Call sign Siryi: "Koreans either shoot themselves or slit their wrists but they do not surrender"
The pilot, call sign Siryi (Grey), is currently undergoing treatment for a concussion sustained in an enemy drone attack. He admits that he dreams of the war ending and returning to civilian life. Before the full-scale invasion, he was a fitness trainer here and had never held a weapon.
- "On 24 February 2022, I woke up, like most people, to explosions and realised it was war," he recalls in our conversation the beginning of his new journey at that time. - "The first thing I thought was that I had to save my family. I asked a friend to take my family to a village outside of Sumy, but I stayed in the city."
- The beginning of the full-scale war was difficult for Sumy.
- Yes. That very day, enemy columns entered the city. I saw them driving down my street from my window. For the first three days, I was thinking about what to do. I wasn’t a soldier and had never held a weapon. But I knew I had to go. So my friend and I joined the Territorial Defense Forces (TDF).
- Didn't you go to the military commissariat?
- At first, we did. But there were huge queues. My cousin went to the military enlistment office on February 25, and they took him in and issued him a weapon. But by the time we arrived, there was nothing left. And, as I said, there were a lot of people. Thanks to my friend, I joined the Territorial Defense unofficially. We had a group of ten guys. We divided into sectors. Our task was to patrol the streets and guard buildings. The Russians were holding checkpoints. The city was encircled. Fighting had already begun.
- Did you take part in them?
- In the early days, no.
- Did you receive any training?
- A little. There were no weapons at first. In the early days, all I had was a pistol, and that was it (smiles – O.M.). Later, I was issued an AK rifle.
- How did you, a civilian at the time, perceive what was happening? What were your feelings?
- I witnessed true unity. No one from my circle of friends left. Everyone was involved—some fought, others volunteered and provided support. It was a powerful display of patriotism. You know, we never even considered that something might go wrong. Everyone was doing their part to resist.
About a month and a half later, we decided to formalize our status. We submitted our documents, but they weren’t accepted. That’s when I joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) so that I wouldn’t just be a partisan.
- And where exactly did you end up?
- First, I went to my Bryn (a village in Sumy region – O.M.), where I was born and officially registered. I went to the military enlistment office to be put on record. But they didn’t have my personal file at all. They sent me to Sumy, but there was no information about me there either. In other words, I didn’t exist! My friends told me, "Go home, no one is even going to look for you!" But I found a way to get into the AFU through the Khmelnytskyi military enlistment office. I didn’t go there physically—I just sent my documents. At that time, everything was done in a rush.
In Sumy, a Special Operations Forces (SOF) unit was just being formed. Everything was happening very quickly. When we arrived, we were first sent for training—no one was thrown straight into combat. Then we were divided into groups of 12. We went through additional coordination training before being deployed on combat missions.
- Where to?
- At first, we operated in the Sumy region. Our first deployment was to the border with Russia.
- What tasks did you perform there?
- At the time, we had a wide range of missions. For example, counter-sabotage operations, as many enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups (SRGs) were infiltrating our territory and conducting attacks against both military personnel and civilians. Later, we conducted similar operations against the enemy. We were also tasked with identifying targets, as the Russians were constantly shelling border villages from their territory. We used everything—tanks, mortars, and more. Our objective was to locate and eliminate them in order to push their line further back and reduce the intensity of shelling.
-Tell us the story that you remember the most.
- We had a road where positions were constantly shifting. It was heavily targeted—whenever a tank rolled up, it prevented our guys from rotating. We have to locate it. By that time, I had already taught myself how to fly. My cousin bought me a drone with his own money—a Mavic, which I used not only for reconnaissance but also for dropping munitions. At first, we didn’t use drones at all, but we quickly realized that operating without them was extremely difficult and dangerous. So we had to learn. We set out to find that tank. We took cover in a tree line, and I launched the Mavic. As I flew it forward, we suddenly spotted another drone hovering above us. The guys asked, "Why are you hovering over us? Move on." I replied, "That’s not me." And right then, the very tank we were looking for opened fire on us (smiles – O.M.). It fired three shots. We were lying in emplacements. One round landed dangerously close—a piece of shrapnel fell between me and my comrade, who has since been killed. We were lucky. Thank God, we all made it out alive. The tank fired three times, and the Russians must have assumed they had hit their target, so they ceased fire and pulled back their drone. We recovered our Mavic on the way out as we were withdrawing.
- At that time, drones were worth their weight in gold...
- I took great care of it. But one day, we went out for a munition drop, and I got jammed by enemy electronic warfare (EW). The drop failed. I tried to bring the drone back, but its battery died, and it crashed near us and exploded. Fortunately, no one was hit.
- When we first started using UAVs, some people were quite skeptical about them. I remember how, at the time, Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov even called Mavics "wedding drones." But you relied on them, didn't you?
- Yes, we did. After we lost my first Mavic, we no longer went on missions without drones. I was part of the support unit. We never entered an area without first scouting it. There were too many enemy SRGs, mines, and other threats. That’s why I always had a drone with me. There was only one time we didn’t use it—when my commander gave me a day off for my birthday. That day, my unit went out without me, ran into Russian forces, and half of them were killed... I still blame myself for not going. But that’s how it happened.
- Where did you get a new drone after losing your Mavic?
- We went to the command, showed them reports of our daily operations, and explained that we needed a new one. About three days later, they gave us a Mavic. Then a businessman I knew bought another one for our unit. So we had two. I flew for a year without losing a single one. Every sortie was successful. We were constantly being jammed—both by enemy EW and anti-drone guns—but we still managed to fly effectively. But just before we were withdrawn from the border, we had one last mission—an unplanned and urgent sortie as an enemy SRG had suddenly infiltrated, and we had to locate them. We were warned to fly cautiously because three of our comrades had already lost their drones due to jamming. I reached the target area—and lost my Mavic as well. The next day, we were withdrawn from combat operations.
- And where to?
- To recover. We went to study in Poland.
- What were your impressions of the training?
- We practiced counter-sabotage operations there and also conducted UAV training, which I led—not just for our guys, but also for the Poles and Norwegians, as they were interested in our combat experience. We flew for three days. In peaceful conditions, it was easy (smiles – O.M.). The Norwegians saw what we were capable of and provided us with ten Mavic 3Ts. You know what’s interesting? The Polish border guards let them through without any issues. But in Ukraine, they didn’t want to allow them in. There were even suspicions: "Maybe you stole them?" I said, "So according to you, we stole them in Poland, yet the Poles still let us cross with them? That’s quite strange." We never really understood that situation. In the end, they returned them to us. Eventually, they remained with our unit.
- Where were you deployed after you arrived?
- Our company was reassigned to another brigade that was in the process of being formed. We arrived and went through unit coordination training. I also traveled to Poland for additional training and earned the rank of junior sergeant. By the time I returned, our guys had already advanced into the Kursk region. I reported to the permanent duty station (PDS) and then joined them.
- So you took part in the Kursk operation?
- That's right. Though this time, as assault troops.
- Why not as drone pilots?
- Because by then, there were even separate companies of drones there. Our guys still flew, but most of the drone work was handled by adjacent units.
- You had already worked as a drone pilot, and now you were joining as assaultmen—something that is, of course, extremely difficult. How was it for you?
- Being an assault trooper is incredibly tough. When we deployed to the Kursk region, the losses were severe. That’s where I lost many friends... It’s hard to even talk about it.
- How did you perceive this operation overall? It was the first time we entered enemy territory in combat. What did it mean to you?
- Many people said it was exciting and significant that we were advancing into enemy territory. But I felt uneasy. I knew that many of my comrades wouldn’t make it back. Yes, I understood why this operation was necessary, that we needed leverage in negotiations. But what troubled me most was the heavy losses. That was the hardest part.
- Are you still in the Kursk region? (as of February 22 – ed.)
- Our guys are still there. However, I am currently undergoing treatment for a concussion.
- This week (we're speaking on February 22 – O.M.), Vladimir Putin also mentioned the Kursk region. He claimed that Russian troops had allegedly crossed the border into Ukraine in the Kursk region, which borders Sumy. The Ukrainian Armed Forces denied this, stating that SRG attempted to breach our territory but was detected. What does this statement mean to you?
- There are ongoing negotiations, one way or another. For him, it’s crucial to convince his citizens that they are achieving something here. This is how he motivates both his military and the population. But that’s all. They have no success here.
- North Korean soldiers also fought in the Kursk region. Did you see them?
- Not in person. Only on screen. A pilot I know told me how their unit attempted to capture some North Koreans. They either shot themselves or slit their wrists, but they didn’t surrender.
- The New York Times, citing Ukrainian and U.S. officials, reported that North Korean troops fighting for Russia were withdrawn from the front line in the Kursk region due to heavy losses. Is this true?
- I don’t know if they were withdrawn. But the fact that they suffered heavy losses is undeniable.
- How would you assess them in general?
-They are actually fighting. They are well-trained, including psychologically. It seems like they have no fear of death. The guys found notes on the corpses with instructions on how to behave in case of a threat of capture - to kill themselves.
- Did you fly only Mavics, or did you also use FPV drones?
- Personally, I’ve only flown Mavics. I did some training on simulators, but I don’t fly FPVs.
- Do you like FPV in general?
- Actually, yes, but I didn't have time to study. To really hit targets, you need to train a lot. And we had to work.
- The Russians have already started using fiber optics. How do they operate with it?
-They fly up to ten kilometers out, land on the road, wait for a convoy, then take off and strike the target. In other words, they set up ambushes like this.
- And what about us?
- We’re not standing still either. We have a lot of means of destruction. In my friend's unit, which is our adjacent unit, FPV is number one. They inflict significant losses on the enemy.
- I assume their supply situation is good.
- He told me they can lose up to 15 Mavic 3Ts in a single day. He said: "We can fly them one-way. If we spot a target but the battery is dying, we don’t bother bringing it back—we just hover until it runs out and crashes. We have excellent logistical support." Unfortunately, we don’t have that.
- How well are the Russians supplied? I often hear from the military that the enemy has no issues with drones at all.
- None whatsoever. They have an overwhelming number of drones. By the way, I’ve noticed that they’re using ordinary, cheap white Huawei drones for munition drops. Each one costs about ten thousand hryvnias. There are thousands of them! One of them dropped ordnance on me—I suffered a concussion.
- What do you think of the Russians in general?
- What can I say when they shell our cities every single day? Our region is constantly under attack. The most painful thing is that ordinary people—women and children—are the ones who suffer the most. When a child is killed, there is no justification for anyone! This simply should not happen!
- We mentioned Putin and the negotiations. Today, some very interesting geopolitical events are unfolding, particularly involving our partners in the United States. Do you remember how Donald Trump, during his election campaign, promised to end the war in 24 hours? After his inauguration, the timeframe shifted to six months, and then America started negotiations with Russia—but without Ukraine. How do you perceive all this?
- You know, I never really believed in promises, even though I desperately want this war to finally end. But there must be fair ground. I’ve been listening to many experts lately. Some of them claim that America has set conditions designed to outmaneuver the Russians. I don’t know if that’s true.
- There’s also growing speculation that America may, if not completely stop, then at least reduce aid to Ukraine—including cutting off Starlink. What would that mean for us?
- That would be a serious issue for us. I think this is their way of pressuring us to accept their terms.
I mentioned my training in Poland. There, a Polish instructor who had fought in Afghanistan taught us topography. He took away our phones and tablets and said: "I don’t trust anyone. I don’t even trust America. They could turn off GPS at any moment, and we’d be left with nothing. So learn how to read maps." (smiles – O.M.).
- In your opinion, do the Poles realize that under certain circumstances, they could be next after us?
- At the base, many of their officers, while not openly supporting Russia, would say to me: "Be that as it may, you’re not saints either." They criticized our government, claimed that we were staging provocations, and so on.
- But we weren’t the ones who started this war—we were attacked!
- Absolutely! That’s exactly what we explained—we didn’t start this war! It’s happening on our land. So what is there to talk about?
- And how did they respond?
- The same thing every time: "You're provoking, this needs to end." It was, you know, a kind of neutrality. I’d put it this way—not everyone there supports Ukraine. Look, they were teaching us a course straight from the book. We told them, "That’s not how it works on the front line." But they got frustrated with us and said, "We’re telling you the way it’s written, and that’s it!"
- We talked about how we all want this war to end as soon as possible. Right now, it’s one of the most discussed issues, both in Ukraine and internationally. Do you make any personal predictions about this?
- I’m confident that the hot phase will end this year. But war isn’t just about shooting on the front line. It’s a complex process. After everything that has happened, after so many of our losses—especially the loss of people—it’s hard to imagine how we’ll deal with it. Besides, the post-war "fallout" will last for many years. It’s going to be difficult.
- Indeed, we will still have to learn to live and coexist in a new way.
- Do you know what I noticed? I changed during the war. Sometimes I don't recognise myself anymore. There is some kind of aggression that was not there before. I understand that in such circumstances I can become a burden for my family, because sometimes I cannot control my emotions. This is not good. It shouldn't be like that. That's why I work with a psychologist.
- After the war is over, do you plan to return to civilian life?
- Definitely! I dream about it and am already making plans for the future.
Olha Moskaliuk,Censor.NET
Photos are provided by the hero
