The West will help us: interview with “Aydar” fighter

By the nature of the activity I had to leave native Lugansk quite often and for a long time. But my heart never bled as during the last compelled trip when rescuing the children and grandsons from war, I left it more than for a month.
Being apart from favourite city, you use any opportunity to receive information about it and the close people who remained there. And taking into account that the city was exposed to massive attack from artillery and to bombardments in your absence, the desire to know about a situation in it became aggravated repeatedly.
Thanks to the Internet now it is possible to communicate with the acquaintances even being in other country. Here having seen the old acquaintance from Lugansk in Skype, immediately I tried to contact him. The person answered my call. I will try to state conversation and impressions of it below in the reporting. I will make a reservation, earlier this person was the zealous adherent of the Party of Regions and many years worked in it, propagandizing its idea among the population. He never differed in nationalist views and was politically correct.
After a greeting and the first standard phrases I took an interest in his location, a situation in Lugansk and possibility of my return to the city. His answers had me over the barrel.
He told that now he is in Shchastya city (the district of Lugansk) as the serviceman of Armed forces of Ukraine and advised me not to hurry with return to Lugansk since it will be possible to come only after he and sworn brothers mop up the city from separatists soon and will establish the duly elected Ukrainian power. I have to tell that never imagined this person capable to prove the case, giving reason with the machine gun. Earlier he had success to talk to the opponent with the help of logic language, for what he was appreciated and respected among regional party activists.
On my question what division he was called up, he answered that took the family out from Lugansk and went to «Aydar» battalion as the volunteer. At once complained that Ukraine left their division, as well as other voluntary formations without attention therefore he was compelled to buy all necessary regimentals independently due to family savings that was a pretty penny. The close friends present him the bullet-proof vest as there weren’t money for this purchase. Official Kiev completely withdrew from supply with food and all necessary for the soldiers of «Aydar», assumed duties only to supply with the weapon and ammunition. Therefore the Kiev authorities don’t enjoy authority at the military personnel of its division and especially don’t influence their activity.
Then he discouraged me by the request: asked that I tried to persuade my foreign acquaintances to give sponsor’s help for «Aydar» in the form of weapon, thermal imagers, means of communication and winter regimentals so necessary for conducting winter campaign in Donbass. According to his statement, this war will end not soon the revolted of Donbass are actively supported by Russia which is at war on the party of a militia therefore Ukraine should save up forces to win this war.
But with assistance of West forces, the patriots of independent Ukraine will surely break the hated Russians and end war with victory parade.
I stated bewilderment: after all now «Aydar» battalion is transformed to a regiment and included in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, so has to be supplied according to the staff list on norms of a wartime. The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine doesn’t lack money: The Cabinet of Ministers reduces all social, economic and humanitarian programs in the country, readdressing the released funds for needs of army.
Besides, 1,5% tax on needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is taken from each citizen of Ukraine and citizens bring the donations for army estimated by hundreds of millions hryvnias.
These are vast sums of money on which it is possible to provide the military all necessary and not to go begging with a cap in hand, asking the financial aid from foreigners. Especially regretful that fact, that the vast majority of recruits and volunteers independently and on own money buy all necessary for service in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And the volunteers due to the sponsor’s help assumed providing army with food and missing regimentals. Therefore there is a question: where do the officials of the Ministry of Defence spend these means?
He answered that after the end of war they will ask the government for it, of course. But now there is a war and it is necessary to fight over invaders till victory, but not to ask the questions decomposing the army.
Further he told that as a part of a battalion he protects the Shchastya city and protects the heat station located there supplying all Luhansk region with the electric power. According to his statement separatists seek to retake Shchastya and to seize the heat station.
In order not to give the power station to the enemy, «Aydar» mined the equipment and at threat of station occupation will blow up it. My question that what destiny will wait for more than three million people and some hundreds of the industrial enterprises and mines which remained without electricity on the eve of winter remained without distinct answer. It was sounded only that responsibility for it will be hold by separatists who repeatedly fired before at power station territory for the purpose of its lay-up.
Having considering that after the LNR army pushed aside the Armed Forces of Ukraine and «Aydar» on thirty kilometers from Lugansk and the attacks of the regional center stopped, I asked my vis-a-vis and sworn brothers to try not to shoot on his hometown any more. After all thanks to it many lives of peace citizens and still remained whole critical infrastructure and housing of civilians will be kept.
To my surprise, I heard that the Ukrainian army doesn’t shoot at settlements and peace citizens and I should listen less to the Russian mass media.
I knew that my interlocutor, as well as the majority of us, was the patriot of Ukraine, but that this patriotism will get such perverted forms for so short term, was a bolt from the blue for me. After all it is impossible to love the country and at the same time to serve as the tool in hands of the easy riders hating the Ukrainian people and the Homeland. It is impossible to kill orthodox brothers in faith for the sake of interests of a small group of oligarchs converts ready to be at war to the last Ukrainian because of a profit and retention of the power in the country.