Call sign Zaval: Enemy is thinking and learning now too. This is no longer 2022, when not everyone even understood what was happening
Vitalii, call sign Zaval, currently commands a combat group of the reconnaissance battalion of the 13th Operational Assignment Brigade "Khartiia" of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU). However, before the full-scale invasion, his life was not connected to the military. By profession, he is a welder, studied at the Salvador Dalí Academy of Contemporary Art, and also worked in the beauty industry, doing piercings and artistic tattoos. He got interested in this because it was trendy at the time.
- "I styled people who wanted to become more beautiful and vibrant," he says. "I got my first tattoo around the age of 17. I watched how it was done and got interested. But overall, the path in this profession is quite challenging. You not only have to know how to draw, but also master marketing. It's a full-fledged business. Although, of course, tattooing can be a hobby without making money."
- How many tattoos do you have?
- I don’t count them individually. I have them by sections. There’s a BlackWork sleeve. Half of one leg is also mostly covered in black. Part of my thigh is still filled in, I practiced on that area. I think almost every tattoo artist goes through that. There’s also one on my neck. But overall, I’ll tell you this: I always found time for others, but never for myself. Because you keep putting it off.
- You were 22 years old when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. How did you end up at war?
- At that time, I was still working as a welder. On the morning of February 24, 2022, I was getting ready for work and heading to my motorcycle. My parents, whom I was living with then, asked me where I was going. They said, "There’s a war!" I replied, "War or no war, I still have to go to work." I liked my job then. Of course, it wasn’t something I wanted to do for my whole life, but at that moment, it interested me. So, I arrived at work. No one was there. I went back home and thought, "What now? I have to go defend the country, since the orcs were already approaching Kyiv region." I went to the military enlistment office. They looked at me and my military ID, which was blank. They said, "Well, brother, we don’t need you because, first, you have no experience, and second, you’re too young." So, I joined the Territorial Defense Forces. Despite my lack of experience, I took on any tasks, even doubtful ones. I did everything. The most important thing was gaining experience.
- What was your role at the beginning?
- I was a combat medic. I had some knowledge, so I helped save people. You know, back then, many didn’t know how to provide medical aid. I firmly believe every person should have at least basic skills and understanding of what to do when there are wounded. The war is all over the country. Attacks happen everywhere. But people don’t even carry a tourniquet, which can save lives. For example, a small piece of shrapnel from an explosion hits an artery. The person just bleeds out because they don’t know what to do. But they could have saved themselves with a tourniquet. Unfortunately, our society is like: "Why would I need that? It won’t happen to me." People have become very complacent.
- How do you cope emotionally when you can’t save someone?
- Sometimes it’s really hard to deal with emotions. But they’re part of being human. You can’t ever fully prepare yourself mentally for this. War is what? Severed limbs, blood, intestines, corpses. Unfortunately, that’s our reality. When someone dies, you just have to accept that there’s nothing more you can do and come to terms with it.
- Military medics told me that in this job, the key is not to internalize everything, to try to keep some emotional distance, because you can burn out very quickly…
- That’s right. It’s very important not to take everything personally, so you don’t worsen your emotional state.
- How long did you work as a combat medic?
- Not long. About six months. Then I transferred to infantry units. I joined "Khartiia," where I found different prospects and interests for myself.
- Were you offered to become an infantryman, or did you choose it?
- When I arrived, I didn’t say I was a combat medic. They just gathered us all and assigned specialties. They said infantry, so infantry it is. (he smiles – О.М.). I was interested. I actually believe every soldier should go through infantry to understand how it works from the inside. You’re not just sitting in a foxhole. It’s movement, a combination of various actions and skills, and so on. You need to know that.
- "Khartiia" took part in the counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region in the fall of 2022. Were you already with the unit then?
- I was, but I didn’t take part in the counteroffensive. For better or worse, I was in reserve.
- Where have you fought actively? Was it Bakhmut?
- Actively, it was Bakhmut.
- Tell us about your first impressions.
- You just don’t understand what’s happening. Something is flying near you, something is shooting somewhere. The most important thing at first is not to panic. Unity and knowing who’s a friend and who’s an enemy are crucial. You have to do everything necessary to neutralize the enemy.
- How do you remember Bakhmut?
- It’s just a meat grinder! The orcs are leveling the city and all nearby areas to the ground. They push forward, they die, they push forward, they die. It’s truly a meat grinder where orcs, ours, and civilians, both innocent and guilty, all perish.
- Are you talking about the "awaiters"?
- Yes, them. For example, there was an old woman who told us, "Oh, guys, you’re the best!" Then later, I scroll through enemy channels and see her there, saying, "Ukies (Ukrainians - ed.note) are shooting!" She said very bad things about us. Just "awaiter"! There are people like that. Nothing you can do about it.
- A soldier with the call sign Armani, who was also in Bakhmut at the time, told me that some locals didn’t evacuate their children. He even saw them warming themselves at barrels with fires at night and cooking food with their parents. Did you interact with such residents?
- Personally, I didn’t see any children. Nor did I see men of conscription age, they didn’t cross my path. There were many soldiers. It was very rare to meet anyone not in uniform. Mostly just grandfathers and grandmothers.
- A large number of Wagner fighters were engaged in the battle for Bakhmut. What kind of enemy is that? How would you describe them?
- They were an enemy that thought. There were many volunteer fighters who weren’t forced to go there, they came on their own. Even the convicts: they were offered a deal and agreed. We saw this motivation: "I’m going to war now, and I won’t have to serve out 100 years there." But mostly, those guys didn’t survive because they were often sent in as "meat." Here’s how it worked: first, the "meat" went in, then the real, well-trained guys came in to finish what the "meatballs" hadn’t done. I’ll repeat: this enemy was thinking. Now the enemy is thinking and learning too. This is no longer 2022, when not everyone even understood what was going on. The situation today is different.
- What happened after Bakhmut?
- The volunteer territorial defense formation (VTDF - ed.note) "Khartiia" became part of the National Guard, the real 13th Operational Assignment Brigade.
- Was that when you went into reconnaissance?
- It was. I liked the people who work in reconnaissance. They’re diverse but form a cohesive whole. The work is varied, too: go observe, do some flying, or carry out demolitions. That profession really appealed to me.
- What makes a good reconnaissance soldier? To me, it’s an intelligent, physically fit person who can melt into the shadows. What other qualities are needed?
- You’re absolutely right. A good reconnaissance soldier is someone who is emotionally highly resilient to unpredictable situations. Our work involves a lot of stress. Let’s just say: we have to go where even wolves are afraid, you know what I mean (he smiles – О.М.). It’s scary, but the job gets done. And you realize you’re part of an elite team. So you absolutely have to have a strong character, a sense of humor, and the ability to operate at the edge of your limits. It’s not just about walking two or three kilometers without anything. You cover longer distances, and not just carrying a rifle. The first two kilometers are when your physical strength ends. After that, it’s all about character and willpower. That’s why training is so important. If you don’t train, you simply won’t be able to work. If a person has no motivation or desire and was just shoved in, there’s nothing you can get from them. I wouldn’t go anywhere with someone like that. I need to feel confident that we’ll get there, complete the mission, and return safely. There are very few people I can and want to do this with. Unfortunately, the volunteer fighters who joined in 2022 and earlier tend to run out.
Another important topic is kit. If it’s poorly selected, gets in the way, and isn’t your ally, it will work against you. Every mission is a serious responsibility, and you need to approach your kit with the same responsibility. Everything must be exactly where it belongs. You have to be comfortable. It may seem like a small thing many people ignore, but that’s a mistake. If your gear is ill-suited, you’ll be thinking not about the mission, but about getting it over with as quickly as possible. When everything is comfortable, dialed in, and squared away, you’re confident and focused solely on accomplishing the mission.
- You also mentioned a sense of humour...
- It’s morale that needs to be maintained. An integral part of every elite servicemember.
- Does humour save you?
- Absolutely! It’s a release in any circumstances. A bit of gossip, a bit of joking, that’s all okay; it absolutely should be there.
- Soldiers themselves say their humor is specific. What do you joke about most often?
- Oh, yes! It’s that kind of dark humor that keeps morale up. Old-lady-on-the-bench jokes don’t cut it. Some ribbing — that’s exactly what’s needed to lighten the mood. The simplest stuff, like "Vasia fell" (he smiles – О.М.), haha! But jokes mustn’t be offensive. If someone is hurt by it, that’s it, stop!
- You noted that your work involves a lot of stress. How do you relieve it? Do you still draw, by the way?
- No, unfortunately, I don’t draw now. Maybe I burned out on it a bit. Because I throw myself headfirst into my work. That’s how everyone should do it. Then you enjoy it, you do everything to develop it, and you’re at peak effectiveness. If you treat it as routine, like on a factory line, it gets hard.
- So how do you relieve stress?
- If you’re on a mission, there’s no time to think about it. You show up primed to execute the mission. You leave the same way, just a bit, let’s say, tired.
In general, you have to keep your spirits and morale up as much as possible and not clutter your head with junk.
Off-mission, you can think about whatever you want, like a burger at a gas station or some sushi somewhere.
- Do you get a chance to eat that burger at the gas station?
- Absolutely! You come back from a mission filthy and hungry, you don’t feel like anything, but you pull into a gas station, grab a coffee and some tasty burgers, and life starts to regain its color.
The most important thing in our gray world is to take joy in the little things, like a good burger, aromatic coffee, and a buddy’s or the commander’s smile (he smiles. – O.M.). That’s an indicator that everything’s fine. And you feel calmer yourself.
- Reconnaissance includes UAVs as well. Do you fly them?
- No. But I’ll tell you this: an elite soldier must be able to do everything—shoot, demolish, drive, fly. They need to be as versatile and well-rounded as possible to be effective. Sometimes there are five of you, and you’re the last one left, but you still have to complete the mission. So you need the skills. For example, if you have to get somewhere, you just get in and go. That’s what a conscious, mature person who understands their responsibility and the importance of the mission does.
- Would you want to transfer to a UAV unit and do reconnaissance that way?
- Pure UAV work, no. For now, I want to walk, eliminate the enemy, and carry out tasks the way I do best.
- You’re currently in the Kharkiv region. At the end of April, I recorded the commander of the night bomber crew of the 429th Separate UAV Regiment, Floki, who is also fighting there. He described the situation on your front like this: "The situation is under control. On our section of the front, we’re still managing to stop enemy armored assaults and attacks. Attempts happen almost daily. Sometimes they try to advance in small groups. But the front never freezes. There are constant enemy attempts to break through as far as possible." How is it now? The same?
- Yes. The enemy tries to advance and hold ground. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don’t. But we do everything possible and impossible to eliminate as many of them as we can. If there were a way to just push a button and turn Russia into a soulless wasteland, that would be the best solution. The aggressor country must be isolated from normal civilized nations.
- Unfortunately, we don’t have such a button. But negotiations are ongoing. We’re talking right now while another round of talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations is taking place in Istanbul. Are you following all this?
- I’m following, but let’s say, with one eye. I check the news: okay, talks are happening — fine. Because I don’t dive into politics. Mostly, I just keep an eye on the overall situation. I focus on my work and effectiveness. I don’t spread myself too thin.
- But the talks should address the ceasefire issue. Do you really believe Russia might agree to change its demands in the foreseeable future?
- It seems to me that some miracle would have to happen for them to say, "We’re done playing. That’s it, goodbye." I don’t think that will happen. We’ll stand firm until the end. We’ll kill them until they run out. Or until we do. Unfortunately.
- How do you get this across to civilians who think the war will end any day now?
- Every conscious Ukrainian man or woman must take up defense or help the country to preserve its territorial integrity. But many draft-age men don’t understand this and think, "The guys are already fighting. I’m not made for war." That phrase is very popular…
- So, who is made for it? As if you were born for war.
- Exactly! No one is made for war. It’s just that the people fighting now do so of their own free will. First, they are true patriots of their country. Second, real citizens of Ukraine, because they uphold the Constitution. And the Constitution states: in case of a threat to the country’s territorial integrity, it must be defended. But it’s dangerous. That’s why some run away. They think they’re too good to die.
- When crossing the Tysa River, there’s also a risk of dying - drowning.
- Those who drown there would be better off going to war. If they lack the instinct for self-preservation, they could have realized themselves as warriors, as soldiers, and brought benefit to the country, done something important in their lives, instead of trying to run away from responsibility.
- What would you say to draft dodgers? Is there any point in talking to them?
- As a soldier, it’s pointless to waste energy on them. I could maybe put one in a car and take him to the enlistment office. But what would change?! He’ll go through Basic Combined Arms Training (BCAT), get sent to the front, but what use will he be as a fighter? None! Because he’s dragged in, so to speak, by the ear. He’ll drop his weapon and run. He can’t cover your back. If he were a conscious person, he would go voluntarily. Even now!
- Unfortunately, there aren’t as many people who go voluntarily like this as needed. Although they do exist. My commander friends tell me that guys come to them on their own will. Often these are people who understand that sooner or later they’ll end up here anyway, so they take the chance to choose their specialty and unit themselves. For example, someone wants to fly a "Mavic." After training, they take him on as a pilot…
- You made a very good point: you can act proactively. In that case, there’s a higher chance that you choose your own future. Otherwise, it will be chosen for you.
Let’s say I’m a draft dodger. I think: I’ll get found anyway, but I’m a skilled programmer, great at gaming, so I can already offer myself for UAV or ground drone operation. You can go right away and sign a contract, for example, with our brigade. We train and prepare everyone to the fullest.
- What’s the easiest way to join you?
- It’s very simple. Call the hotline at 3333 and say, "I want to join you." You can also fill out a form on the website (https://www.khartiia.org/how-to-become-a-recruit). They will consult you, explain which documents you need, and invite you to a meeting at the recruiting center. There, you’ll get specifics about choosing a specialty and next steps. Then you begin your military path. If you have no military experience or training, you start with two months at a training center. Yes, you’ll have to break a sweat there because this is no longer civilian life: military discipline, physical training, and so on. For some, it can be stressful. But people usually adapt within about three weeks. After you receive your military specialty, you join a brigade where you also undergo BCAT, you’re brought up to speed and trained in combat medicine, weapons training, and combat engineering. Physical fitness is mandatory, as well as psychological support for proper mental preparation.
- Who do you need most right now?
- We need everyone: from infantry and UAV operators to drivers.
In general, we’re very interested in people who are truly motivated to learn new skills or improve the ones they already have. You can come without experience. It’s gained through training and practice. Every instructor is invested in increasing the survival rate of newly arrived soldiers.
We’re not interested in just sending people to be cannon fodder and plug holes in the front. We want every soldier who joins our brigade and battalion to gain the highest level of survival skills and combat effectiveness.
- By the way, do reconnaissance soldiers come to you?
- Of course! Those who want to do classic reconnaissance come. If someone wants to test their skills, we talk, find out what they can do, what superpowers they have (he smiles – О.М.). We review and assess what is acceptable and what is not, and whether they can handle this profession, since it is not an easy one.
- Do you think about what will come next?
- Definitely. Only a dead person doesn’t think about the future. It is always there. There will be tomorrow, the day after, and so on. The main thing is not to get too far ahead. Because every day has to be fought for in the present.
Olha Moskaliuk, Censor.NET
Photos provided by the interviewee and the Khartiia Brigade
