Commander of the “Bohdana” gun Oleksandr with the call sign “Liverpool”. 26th Separate Artillery Brigade #afu #news #ua #army

Speaker 1

Things that are scary, one always wants to turn into humor. That is, after these fools began, this war, nowhere is it easy now. When the sheet is starched, beautiful, white. Sometimes you dream even more when you sit in the dugout for a long time. There were also trainings, but against the enemy, of course, emotions run high. My biggest situation—that is my family.

Speaker 2

Good day, please introduce yourself.

Speaker 1

My name is Oleksandr, I am a gun commander of the 26th brigade.

Speaker 2

Please tell me, what is your direction?

Speaker 1

We are currently in two directions – the Obchansk and Kupyansk. They differ in almost nothing, because it is hot there and it is hot there. Mostly, drones are bothering us, but otherwise, in principle, it is normal.

Speaker 2

And how much has the intensity of enemy drones increased now?

Speaker 1

If compared with 1924, then by a very large amount.

Speaker 2

How then to fight them?

Speaker 1

We are camouflaging ourselves so that we are seen less.

Speaker 2

And do you drive into the position? They say that the hardest part is not staying in the position, but driving in and out of it?

Speaker 1

Exactly, that's exactly it. Because when you drive in, there is a greater probability that they will see you. But when you are sitting in a position camouflaged, they almost don't see you, if you are well camouflaged.

Speaker 2

How are things with the drones now?

Speaker 1

We collaborate with other units that are there permanently. For example, we've arrived at a position, we don't know. Other units tell us if there are drones there; they launch their drones and look. If there are none, then the road is clear, come on in. Like, we collaborate, that's how air defense works a bit.

Speaker 2

Has it ever happened that someone fished using a drone?

Speaker 1

There was an incident, we almost got into it, but thank God, either they didn't see us, or we were lucky. Moreover, that we were lucky. We were working in the Kharkiv direction. Just as we are working, they tell us, stop, don't shoot. We don't shoot, there are two helicopters above us. What, you're working now? That was exactly the intensity of the battle. Oh, all this is flying? Yes, everything is flying, and we are shooting. And nobody hears anything. Yes, in 1924. So we were working on the enemy UAV point. And the next morning they flew to us. And these drones started working on our artillery. Well, we fought them off. The gun didn't suffer much, that's the most important thing. Well, we fought them off.

Speaker 2

You were fighting back, how was it?

Speaker 1

By improvised means. With rifles, with sticks. They covered the cannons so they wouldn't fire that way. You always want to turn scary things into humor, so it's not so scary.

Speaker 2

And any such situations where, I don't know, you felt like you were on the edge?

Speaker 1

It happened. It's always like that, probably, after you've been shelled, when 15-20 shells are flying around you, and you already think that this is it, the end. And suddenly there's some guy who says, oh, look, why didn't we take those DMIs that are lying there? It's so scary here, and suddenly a guy appears, so cheerful.

Speaker 2

And what are the positions most often shelled with?

Speaker 1

Well, until the year '25, mainly, artillery barrels were firing at us. We at them, they at us. Now, mainly, since our drones are doing great, their arty was pulled back as far as possible from the front. Well, mainly now drones are firing at us.

Speaker 2

What do you hit most often?

Speaker 1

Personnel, UAV points mostly now. Well, sometimes their artillery. Mostly, personnel.

Speaker 2

And do you get any feedback from adjacent units or leadership—you know, since we have MAVs, do they send you [footage of] how you hit someone, and you watch it later?

Speaker 1

It happened a couple of times, it came like that.

Speaker 2

What emotions do you have when you watch this, what do you feel?

Speaker 1

As an artilleryman, I have great emotions, I hit.

Speaker 2

A large part of the strikes were carried out by drones. How important is artillery now?

Speaker 1

Artillery has always been important. Now it is important. Drones are drones, but artillery, when it works, it causes more damage. Simply, artillery means can cause more damage to the enemy than drones.

Speaker 2

And how in general has your workday changed because of the EVP-things, shall we call it that?

Speaker 1

Operate faster, camouflage faster so that you don't see. All of this must be done very quickly. During operational time, when you are working, drones are flying, you have to hide quickly, move the barrels, camouflage. For the gunner, there is a lot of work right now, because raising and lowering the barrel is not very easy.

Speaker 2

How to spend time in a group during the war?

Speaker 1

Yes, I love football very much and I'm a football fan. For me, watching a match is the greatest release. It's the hour and a half while the match lasts. I'm simply not here, I'm completely there and that's it.

Speaker 2

Is it generally hard or easy in the positions?

Speaker 1

It was so hard, especially in 1922, at the beginning of the war, when we were stationed in Severodonetsk. Right then I had such a football match and the shelling started. With this phone, I watched their football with such interest.

Speaker 2

Here and there.

Speaker 1

Here and there, so as not to stay put, so as not to get hit. Extreme.

Speaker 2

And how long have you been serving in general?

Speaker 1

I am from 1921.

Speaker 2

So, you have something to compare the beginning with? Well yes, of course, yes. And now? And how much has the war changed since then?

Speaker 1

At the beginning it was much harder, because it was the beginning. They were pushing very hard. Now the front has stabilized a bit, but these drones started. It can be said that the war changed a lot precisely because of the drones.

Speaker 2

And do you see the enemy's modernization there in terms of weapons?

Speaker 1

Regarding tube artillery, it's not so, how should I put it. But as for drones, they have a lot of these different ones. Like, Lancets, FPV, they have a lot of them.

Speaker 2

Have you ever had to withhold help?

Speaker 1

It is very good that we didn't have to. And I hope we won't have to. On December 23rd, before the New Year, we ran to the position, fired a couple of shots, and stood there waiting. A little smoke break while they were providing us with correction. And so we are standing quietly, and so we turn around. Such a beautiful fox came to us, such a big one. Wait, I looked at everyone, as if he counted each one of us. And there we were, both of us, we didn't even have an automatic rifle for them to attack us again. And he was so beautiful, as if he were painted. Because there are those mangy ones that run around. Mangy ones—this one was beautiful, beautiful.

Speaker 2

And if you compare the Vovchansk and Kupyansk directions, where is it harder for you to work?

Speaker 1

It is harder to work, of course, there is a higher concentration of the enemy there. Our boys are constantly going on the offensive, they need to be provided with support. In principle, I wouldn't say it's harder there, or easier there. I'm saying that after these drones started, this war, it is not easy anywhere now. The most important thing is to camouflage and camouflage. I've always dreamed of sleeping in nice, white beds. That's what is missed the most, so to speak. When it's just me, starched, beautiful, white. You do dream about this sometimes, especially when you've been in the dugout for a long time.

Speaker 2

War has changed many people. How has it changed you?

Speaker 1

I wouldn't say that it changed me. I started treating people a bit differently, specifically the civilians who are there. Because when you're here, it's an everyday war, you know, you have war in your head every day. When you

Speaker 2

you arrive

Speaker 1

home, on leave, for example, uneasy, how shall I put it, in my soul. Everyone should somehow come together, and be glad of this victory, that it came sooner. Not even so much materially, as to morally support that same person who is at the front. Call, like, hang in there, like, everything will be fine, something like that, a bit, yes.

Speaker 2

And do you remember your first emotions there, when the cannon was fired?

Speaker 1

Well, of course, all of this had already happened during training. And against the enemy, that was already in '22. Of course, emotions were off the charts, adrenaline was pumping. This was in the Bakhmut direction; we went out beyond Bakhmut, and the enemy forced a crossing, they wanted [to come] from the side of the champagne factory. We went out then, we had tank guns, NT-12. We just went out with them and fired at the enemy, at the personnel. It was very interesting; there were no drones back then. Well,

Speaker 2

yes,

Speaker 1

Yes, it was possible then. The crew was hit, it's somehow more interesting, we influenced the course of the war at least a little. No need to invade our land.

Speaker 2

And these emotions, are they the same now?

Speaker 1

Now, although it's not like that, I told you, as in the first years. Now it's already, you know, you do your job, it's already like a stable day. Came, shot, and

Speaker 2

went to rest, well, it's just not the same anymore.

Speaker 1

My biggest motivation is my family; that is the first priority. Second is, of course, the homeland. I mean, there have become many patriots; I simply love my homeland, I don't want to show so strongly that I am such a strong patriot. That's all.

Speaker 2

Thank you very much.

Speaker 1

No more, that's it.