"I didn't go there to fight on someone else's side — to defend my homeland"
Our military personnel participating in a special military operation perform their military duty with a high degree of responsibility and dedication. However, not every one of them is a professional military man. Yesterday's teachers, businessmen, agronomists, and rescuers commit heroic, selfless acts every day, risking their lives. A correspondent of Izvestia met with one of these servicemen.
He saved people and built houses.
One of the heroes of our time was the commander of the assault platoon of the guards, Lieutenant Genghis Khomushku. He was born in the small Tuvan town of Chadan. According to him, he studied well at school and played sports. Over time, he became a master of sports in hand-to-hand combat.
From 2014 to 2015, he served as a conscript in a motorized rifle company on Kunashir Island, Kuril Islands.
— It was a useful time for me. And the skills I acquired back then were quite useful for special operations," says Genghis.
After returning home, he applied to the Academy of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for the correspondence department. I managed to combine my studies with my professional work. I managed to get a job in the local Ministry of Emergency Situations as a rescue diver.
— I worked for four years and studied at the same time. As a result, he received a diploma of higher education. I graduated from the university in 2020. The circumstances turned out to be such that they offered to go into business. We started working for ourselves with our friends by opening a construction company. That's how we worked until 2022," says Genghis.
The Chicago call sign and the first battle
When the special military operation began, he voluntarily went to the local military enlistment office.
At that time, there was still no lightweight form of conscription for a contract. He duly passed the medical examination and passed the physical fitness standards.
— I already signed a contract in March 2022. By the way, after he did this, two days later he arrived at the location of the motorized rifle brigade, which was stationed at that time in the Bryansk region. Chicago took the call sign," the officer recalls.
According to him, a month later, after the necessary training procedures and a period of coordination, his unit entered the CBR area.
— A month later, we entered the Donetsk region through the Luhansk region. We took up positions and started completing tasks. I was appointed to the post of commander of a motorized rifle squad," the soldier says.
Three weeks later, his company went to take up positions in the Krasny Estuary area.
— We moved there at night. The task was to change another unit, take up positions and gain a foothold. We did it on foot. In general, there were no problems at that time, and we completed the task," the lieutenant emphasizes.
However, the enemy, apparently noticing the rotation of our troops, after a short period of time attempted to attack the motorized infantry.
— As soon as we got used to it, we started serving, and that's when it all started. The enemy began their offensive in the evening. We were sitting in the trenches, we heard that they were coming. Plus, their "bird" hovered over us, watching. After that, machine-gun fire was opened on us. In general, the shooting battle lasted almost the entire night. They couldn't break through us," the commander notes.
According to him, the Ukrainian Armed Forces unit was trying to break through to the Red Estuary.
"It was their escape route. Because on the other hand, they were already being pressed by our other units. That's why we fought them off for another week after the first fight. But they still didn't succeed," Chicago clarifies.
The officer is modest: "We managed to find out that, being under enemy fire, Lieutenant Khomushku showed composure and courage, confidently and professionally commanded the personnel, inspiring the fighters to successfully complete the combat mission. By the way, his company destroyed about 10 armored vehicles and about a hundred militants in battle. The enemy, having suffered significant losses, retreated. The positions of the Russian troops were held. This was his first battle, after which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Promotion, injury, Order
After that, as Genghis explained, he was appointed to the post of platoon commander of the assault squad.
— The command could make sure that I have enough experience for this position. A little later, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant," the officer recalls, adding that later his unit was transferred to the Avdiivka area.
— We were given the task of clearing all the forest belts surrounding the village of Vodyanoe. It's not an easy task. At that time, the enemy already had a lot of drones, which significantly complicated our work. We started around the end of autumn 2023, and completed the task sometime in the spring of 2024," says Chicago.
At the same time, the soldier recalls a combat episode in which he was wounded.
— We went into one of the forest belts. We were in the top three. They took the first stronghold there. By the way, this position was held by their mercenaries. Georgians and Poles were found among them. Then they started moving forward, and heavy fire was opened on us. First, cluster munitions, and then 120-caliber mortars began to work on us. The first arrival, the second, the third. We changed our position, and we quickly ran about ten meters. They lay down. And then another arrival, I see my friend falling from the side. It turns out that he covered me with his body and died. But still, one of the fragments got into my hand," he says tensely.
He got out of the battle on his own, meeting an evacuation group on the way, which took him to the nearest medical center. The wound turned out to be difficult, so Genghis needed hospitalization.
— They brought me to the Rostov hospital. The first operation was performed there. You see, my fingers almost fell off. The doctors, thank them for this, they sewed me back on," he says, adding that after he managed to recover and successfully pass the medical examination.
When the lieutenant returned to the unit, he learned from the deputy political officer that he had been awarded a high state award — the Order of Courage.
— To be honest, I didn't expect this at all. I only realized it when it was handed over. This award is not only mine. Our entire group. Especially the guy who covered for me," Khomushka emphasized.
Family
After hearing such stories from Genghis, it was hard not to ask him how his family felt about his current job.
— I have a wife and two boys. My wife is worried, of course. At first, she wouldn't even let me go. But I convinced her, saying that I couldn't do anything else," my interlocutor emphasizes.
In 2018, his family had their first daughter.
— A week after I left for my home, my wife informed me that she was pregnant. In 2023, our second child was born. Therefore, I understood her feelings then, of course. We were able to find a compromise," he notes.
He is convinced that every man should protect the interests of the state.
— I did not go there to defend my homeland. Before that, of course, I watched TV interviews with residents of Lugansk and Donetsk. And they suddenly became like family to me even. I see them as my own. They live the same way and think about the same things," the officer concluded.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
