The National Guardsman with the nickname “Son-in-law” was caught in military service
“Compared to the enemy forces, we were very small. But after this battle, they no longer risked going this route. Maybe they thought that there was more battalion there,” - the commander of the anti-tank platoon of the National Guard under the nickname Lys.
The National Guardsman with the nickname Son-in-law was caught in the military service, which he had already completed, but did not have time to retire. And in the first battle at the end of March on the Zhytomyr highway, he shot down several tanks, stopping a column of enemy vehicles. Recalling this situation, he says that in peaceful life he was a tractor driver and did not think that he would ever have to fight.
But he learned a lot from his commander, who has combat experience. Communicating with both of them, I asked about the details of the battle. They also talked about what was happening in the Kyiv region, part of which was under occupation, in the first months of the war.
Compared to the enemy, there were very few of us. But after this battle, they no longer risked going this route. Maybe they thought that there was more battalion there, - the commander of the anti-tank platoon of the National Guard call Nov 01
“IT WAS A LITTLE SCARY TO SHOOT, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN COMBAT”
“At the time of the invasion, I was at home because I quit after the end of the contract with the National Guard in 2020. He had combat experience, was often in rotations in the East. Therefore, on the first day of the offensive, the Russian Federation came to the military enlistment office, took away his personal case and went to his military unit. From February 25, our unit relocated to Kiev. At first they moved from place to place. And the battle you ask about was when our unit went to the village of Buzova. At that moment it was already beaten with art. There were clashes, - says the commander of the anti-tank platoon of the National Guard, called Lys. While the war continues, my interlocutors ask to indicate in the text their surnames, so I only name the name.
— Demyane, did the Russians walk that day with a convoy of vehicles along the Zhytomyr highway?
Demian: That day we went from Nikolaevka to the village of Mriyu, where there was a hotel and restaurant complex “Babusyn's garden”, they carried provisions. It was there that their main positions were located.
We met them on the track, entered into a fight. Yurko shot down two tanks and one “bacho”. They didn't go there anymore.
Yuriy: In the morning, together with the assistant, they went on duty. I heard the sound of technology in the distance. Once I looked into binoculars at the track, I can't see. After a few minutes, the sound became louder. I see the tanks coming. Without thinking for a long time, I took the machine, put it on the track under the curb, the assistant fed the rocket, I quickly put it. Lig, took aim. The distance was no more than 900 meters. Very close, but I realized that there was no other position for me. And that the tanker will not see me. It was a little scary to shoot, because for the first time in such hostilities. He fired the first tank under the turret, and he did not go any further. They took him away on the hook. They were also shot from behind. He also hit another tank. They also pulled him on the hook. After a while more tanks arrived. Yes, I have already hidden. The machine did not take away. Then we anchored in another place on the Zhytomyr highway, where there was fighting, and already there we met the column.
Did they have a lot of tanks?
Demian: I understood so much, they had a large grouping from the beginning. But after that battle, they no longer risked going this route because they did not know how many of us.
Yuriy: The commander shouted that behind the tank, which I shot down first, there was a “bacha”, so I quickly turned the machine and started shooting at it. Another tank hit. Fired five rockets. The result is two tanks and one “ambush”.
But were there still tanks there?
Yuriy: Yes, there were still tanks driving behind. About 10 units of equipment.
Were there a lot of you then?
Demian: We had a unit of 25 people.
— Compared to the enemy's forces, is it a lot?
Demian: If we compare with the forces of the enemy, we were very few. But our advantage was that we were mobile, we were not visible. We took positions on the track. And there was a shelter to hide. So we jumped out, smashed them and hid back. And they didn't drive anymore, they were scared. Maybe they thought there was more battalion standing there.
Where did you find shelter? In the early days of the war, there were none.
Demian: They were behind, people were digging. And we are on asphalt, especially you do not dig in. But from the track down there is a drain for water, in those ditches they hid. If the tank was traveling on the road, we did not fall within its radius of view.
Along the track there are bumpers that provide sound insulation and, so to speak, gates to get out onto the track. So we jumped out of these gates, fought and hid again.
Compared to the enemy, there were very few of us. But after this battle, they no longer risked going this route. Maybe they thought there was more battalion there, - the commander of the National Guard anti-tank platoon call Nov 02
— How did they fight?
Demyan: Antitank installations “Fagot”, RPG. BTRs were firing at the rear, because they needed a larger viewing radius.
— In your group were mostly people with combat experience?
Demyan: Yes, basically everyone who previously quit after the end of the contract, and with the beginning of the offensive the Russian Federation returned. Everyone knew what they had to do. There were no questions with anyone.
— Demyane, were you preparing for war? For many did not believe in the possibility of a full-scale invasion.
Demian: Yes. The last week before the invasion of the information space was very tense. It was clear that something was going to start. In recent days, the military officer came to the military market, bought what was missing in the “alarm”. In the morning, on the day of the attack, I left for work, on the radio I hear what started. He took his wife and child to the village and went to the military enlistment office.
— You were in rotations in Donbas at one time, you have combat experience. When they were released, did they think that they would have to return to the war, but on a different scale?
Demian: Yes, I thought that sooner or later everything would start full-scale, and then I would return to the service.
— That is, in a frozen form, the conflict could not last forever? And why, do you think, we did not succeed, as with Transnistria, where the Russians stopped and did not go further through the territory of Moldova? Now we are frightened by the fact that they will come from there to us.
Demian: They don't have a very strong grouping there. And geographically it's a bit difficult to go there, given the Dniester. I think they won't break out from there.
— Let's return to the defense of Kyiv region. What happened after this battle near Buzova?
Demian: We then took up the defense in Nemishayev. When we entered there after the departure of the Russian troops, people from the basements began to come towards us. There were a lot of children. People said that from the beginning of the occupation they constantly hid in these basements. Crying, thank you. It was even uncomfortable.
They began to carry food for us. We say, “No need, we can still give you,” and gave them ours. But they still carried something. And it is impossible to refuse, because they begin to quarrel.
Compared to the enemy, there were very few of us. But after this battle, they no longer risked going this route. Maybe they thought that there was more of a battalion there, - the commander of the anti-tank platoon of the National Guard is called Fox.
“THEY CONSIDERED OUR GUEST A “RUBLE”, THEY WERE VERY SURPRISED THAT THERE ARE TOILETS AND A PLASMA TV IN EVERY HOUSE”
What did the locals say about the occupation?
Demian: Not much in Nemishayev, more in Fenevichi, where the Russians entered in columns on February 24. One of the men said they came in and asked, “What kind of town is this?” He explains that this is not a city, but a village. They are surprised that in the village there is asphalt, gas, water. In general, they were surprised by a lot. For example, this man has his own greenhouses, and a water well with a motor station. Pumping water for greenhouses, the Russian military saw. The appropriate one asks: “And why dig the motor into the ground?” He says that for water, because you need to water the plants. To which this occupier answers him: “What, is it difficult to get to the well?”
He was even more surprised by the air conditioner, the box from which he saw on the outside of the house. I didn't know what it was at all.
There was another situation that this man mentioned. A battalion went to Gostomel from this village. Only five of these orcs returned back. They stand near his house, talk, then turn to him: “We were in your Rublevka.” They considered our Gostomel “Rublovka”, they were very surprised that there are toilets and a plasma TV in every house.
Compared to the enemy, there were very few of us. But after this battle, they no longer risked going this route. Maybe they thought there was more battalion standing there, - the commander of the anti-tank platoon of the National Guard call Nov 04
It's all wild somehow. Maybe they ruined everything because they wanted revenge, that we live better?
Demian: Possibly. They really acted like savages. Locals are said to have been mostly borurats, far from civilization. Once they took two bicycles from the children, then the queue stood to ride.
And when they were in Nemishayevo, one local resident, where we stopped to wash, because there was no such possibility for several weeks, then says to us: “Go, I'll show something.” Climbed to the 8th floor. And there one of the apartments is clogged with cosmetics. They robbed warehouses, broke into this apartment and decided to hide the loot here. She is so clogged with this cosmetics, as if you go to a warehouse store. Why do military cosmetics?
— Maybe they wanted to take out, like the rest of the stolen, just didn't have time, because they ran away quickly? I saw photos on social networks that even the dog house was taken out. I understand that many things surprised them in our country, starting with toilets in private homes.
Demian: In Litvinovka, this village is like that, the locals told us that the orcs were very surprised that every house has a toilet. They asked why he needed it, was it not easier to go to the toilet on the street.
— They also killed people in these villages, like in Irpen and Bucha?
Demian: Yes, only the scales were different. In one of the villages they told how a family was shot and buried in the courtyard. The child was two years old.
Demyane, and at the beginning of the war in Donbas, you also communicated with the local population. How did people then perceive everything?
Demian: Well, how they communicated... There were different moods in people then. For the most part, they communicated normally, but there were also people of retirement age who were equal to the Soviet Union.
— There were no people in the Kyiv region who would be disappointed that the occupiers were expelled?
Demian: No, there were none. Everyone greeted us very kindly. When we stood in Litvinovka, our grandmother came to us and brought boiled eggs. We thank you and say, “No need, we have everything.” And she told us: “Guys, I walked two kilometers to you to bring food. And you will not take from an elderly woman now?”
“Grandmothers in war are the best motivators. Yuri, who were you before the war? You said you had this fight first.
Yuriy: I am a strokovik. The service ended, but did not have time to quit, the war broke out.
Compared to the enemy, there were very few of us. But after this battle, they no longer risked going this route. Maybe they thought there was more battalion there, - the commander of the National Guard anti-tank platoon call Nov 05
Did you ever think you had to fight? Were you generally prepared for this in the service?
Yuri: There were trainings, but they were not prepared for war. When the war had already begun, the commander taught how to act correctly.
What were the plans until the war started? Do you want to continue your service as a contractor or return to normal life?
Yuri: I wanted to return home, planned to get married, a girl is waiting for me.
— So what to expect? Now they are getting married quickly.
Yuri: I want to come home and calmly do all this. We want a wedding.
Then we need to end the war sooner. What kind of motivation you have.
Yuriy: That's for sure (smiles, — auth.).
Why do you have the name Son-in-law?
Yuri: At the beginning of the war there was a situation after which he appeared. We were standing at one of the checkpoints, a man was driving. And he says to me: “I have a daughter, let's be a son-in-law.” Joking, of course. And the commander heard and gave me such a call. I used to have the callsign Bassoon.
I want to go back to the word “scary.” Did you manage to curb this fear somehow? Does it feel the same every time?
Yuri: The first time it was scary to shoot. Then I realized what I was doing, and it wasn't so scary. Although I can not say that he completely disappeared. Every person should have fear.
This is normal and only fools are not afraid. What are the plans after the win?
Yuriy: Now is such a time that you do not plan anything particularly in advance.
Do you think we will win?
Yuriy: I'm sure of that. We are given weapons, our people are motivated. A lot of the military want to go forward to regain the captured territories.
