In journalistic practice, sometimes there are interlocutors, from whom every word has to be literally extracted with tongs. From them you will not hear any memories of vivid episodes, no philosophical reflections, no hobbies, no complaints - always “everything is fine” and “nothing special, this is my job.”
The 23-year-old commander of one of the units of the 25th separate airborne brigade (Dnepropetrovsk region), senior lieutenant Aleksey Kravchuk, also belongs to this category of those who speak little.
We spoke late at night from 6 to 7 May. Very briefly, since Alexei is now on one of the hottest sectors of the front.
Alexei, I have repeatedly seen that the military on the front lines are very annoyed, to put it mildly, by our questions about counteroffensive scenarios, the timing of the end of the war, and when the good news will finally come. However, for quite a long time we have been constantly told that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are about to strike the enemy and that it will be very noticeable. What is the mood of the guys now?
Everyone is waiting for what’s to come. We are ready for any development of events.
“It is clear that you are all very tired. This hell has been going on for more than a year, and it is not known how many trials have yet to be endured.
- Such fatigue. Either way, the war must end. Nobody knows how long it will last. Maybe a long time. Or maybe it will end abruptly. Our success depends on how well everything is planned.
Read on “Censor.NET”: “In the place of the Russian military leaders, I would in no case guarantee any result to their leadership,” - Mikhail Zabrodsky.
– Tell us a little about yourself. Why did they become military?
- I’m from the Dnieper. At the age of 15 he entered the Krivoy Rog Lyceum with enhanced military physical training, then studied at the Odessa Military Academy.
“There was already a war going on. Relatives were not against such a choice?
- Firstly, then everyone hoped that by the time they received their diploma, the war would already be in the past. Secondly, my father participated in the ATO. When the fighting began in the Donbass, he went to defend the country. Third, it was my decision. I went to him for a long time. So no one really objected.
Graduated from the academy in June 2021. And in August we went to the sector near Avdiivka.
- That is, they immediately got into the epicenter of events. When did you realize that something terrible was going to happen?
- In December-January, probably. Because it suddenly became very quiet in our area. And on February 19, everything changed dramatically. The Russians rolled up Gvozdiki (a Soviet 122mm self-propelled artillery mount) and started shooting at us. Immediately there was a feeling that something was about to happen.
Also read: “The Russians have not even shown everything they are really capable of,” Roman Kostenko
- In the first weeks, the enemy advanced very quickly. Despite the fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine gave a worthy rebuff, all the same, at first there was confusion, chaos, and a misunderstanding of the scale of what was happening. What was in your direction?
“At first there were only skirmishes. It was even annoying that there was war everywhere, but they didn’t bother us. However, we were soon transferred to another settlement. There they took the first shooting battle. During this year, we fought in the region of Novobakhmutovka, Slavyansk, Soledar, Uglegorsk TPP, then took part in the assault on Izyum, Liman, etc.
- Being wounded, you commanded the battle for several hours.
- It was near Novobakhmutovka on April 12 or 13 last year. I injured my leg - dislocation, sprain. And when I got to the platoon stronghold, a piece of debris also hit the same leg. Luckily, it didn’t go too deep into the tissue.
At this time, we have changed. However, later the fighters were forced to leave this platoon stronghold. Approximately five hours later, already in the evening, we went around it from the other side and began to storm. It was possible to reflect part of the territory. After that, one officer and I went to another position where the orcs were. We then, roughly speaking, deceived them a little.
- How is that?
- Since this brother and I are Russian-speaking, we communicated more in Russian. It was dark, because at first they did not understand what kind of fighters were standing not far from us. Entered into a dialogue with them at a distance. They say: “We are from the 7th company.” We also have one. After a while they said something about their 2nd brigade. I immediately thought: “Oh, this is the 1st Army Corps. Don’t fuck yourself.” When they asked who we were, they answered: “We are our own” and asked to call the senior in rank. We told him that we bypassed the strong point, the reinforcements coming. He believed us. We quickly got out of there. Having run back 150-200 meters, they crushed them with fire as best they could. Then they retreated, took reinforcements and returned. They have already begun to run. And we adjusted them.
Regarding our enemies, there are different specimens - and really morons, and alcoholics, and professionals. Once, two of our fighters captured twelve Russians. And from an elite regular unit.
Their mobilized have no training. Ours are taught before being sent to the front, then we stretch them here so that they can shoot from everything they have, so that they are less afraid, we try to mentally prepare them. And the Russians are simply thrown into battle like cannon fodder.
One day, the orcs settled in three small landings. When our artillery worked one at a time, 10-15 people ran out of there. At the same time, two or three dozen of their soldiers immediately went there from a neighboring landing. Of course, our artillery hit them too. There has been a cycle.
See also: “As my battalion commander said, they are fighting against us even worse fucking … would be than we are,” Martin Brest
Everyone is scared in the trenches. Can you get used to the horrors that are happening around?
- A person gets used to everything.
Have there been moments when you realized that everything was over?
- No. I think that everyone has a destiny that is written not by a person, but by God. That is, if for some reason it is destined to happen here and now, it will be so. However, you can die in the war as a hero or somewhere in the rear - as it is not clear who. It’s already your choice.
- Probably, you had situations that you will remember all your life?
- A lot of them. But I don’t really want to remember such moments.
Often guys risk themselves to save their comrades. Take the same evacuation of the wounded. In Novoselovka in May last year, my brother was wounded, with whom they fought side by side for more than six months. They took him out under fire. By build, he is twice the size of each of us. Believe me, it was very difficult.
Once in Slavyansk, a fighter began to lead a group of wounded to a safe place. Ran into the enemy. He died.
More than once during the evacuation of the wounded, ATGMs (anti-tank guided missiles) or artillery fired at us. But the evacuation still continued. This usually happens in the following way. The ambulance flies into positions, the fighters are quickly loaded there, and it rushes at maximum speed under shelling.
I can say the warmest words to our doctors, who provide first aid in really hellish conditions, constantly risking themselves. It depends on their actions whether the guys will be taken to the hospital. Once I bandaged the head of a fighter whose skull was cut with a fragment. Then he learned that he had been rescued. And one soldier was brought to the evacuation already as dead. Transferred to the medic. Medics tried to restore breathing. And it came out. In fact, the person was simply resurrected.
See also: “A wounded soldier with a missing twelve and a half centimeters of bone is already undergoing rehabilitation”
What period of the war was for you the most difficult?
- October-November last year. At the beginning of the invasion, it was somehow indifferent what happened to me will. War is war, we did not invent it. We just need to do our job. However, when a loved one appeared, thoughts became completely different.
My girlfriend is from Bakhmut. We met on social media. When, after being wounded, I was at the base of the brigade, we were able to meet in the Dnieper. And it’s gone.
Now I feel a little better mentally. I know that not only relatives and friends are waiting for me. I dream of creating a strong family.
You have been in different situations. Regretted your career choice?
- No. Even if I had done something else, I would have gone to war anyway…
See also: “I can’t understand why everyone is talking about a counteroffensive now,” Battalion Commander Dmitry Kukharchuk
Source: Fakty
I am Joseph Zeman, a journalist who mostly covers world news for the Daily News Hack. I pride myself on being able to find and report stories that others might miss. I have a knack for being able to see both sides of every issue and this allows me to provide readers with well-rounded stories. In addition to my work as a journalist, I am also an author and have written several books on current affairs.
