My name is Chernykh Vitaliy Vitaliyovych. Lieutenant, Armed Forces of Ukraine. Currently, Senior Lieutenant, Armed Forces of Ukraine. My nickname was “Fitil.”
The Unit Commander called and asked if we were ready to defend our homeland. Of course we were ready.
“You are murderers. But kill for your country, not for money.”
The initial motivation was to prevent them for reaching our homes. This was the very first motivation, to stop their advance. Ukraine is by law a unitary republic.
Constantly moving. Going to some train depo, to some village where an elderly woman reported a shell was lodged. Someone had to go get it.
I was sent from Ilovaisk to Hrabs’ke, to pick up the Azov Company. I said “Guys, let me take you to the city, and show you around.”
Sometime before the 20th of the month…the 20th or the 19th maybe, and they tell me straight up: “Are you f*cked up? Go where? We’re going back.”
I say: “Why?” He says it’s dark out already. I say: “What do you mean freakin’ dark? It’s only 3 kilometers away. We’ll stick to our territory, no one will uh, flinch.”
The company commander comes by: “I got orders to retreat to Starobeshevo.” Everything happened so quickly, and they gathered their things and went back.
Then later it turns out they were in the parade, these “Azov soldiers.”
I did, you can say, more than anyone so that Ilovaisk held out longer, that is, I blew up all the railroad track that could be blown up in Ilovaisk.
Later we started butchering chickens. “Who cares,” I said, “no one’s feeding them anymore.” Cooked on the fire, they were fine.
“Soldiers, I’ve got jam…” “Shit!” says Vitalik, “it’s good jam. Let’s eat. These crappy biscuits will gobble up the jam. “What sweetheart, they’re good?” I ask. “Good,” he says “better than at home.”
We were getting hit from every angle. I just noticed the flashes overhead from the anti-tank guided missiles.
I only realized that we were being hammered when two anti-tank guided missiles flew over the road.
I ran off into the corn field. And here an APC (Armored Personnel Carrier – ed.) drives by.
A soldier says to me: “Lieutenant, permission to fire!” I reply: “Sweetheart, don’t shoot but blast their asses with whatever you’ve got.”
I stop a BREM (armored repair and evacuation machine, tank track). I got on and the boys ran behind it.
I’m thinking: “Damn, I’m the commander, where have I left my boys?” Valyera and I jump off the tank.
And the tank advances about 400 meters when it’s hit by something. Everyone in it is dead.
But all 5 of us men, with me being injured, were able to navigate using the stars.
Our telephones were turned off, there was no sound. Whenever one was turned on, we were immediately fired upon.
I want for this war to be a lesson, that we should believe no one. Everyone should think about themselves and their country.
So that our country could, at any moment, regardless of who our neighbor might be, be able to fight back.
To preserve our independence and our territorial integrity.