Colonel "Kupol" on defence of border with Crimea until 2022: "There were mines, there were troops – first echelon, second, air defence, artillery, tanks. I saw this with my own eyes". VIDEO
A reserve colonel in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, codenamed ‘Kupol’, expressed deep outrage at the circumstances surrounding the rapid capture of Ukraine’s southern regions at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. He shared his reflections and memories of his previous years of service in this direction on air. This was reported by Censor.NET.
The officer emphasised that for him, as someone who had personally participated in defending the south in previous years, the events of February 2022 seem incomprehensible.
Key points from Colonel "Kupol":
-
The speed of territorial losses: The officer poses a painful question – how was it possible to lose control of southern Ukraine in effectively ‘half a day’.
-
The state of defences in 2015–2017: "Kupol" recalls his rotations in the southern sector, where he saw the echeloned defence system with his own eyes. According to him, everything was mined back then, with clearly defined minefields and covering troops.
-
Availability of reserves: He emphasises that during those years, the first and second echelons of defence were deployed in the sector, air defence units and artillery were operational, and tanks were held in reserve.
"And you know, the most painful thing is how it was possible to lose southern Ukraine, so to speak, in half a day. Where were the troops? I personally remember, I was in the south in 2015, a few months’ rotation there, and in 2017, a few months’ rotation. Well, it was all there. It was mined, there were mines, there were troops covering it all. The first echelon, the second echelon, air defence troops, artillery, tanks in reserve. I saw all this with my own eyes," says the reserve colonel.
