The Ukrainian Armed Forces once again surprised the world with their originality and courage when the lieutenant took command of the Ranger Battalion in the midst of a full-scale conflict with the aggressor. His nickname “Bandit” became known not only in Ukrainian military circles, but also among foreign observers who took part in these events.
The first question will probably interest all junior officers: are there any majors or lieutenant colonels under your command?
Yes, of course there are. And these are the officers who were under my command when I was the commander of the combined group, and we carried out tasks near Avdiivka and Bakhmut. During the battles, we proved that we trust each other and are ready to move forward to victory under my command.
Tell us how such an unusual situation arose, and are there any misunderstandings with the officers who came to you from other units?
It all turned out quite simply. At the very beginning of the full-scale invasion, there were so many volunteers to join my native 80th Airborne Assault Brigade that the personnel officers didn’t even have time to process the candidates’ documents. The guys and I didn’t have the patience to stand in the personnel queue and decided to go to Kyiv, where we later took part in the battles for Bucha, Irpin, and Gostomel.
And it turned out that I was chosen as the senior in our group, and then it went like this. During missions as part of special units in the Donetsk region, with the rank of sergeant, I performed the duties of deputy company commander, and then directly the company commander. Perhaps because I always worked side by side with my boys and girls, tried to support them and looked for solutions in sometimes hopeless situations. They trusted me, and this trust was felt by everyone who got into our unit. And now, already in the battalion, a strong backbone has formed in the team, and there has not been a single situation when any of the officers treated me as a commander unworthily or condescendingly.
Your pseudonym is “Bandit.” A bit unusual.
Imagine: the beginning of a full-scale operation, my closest friends and I arrive in Kyiv in our own transport, we start to register for some unit. And here comes a small group of 5-7 cars, all the guys are handsome, their faces are filled with hatred for the occupier and a little pathos, dark glasses. By the time we registered for the unit, we had already been christened a gang, and I, as the eldest, a Bandit. And that's how it stuck.
By the way, I drove my own Lexus until it crumbled into pieces from a hard fate, and our pathos disappeared in the very first battle. Life and war taught us quickly. But we kept the courage of the gang, probably that helped and supported us morally.
And now, as a battalion commander, you're also a bit naughty? What about breaking the rules?
If we compare it with the army standard, then, probably, a little bit, because I am not just going against the established rules, but trying to show that there are other ways to solve many issues. I often use such an expression as “time of transformation”. I have great respect for the volunteers and soldiers who have been faithfully serving our Motherland since 2014, I myself participated in the battles for Luhansk region, but now very important processes are taking place that we could not even think about at the beginning of the war.
Now our army is transforming everything it had since the times of the Soviet Union, the experience gained and the experience of our partners, and we are moving further and further away from what was imposed on us in those dark times - this kind of humility, old narratives, procrastination. The main problem in the army has always been that people did not want to look for ways to solve the problem, everyone shifted responsibility to someone, now to the senior, now to the junior. Now more and more officers, sergeants and soldiers are beginning to understand that they have the right to speak out, to advise, if they understand this or that issue better, they can find alternative ways to solve the problem precisely to achieve a result, and not just for the sake of so-called activity.
What would you say to young officers, NCOs, and soldiers?
Don't be afraid to take the initiative, because the most popular saying in the army is that, as they say, initiative does to the initiator. Now is the time for change, for finding and implementing new experience. I would tell officers not to be afraid to consult with sergeants and soldiers, because some of them have seen much more and have enormous experience. Learn from them, communicate, there are many people nearby with interesting professions and achievements.
To the sergeant corps, I would say this: not so long ago I had the honor of being one of you, and I understand the whole burden that is placed on your shoulders. Progress, become officers and, of course, train your assistants. Without sergeants, no unit would be able to fight now. They are a bridge between the Soviet leadership, which in some places still sits in some heads, and the youth, who strive for change and victory over the occupier. The Soviet government created an incredible gap between the officers and the soldier-sergeant corps, and now, thanks to you, this gap is disappearing.
First of all, I would like to wish the soldiers a vacation, and good, intelligent commanders, for whom you want to go into battle. You are essentially the only ones thanks to whom our country maintains its defense, no matter in which unit or in which branch of the army. You are the main defenders of the country.
There was an interview recently with the commander of the Ranger Regiment, where he pointed out the need for a Code of Honor. What does it mean to you, and how do you present it to those who have just mobilized?
For me, the “12 Ranger Rules” are an unbreakable law that is not physical, meaning there is no criminal liability or punishment for it. It is primarily about moral responsibility. Each rule is about the atmosphere we want in our military family, about how we want boys and girls to treat each other, about motivation, about the desire to learn and win.
After personnel arrive at our unit, it doesn’t matter whether they are mobilized or contracted, from a training center or from another military unit, we first of all try to find in each person what can be useful for the unit, to reveal their abilities and skills, to help them find themselves, their profession. And, of course, to motivate the serviceman. The Code of Honor is about true military brotherhood.
What would you say to those citizens who still do not dare to join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine?
To make this decision, you need to have the strength of spirit. Our Ukraine really has an incredible potential of real warriors, but some really find it difficult to dare for various reasons. After demobilization, I worked in the rear for quite a long time, donated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and can express my opinion from the civilian side: first of all, recruiting and informing should work. After all, it has been like this for a long time, we are afraid of what we do not know.
I will say this: boys and girls, choose your unit, profession, master it and become true professionals! We will be glad to see you in our pack! The password for getting to know each other in the battalion is “I am a Bandit”.
