogan. During her assault, the Guardsmen provided fire support and the evacuation of the wounded. And in the north of Kharkiv region, they fought with the enemy almost without interruption from May to September.
“Then they took part in the release of Russkaya Lozova. Then they went to New. After the New — Uda, that is, already to the border. Next was Kupyansk, Kupyansk Vuzlovy, Kivsharivka and so on. Then - Novoselivske. The situation there was very difficult. But, there is nowhere to go, you have to do the work,” explains Kep. And he adds that compared to previous phases of hostilities, the number of small arms fire contacts has increased significantly. We had to fight for every basement.
On the fighting spirit of the enemy Cap is of low opinion. Many times the guard had to see how the occupiers suddenly took off from positions that had been defended quite stubbornly before, and fled, throwing ammunition, equipment, bodies of the dead and even wounded, however, leaving huge minefields.
“The enemy is demoralized. If you can answer them with dense fire, they just walk away. However, they quickly return, because they are again being driven at us. He talked to the prisoners. For example, it was the commander of a mortar platoon. He initially said that they got lost during the training. He then admitted that they were thrown into position, given ammunition and left. When the Armed Forces approached, they simply came out to them with their hands raised: “We fought. Take us away.” One of the reasons was that they no longer had food,” Kep explains.
National Guard of Ukraine
