MK correspondent transmits from the NVO zone
Sergey Shoigu presented the tank crew for awards, which single-handedly resisted a column and 8 units of enemy equipment. The video, in which the Russian T-80 tank alone destroys this convoy, driving towards it, has spread all over the Internet and once again demonstrated the courage and heroism of our guys. The MK correspondent in the special operation zone talked with the heroic crew of the tank and found out what emotions the soldiers were experiencing at that moment.
— Our tank is not just military equipment, — with notes of tenderness in his voice, the commander of the combat vehicle with the call sign «Laska» tells about his «eighties». — He even has a special name — «Santa Claus», because we received it on New Year's Eve. Oh, from what troubles he did not take us out.
You know, it’s like he’s alive, and he understands everything that you need to work hard, but do it, sometimes even with the last of your strength. I remember once we were “zatured” (they fired at the tank with an anti-tank guided missile — ATGM. — Auth.), They thought — that's it, he won't get there, but he took it and drove. We didn't even understand how.
Laska is a middle-aged man. Former retired spy. Behind him is the past experience of hostilities, but the man does not want to talk about it:
— There were a lot of things … We must live with what is happening now.
Twelve years ago, «Weasel» took a well-deserved rest. I thought everything, only civilian life was ahead, but fate decreed otherwise.
With the beginning of the SVO, the serviceman could not find a place for himself and already in June 2022 he arrived at the front as part of one of the Bars volunteer units. He served for two months, received a shell shock, went home to heal. He had just improved his health, as in September they announced a partial mobilization. And here he is again.
To the question — is it difficult to retrain from a scout to tankers, he answers unequivocally: “If you understand what you are doing and why, then it’s not difficult. Everything can be learned.”
— I ask the commander.
— No, there were “hotter” situations, he sincerely admits.
On that day, June 4, five Russian tanks went into battle at once, the serviceman recalls. The enemy went on the offensive, and our soldiers had to fight back. Dali. After that, the Laska crew received a separate command to cover up a friendly unit located in a nearby forest belt. At that moment, none of them even thought that during the departure, the tankers could almost single-handedly stop the enemy column.
“We jumped into the green (forest belt. — Auth.), Because of which the review was minimal,” the commander continues. — Nearby there was a Ukrainian checkpoint that we had previously defeated, next to it there were several pieces of abandoned equipment that we needed to destroy so that the enemy could no longer evacuate it and return it to service.
«Father Frost» had already begun to retreat back when Laska noticed some movement in the field. He gave the command to the driver to turn the car around.
— They jumped out, and Lech immediately knocked out the first tank, — the commander continues contentedly.
The gunner-operator with the call sign «Lekha», smiling embarrassedly, nods his head in confirmation of the words of the commander.
— We turned a little more, noticed that the movement behind the forest belt continues. I gave the command «fire», «Lech» fired. As they later learned, the second tank was knocked out. We visited three times in total.
The fighters admit that they saw the picture of that battle quite recently. On the spot, everything was perceived differently. The tankers did not know that two enemy tanks and eight armored vehicles were confronting the crew behind the «greenback».
The commander admits that he acted independently, relying on his experience. Enemy «jammers» worked one hundred percent and there was no communication with the command post. Luckily, help came by itself. As the interlocutor admits, the support of artillery helped a lot at that moment.
— Yes, you know, it's like, it's always scary before the battle. And when you have already got involved, you forget about fear there.
The operator-gunner, who was nearby throughout the conversation, once again agrees with the commander with a nod of his head. «Lekha» — also mobilized, in civilian life he worked as a welder. Except from the experience of the «urgent» with the military field, he was not previously familiar. True, he served on conscription in the tank troops, so he knew how to handle military equipment a little.
When asked what emotions he experienced in that battle, he says that there was no time for them. Followed orders, was focused on work. «Lekha» admits that they are in the same crew with the commander from the very beginning of the combat path, and therefore the trust in the team is one hundred percent. The gunner has never doubted the correctness of the orders given by Laska.
— How else? — connects to the conversation «Weasel». — I count on the guys, and they know that I will never let my crew down.
— Only time and combat situations.
On that day, the situation developed in such a way that the crew of the «Santa Claus» underwent some «structural changes». The regular driver-mechanic was wounded shortly before this battle and his place behind the levers was taken by the commander of a tank company with the call sign «Monolith». Unlike my interlocutors, «Monolith» is a career officer, a tanker. However, in that situation, despite the rank and position, he carried out the orders of «Weasel», who controlled the battle.
— This is an unconditional rule, — explains the «Monolith». — It doesn't matter who you are by rank and position, but if you took a place in the tank, be kind to follow the orders of the commander. Not only the result of the combat mission depends on this, but also the life of the entire crew.
The driver, as well as other crew members, at that time did not have a complete picture of what was happening.
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— Yes, exactly the same. The commander told me to drive the tank forward, and I did it.
In turn, I ask Laska:
— Yes, the commander says confidently, looking straight into my eyes. — The task had to be completed, and it doesn't matter how many there are. In life, situations always arise when a person has to step over himself, through his fears and doubts. There will be no result otherwise.