Russian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Vladimir Mineev in an interview with Sport spoke about the concussion received in the course of a special military operation, the nature of actions at the front, the importance of support from relatives and even strangers, as well as the specifics of preparing for the next duel.
On September 15, Mineev will fight in Elista according to the rules of kickboxing with the ex-Bellator champion Brazilian Rafael Carvalho. Until recently, the Russian was in the zone of the NWO. On August 13, the athlete announced that he had begun preparing for the fight. In November 2022, Mineev announced that he was taking a break in his career in connection with preparations for being sent to the NVO zone as a volunteer. The athlete previously served in the Airborne Forces.
«All our fighters will cheer for me»
—Vladimir, what mood did you return from the front line with?< /strong>
— Good, fighting. From Donbass I immediately came to Dagestan. The first stage of my preparation for the fight took place in a training camp, which is located in the mountains. We can say that they pulled up general physical training. And now we are moving to Makhachkala, where the final stage of the training camp will take place before the fight with Carvalho. I will be preparing for it in our club, where I have been engaged for seven years already.
— Who will be your sparring partners?
— I will train with Omar Aliyev, Gadzhimurad Bagautdinov, Roma Kopylov and Armen Petrosyan. They train according to their own programs, but we organize a single training process.
— What can you say about Rafael Carvalho? Did you manage to watch his fights?
— Certainly. The opponent is experienced and skillful, with a name. He is tall, unpredictable, plastic, biting and also left-handed. Also a kickboxer, so I think that our fight will be interesting.
— How calmly did you manage to agree with the command that you were released to fight?
— I had a vacation planned, just to perform sports tasks, I asked to take it a little earlier. I showed myself well during the service, and the command went forward. And, of course, all our fighters will cheer for me.- Vladimir, with what feelings did they leave their comrades? Is there any anxiety, after all, we spent so much time together?
— Of course, I feel involved in everything that is happening in the Donbass now. But the commander of our battalion let me go with the words «You are also carrying out an important task now and must return with victory.»
—What is his name?
< br>— The battalion commander is called «Thunder». Comrade Major «Thunder» (with a smile). br>
“Listen, everything is hard, life in general is a hard thing. Especially there, at the front. I will tell you what gives you strength — when relatives and friends, your family send you news, when they support you from the rear. And all this, of course, has a positive effect on the morale of the soldiers on the front line.
And it's nice to receive news not only from relatives and friends, the support of complete strangers is also very important for you. Because it's your rear defense. It is very joyful to receive news with support when both children and schoolchildren write to you. Sometimes, when you get to look at the Internet, you see positive comments about everything that you do, it's always nice.
—In early June, Ukrainian troops launched a counteroffensive. What is the mood of the guys now, is there confidence that we will hold our lines?
— I can say for us — we hold our northern sector of the front. We work and have not given an inch of our land to the enemy. It's good that we manage to contain the attacks with minimal losses.
—Many people are waiting for our offensive. Is it close, in your opinion?
— I am not in the highest command of the army, so I can’t say anything. We carry out those specific tasks that the officers set before us.
— What are these tasks?
— From the other side, the Ukrainians, or «Germans», as we call them, are on the offensive. Periodically, they make sorties and try to enter our DRG (sabotage and reconnaissance groups) or their heavy equipment. And we control this whole story, direct (coordinate other units) and, when necessary, enter into direct shooting contact. We hold our line of defense.
— Didn't you have the feeling that sometimes fate protects you and your comrades?
“If I’m talking to you now, I’m sure it’s true. I had such a situation when there was an arrival nearby, there was an explosion, and the fragments scattered around. Literally some 15 centimeters to the side and I could fly into the head. But only metal fragments hit me, my face was cut a little, but nothing fatal. True, I didn’t hear anything with my right ear for a couple of days, I was a little shell-shocked, but in general everything was fine.
—Among the «Germans» must there be many mercenaries?
>—Yes, we encountered them, we saw people with chevrons of foreign legions and flags of different countries in enemy positions. Particularly the Polish ones. And I myself saw portraits of Stepan Bandera in enemy trenches and in positions in destroyed buildings.
—Will you be able to get to your family in Ulyanovsk?
— You know, the fight ends on September 15, and on September 15 my vacation ends. Therefore, this time, probably, it will not be possible to see each other. In addition, I will have elections to the People's Council of the Donetsk People's Republic on September 10 (Mineev is registered as a candidate in one of the constituencies). On this day, I will be in the Donbass.
— You still have not seen your daughter Vera, who was born to you in the second half of June?
Yes, I still see my daughter only from the photographs that are sent to me by phone.