There is a folk wisdom that says “If something needs explaining, it doesn’t need to be explained.” But where are we, and where is wisdom? So I’ll explain once more. Or rather, I’ll try.
Let me note right away that I am not a battalion or brigade commander. And not a powerful military expert. Moreover, I am not going to criticize any generals who weren’t afraid to take responsibility back in February 2022. Criticize, as suddenly, some former commanders have recently begun to do.
I’m an ordinary captain. And back then, in April 2017, I was just a junior lieutenant. At that time, our 37th separate motorized infantry battalion (after training at Shyrokyi Lan) was tasked with taking positions in the area near the border with the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea. That is, to take over defensive positions from predecessors in the Salkove area, Chonhar, etc.
(Make yourself comfortable, because this will be a long post. There’s no other way).
As the battalion communication officer, I went on reconnaissance with the Chief of Staff and the Intelligence Officer, and later made countless visits to all the battalion’s positions. All of them. Without exception. Positions, namely strong points, where explosive charges were placed: Chonhar (and to the right), the isthmus in Salkove plus bridges in the Henichesk area. I also got acquainted with the paratroopers stationed as far as Strilkove. And several times we visited the artillerymen for coffee, simultaneously establishing communication. The artillerymen were from the coastal defense division, armed with “Hyacinth-B” howitzers. A hefty thing that can fire effectively over tens of kilometers. They covered Chonhar and were based northeast of Novooleksiivka. I can still show the positions where very powerful charges were placed… Also, during one of the training sessions, when marking up the battalion commander’s map at the high staff, I saw with my own eyes the command’s plan in case… of whatever might happen. The number of forces and means, etc.
The battalion had one task. Upon receiving an order (this is the key word), to blow up the bridges in the area of the Chonhar checkpoint (and to the right of it) and retreat to the isthmus in Salkove. And then blow up that isthmus. That’s if simply put. But we were supposed to carry out the demolition only after receiving the order, not because a Russian helicopter flew over the border. And that order was formed on the basis of another order, which in turn was formed on the basis of… Our readiness for such actions was constantly checked.
But, judging by everything, that’s not what this is about, right? But about…
(I’ll go watch the interview with former battalion commander Yuri Bereza given to Nataliya Moseichuk once more).
I watched it… So, the question is that Mr. Zaluzhnyi must answer for the surrender of southern Ukraine, as the former battalion commander says.
Are you serious? Are we talking about General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine only on July 27, 2021? And how masterfully Mr. Yurii Bereza erases another general from history, namely Ruslan Khomchak, who was effectively the Commander-in-Chief (combining the position of Chief of General Staff) from May 2019. As if he never existed. And why isn’t he mentioned? It would be very interesting to hear how powerfully and steadfastly Khomchak and Taran strengthened the country’s defense capability from May 2019 to July 2021. What new engineering and mine-explosive barriers were set up during that time in likely attack directions? How was the Azov Sea area near Mariupol fortified, and so on?
(By the way, just asking while there’s time. Surely, it was General Valerii Zaluzhnyi who appointed Oleh Kulinich to his position? Well, it was him. A hundred percent… No? Hmm).
Alright! Let’s stop joking and playing spy games and turn to purely military language. It’s possible to counter the accusations of the former battalion commander against General Valerii Zaluzhnyi for a long time, but basic truths need to be explained. Namely, that the decision to deploy troops (including blowing up bridges on the border with occupied Crimea) is made by the Supreme Commander, that is, the President of Ukraine! Not Zaluzhnyi with Naiev. Not they plus the Chief of the General Staff General Serhii Shaptala! But the person who received the baton from the people of Ukraine. Oops… It happens, right? And only after the President’s decision, which must also be approved by the Verkhovna Rada, do the mechanisms of the military system begin to work, when eventually a brigade, and then a battalion, receives the order stating “to blow up bridges at such coordinates.” There’s no other way! And that all takes… time!
Moreover, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces cannot independently decide that the country needs to introduce martial law. Even if they really want to! THEY CAN-NOT! Because it is the exclusive prerogative of the President of Ukraine, that is… the Supreme Commander. And even with this proposal, he must turn to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine! Did former battalion commander Yurii Bereza, who was a member of the Verkhovna Rada, know about this? Well, he had to know! But he remained silent for some reason. Why? Find the answer to this question yourself.
And only then, after receiving the corresponding decision, when appropriate orders fly from Bankova Street, do the troops receive their orders and begin to move. That’s the ONLY way! Troops cannot, for example, some brigade of the Air Assault Forces, (independently, because they felt like it) leave the training ground, rush to the area of my native Melitopol, take up defense and mine the bridge over the Kakhovka Main Canal in the area of the former ‘Parallel’ gas station. A bridge that constantly has civilian traffic… But if SOMEONE very powerful and unwavering had found the political resolve to submit to the Verkhovna Rada a proposal to introduce martial law not on February 24, 2022, but at least on January 24 of the same year, everything would have been much more complicated for the Russian occupiers. By many times!
(That very important bridge was not mined and accordingly not blown up because… finish the sentence yourself).
Reflecting on the past, I constantly recall the events of November 2018, when after Russia seized two boats and a tug, then-President Petro Poroshenko immediately submitted the same proposal to the Verkhovna Rada. People said all sorts of things about him at the time, but Poroshenko acted proactively! Even though it was about the incident in the Kerch Strait and not about the buildup of Russian troops at Ukraine’s borders amid constant calls from allies to dig trenches and prepare for war. Ukrainians have mixed feelings about Poroshenko, but nevertheless, in 2018, a decision was made! The right decision! However, in 2022, another president lacked the courage to do so.
At the end of this post, I strongly ADVISE all my readers to watch the interview given by General Serhiy Nayev (Commander of the Defense Forces of Ukraine in 2022) to “Ukrainska Pravda”. There, he explained in the most understandable language how everything should have been and in accordance with what! He detailed how long it takes to deploy troops, how quickly a brigade advances to a designated area and takes positions, and after which decisions by the country’s higher political leadership, the buildup of mine-explosive barriers should have started in the area with temporarily occupied Crimea, etc. The general also provided an example and explained why, just before the full-scale invasion, units in the Chernihiv area had to take positions not according to military plans but where they could. He also clearly states that until the very beginning of the full-scale invasion, he SOMEHOW never received official intelligence data. Watch it… A great interview that answers many questions. The interview of a person who TOOK responsibility at the time, instead of becoming a military expert in a studio later.
I am in no way indiscriminately blaming the generals who THEN took responsibility for making DECISIONS for all possible sins. I am neither a judge nor a lawyer. But something tells me that accusations against Valeriy Zaluzhny and specifically Serhiy Nayev will continue until they start… TALKING! And then everyone will be… surprised.
A small example of this is the interview with General Nayev, who merely lifted the thick curtain on what was actually happening. And after that, the wave of hate directed at him mysteriously stopped… Can you believe it?!
The photo is just for the sake of it! However, those who have repeatedly traveled from Henichesk to the “Chonhar” checkpoint know where it’s from…
