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He ended up in Afghanistan at the age of 20, a young student pulled out of his university career and the favorite son of his parents. To release the eldest Igor, and then the youngest son, to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan Sergei The last one was especially hard.

Today Igor Ippolitovich Kunitsky works at the BSAA as a senior lecturer in the department of law, raised with his wife Alla two daughters. Like any Afghan, he reluctantly recalls those events, but he considers it his duty not to forget about them and the people who did not return home on the Day of Remembrance of the Internationalist Warriors.

– Igor Ippolitovich, how did you get to Afghanistan?

– From my native Pinsk, I had just moved to Minsk to study at the Faculty of History of the Belarusian State University, when I was drafted into the army. Before, after all, there were no such deferments from service that are now available in Belarus. So I first served in the Baltic States for a year, then ended up in Kabul, and later in Kandahar. I also stayed there for almost a year.

Whom did you serve as?

I was a radio spy. They are also called "hearers". Our main goal was to use the coordinate system to locate the radio transmissions coming from the Dushman gangs and send a team there to destroy them.

- What was the most difficult thing for a 20-year-old guy in such conditions?

– Everything was difficult. It's one thing - a native country with its forests and fields, another - a state with mountains, deserts, high temperatures up to 50 degrees in the summer, which never happens in Belarus. At the same time, the dress code was not the most suitable. Everything, from everyday life, the environment and ending with food, was different. But man is a creature that can adapt to almost any conditions. And we got used to it too.

What about morally?

– War always implies "dirty work", including one tied to murder. I had to shoot, not always at the military. When you are attacked, you don't have to figure out who is doing it. The first reaction is to repel a dangerous action, to defend oneself. Even specially trained children could shoot at us - Russian Shuravi. And we had to be ready for bullets overhead and death at any moment.

- Have you seen the death of colleagues?

– Fortunately, I didn’t have to face this, but I am a witness of how wounded people did not survive. It was painful to watch.

After returning to Minsk to study, I had to recover for some time and return to a normal life.

– How do you usually spend the Day of Remembrance of Internationalist Warriors?

– We do not like in our circle to remember and stir up the past. But be sure to visit the memorial sign installed in the area of ​​​​the academic Palace of Culture, the graves of comrades and the homes of the mothers of the dead soldiers who did not wait for their relatives to go home. We try to remember all those who are not with us: friends, brothers, comrades in arms.

- Many today ambiguously assess the decision to send Soviet troops to Afghanistan ...

– Maybe we were there in vain, or maybe not. Each nation creates its own history, and outside interference does not always lead to a positive result. But any such events are tied to economics and politics. The latter is determined by the state and those who are at its helm. They make the appropriate decisions. At that time (late 1970s) it was Leonid Brezhnev. They did not ask the military: if you are in the army, then you must follow the order.

- Taking this opportunity, you can express your wishes to everyone who was affected by the events of those years.

– To the mothers of the fallen soldiers-internationalists and to everyone, I wish you health and long life.

Interviewed

Katya Karpitskaya.

Photo by Mikhail LEVTSOV.

MBOU "PETUHOVSKAYA SOSH"

"The guys from Afghanistan were leaving ... - the scenario of the evening-meeting with the Afghans"

(scenario dedicated to the 24th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan)

Prepared and conducted by the teacher-organizer

Vakolova Ludmila Nikolaevna

February 2013 year

Target: On the example of the fulfillment of international duty, the education of patriotism, citizenship and love for the Motherland.

Tasks:- development of creative abilities of students;

Improving the skills of correct intonation coloring of speech;

Compliance with the pace and general expressiveness when reading poetry;

Compliance with the correct articulation when pronouncing sounds;

Enriching students' vocabulary.

Event progress

Against the background of the melody from the song "Cranes" a poem is read:

1 student:

The guys were leaving
From Afghanistan
Through the passes
And Salang...
The guys were leaving
Early in the morning
And in the mosque
The mullah spoke.
And there was a prayer
Like salvation
What guys
Allah save...
Don't forget February and Sunday
Joy and smiles
On the lips.

2 student:

Much water has flowed under the bridge since that time. Slowly wounds healed, matured, became wiser, soldiers and officers grew old. But only the memory of the distant Afghan war is alive and neither years nor distances can erase the events of that war.
From our village participated in the Afghan war:

Krasnov Alexey Anatolievich

Sofronov Valery Vasilievich

Albartsev Boris Alekseevich

Stolbov Vladimir Alekseevich

Skvortsov Yuri Nikolaevich

Maksimov Boris Nikolaevich

Shadrikov Yury Vitalievich

Nikiforov Yuri Vasilievich

Chumarkov Alexander Nikolaevich

3 student:

It has become a good tradition for all Afghans to gather together on this memorable day. Many from that war returned stronger, matured, their chests were decorated with orders and medals. Awards for courage, bravery and honor. But many were not destined to return to their native threshold, quite a few very young boys died on the rocky Afghan land, among them our fellow countrymen, natives of the Yalchik region:

Borisov Yury Gennadievich

Grigoriev Yuri Petrovich

Patshin Anatoly Mitrofanovich

The memory of many guys who did not return from that war, the memory of those who passed away in peacetime will be eternal.

4 student:

A moment of silence...
Comrades, stand up
And in memory of the fallen
Imagine heroes.
Forever in our heart
Immortal names their sound.
A moment of silence, a moment of silence...

(After a moment of silence, a song sounds "I believe" )

5 student:

The events of those years are assessed differently. Those who gave orders and those who carried them out look differently at the Afghan war. But for those and other actions that took place on the territory of Afghanistan fit into one capacious and terrible word - war. A war that must never be repeated, the lessons of which must be learned for the rest of one's life.

Interviews with Afghans:
- In your opinion, what are the main lessons of that war?

The experience is impossible to forget. And how did your service begin, how did you enter into a clear army rhythm, what do you remember about Afghanistan?

The soldier's service consists not only of difficulties and problems. No. I think that there were many joys and bright moments. Do you remember similar episodes today?

From time immemorial, our people have believed that helping a friend, saving him is the highest honor. This unwritten principle helped Soviet soldiers win during the Great Patriotic War, and it also helped on the soil of Afghanistan. Have there been similar cases with you ... (questions for conversation)

6 student:

No matter what they say, no matter what they think, but you managed to go through the fire of battles and the smoke of conflagrations with dignity and honor ...
No matter what they say, no matter what they think, and you know the price, male friendship, tempered in fire, you know how to mourn the loss, you are honest with your conscience and holy memory.

7 student:

No matter what they say, you managed to get through.
Everything that the war measured out to you,
And not in vain today you put on
Your military orders.

(the song "Russian soldiers" sounds)

8 student:

When the war ended, soldiers, sergeants, officers returned to their native land with a sense of accomplishment. Their fathers and mothers, wives and children, friends and loved ones met them with great joy. And a calm, peaceful life began ...
Yes, you know how to work, you have managed to overcome physical and spiritual traumas and, relying on your solidarity and mutual support, you stand firmly and reliably on your feet and have become real men in civilian life - strong, reliable, wise.

9 student:

You can’t buy for any money, you can’t borrow, you can’t rent a person who would love you, worry about you, protect and pray, who was ready to give his life for you like a mother. The closest and dearest person for each of us is our mother.
Mothers accompanied their sons to the army. They did not know where the service of very young, fragile boys would take place, but for some reason tears rolled down their cheeks and whispered the words like a prayer: “Goodbye, relatives. Come back alive." And the short-haired boys braved themselves on the platforms of railway stations, sang hoarsely to the guitar and went to war ...

(young man reads a letter)

10 student:

“Hello, dear relatives!
My service is going well, every other day we go to the guard. You, mother, write that you had frosts on March 14th. And we have a heat here, though in two days it is raining, as per schedule.
I probably wrote to you that our unit is in the mountains, at an altitude of 1800m, so spring will come to us later than in the valleys. Everything is green there. A week ago I was in the valley. Flowers are blooming... And all around us are gloomy rocks.
I read your letter and remembered our forests and lakes. I’ll come, I’ll pick up a bunch of mushrooms for you ... Mom, don’t worry too much about me, everything will be fine ... ”
Your Victor

(the song “Leaf fall” sounds )

Leading:

Our today's meeting is taking place on the eve of another wonderful holiday on February 23 - Defenders of the Fatherland Day. On this day, we honor those who at different times defended the honor, dignity and freedom of the Motherland. Happy holiday to you, dear men. And may the numerous congratulations on this day give you fortitude, courage, cheerfulness and optimism!

( the song "Vivat, Victory" sounds)

Time inexorably does its job. The war in Afghanistan goes deep into history. And God forbid that it was the last.
With these words, we would like to end our meeting today. All the best to you: health, joy, confidence in the future, peace and harmony. See you soon!

(the final song “Do not forget our meeting” sounds)

05/24/2016 INTERVIEW WITH WARRIORS - INTERNATIONALISTS OF THE VILLAGE Yakovtsevo

Yakovtsev library

INTERVIEW WITH WARRIORS - INTERNATIONALISTS

VILLAGE Yakovtsevo (DOWNLOAD)

They came from the war

Our countrymen:

Kalashnikov

Viktor Nikolaevich;

Chezhidov

Alexander Vyacheslavovich;

Tsaregorodtsev

Sergey Vasilevich.

From the flames of Afghanistan

Years will pass. Much will, of course, be forgotten over time, but neither the disclosure of our political, strategic and tactical mistakes in this undeclared war, nor the identification of specific perpetrators, will relieve the grief of mothers and widows, will not heal the disabled, will not heal the spiritual wounds of many young people. This means that the truth about this war, no matter how bitter it may be for us, must be known to the people. These are objective, truthful stories about people, about their heroism and courage, about their tragic destinies.

They came from the war

Similar to you.

They came from the war

The hour of death has not struck ...

As you know, wars do not end with the long-awaited moment when weapons fall silent, they continue in the souls of those who participated in them. And this war on Afghan soil is no exception. She will remind of herself for a long time - while mothers are alive, in old age, who have lost their breadwinners, while the wounds of soldiers hurt.

Returning from the war, the "Afghans" entered a peaceful life. They brought into our lives some unique disturbing note. They brought with them, as it were, a renewed love for the Motherland, known far from it and acquired by them at such a high price. To some extent, they returned to us the high concepts of patriotism, courage, military and human duty.

That's all ... We're going home today,

To the land of snows, the land of mountain ash and swift pines.

Here, in the Afghan mountains, every stone is foreign,

Let everything remain beyond the distant boundary,

For ourselves, we do not know guilt and do not ask for forgiveness.

Time passes,

and we translate it into years,

and the bygone years - into eternity.

the more you understand the feat -

a feat of young guys of the distant 80s.

Kalashnikov Viktor Nikolaevich

We call their generation “peaceful. At the age of eighteen, he fell into the crucible of war.

Victor was born in the village of Karavaevo in 1968, graduated from 10 classes in the village. Yakovtsevo. He studied well, dreamed of entering the institute at the road department. In the direction from the military registration and enlistment office, he learned to be a driver, and soon went into the army. First, he served for five months in a “training school” in Batumi, then ended up in Afghanistan, in the province of Shindant. For 9 months, Viktor Nikolayevich was a driver in a Ural car in Kandahar, carrying shells. As he himself recalls: "Participated in sixteen military operations." The equipment was repaired, repaired - and again for military operations. Was in reconnaissance, went to ambushes. There are no borders between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Many comrades died, the platoon consisted of 18 people, 8 died. He himself received a shrapnel wound in the head, lay in the hospital for 1.5 months.

Viktor Nikolayevich told an episode from hospital life: “A nurse came running, in the next ward, the wounded major's heart stopped, I was not at a loss, I directly connected an oxygen cylinder to him, ... my heart started working, it stopped again! Did artificial respiration. There was also medical assistance. Major rescued. He presented me with an engraved wrist watch for this and said: "Guarantee - 32 years!". It's a pity they didn't survive.

It was very surprising that they had a feudal system there, as in the 14th century, they plowed with a wooden plow, but they had headphones from the player in their ears. During the day they are “friends”, and at night they are enemies.”

The jet regiment, in which Viktor Nikolayevich served, carried shells. The projectile together with the box weighed 100 kg and “flew away” in 13 seconds. The shells were loaded and unloaded by the drivers themselves, helping each other. The equipment was new, there were a lot of spare parts, they also repaired together. According to the former soldier - an internationalist, the military brotherhood is very strong. Their platoon was multinational. 10 nationalities: Uzbek, Lithuanian, Moldavian, Estonian, Ukrainian ... lived very friendly, nationality did not matter. Helped each other, as in one family. Now, unfortunately, many of them live abroad, so it is very difficult to meet.

Those who have been to Afghanistan

Will never stop remembering him

Will not forget the friendship of the fighting ...

Many years have passed, but the events of the Afghan war have not faded in the memory of the warrior. The former soldiers differed from their peers not only in the mysterious tan of their weather-beaten faces, not only in their early gray hair, but in the still unfading brilliance of military awards.

They often went on combat missions for 3 months, they went very far: “... sometimes we went on a raid at 4 in the morning, we drove for seventeen hours, sometimes you fell asleep, but you couldn’t sleep, the road made of concrete slabs looked like a washboard, it was so mutilated by mines. We drove without light, the headlights were blacked out, the distance to the cars was 2 meters. They constantly fired. If they got up at night, they dug a trench, slept no more than 4 hours and drove on.

A column crawls between the rocks.

Around the corner - turn,

Behind the pass is the pass.

This is not Europe, but the East

And mine warfare is in fashion.

You can't guess where it will explode

Under whom the fuse will work ...

These poetic lines fully convey the memories of the former soldier: “... I remember the last raid before leaving Afghanistan. It was in the province of Chakcharan. Very steep long passes, the engine of the car barely worked. To the right is an abyss, to the left is a rock. The rocks were very often mined by dushmans.

Here the slopes are like columns, -

Try to get up!

Here the abysses are bottomless -

Look, don't freak out!

We went to shoot the "point". At the "spirits" our guy, a defector, was the head of artillery. He treated the Russian soldiers very harshly. They removed the “point”, put other soldiers in, drove off 5 km, and they were all killed. I also remember a case: “I was driving through Kandahar, reached the regiment, I saw that the side window of the car was broken, the sniper worked. If an officer had been with me, he would have been killed. For them, snipers were paid more, and I am a private, you won’t earn much from me ... ”. This incident happened 5 days before the dismissal. Letters helped out, of course. They wrote from home, wrote a beloved girl, who later became his wife. It was impossible to write about the service, but I knew all the news from the Motherland.

In 1988 he returned home, a peaceful life stunned - a different life. For a long time, when I was already working as a driver in a car on a collective farm, I could not get used to it: I kept turning my head, fearing a sniper, driving carefully, fearing to be blown up, military life affected. As Viktor recalls, “Even in a dream, it happens that I dream that I am driving on a concrete road.

Those lucky ones missed each other

Land mine, point-blank shot ...

But in the depths of Russian streets

The mirage of the Afghan mountains rises.

Victor got married and continues to work as a driver on the collective farm to the present. The son graduated from school with a silver medal, institute ...

As you know, wars do not end with the long-awaited moment when weapons fall silent. They continue in the souls of those who participated in them. And this war on Afghan soil is no exception. She will remind of herself for a long time - while mothers are alive, who lost their breadwinners in their old age, while the wounds of soldiers hurt. She will live in the memory of orphans left without fathers. Years will pass, the "Afghans" will grow up children who will know about the war, which they had a chance to visit.

Every year on February 15, the soldiers-internationalists of the region gather for a meeting. They remember their comrades-in-arms, the brotherhood of soldiers.

With their help, they raised money for the erection of a monument to soldiers-internationalists in the regional center. They themselves participated in the construction work.

“Time chose us, swirled in the Afghan blizzard, friends called us at a terrible hour, we put on a special uniform ...” - these words refer to all warriors who have fulfilled their military duty.

And then the boys returned.

Turn gray.

At the heart - military orders.

And the scars are like marks on the body.

And in the souls - the war does not end.

Tsaregorodtsev Sergey Vasilievich

He grew up as a smart and smart boy. The main feature of his character was sociability, the ability to find a common language with different people. After graduating from school, in 1981 he entered the Agricultural Institute as a mechanical engineer. After studying for three years, for family reasons, he was forced to take an academic leave. In 1984 he received a summons to the military enlistment office.

The course of a young fighter took place in Kursk, then for three months in the city of Termez (Uzbekistan). Even then it was clear where to serve in the future. Opposite was the Afghan border ...

“Training taught me a lot. The platoon was taken out to the steppe, given dry rations, water and left to lie down (get used to it) for a day - this was how endurance was developed. Those who could not stand it were sent to the unit. Soon he received a military specialty - a D-30 artilleryman.

On turntables they were thrown into the province of Kundus. There were 5 of them from Vacha. The army brotherhood was preserved even after returning home.

Whatever you say, we are with you, comrade,

Gunpowder sniffed then.

Through the fire of battles and the smoke of conflagrations

We were led by a cherished star.

Whatever you say, but we know how to believe

In friendship tempered in fire,

And mourn the loss without tears,

Well ... in war, as in war.

“I was a foreman in the army, 5 self-propelled guns (self-propelled guns) accompanied columns throughout Afghanistan. Shot very often. They blew up the first and last cars, and started the battle ... They often mined roads and rocks.

With tears, the former warrior remembers his fallen comrades. He himself has 2 contusions. I was in the hospital twice. They lived in the self-propelled guns for 6 months, went to Salang, accompanied the column. “It was scary. You don’t see where you’re scribbling, you crawl like a plastuna, you don’t understand who is scribbling. This, of course, was all in the beginning. Then they were guided by the slightest movement and rustle. We went to the mountains, “they gave a call”, 4 people of volunteers, spotters, to cause fire on themselves. This is how the "spirits" were discovered. And I always had 2 lemons in my pocket, just in case.

For good service, Sergei was awarded the rank of foreman. He had 40 privates under his command. He loved and protected his soldiers.

Good side by side with evil

And you have long forgotten what is called good.

The dust from the cheekbone washes away the sweat,

In the eyes - a crimson carnival.

Here, buzzing over your head,

The turntables are gone.

And the convoy rebuilt.

In 1986 he was demobilized. It was hard to get used to a peaceful life. There were concussions. He recovered at the institute, but never graduated from it. Soon he got married. His wife works as a teacher, they raise a son.

I will dream of Afghan roads,

Battle armored ships

And silent, immortal, like gods,

Infantrymen in hepatitis dust.

I hear my friend's heart beating nearby

We walk shoulder to shoulder, fate to fate...

Chezhidov Alexander Vyacheslavovich

There was a normal peaceful life. Alexander lived in the village of Vysokovo. After graduation, he studied in the city of Pavlovo in a driving school. He worked as a machine operator on a collective farm in the village of Chulkovo. In 1986 he received a summons from the military enlistment office and joined the army. First, there was a “training session” in Batumi, where the soldiers were already informed that Afghanistan was ahead of them. The study was intense, marches in a column of 100-150 km. Place of deployment - Ghazni province. Alexander was a driver in a GAZ-66, in an armored personnel carrier, in a ZIL. In the medical center he carried the wounded and the dead. The wounded - to the medical unit, the dead - to the airport. In the medical unit, in a specially equipped GAZ-66 car, always with guards, otherwise they would fire, together with a military doctor, they went on a call for the wounded. From military operations, from explosions, shelling, wounded soldiers were taken. The lightly wounded were taken to the local medical unit, for the seriously wounded, a “turntable” was called on the radio.

On the way, ambushes lay in wait for us,

In the gorges, so convenient for ambushes,

We walked with fire, overcoming everything,

Leaving no barriers in the way.

The former soldier recalls: “This war was mainly mine. At the beginning of the service, it was unusual to join the war from peaceful life, get used to shelling, deserts, searches, camel thorn. They fired from everywhere, from villages, from wells ... But after the villages were destroyed by "hail" after the shelling, these shelling stopped. We lived in tents, the temperature outside was 50-60 degrees. Over time I got used to it. The territory of the regiment was surrounded by barbed wire and mined around. There were guards at the high points. On duty car left at any time of the day. The road - mostly concrete - is all undermined. There were a lot of mines on the road. Cars did not leave one by one, only in a column, as it was very dangerous. We drove "track to track" at a speed of 20-30 km per hour.

From the Pavlovsk school, all 30 people ended up in one regiment. With fellow countrymen they often remembered the house, relatives, mutual acquaintances. Letters from home helped. The beloved girl waited and later became a wife. Somehow I didn’t think about death, although it was scary, but I got used to it ... "

Everyone - from the driver to the special forces -

Behind the distance of ghostly roads

Always watched in both eyes

And death stared at the ceiling.

“Our regiment was multinational. Both Uzbeks and Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Russians served ... ”During the service he was awarded the medal“ For Military Merit ”. On Kandahar they stood guard. They guarded an army column stretched for 150 km. There were 1500-2000 cars, carrying food, medicines, military equipment. The head of the column is already far away, and the tail is still in Kabul. It was impossible without guards, he himself was in such guards three times, they stood for three months. He recalls the operation "Magistral": "They guarded the column of the Afghan army through the pass from spirits, so that the road would not be mined and fired at."

Different in age and rank,

Somewhere in Kandahar or Herat

Wounded youth is gone

And the Motherland that said: “It is necessary!

You will be in powder smoke, ”-

Looks guilty at the heroes

And still don't know why...

Alexander was demobilized on May 5, 1988. Their regiment was withdrawn from Afghanistan to Dushanbe.

We take everyone out. Farewell minute.

And joy, the battalion commander could not hold back a tear ...

Upon returning home, he worked as a driver on the ZIL-133. He got married and got an apartment. Raised two children. In a peaceful life, he tries not to remember the war.

The other day Oleg Boldyrev, correspondent of the Moscow Bureau of the British Broadcasting Corporation BBC (BBC), came to my office. I bring to your attention my interview for the BBC. ABOUT. How exactly did the Afghan war affect your destiny? Has it changed your views on politics, has your idea of ​​the legitimacy of bringing troops into Afghanistan changed over these 20 years?
In Afghanistan, I was lucky to work with an amazing man named Shafi, a representative of one of the most ancient tribes, a descendant of the warriors of Alexander the Great. By the way, in his youth, Shafi studied in England. It so happened that he became not only my friend, but also my teacher. Thanks to his lessons, I have been practicing oriental medicine for more than twenty years, helping my patients. Thanks to the Afghan war, I became a writer, a member of the Writers' Union of Russia. I have made many good and reliable friends. It turns out that it was the Afghan war that gave me all this? And should I be grateful to her? Probably. But I know how much my friends and relatives lost in this war. And I know that war is a real EVIL. No matter how we try to idealize it... As for politics. We didn't think much about it back then. But now we know about the axiom of the famous English writer and historian Basil Henry Liddell Garth: "The goal of war is to achieve a world better than the pre-war one." If after this war the Afghan people began to live worse, the Soviet people - worse. And only a small group of people - fabulously enriched ... In Chechnya, this happened again. There is something to think about here. And it is very easy to "calculate" those who benefit from these wars. Perhaps we are older? And our ideas about the world around us have changed a lot. ABOUT.. A typical "Afghan" veteran, of course, does not exist - but how did the fates of your fellow soldiers and others who served in Afghanistan generally develop? What are the main problems of veterans now? Veterans have the right to expect special treatment?
I worked in military intelligence. This is a special world. During 26 months of service in Afghanistan, not a single one was killed or wounded among my subordinates. And this is not only my merit, but also the level of training of my scouts. I have always been lucky in subordinates, colleagues and commanders. Therefore, after the war, their fate was more successful than many others. Ilham Galiev became a school teacher. Igor Ts. - senior officer of the FSO, Ilya Tretyakov - a well-known lawyer. All of them were ordinary scouts. Of the officers: my immediate superior is Ruslan Aushev, the former president of Ingushetia. My friend Kolya Prokudin (Revyakin) is now a well-known St. Petersburg writer. What problems? Everyone has their own. After serving 25 years in the Armed Forces, I received a severance pay from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief (at that time - V.V. Putin) in the amount equivalent to 1 (one) thousand US dollars. Like many of my friends, for many years I dreamed of building my own HOUSE. With their own hands for their relatives and friends, to teach those who wish to oriental medicine there, to meet with their readers, with their friends (an article on the free provision of land plots for individual housing construction for reserve officers was laid down in the previous legislation). But all land in our country, according to current legislation, is sold only at auction. You can't buy a lot of land for one thousand dollars (I remember that my colleagues and I noted the subtle humor of our Supreme Commander - with this money you can buy two square meters of land at an auction, and it was not difficult to guess with the remaining money to arrange a "housewarming party" where our Supreme would like to see us all). Appeals to various officials, and even to representatives of the United Russia party, did not give any result. It may be necessary to amend the legislation to support our veterans (veterans of military operations, military service, etc.). For the land issue in our country has always been one of the most important. So that they can BUILD their own houses at least by themselves. Unfortunately, not only years pass, but the strength also goes away - in a year, I won’t be able to build another house. Yes, and many other guys who went through Afghanistan and Chechnya. Because we won't live forever. Although, perhaps, our leaders are hoping for this - they will wait a bit, and our problems will be solved by themselves. After all, as you know: there is a person - there is a problem; there is no person - there is no problem. And the mortality rate among veterans of recent wars is now simply depressing ... Special treatment for veterans? No, this is not special, but simply a REASONABLE attitude not of temporary workers, but of truly state people. Who care about their country and those who live in it. ABOUT.The state is often accused of being inattentive to those who served in Afghanistan. Is this due to the fact that at one time the introduction of troops into Afghanistan was recognized as erroneous, should that decision be canceled?
Everyone knows a simple truth: you need to evaluate a person BY ACTION, and not by words. Yes, under Gorbachev the Afghan war was declared a mistake (which, in my opinion, dealt an irreparable blow to the fate of many internationalist soldiers). But it was not those who made the decision to send troops who suffered because of Gorbachev's decree, but those who honestly served their Motherland. Under the current leadership, more and more often they say that then the soldiers and officers honestly fulfilled their duty. But neither then nor now is REALLY done for veterans (with the exception of some and very rare cases). And things are especially sad with veterans of Chechen companies - Gorbachev's decree has nothing to do with them at all. So it turns out that words uttered from high tribunes and decisions are not so important (although they are important; oh, how important!). But real deeds and care for real veterans are more important. But we don’t even know how many veterans of the Afghan war live in the country today? What can we say about veterans of other wars?! And yet, I would like those who speak from high tribunes to think a little about what they are saying. And so that their words do not diverge from real deeds. But this seems to be out of the realm of fantasy. ABOUT. What lessons should have been learned from that war, were they learned - in the military aspect, in relations with other countries?
Before leaving for Afghanistan, my mentor Alexander Alexandrovich Shchelokov said that my task was not only to collect information about the enemy, but first of all information about the Afghans themselves, their customs and traditions. Gathering military information is the way to the next war. Acquaintance with the people, their history - gives a chance to eventually become good neighbors. And live in the world. This is the main lesson that I learned from this war. And thanks to this task, it was much easier for me to serve in Afghanistan. And much more interesting. The second lesson is that it is possible and necessary to resolve the disagreements that have arisen ONLY by peaceful means. Wars, long or lightning-fast, do not solve problems, but only create the appearance of such a solution. Decisions, as a rule, lie in the plane of ECONOMY. And also in the field of EDUCATION and EDUCATION. And the third lesson that I made personally for myself is that the Afghan war is not our whole life, but only one of its pages. After which there will be others. We must not forget, but we must not live only in the past. We need to go ahead. We need to live on, work, create... Has our country learned these lessons from the Afghan war? Ordinary soldiers and officers - I think so (we were sure that this was the LAST war of our time - which means we learned a lot). Politicians - NO (or the lessons they have learned are beyond the bounds of universal human values). Only a few years have passed since NEW wars broke out. On the territory of the former Soviet Union, in the North Caucasus ... ABOUT. Many now have feelings of nostalgiasweat the times. By the Soviet Union. Aren't you afraid that on the wave of these sentiments a new war could start inside Russia? Yes, there is nostalgia. No matter how they scolded those times, but the first secretary of the city party committee in my hometown then lived in the same standard apartment as my family. Below us. Of the luxury items in her apartment was a wonderful library ... We did not live richly, but we had free education, health care, we had a future. I often hear in response that in the mid-eighties the idea of ​​socialism finally outlived its usefulness. They remind me of empty store shelves. Unfortunately, I don't believe everything I hear anymore. In my opinion, the Afghan war and the arms race devastated the store shelves (our economy simply "did not pull them"). And very serious mistakes of our leaders. And the idea of ​​socialism, in China, for example, is still alive. And it shows very good results. Provided that this is a living idea, not a dogma. No matter how much the present times are praised, but all of you perfectly see how the current mayors and their families live. How officials and oligarchs live. To say that they earned all this through honest work, entrepreneurial talent and titanic hard work is simply ridiculous. Do you think our leaders don't know HOW they made it? Yes, it was under other leaders. But another question arises: why now the current authorities are diligently continuing to DO NOT NOTICE the growing gap in the standard of living of these "cream of society" and ordinary people (except in words!). Another sad thing is the prospect. The children of these "Cream of society" will continue to live in chocolate. Our children are in poverty. Many understand this. And for this reason, the words uttered from high stands do not inspire much optimism in them. In addition, in the wake of hatred for these "cream", real entrepreneurs, people who are enterprising and creative, may suffer. Such people have always been and, hopefully, will be in our land. They have also been able to earn big fortunes, were able to become a worthy role model. We can all suffer. Those who, no matter what, continue to work, continue to believe and strive for the best. That's what's scary. ABOUT.. How do you feel about the gas conflict between Russia and Ukraine? I remember that once in Rome they demanded bread and circuses. instead of jobs. What happened to the Roman Empire, everyone knows very well. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine was broadcast for several days on almost all TV channels. The usual conflict of economic entities. Do we have no other problems in the country? You asked about nostalgia. About twenty years ago, wherever you look, there were household plots. Those same six acres. On which they grew potatoes, vegetables, berries (someone - pigs, geese, ducks ...). You say - there was low labor productivity? Maybe. But there was also a small element of food security for each individual family. And there was a huge labor potential. Now only lawn grass grows everywhere... We have forgotten how to work. We were taught to work. That's where the real conflict is. And not in relations with Ukraine, where our friends and our brothers live.
ABOUT.. Now in Afghanistan, including in those areas where you served - NATO and US troops. Do their tactics in the fight against the Taliban differ from the approach of the Soviet command? Can you give advice to an American colleague - what does it consist of?
Of course, the tactics are different. The Americans use more modern weapons than we do, communications. Even bombing strikes are delivered from such a height that the Mujahideen cannot get planes from the ground, not only from small arms, but even from MANPADS (man-portable air defense systems). This gives rise to an inferiority complex in the Mujahideen. But, on the other hand, it also intensifies hatred. And the Mujahideen will find ways to implement it. They will certainly find... As my friends who are now working in Afghanistan say, American convoys very often travel without national flags in cars with other people's numbers. Unlike other multinational forces, on the contrary, they are trying in every possible way to show that they are NOT Americans. Apparently there are reasons for this? What advice would you give to your American colleagues? Learn history. Read my novel "Silk Road" (). Afghanistan has not yet been conquered by anyone. And it's unlikely to succeed. It is necessary to cooperate with the Afghans, first of all, in economic terms, and not to fight. And most importantly, I would like to return home safe and sound. ABOUT.For 20 years, there was no country and ideology that allowed troops to be sent to Afghanistan and there was a war in Chechnya, about which more is told and shown than about the Afghan one. Which "your" war will remain in Russian history?
Recently, at the presentation of a 12-episode documentary about the Afghan war, a woman said that Russia is doomed to fight forever. If so, if we are ALWAYS surrounded by enemies, then maybe we should pay attention to ourselves. Maybe it's WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG? After Afghanistan, we did not draw the proper conclusions. We continued to look for enemies around us, instead of boosting our economy, agriculture, building modern houses not only in cities, but primarily in the countryside - where bread is grown, and not paper and financial pyramids. We have learned how to work. No, we know how to go to work, but, unfortunately, we stop producing real things. In elections, we continue to vote with "ears" and not "head." Maybe that's why the war in Chechnya started? If we do not draw conclusions now, where will the war break out next?
Why is so little known about the Afghan war? Perhaps this is a big fault of us writers. I know that many historians are very skeptical about literary works. But here it is ( I showed my Afghan diaries. Note. auth.) is a real treasure for any of them. There are memories of the participants of this war, their diaries and photo archives, while the participants themselves are still alive - you just need a little desire and desire to convey to the descendants the TRUTH about this war. We need to go to schools, tell our children about what we experienced in this war. After all, they are the very future that will remember us or forget about us! And it depends on EACH OF US: how talented and interesting we can convey this information to our listeners (and readers) - this war will remain in the memory of our descendants. What trace will the Afghan war leave in history? For me personally, it will forever remain a monument of unparalleled courage and bravery of ordinary soldiers and officers. And this is invariable... Finally, I told Oleg about our Artofvar website (although he contacted me through it), showed my Afghan photographs, diaries, books, the magazine "Pain of my heart" and the Almanac "The Art of War". Almanac Oleg put aside. We already know about him! In April, we interviewed Novaya Gazeta correspondent Arkady Babchenko, he told A LOT of interesting things about the Almanac "The Art of War"...
P.S. The interview will be aired on BBC World and BBC National Radio and Television in the UK in mid-February 2009.