1 00:00:00,00 --> 00:00:05,000 Immodest question - How old are You? -Oi, Seventy One. 2 00:00:05,100 --> 00:00:08,100 We're gonna smack these jerks(ukr.goats). Let's do it! 3 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:10,400 And You are a mortar crewmate? - Yes. 4 00:00:10,500 --> 00:00:15,300 FIRE! 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:23,200 Until I have some health.. until I can still carry a gun/machine gun... Who will defend us if not ourselves? 6 00:00:26,900 --> 00:00:31,500 My nickname is "Grandpa", we're currently in Donetsk Oblast(District) 7 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,800 Tell us please how did full-scale Russian Invasion start for you personally. 8 00:00:35,900 --> 00:00:46,200 Oh, it started quite interesting. On 21st of February our commander took us directly from the trenches. 9 00:00:46,300 --> 00:00:52,600 He told us:"Guys, you're coming to Avdiivka - you're going to be taught how to work with NLAW" 10 00:00:52,700 --> 00:00:57,500 English NLAWs got delivered so you will be taught how to strike those tanks. 11 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:07,700 We rode to Avdiivka.. 22-23 Feb we were taught, we completed the exam, or how do you call it. 12 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:12,600 And we were told that on 24th we're going to proving grounds. 13 00:01:12,700 --> 00:01:20,800 So we went to the proving grounds... On the 24th at 0420 we had been shelled by artillery and this invasion, this war has begun. 14 00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:26,000 We were there for 2 days.. we were prepairing/gathering. 15 00:01:26,100 --> 00:01:31,500 Commander took us and brought to Pisky. 16 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:37,200 Have you expected at all that the full-scale war will start? 17 00:01:37,300 --> 00:01:43,700 Frankly speaking, we didnt believe in it, but we were waiting, anticipating, we were preparing 18 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:52,400 We knew they were going to "crawl" in. They were not surrounding us with their armed forces from all sides for no reason...So 19 00:01:52,500 --> 00:01:57,300 I'll talk for myself - I felt they are going push through. 20 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,200 And they pushed, crawled in. 21 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:12,300 Can you recall, do you remember those feelings/emotions when many of Ukr. men panicked, someone fleed abroad 22 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:17,000 What were your first thoughts, what to do next? 23 00:02:17,300 --> 00:02:21,800 First thoughts were to stand our ground until death 24 00:02:21,900 --> 00:02:26,700 Frankly speaking the mood was very bad... very bad 25 00:02:27,100 --> 00:02:34,500 Because the communication was missing for us there - on the frontlines. Only if we looked up something on the Internet. 26 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:39,000 We knew already that they're "crawling up" to Kyiv 27 00:02:39,100 --> 00:02:44,200 The first week was the hardest, we were waiting whether they manage to take Kyiv or not 28 00:02:44,300 --> 00:02:51,600 When they got beaten up in Kyiv, it started getting easier, loosen up 29 00:02:51,700 --> 00:02:58,900 Very "hard", bad mood it was in the first week, probably two weeks, but then... Yeah 30 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:06,700 We started slowly beating them up, and so it goes. And now the mood is normal - smacking those parasites. 31 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:12,800 Yeah...So, it was quite hard at the begining. 32 00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:20,900 Tell us please, the battle for Pisky was one of the most massive, hardest battles. 33 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:28,500 Can you recall when did first combat skirmishes begin in Pisky? 34 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:35,000 They started instantly when we arrived, nothing to say really. 35 00:03:35,100 --> 00:03:39,900 We came to Pisky and fighting already begun. 36 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:50,000 What forces Russians had been using against Ukrainian Army and volunteer fighters? 37 00:03:50,100 --> 00:03:58,500 What forces?.. Heavy machinery, we got shelled by tanks, mortars, artillery. 38 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:05,600 They got an audacity to scatter us with Phosphorus, cluster bombs. 39 00:04:05,700 --> 00:04:13,100 In what unit you were in while being in Pisky, where you opposed russian occupants? 40 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:18,000 Separate subdivision named "Santa" 41 00:04:18,100 --> 00:04:26,800 We were supporting our infantry, our boys, we covered them with our mortars. 42 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:30,900 So you are a mortarman? - Yes. 43 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:35,800 On what targets you had a chance to work on with mortars? 44 00:04:35,900 --> 00:04:40,700 In general, on their infantry as they were crawling, they were crawling like locusts swarm. 45 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,900 So we covered our boys. 46 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,800 We had drones, they still are. 47 00:04:48,900 --> 00:04:53,700 So we have aerial reconnaissance, not much but it's still present. 48 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:58,600 Thus we shelled them in a good way ;) 49 00:04:58,700 --> 00:05:03,500 Immodest question - How old are You? -Oi, Seventy One. 50 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:08,900 You're seventy one? And you're a mortarman? -Yes. 51 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:17,100 Most of us, most of us younger folks have a lot of sores, bunch of health issues 52 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:23,600 How do you manage... Tell us the key to success so at 71 years of age you're still fighting as a mortarman. 53 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:30,100 Well, actually, I was engaged in sports for my entire life, almost. 54 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:38,100 I had climbed mountains. Therefore, there's some health for me probably. 55 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:48,600 Had you had bad habits? You're seventy one and you had to pick up mortar shells. Did you smoke, or drink in the past? 56 00:05:48,700 --> 00:05:53,000 Cigarettes I smoke, that's a problem - I cannot quit. 57 00:05:53,100 --> 00:05:58,400 I already quited five times, the most i managed to withstand was only 1 month. 58 00:05:58,500 --> 00:06:03,600 Here, as long as I'm here, for sixth year already on Donbas. 59 00:06:03,700 --> 00:06:12,600 I've been everywhere here. Starting from Shyrokino, from Mariupol to Toretsk. 60 00:06:12,700 --> 00:06:19,000 So i don't know. Habits...habits...i cannot quit smoking 61 00:06:19,100 --> 00:06:24,500 I'd give anything to quit, I've been smoking for 38 years already, i cannot quit no more. 62 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:33,900 What does younger men say, when they see literall Grandpa among them? 63 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:38,800 Which should have been retired and enjoying life but not in trenches. 64 00:06:38,900 --> 00:06:44,500 My unit's brother in arms do not say anything, but when i meet other divisions' fighters 65 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:51,000 The first question, they look at me and say: "You're still here? Why the hell are you here?" 66 00:06:51,100 --> 00:06:57,000 Yeah! At first, I was nervous about it, but now I am already used to it. 67 00:06:57,100 --> 00:07:03,000 Until I have some health.. until I can still carry a gun/machine gun... I'll be here 68 00:07:03,700 --> 00:07:08,500 You're even shooting from a machine gun? -Yes, that's my favourite barrel! "PoKeMon" 69 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:13,400 PKM (Modernized Kalashinkov Machine-gun) a.k.a PoKeMon. Did you shoot with a Pokemon?-Yes. 70 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:17,000 Do you have to use it often? -Recently, no 71 00:07:17,100 --> 00:07:23,200 But...sometime...in winter (2022 apparently) 72 00:07:23,300 --> 00:07:31,500 So, for how long... in order to not fool you... For 4 months i've been blasting from PKM from the trenches. 73 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,700 Yeap, that was a deal. 74 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:42,500 But, after these hard fights, after mortar shellings, do you feel fatigued and how do you manage it? 75 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:48,300 We already somewhat used to it. We were shelled non-stop in Pisky. 76 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,900 I, when we went out of Pisky, after half a year, 77 00:07:53,000 --> 00:08:00,500 Commander released us one by one for a week/10 days so we can rest, recover a bit 78 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:07,800 So i went home for a while. It was quite interesting, for the first night i couldn't sleep 79 00:08:07,900 --> 00:08:13,000 Because it was silent... Because of silence i couldn't sleep 80 00:08:13,100 --> 00:08:18,200 Not because of "booming" but because of silence i coulnd't sleep in the first night 81 00:08:18,300 --> 00:08:21,000 Yeah, even that happened. 82 00:08:21,100 --> 00:08:28,000 And were exactly "Home" is? Which regions? -Home is were Ukraine is 83 00:08:28,100 --> 00:08:36,000 Western Ukraine. They're calling us "Banderivets" for a reason, don't they? We are Banderivets. 84 00:08:36,100 --> 00:08:40,000 You told me that you are already six years here, six years on the frontlines. -Yes. 85 00:08:41,500 --> 00:08:46,700 Why did you go on the frontline? - Well, obviously -I'm a Man! 86 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:54,000 You have to defend the country, of course. Enemy attacked, you see what genocide they're executing 87 00:08:54,100 --> 00:09:01,000 They're destoying us as a nation. No way, we won't allow them to do that. 88 00:09:01,100 --> 00:09:06,600 But why the youth doesn't go - I don't know. There are wonderful boys here with us - 18y, 20y old. 89 00:09:06,700 --> 00:09:12,200 They're fighting... And those are chilling, fleeing back to Poland, I don't know. 90 00:09:12,300 --> 00:09:17,100 I don't want to say anything here, everyone chooses his path by himself. 91 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:26,600 While I still have some health, while I can still lift the sandbag with the boys - I will remain here. 92 00:09:26,700 --> 00:09:30,600 Until we get rid of this scumbags. 93 00:09:30,700 --> 00:09:35,700 Who were you before the war, your civil profession? -I was already a retired man 94 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:41,300 I was an engineer. -So for enirety of life you were working as an engineer? 95 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:43,500 Yes...yes. 96 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:48,400 How did you decide - "That's all - i'm going to the frontline"? 97 00:09:48,500 --> 00:09:53,300 How-how? - Was it a radical decision or you had some second thoughts? -No. 98 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:59,800 No, I hadn't had any second thoughts. No, no overthinking, nothing even. 99 00:09:59,900 --> 00:10:06,900 You have to defend... who will defend us if not ourselves? 100 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,800 We are such a nation, we fight those Moskovites for our whole life. 101 00:10:11,900 --> 00:10:15,500 So... It is what it is. 102 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:23,000 Who had "sprouted" such an attitude in you? I mean not everybody, unfortunately, has the same upbringing as you do 103 00:10:23,100 --> 00:10:30,000 There are people who simply do not care. Who planted this "seed" of thought, that you have to fight for your country? 104 00:10:30,100 --> 00:10:36,000 Was it parental upbringing or you somehow managed to conclude this opinion by yourself? 105 00:10:36,100 --> 00:10:39,400 My father was an officer of Soviet Army. 106 00:10:39,500 --> 00:10:43,900 I spent all of my childhood in the quarters when I was a kid. 107 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:48,800 In their barracks, quarters, i ate at their diners when i was still small. 108 00:10:48,900 --> 00:10:57,600 And... i don't know who made me this way, father i suppose, probably. 109 00:10:57,700 --> 00:11:02,500 I lived with them (russians) in one country before. 110 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:06,900 Youth doesn't know, but i lived in USSR. 111 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:11,800 I was a Pioneer (USSR youth organization)and all of that stuff. 112 00:11:11,900 --> 00:11:16,700 But when those bastards came to occupy us... Did we hurt them somehow to behave so? 113 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:25,800 I had so many friends in russia. Since 2014, i don't speak to any of them 114 00:11:25,900 --> 00:11:29,600 because they were saying "We're not there" ("It's not us") That's all. 115 00:11:29,700 --> 00:11:33,300 I don't communicate with anyone. 116 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:38,200 But when they started "crawling in" on 24th Feb it was a nightmare 117 00:11:38,300 --> 00:11:42,000 They came to destroy us 118 00:11:42,100 --> 00:11:47,600 What they have done in Bucha, eh.., everywhere. And what they done to Mariupol. 119 00:11:47,700 --> 00:11:54,400 We were at Sartana (small town next to Mariupol)1.5 years ago 120 00:11:54,500 --> 00:11:59,600 We were visiting Shyrokine all the time 121 00:11:59,700 --> 00:12:05,300 Oh, not Shyrokine, i'm lying. We were driving to Mariupol all the time 122 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:11,000 In turns, we had to acquire then this, then that for our unit 123 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:18,600 I know Maripol quite well. And what they have done to it now. It was a fine city! 124 00:12:18,700 --> 00:12:22,500 Those are barbarians, i don't know how to call them otherwise. 125 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:28,300 What do you relatives/friends say "Grandpa, why are you there"? 126 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:35,000 I already... Daughter, grandson, grandchildren were telling "Why the hell you're there, go home!" 127 00:12:35,100 --> 00:12:39,100 They don't bother me anymore, no. They already know that i will remain here. 128 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:41,500 They know their Grandpa. That... 129 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:46,900 I will not come back home until we cleanse that scum from our land. 130 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:53,000 Yes, at first, few years ago, they've been telling: 131 00:12:53,100 --> 00:12:55,700 "Go home already, go home already!" 132 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:59,500 Everyone has his own conscience, i don' know. 133 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:03,100 You have to banish those bastards from our land. 134 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:10,400 We're waiting for you, boys. Come visit us, come help us old folks. 135 00:13:10,500 --> 00:13:15,300 Grandpa, do you have any dream? -YES. Which one? 136 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:17,900 Well, i cannot say it in here. 137 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:26,200 My dream is that we with our comrades and friends, we have to... Eh... I will say it, it's not rude 138 00:13:26,300 --> 00:13:30,000 My dream is to get to Uspenka (a village at the russian border) 139 00:13:30,100 --> 00:13:35,400 and to piss on their scumbag land - that's my dream. 140 00:13:35,500 --> 00:13:42,600 Grandpa, let God protect You, let him give you health, strength, patience 141 00:13:42,700 --> 00:13:45,700 to win this enemy and let your dream become true. 142 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:49,000 They won't overcome us! Yeah. 143 00:13:49,100 --> 00:13:52,900 Glory to Ukraine! - Glory to Heroes!