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- Through pipes to the Stars: how the volunteers of the "Veterans" become Heroes of Russia
Through pipes to the Stars: how the volunteers of the "Veterans" become Heroes of Russia
Since the beginning of the special military operation, according to the open decrees of the President of the Russian Federation, almost 500 servicemen have been awarded the title of Hero of Russia. Seven of them serve in the Veterans volunteer brigade, which played a crucial role in the liberation of Avdiivka, Toretsk and Sudzha. The main task of the unit is to break through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the most difficult areas and hold positions until the main forces of the Ministry of Defense approach. The public learns about the results of their actions, which often remain closed, as a rule, after the fact. Currently, the "Veterans" are also on one of the front lines. A special correspondent of Izvestia met with those who were awarded the highest state award for these operations and found out what the hero's path is.
"I need victories"
Oleg, the deputy brigade commander, call sign Kit, is 45 years old. He comes from a military family. His father is a paratrooper, a participant in the war in Afghanistan. His great—uncle, Pyotr Vereshchagin, was a Marine who fought for Malaya Zemlya during the Great Patriotic War, and was even described by fellow soldier Leonid Brezhnev in his book. Oleg's entire childhood consisted of garrisons. Dad saw the heir as a follower of tradition, but the son was against it, he wanted to "have his own way." However, he was steadily and somehow naturally tilted into a military rut.
— At first it was 2000, the "urgent", the GRU special forces, we closed the passes during the breakthrough of Gelaev's detachments from the village of Komsomolskoye, — recalls Kit. — I myself was engaged in boxing and sambo, I love sports excitement, anger, and military service in this sense fell on my soul.
Oleg Kit, Deputy Commander of the Veterans Brigade
The future commander remained in Chechnya until 2004. Then there was the "citizen", worked as a builder. And then 2022 came.
— I understand — we have to go, there are no options, — Oleg continues. — I started looking for a unit, I wanted to go where the real fighting was. That's what he said to himself: "I need victories." I settled on the "Veterans", the recommendations were positive.
The whale immediately fell under Avdiivka. During the first assault, I thought: "The contract will be short — I'll die quickly!" The stones were naturally burning there. And the opponent, according to him, was "cheerful", in the sense of strong.
The desired victories were not long in coming — the brigade took the industrial zone, entered the rear of the Ukrainian Armed Forces through a two-kilometer pipe. Then came Toretsk, the underground highways again, and Kit was already commanding a battalion, organizing the laborious and dangerous process of preparing communications. It was for this operation that he was awarded the Gold Star. In 2024, Kursk land: stopping the advancing militants in the Kromsky Bulls area, a hard battle that cost a lot of blood. The release of Suji.
Speaking about the past battles, my interlocutor first of all remembers the comrades who did not survive. A 21-year-old Tokyo—based food deliveryman. He passed notes from position to position under fire — in the absence of communication, without fear of anything. Or a 19-year-old hairdresser from the Belgorod region, who was the first to run into the trenches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during one of the battles.
"Real heroes,— says Kit, "even if they don't get the highest award.
"Be tough on yourself"
Yura, call sign Canister, originally from the Volga. From a large family: I have a sister and four brothers. Position — company commander. Age — 31 years. He was the one who dug up that very Sujan pipe, climbed into it first.
In his youth, he said, he was a rowdy, loved to fight. I've always looked closely at military subjects — since school I've been studying videos about digging trenches and survival skills in the field. In 2014, while serving in the army, he began, as he puts it, to "reflect", looking at the rebellious Donbass. He ended up in the DPR after 10 years. I met a friend the day before who said, "I'm going to fight tomorrow." "And then I'll go too," Yuri made the decision that had been maturing for so long.
In the very first battle, near Avdiivka, he was wounded three times. Shrapnel from the grenades broke his legs and pierced his face. And then he added a drone. He and his comrades came under fire from four sides, and miraculously managed to get out. After that, I made a vow to myself: "Be even more collected and tougher towards myself, never give up." I spent 15 days in the hospital. He escaped ahead of time — he didn't want to lie on his bunk, he took off his cast on the way to the unit.
Yuri, call sign Canister
The most crucial period for him came in the Kursk region.
— The commander called me, gave me the geographical coordinates and explained: "There are five parallel gas pipes. We need to find a central one," the fighter recalls.
Found. They cut through the entrance. And the work went on, week after week, colossal in complexity. They put rubber stopper cushions inside, pumped out the gas, blew out the oxygen, drilled hatches every 500 m, pulled out and equipped settling pockets for one or two people on the sides, and moved forward step by step, mastering the necessary segment of 15 km, preparing the way for the subsequent march. I've heard the enemy's speech over me more than once. He lost consciousness twice — he inhaled methane, and they pulled him back, previously tied with a rope.
In March 2025, he led the guys inside and supervised the process from the control room. He says that it was more difficult to prepare for the operation than to participate in even the most risky assault. "Because you're wearing everything!" he explains. He had the strictest demands on himself during this period. For "Stream" Yuri was awarded the title "Hero of Russia".
"The reward of the whole unit"
Andrey, Native call sign, from the Moscow region. He is 23. The youngest Hero of Russia in the brigade. He is responsible for the combat operation of the UAV, organizes the entire process. In the family, he says, everyone was connected with the army, but he was far away and never imagined himself under a gun.
"For many years, I was only interested in one thing — computer games," he shares. — Yes, and they are interested now.
23-year-old Andrey, his Native call sign, joined the Veterans at the age of 21. Today he is responsible for the combat operation of the UAV
Of course, there were conflicts about this at home, as Andrei sat and played year after year. At his mother's insistence, he graduated from college with a degree in auto mechanics, but did not stick to the profession. A cardinal turn in life occurred after returning from the army. I walked and played for a couple of months, but I didn't know what to do next. Some of my classmates were on their own by that time. And then a friend said, "And I'm going."
— I also decided to go to war, — says Andrey. — Although my choice was as unconscious as possible. I had no idea what was waiting for me.
The following months tore up my interlocutor.
"Before that, I was stupid, blind, and frivolous," he grins. — And then there was a sense of responsibility — for any word, deed. I began to understand our great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers who fought in the Great Patriotic War. Before, this topic was far from me.
The first test for the Native was Paraskoveevka, where the "Veterans" held back the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who sought to recapture Bakhmut. Then Avdiivka, where the "computer scientist" Andrey picked up the Mavika remote control: he flew, searched for targets, aimed artillery, and the skills of interacting with the joystick turned out to be very useful. The next stage is mastering FPV.
— The first success, after which he said to himself, "I can", was the defeat of three machine—gun emplacements in two days, — recalls Andrey. — I switched to optical fiber in the Kursk region. During the liberation of the region, he led the UAV calculations and flew out hunting daily and nightly.
His colleagues speak about the results: in those days, his native accumulated several dozen units of enemy equipment, blew up bridges in Sudzha, coordinated the work of operators, including those who went into the pipe with the stormtroopers. He acted clearly and extremely effectively.
Speaking about the high rank he received, Andrey speaks categorically and simply: "This is not just my award. This is, of course, the reward of the entire unit."
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
