“I understood that it could be a ticket to one end”: the guard about Rubezhnoe mutilated by the occupiers
Until the winter of 2022, Rubezhnoe did not know what shelling, street fighting, stripping were. It was a completely peaceful city that knew what war was, much less from the news. Except for a brief period of occupation, when “green men” dressed as Cossack popes appeared on the streets, draped with Russian weapons. The full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation distorted Rubezhny's face and burned his soul.
The guard with the nickname “Babai” is the commander of the detachment, serves more than three years. He immediately realized that disaster was coming to his city.
“At the beginning of the war everything was standard. We are called by combat alarm. I pack my family's things and evacuate them to a safe place. And in a few days, hell begins,” the fighter says.
In the first days, Russian artillery and aviation begin to work, grinding all living things. Water and light are gone. Abandoned animals, thousands of bodies of the dead — Rubizhne turned into a continuous field of pain. These were excruciatingly difficult days for the military and civilians.
“We saw a woman with children who always walked past us on the water. They were constantly with a white flag. Sometimes, a civilian asked us something, looked out. I knew why she was doing it, and I knew it wasn't of her own volition. And once, when a woman was frightened, she and her children ran to our side for help, then the orcs cold-bloodedly shot both her and the children,” Babai shares. He admits that this terrible picture is still in front of his eyes.
A combat order was soon received to assemble a group of ten and help the comrades on the front line to hold the defense.
“I knew it could be a one-way ticket. But this is our job, no one will do it for us,” recalls the head of the department.
There, in particular, his group had a fire contact with the Kadyrovs: “Our artillery worked on their base. - This became clear when they shouted “Akhmat is a force.” Soon the enemy began to cover us from everything that was. We held on because the terrain was somewhat more favorable than that of the enemy. When approaching, we took advantage of smoke grenades, which gave us the opportunity to move from our position a little to the side, and crumble them from a closer distance. The Kadyrovts lost their sense of space, also affected by the fact that it was difficult to accept the fight from their positions, so they lay down one after the other. This fight made us a real team.”
Babai says that nine out of ten members of his group are strikers. For the most part, they managed to serve at that time about half a year. Nevertheless, they all showed themselves to be desperate and brave warriors.
“I am proud of my subordinates — they are my comrades and brothers. These are young guys who went to college yesterday and today went to the forefront. The way they held back the invasion and attack of the invaders shows how much we are all devoted to the Ukrainian land and its people!” — the guard is convinced.
“Babai” was wounded during the battle in Luhansk region. He has now undergone rehabilitation and returned to the front. He assures that this war concerns everyone, because we all have to understand what we will leave to our children and grandchildren. This is the meaning of our people's struggle for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Press service of the NGU
