Codename ‘Filin’, battalion ‘Donbas’

I am very sorry that Ilovaisk is perceived as a tragedy. Since with such tragic perception, we forget about or do not see all that bravery and heroic activity of our combatants in Ilovaisk. Right, people perished, got into captivity, went missing. But we all knew why we went there and realized the possible consequences. We must commemorate those who perished. Ilovaisk should be depicted as the great battle in which people showed the best traits of their character. That was heroism. That was the turning point. Ilovaisk launched Minsk agreements. Ilovaisk compartmentalized it all: what could be done further and what we could do. And people throughout Ukraine say that Ukrainian fighters, people, citizens can protect their country.

Oleksandr Deineha, codename “Chub” [wisp of hair], “Donbas”

I thought that a man who did not serve in the army was not a real man. Thus, when there was such a situation in the country, and when the aggressor came and the hostilities began, I understood that I had to go. Moreover, in the internal troops I had served in the military unit "3027", where our "Donbas" battalion started to be garrisoned. Knowing that I had the necessary knowledge, I joined. I personally spoke with sergeants, rank and file, and a junior lieutenant. All of them were representatives of the Russian Federation. They did not deny this. This besiegement cost us great losses: the dead, the missing. Not only did we destroy the enemy's machinery during those hours, but I saw with my own eyes a Kamaz in which they (the Russians – editor's note) gathered their KiA (dead people – editor's note). We even helped them to load the dead into the Kamaz.

Alexei Rubets, call sign “Aknod”

"No independence to any country was given without blood. We took this country back 23 years ago, now our task is to defend it. And one must pay for it in blood. Go, son." The worst thing about all this was that I promised my daughter to be with her on September 1, when school begins. During the time of my captivity, all these 4 days, I was blaming myself for having failed in my promise. She could not forgive me for a very long time. Probably, she is sulking because of me until now. We made peace though. When I left she was a child of nine, and when I came back, almost an adult girl visited me at Mechnikov (Army Hospital). I can only imagine how they lived while I was gone; Lena went to the hospital to identify by tattoos whether it was her husband or not.

Kravchenko Kostiantyn, Codename Hrisha-Pravosiek

" And how could I keep away from the war when moskals came to my place? " And I caught three mines. The first one was when my finger was torn away, and trousers were in blood, I wanted to place some painkillers there. I was taking out the syringe, and here is the second mine: it broke my arm. I could not make the injection. I already even could not raise the gun. And when I was moving to the school with the broken leg, the third mine fell and there was a blast wave at my back.

Finogin Maksym called Lex

The Russians gave us an ultimatum: either we give up, or they shoot us with artillery. We decided to go out without weapons. There were many injured, who needed help. The Russians gave us their word that the day after they would transfer us to the Ukrainian side through the buffer zone and would take care of the wounded.

Nickname, “Yar” – shooter-paramedic, battalion “Donbass”, Kyiv

“when we started to leave the Mnogopolye, the second or third car was the KAMAZ with the wounded under a big white flag with a red cross. In KAMAZ there were only the wounded. The entire body was literally laid by the wounded, but it was one of the first to be hit. Probably, they firstly destroyed the heavy equipment..”

Nickname Moskit, “Donbass”, Kherson

"And they were waiting for some kind of mythical “Pravyi Sector”, which was supposed to enter Ilovaisk. They did not hide that they were Russians. They were persuaded that some Bandera men would kill for the Russian language. My communication with them in Russian was a hacking pattern. They could not put together that picture that was in the head and the one that they saw before their eyes.”

Kharchenko Eugene, called Red, battalion “Donbas”

Killed on August 29, 2014 during a battle in the "green corridor" When the coffin was in our home, people came, looked at me and asked: “Why had you, Natasha, let him go there?”. And I replied: “You knew his character, why do you ask me such questions? I let him go there so that you could stand here freely”. He was very active, very accurate in all senses in this life. He was always involved. A fighter for justice." - mother

Liashuk Maksym, “Svityaz`”

Killed August 29-30 during a battle in the "green corridor" I told him, ‘This is a real war. Think of your wife and son’. And he answered, ‘Dad, what will I say to my son when he asks why our country is so small?’ Those were boys with unbroken spirit. I remain in contact with his comrades. And those who are no more – according to their dearest and nearest – those boys were true patriots and devotees. They had a sense of purpose; they believed that it is possible to change the country.

Author: admin