“Tuman” (“Fog”)

“Step away from firing port and sit down. Sniper,” says “Tuman”, a tall broad-shouldered serviceman from 92nd brigade. He sits down next to him. A ground in dug-out shelter is nicely cold because it is hot outside.

The second shot is sounding, then another one.

“Tuman” – is a reconnaissance man from Donetsk region. He went to defend a native land in 2014. Prior to this, he was a businessman, had an expensive foreign-made car. In general, his life was successful.

“This is my land, here are my children, my ancestors. Who will defend them?” the warrior says.

One another shot is sounding.

“It is interesting, why it is exactly the reconnaissance, – “Tuman” explains. – It can be done a lot of useful things. Nobody knows these places better than we, local inhabitants. Nobody will escape from us, nobody will hide”.

Reconnaissance men are those who go not only to the enemy’s side in order to extract information but they also have to prevent penetration of militants’ subversive-reconnaissance groups to our strong points.

One more shot again is sounding.

However, main purpose of the scouts – is to know everything about the enemy.

“We need to know strength of the enemy, where they are located, even at what time they eat and drink. And we know these,” the serviceman says. “It is currently used UFVs but they do not always fly to that places where we are able to walk. They are landed, they are shot down. For us, it is easier to go,” the warrior adds.

For the time of service, his combat sworn brothers and he took prisoners eight alive militants – they replenished exchanged fund.

“The last one was taken captive four days ago. Their scout tried to go here,” “Tuman” says. “But we were the best. We saw the place where he was trying to go and then transported him here”.

Captured one was a native of Donetsk region who had believed the Kremlin propaganda and began fighting on the side of illegal armed formations.

“He repents. He says he will not do it again,” says “Tuman” and adds that he believes the captured serviceman.

He is repeatedly convinced that the Russian servicemen are fighting against us: this is evidenced by the Russian weapons, UAVs, ammunition and the captured Russian srvicemen.

“Bashkortostan, Saratov, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Belgorod,” he recounts the geography of captured invaders. “The whole Russian Federation is here”.

“Tuman” says that most interesting thing is that many mercenaries understand (after their arriving here) that the Kremlin propaganda cheated them because nobody eat children here, none are shot for the Russian language.

When he goes on a task, he thinks about he has to return, because sworn brothers and family, living in town few hundred kilometers away from front, are waiting for him.

“My mother, father, wife and children,” man says. “It is easier to fight here. They much more difficult wait for us therefore we have to return each time when go out”.

Reconnaissance men frequently go to perform task posing themselves as local inhabitants in civilian clothes. In this case your origin helps out because nobody knows better your region and people than you.

“I offer battalion commander to get cows in order to we graze them and go depthward,” jokes“Tuman”.

I ask about mood in the temporarily uncontrolled to Ukraine territories.

“They are waiting for us there. Ukraine is waiting for there. People are not afraid our Armed Forces. And I am confident that situation that was in 2014 when people were blocking roads for our vehicles, today it won’t be. Inhabitants of these towns and villages actively share information where militants are located and where the Russian troops are deployed. They tell about what kind of vehicles, how many people. There are many things changed in people’s heads for four years of war. I think, it will not be long when the Ukrainian flag will hoist over Donestk and Luhansk”, says “Tuman” with confidence.

“Come Back Alive” Foundation