Chief Sergeant of 93rd SMB "Kholodnyi Yar" Ivan Buriak: You promise person, you make letter of request, and TCR sends him to another unit. We have lot of such cases!
Chief Sergeant of the 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar" Ivan Buriak, call sign Gray, since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2014, as a civil servant, has been volunteering and periodically visiting the front until 2020. At the time of the full-scale invasion, he was working as a deputy of a village council in Volyn.
- I had my things packed. I was ready to go to war. But my friends from the security forces called and told me that there was a threat of an enemy attack from Belarus - the Kadyrovites were supposed to enter from 50 kilometers from the border," he recalls in our conversation on February 24, 2022. - "I went there. We started organizing our self-defense here. I became the commander of a volunteer unit under the territorial community. Local residents signed 187 contracts with me. On the third day, we received weapons - assault rifles, ammunition, and one machine gun. We set up checkpoints on the Warsaw-Kyiv highway. We organized everything in communication with the authorities and the police. We also conducted patrols and preparations in the direction from which the Russians planned to attack. We still have three hideouts, for 50 people dug in the woods with food supplies, generators, etc. In addition, we accepted refugees and helped them.
But the Russians did not go on the offensive there.
- Yes, they did. When I saw this, I joined the 5th Assault Regiment. I was offered an officer's position, but I refused - I wanted to go all the way. So I became a soldier.
- An infantryman, right?
- First, I joined the artillery (I served as a conscript in Desna in an artillery unit 20 years ago). I was in Kyiv while we were waiting for equipment, and our infantry had already started fighting. I told the commander that I wanted to go with them. Then I was transferred to the infantry. I came to Kramatorsk to a battalion that had already been destroyed. We started to restore it. Then we went to Toretsk, New York, and then to the Maiorsk entry-exit control point. That's how I moved to Bakhmut with the "five" who were assigned to the 93rd Brigade. Our battalion was in the city for the last two or three hot weeks, when we had to keep it from being surrendered until May 9. After we withdrew, we were taken to recover. Because of exhaustion, I resigned because I had the opportunity (Ivan has three minor children. - O.M.). I stayed at home for two and a half months. I realized that I could not do it anymore and joined the 93rd Brigade.
- In one of your interviews, you said that Bakhmut was the most difficult period of the war for you. Why?
- I was in the field as a unit commander. We fought in Toretsk, New York, Mayorsk. I spent six months in the trenches with the guys. I brought them to Bakhmut and Ivanivske and then took them out of there... It was an emotionally difficult moment for me because we lost many close people there
- What do you remember from that time?
- Most often, I remember the eyes of my comrades-in-arms, my friends who consciously went to their deaths. They understood the complexity of the task but still went there. For example, at the entrance to Bakhmut, there was an enemy breakthrough on the right. The risks were very high. Our 12 guys stopped it and repelled five attacks. It was heroic! The enemy was killed. But unfortunately, they died there... I was bringing them in. We were supposed to meet in the evening, but it didn't happen. It was such a difficult moment.
- Infantrymen are called the " blood of war" for a reason ...
- It is true. They are heroes! It is important to appreciate what the infantry does so that Ukrainians understand and do not forget about it. I communicate with the wives and mothers of my fallen friends and comrades-in-arms. It is important for them that their loved ones who died in this war are remembered. We need to talk about this.
- A person lives as long as they are remembered.
- This is a hundred percent true!
- By the way, what do you think about what is happening in civilian cities? We've talked again about war fatigue and the desire to distance ourselves, so to speak. Many of my friends and military acquaintances, when they come here, admit that they are irritated by the atmosphere and behavior of many civilians.
Indeed, it is annoying. People are afraid and find reasons to distance themselves. For example, that the government is bad, or some general. In this way, some civilian men relieve themselves of the responsibility to protect the country and their children. The indifference in their eyes is disappointing. You say how your acquaintances react. My guys, too, when they come on vacation, do not want to wear their uniforms here because of the reaction of others. This is the biggest problem and the root of the evil. Because a man in uniform should be respected. I'll even tell you from personal experience. I used to stop at the same gas station in central Ukraine all the time when I was returning home. The cashier was smiling, and I saw some warmth and understanding in people's eyes. And now no one is responding. There is complete indifference. You can feel it. In general, when people see a uniform, they often shy away because they think you are a TCR officer. This happens both because of mobilization and because of the perception of the current situation. This is a problem for the whole country. You know, I am often asked when the war will end. When everyone who considers himself or herself a Ukrainian will be involved in it. Some will go to war, others will help, not just talk about it. We still have about 30-40 percent of the population who believe that it is none of their business. They seem to know about everything, but they have not lifted a hand to support the army. You can provide support in different ways: volunteer, donate, organize fundraisers, etc.
- Now the fundraising is hard...
- Some people think they have already done a lot - for example, last year they sent four wheels to the guys, so that's enough. Still many people are waiting for the war to end.
- Talks about a possible freezing of the war are having an impact here. What do you think about this? We see that the situation at the front is very difficult - the Russians are advancing.
- There is definitely no freeze! We won't accept it here, because it will be our collapse. We need to "unfreeze" people. I see that today we are in a period of difficult moral and psychological state for everyone. This is a turning point. But we must realize that freezing is evil.
Now is the logical time to end the eternal struggle. Therefore, we must end it. And we will do it when we stand together. I have noticed that Russians do not go where they are not expected. They failed to capture Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kyiv region. Why? Do you think that only great strategies and large forces worked for us then? No! Because absolutely everyone was fighting the enemy! And where are they holding out? In Donbas. Where the majority of the civilian population is ready to accept them. Today, there are 1400 residents in Toretsk. The authorities and law enforcement should pay attention to this.
- I understand that you have talked to locals in the Donbas? Are there those who speak directly about their preferences?
- They say it directly: "If only there was no war!". They know that Ukraine is a democratic country, so we don't have the same attitude as the Russians. When they enter the territory, the first thing they do is change their signs. I thought, why? Most of the locals in Donbas speak Russian, but they do it anyway. They go straight to the houses. For those who don't accept them, they knock out their teeth, maim them, and that's it. That's the only way they treat people - they make them feel afraid.
- The locals are not afraid of you, are they?
- They are not afraid of us. Because we are Ukrainians. There was a case when we caught a spotter. After his targeting, it flew into the houses where the guys were. After that, you want to tear him apart. But we still couldn't do anything to him, because you feel sorry for him, because you are a human being. We rounded him up and handed him over to the police.
- By the way, the situation with Russian prisoners is the same. The guys told me how they took Russians prisoner, realizing and knowing what they had done to ours, and wanted to at least beat them. But they didn't do it anyway, so as not to fall to their level...
- Exactly! Sometimes you look at him, give him a cigarette and don't touch him.
- By the way, what are the prisoners saying now? All the drivers who did not shoot?
- Now there are many of them from the rear supply units. The story is always about the same. When I used to talk to the Wagners, they said they were given amnesty, so they joined. But all Russians are zombies. They fight for money. That is, they are poor and thoughtless Russians. They are all "rummies" - it's like a "good afternoon" for them. They don't even go out sober. In addition, we found syringes and pills in their possession. Under all this, they go to war.
- Is it scary without doping?
- It is first of all. Secondly, they recruit exactly the same kind of people. They've seen enough Soviet movies and go to fight "for their grandfather" (or whoever else). Look who surrenders to captivity. It is clear that he is very scared there. But there are many who realize that it is better to surrender than to fight. They are not warriors.
- Moreover, they are held in normal conditions, unlike the conditions in which Ukrainian prisoners are held in Russia.
- Yes, yes! Continuing with the topic of who we are, I will say that we do not fully push the issue of nationalism and Ukrainization. Because we brought water, supported the civilian population in Donbas, but no one wanted to talk about the Ukrainian language or the Russian church. In general, I believe that if we had worked properly with the locals since 2014 or at least since 2020, the situation would have been completely different. They needed to be told the real state of affairs, but no one did. So they stayed in the old story. They lived their lives, received money from Ukraine, but consumed Russian products through television. Let me give you an example. When we were in New York, we went into our house, clicked on the TV channels, and there was not a single Ukrainian channel. Not a single one! And there's a demarcation line there - from 2014. How is that? Ivanivske is the same. What is there to talk about?
- Failed information policy...
- Completely!
- And Russia is betting on it. War is not only fought on the battlefield. You also said that we have to kill the enemy not only with weapons.
- We must also kill the enemy with words, culture, and history! This is the only way we can defeat the enemy.
- By continuing to beat him physically on the battlefield, where the Russians continue to push on. To do this, we need not only weapons, but also people. We have problems with mobilization. That is why many brigades are recruiting. Yours is one of them. In particular, you open information and recruitment centers in large cities. Recently, one has appeared in Dnipro. What results do you see?
- We launched recruitment a long time ago. Today, by the way, we have entered the category of those teams that can directly recruit and mobilize people.
Look, there is a result. Even the soldiers of our brigade have started to perceive themselves differently. The recruiting policy of our brigade is based on the principle of humanity - that is, we have to work for our subordinates, not vice versa. In addition, we support the families of our wounded and fallen soldiers. Everything works in a complex. We do not aim to recruit everyone we can. The most important thing for us is to show a human attitude to both our soldiers and people, i.e. how we treat this business, how we train, how we provide and worry about our military. When they see a normal human approach, they want to come to us. That's why I say that information and recruitment centers are something more global and broader in vision. We still have a lot of interesting ideas. For example, to create a veterans' pub or a barbershop. This is a place where a civilian can come and talk to a military man and vice versa.
- Sometimes people on social media even criticize the military for their self-care. They say, when do they have time for barbershops and all that? In a recent interview, the commander of the Achilles battalion, Yurii Fedorenko, said that he had been "attacked " even for wearing a clean uniform. Such strange accusations, in my opinion. It turns out that in the minds of some Ukrainians, the military must be constantly dirty and scary.
-Yes, they paint this image as well. I conduct a lot of interviews, talk to different people. I always pay attention to appearance. If a person is tidy, it means that his or her mind is in order.
Of course, we come out of our assignments black and dirty. But we wash ourselves, do our laundry, and put ourselves in order. We try to adhere to the following principle: when a soldier comes from zero line, he should be in a warm house, sleep in a normal bed, get enough water and food. If you sleep in the basement, eat whatever you can find, it is obvious that you will not be able to perform a combat mission, first of all. Secondly, you will be in a poor moral and psychological state. We pay a lot of attention to this.
- So do people come to you?
- Yes. They are not running as as wished it to be, but they are coming.
- There is another problem that demotivates. We also mentioned it before the interview. This is the AWOL. Recently, it has been talked about loudly, because a soldier, Serhii Hnezdilov (we talked before his detention. - O.M.), who is quite famous, left the unit without permission and announced it publicly. How did you feel about this act?
- I have seen this appeal. What Hnezdilov did, of course, humiliates the military. This story is similar to what happened to Valerii Markus. He showed himself to be a cool guy, a master sergeant. He went to war and eventually said that everything was bad, so relieved me of my duties. I immediately asked myself: if you are so cool, why can't you make changes at your level? Your position allows you to! The same with Hnezdilov: if you are a media person, why don't you cover the issue of AWOL? This is a global problem! We had our first AWOL fighters in Bakhmut, when even the name of the city was scary. This mostly concerned territorial battalions that were not fully staffed and trained. There was a difficulty. Because in the first year of the full-scale war, a lot of trained and experienced soldiers were killed. The army was killed in action. But the training and attitude were not invested in, so there were those who went AWOL because they were afraid. Now the situation is different - caused by public opinion and examples. That's why the AWOL fighters are those who look up to people like Hnezdilov.
By the way, we launched the project four days ago: we call our AWOL soldiers, invite them to come to us for a talk, hold discussions and give them a chance to return to their specialties as UAV pilots, mortar gunners or artillerymen. We set up a camp where they undergo adaptation. They have three days to choose a specialization. During this time, they play sports and recall their military training. Then, if they agree to continue their service, they choose a profession. On Monday, October 7, the first group is going to pilot training, after which they will receive the appropriate certificates and can start working. The war is now such that there is a great need for such qualified specialists. Then it will be much easier for the infantry.
- It seems to me that the decision to go AWOL is also influenced by the absence of demobilization, right?
- Yes. But also the lack of a normal mobilization process. There are problems in the TCR. Look, we had an average of 600-700 applications per month. A lot of soldiers applied to us. We filtered them and gave a letter of request for 150-160 servicemen (one month there were 200). About 20 percent actually came to us. We talk to the 3rd Assault Brigade, so we know that their situation is similar. Where are the rest of them? TCR. When people came to them with a letter of request, they didn't pay attention to it, but sent them wherever they wanted. This kills recruiting. You promise a person, you make the letter of request, and the TCR sends them to another unit. We have a lot of such cases! Thanks to our commander, we simply "gnawed" these people from other units. Fortunately, today we have the opportunity to hire directly. Of course, the person passes an interview, MMC, and then we have basic military training under the supervision of the training center. They are trained by our instructors. At first, there is a basic level. Next, we look at who has what aptitudes and preferences for the specialty. If, for example, someone is inclined to pilot, then more time is devoted to UAVs.
- And what do you say about demobilization?
- This is also one of the problems of the protracted Soviet management in the army. In each unit, we have a sufficient number of "pensioners" and wounded soldiers who cannot be discharged because the MSEC does not issue a certificate or anything else. This is a dead wood that draws significant funding from the state budget, because they need to be provided for, but does not allow other soldiers to move to positions that are already occupied. We, those who came to fight from civilian life (not career military), understand that we will not be demobilized until there is no one to replace us. But I think it is possible to carry out demobilization of the dead woods, especially in the middle management. There really needs to be a cleaning there. Then it would be possible to promote young, excellent commanders, of whom there are many. One disadvantage is that some of them do not have much life experience. Because when a commander is 25 years old, and most of the men in his unit are 40-50 years old, it is not so easy for him to find the right words. You need to understand this communication. In addition, there are people who were forcibly mobilized, and it is not easy to communicate with them, starting with the way they were trained. By the way, we raised the issue of training centers. The prevailing program is outdated. For example, a year and a half ago, we did not know what FPV was. Now they are everywhere. In addition, the centers used to train those who came to conscript service. The program is designed to last about six months, but today it is being pushed to complete in two months. We need to change the vision.
- We have enough work to do both on the battlefield and in the rear.
- Now we have the following realities on the battlefield: neither they nor we. The demarcation line is known to both us and them. Now we need to intensify the war in the rear - to charge and shake everyone up as much as possible. To turn the minds of many people around. I am sure, for example, that not only in Donbas, as we have discussed, there are those who are ready to meet the "Russian world."
We need to make a choice: either you stay here and change, or you go there. This will already shake the very ideology of this "Russian world," which is now based on all that "mess" - Russian songs, Russian bloggers, and the Russian church. At the same time, we need to shake the rear of the f@ckers - to hit them constantly. Then we can make breakthroughs here at the front and capture them. In this case, the groove will turn.
Olha Moskaliuk ,Censor.NET
Photos and video provided by Ivan Buriak
