Thread by @ZeroZhvk

🧵Intreview with Mykhailo Dyanov - #Ukrainian Marine, #Mariupol defender, one of #Azovstal heroes, English translation⬇️
censor.net/ua/resonance/3…

LIBERATION

- How did you find out that there will be an exchange? How were you informed, how were you moved? Was it clear what was going on?
- No. Nothing was clear. On September 20, before lunch, at approximately 11:30 (lunch was at 12), the Russian prison guards came ⬇️

I was sitting inside the barracks, boys &I talked. Barrack warden comes in and shouts names: "That one, that one..." I hear: "Dyanov - out with things!" I thought: they will take me to the investigative committee again, interrogate again... ⬇️

We got together, went outside. There were nine of us. They searched us at the checkpoint, stripped us naked. Then we sat squatted like this for about five hours (bows his head, hands on the back of his head, head between his legs). We were waiting for what would happen next ⬇️

Then I saw that the commanders of the marines were taken out from the left side - Volyna, Dzus, Dobry & someone else - I don't remember anymore...⬇️

They were in a disciplinary detention center, where they took people who had to be beaten. There were constant screams there, they were electrocuted, beaten w/ batons, w/ everything... The prison guards of Olenivka, so you understand, are sadists. They enjoy seeing you feel bad⬇️

So we sit and wait. Military KamAZ vehicles approach. One of them already had people inside We sat with our backs to them. I hear names: Potchev, Kashirin, others... I know that these are my boys, that is, they are already in the car.⬇️

So I understand that they are taking the marines, there are a lot of them, and the "Azovians" are there too. Means that they're gonna take you for some rough stuff. The read out surnames - we stand up⬇️

Those who had hats or hoods had to pull them over their faces - adhesive tape was wrapped over their eyes so that you could not see where they were being taken. I didn't have a hat. So they put a piece of cellophane over my eyes and wrapped it with tape.⬇️

They wrapped it in the same way parcels are wrapped at Nova Poshta* that the boxes get compressed. I feel my skull begin to tighten, he asks, "Is it tight?" I say: "Very tight" - "Well, We'll release it a bit." He rests his foot on my chest & pulls it even harder.⬇️

*Nova Postha is Ukrainian postal/courier company⬇️

That's why I have all these wounds on my face. I was wrapped in tape for a day and a half, unable to do anything. Well, that, and I also got butt-stroken for sitting 'incorrectly'⬇️

- What does it mean 'incorrectly'?
- I had to lean back - sit very tightly. I was sitting at the end, there was already the cockpit behind me. You sit down on your ass, excuse me, spread your legs, the next one sits down with his back to you like this...⬇️

There are a lot of people in front of you, they press on your chest, you can't breathe, your ribs are crushed - and they still push in even more people with their feet.⬇️

- Were the hands cuffed?
- I have mine cuffed in front of me. And those whose hands were more or less intact were handcuffed behind their backs⬇️

- Adehsive tape?
- With adehsive tape, and for some - with plastic handcuffs. They drove us for more than six hours. I am a soldier, I count the seconds. I am thin, but still had some weight left and it puts pressure on your butt.⬇️

I moved to the left, then to the right side. You can't put anything under you, because your hands are cuffed. I wanted to put my famous vest beneath my butt - nothing worked.⬇️

Well, with all that giref we got to our destination- but we don't know where it was. We heard the sound of jet engines - the plane was standing there.⬇️

I once served in the Air Force, in the 79th Brigade, so I am more or less familiar with airplanes. Moreover, I am a musician, I can distinguish sounds. I hear that there is a plane, and it is not a Su-25, not a Su-27, not a MiG-29, but some kind of large transport plane.⬇️

We get out of the KamAZs, I was once again wrapped with tape, even tighter. They put us on the plane. I understand that this is a military transport plane, because it is two-story, and you sit on metal benches. Then we learned that it was in Taganrog.⬇️

We flew from Taganrog for about three hours and arrived somewhere. They unload Volyn and ask him: "Well, did you shoot the video? Now you will meet with Kadyrov, and everything will be fine. Wait for the meeting." They take him outside from the plane and shout "On your knees!"⬇️

The board is closing, we are being refueled. And planes land and take off. And at that moment I hear the announcer: "Board such-and-such, Sheremetyevo airport." Aha, Moscow! I only didn't hea whether it was Sheremetevo-1 or 2, but it was Moscow - 100%. I thought: wow...⬇️

I was able to get the tape off my hands. Listened to where the guards were sitting, I heard that both have gone in different directions. Then I slowly pulled the cellophane from my eyes - the cellophane was black, and the tape was light⬇️

I slowly pulled the whole thing aside and peeled off my skin as I pulled. it When the adhesive tape is transparent, light even passes through your eyelids. hanks to this, I oriented myself that we were flying to the northwest. I thought that we could be transported to Belarus.⬇️

We flew for another two hours. We landed, the ramp - I don't hear any planes or anything. Engines work, but not KamAZs. Until the last I was thinking: well, is it really, really, really... Are we going to be exchanged after all?⬇️

There were exactly 200 of us on the plane, they counted: 99 on the second floor, 101 on the first. The number was like that - right for an exchange...⬇️

They move us out. They saw that I was without tape, but no one touched me anymore. And they lead me carefully. I think: really, really?... Aha - we get on comfortable buses, not KamAZs. Hope again. Even more and more...⬇️

We start driving - and I peek again with my right eye. I understand that now it is about 5 o'clock, and the light is on my right side. Accordingly, on the left side is the east, on the right is the west, the sun is there, so we are going south. ⬇️

I think: we are definitely going to Ukraine from Belarus. The bus stopped, the wardens got out. I heard someone getting into the bus: [greeting us by saying] "Glory to Ukraine!" (tears start rolling onto Mykhailo's eyes)⬇️

- And how did the others do? Did you talk? Was it possible to find out who is nearby?
- No. We were immediately beaten
- What was next? When you were given a phone - who was the first person you called?
- My sister.⬇️

- Did you remember her number?
- I remembered all the numbers. At 1st I wanted to prank her -he continues, wiping his eyes- to tell some kind of joke... But I didn't manage to. I just said: "I've been exchanged, I'm at home, Alyona," (Mykhailo can't hold back his tears again)⬇️

- The last time you talked to her before that was from "Azovstal", from the plant?⬇️

- Yes. On May 17th, I left Azovstal. Night from 15th to 16th was the final moment when we were able to restore the Starlink that we had. Everyone was given 30 seconds to write home a message, and they immediately warned us: "Lads, that's it."⬇️

WOUND
- When and how were you injured?
- I met the full-scale offensive at the positions in Vodiane, near Mariupol. In December, we entered these positions for the fourth time.⬇️

On March 9, the 1st tanks attacked us. We met them in Volonterivka, this is in the direction from Sartana , north of Mariupol. Only our marine infantry battalion was there - I emphasize, out of the 36th brigade only one battalion fought, We burned tanks with "Flies" [RPG-18/22]⬇️

It's impossible to burn a tank with it. But it turns out that when you shoot from twenty meters at the turret, it gets jammed. We tested it on 2 tanks. It works. The turret does not rotate. "Now you're mine" - and you can do whatever you want with that tank.⬇️

We had neither "Javelins" nor "NLAWs". I saw them only on TV. I had my beloved SPG. This is my doll, my dear. There were also RPGs, 22nd "Flies", RPG-7 & small arms. That was it. They told us: tanks will attack you. And they gave me six anti-tank grenades.⬇️

The 1st time we were attacked by 3 tanks and 2 infantry fighting vehicles. We destroyed them. And neutralized many personnel. It was March 9th. According to official data 80 men of our battalion destroyed 1800 personnel on that direction. I dont count vehicles. I'll explain why⬇️

I am an adequate military man & understand that a tank won't go without crew. The machine gun will not shoot without a shooter. Therefore, it is necessary to destroy the personnel.⬇️

Some will say that I am too cruel. But if there are 3 tank crew members and a tank near them, and you burned the tank, then these 3 tankers will mount another tank and fire again. And if I the personnel is neutralized - that's it, no one's gonna roll out [against you] again.⬇️

After we destroyed the tanks, the next day, March 10th, I told my partner: "Dima, let's go put some anti-tank mines."⬇️

As we return. And I hear shots. Hits my hand. I fall on my back so that I expose less area. The next bullet hits my leg, another one hits my toe... That's how I ended up in Mariupol in the 61st hospital, which was also called the 555th. Near "Neptune", swimming pool.⬇️

There, I was fitted with an external fixation device. By the way, Taira [Yulia Payevska] unloaded me from the car there. With others she carried me on a stretcher to the operating table.⬇️

- How long were you in the hospital and when did you realize that the city was surrounded?
-In the evening I came to my senses after anesthesia. I looked - the arm had an orthopedic structure, the leg was in plaster. So were the entrance and exit holes. Bone was broken.⬇️

And the finger was hanging by the skin only. It was collected back together from pieces. Not only right arm was broken above the elbow, there were also entry and exit holes below. 4 bullet wounds...⬇️

On the 12th, one of the boys said: "The fighting is going on at Port City." And I understood - they were locking us into a ring. They saw 2 or 3 of their tanks there. They burned them. They came in again. They burned them again. Then our tanks got burned.⬇️

- Was the city shelled?
- They started pounding #Mariupol immediately after the beginning of the full-scale offensive. But since the beginning of March, it became particularly intense.⬇️

- How did you move to "Azovstal"?
- Before that, I spent time in many basements. An aerial bomb first fell into "Neptune". I was lying in surgery, on the right through the wall was the intensive care unit. The windows were covered with sandbags...⬇️

There were 7 men with me. One of them is still in captivity in Olenivka... He wasn't at "Azovstal". "Neptune" got hit, the room was shaken.⬇️

"Are they aiming for the hospital? Why the hell would they hit a hospital? They're Russian. I can expect separatists [terrorists] to do such a thing, but these are professional military!" - Just as I was saying that the surgery got hit by a bomb to my right.⬇️

Together w/ the sandbags, the glass fell at me. I only managed to cover myself w/ a blanket. Then I took off the blanket and w/ that plaster and all the things, on I adrenaline I stood up into doorway. And in the corridor where the people used to be placed - was a pile of KIAs⬇️

The blast wave passed through the corridor. And I understood that even if there was someone alive among them, and I am an instructor in tactical medicine, I wouldn't be able to help them, because I have only one working hand and one leg.⬇️

We went to the basement. Spent the night there, slept on the floor. They took us to "Azovmash" next. There's a long, long tunnel. The boys made bunk beds out of wood. There was only 1 small potbelly stove for the entire room & there was a strong draft. It served as a hopstial⬇️

After that, I was taken to the Ilyich plant... Before that, it got hit by a bomb. Gas cylinders exploded. A mass of people were killed... They took me there. I asked: what am I doing here? They returned me to the tunnel.⬇️

From there, I was transported to a real nuclear bomb shelter. Everyone asked me: how do you know that it is a nuclear bomb shelter. I said "Look carefully around. What's on the wall?" - "Paint". - "I mean the posters - Instructions on how to use this room."⬇️

It all was explained on those instructions. What to do in case of a chemical attack, biological, nuclear, what to twist, how to block the ventilation valves. We could see that all those premises had been kept in perfect condition all these years. The plaster was not peeled off.⬇️

We lived there in safety. We stayed there until April 12. It was from there that the first wounded were taken POW. And we left on the 10th or 11th. We drove to "#Azovstal"⬇️

They took us out in two batches. One didn't make it. They were sent back.⬇️

We were driven by such a man - callsign Rom. I would award him the Hero of Ukraine. He was a driver for our medics. His wife got killed when there was a hit at the TPU. A young guy. They just got married. Her skull was cut open. He walked as if he'd been injected w/ nalbuphine⬇️

He was looking for such cracks with that car of which no one knew. Everyone had to sit in the car. Even the bedridden, even those who had problems with their spine.⬇️

They were told: "Let's count the number of lives. What's better: to take three and leave one. Especially that most likely you won't be touched if bedridden". After that everyone agreed to sit.⬇️

When we drove the hydraulics on the steering wheel of that "Cossack" [🇺🇦MRAP] did not work, two wheels were deflated. Three people had to pull the steering wheel together so that we could drive further. ⬇️

The Ilyich plant had been destroyed badly by that point. We stopped four times - thought we were f#cked, unable to pass. All the same, the boys got out, slowly turning the steering wheel.⬇️

It was broad daylight. We were lucky that the weather was foggy. We could here copters fly. They heard us by the sound. But there was no incoming fire. Only when crossing the bridge from the right bank to the left one - Romko found a crossing below the bridge, 2 tanks drove out⬇️

Tanks fired two shots at us. They missed. So we moved to "Azovstal". The guys greeted us. I spent two days in the 1bunker. Then they saw that I was rotting and sent me to the hospital. It was called "Zhelezyaka" ["Iron stuff"]. There I spent about a week of time.⬇️

Bandages again, betadine, painkillers. I thought I would become a drug addict. Then I said I'm gonna try to sleep with that device without anesthesia. I slept for 2 days. But during the incoming shelling, I hit the ground with that device. Those spokes bent. Painkillers again⬇️

Corvalol and barboval are sedatives. I drank half a can at once. It hurt, but I didn't care. From "Zhelezyaka" we were taken to "Dzherelo" ["Source/Spring"] and there I remained until the very exodus, it was the general bunker.
- And you fought there?
- I volunteered because...⬇️

- I volunteered because no one wanted to go upstairs. And it was necessary to go so as not to let the personnel through to reach us.
- They had already been entering the territory [of #Azovstal complex]?
- They came in and beat hit with all their strength. The ring narrowed⬇️

I took myself a rifle in my left hand & that was it. We sat in positions. It's just that I shoot really well. I'll hit a person from 700m. I went out like this for two days. Then I cut my hand again and someone told #Volyna about that. he reprimanded me so I stayed downstairs⬇️

But I still tried to be useful - collected firewood for the stove. On May 15 or 16, the commander-in-chief issued an order that we should lay down our arms & cease the military operation of #Mariupol defense. We werent surrendering though - but carried out the President's order⬇️

On May 17, I entered the barracks in Olenivka.

EXPLOSION IN OLENIVKA

- Were you in Olenivka when the explosion occurred there? ⬇️

- At that moment, I was in the 15th hospital in Donetsk, where I was brought to remove the external fixation device. It was installed on me on March 10. Long spikes protruded from the hand. I even joked that you need to search for Wi-Fi with them.⬇️

Already on "Azovstal" there was an incoming barrage, I was dizzy, I fell to the ground w/ the apparatus, afterwards all screw threads got messed up. There was no sense in that device. And besides, the wounds were constantly open, and there was dust all around.⬇️

We were bombed not just by any plains, but by bombers. The squadron flew to Mariupol, we were warned: "An air strike is expected." Doo-doo-doo-doo. Tonner bombs were falling. They left craters large enough to fit a bus in them. #Azovstal was horror. My wounds were rotting⬇️

#Azovstal was horror. My wounds were rotting. The fixation device got messed up, it didn't hold the bones anymore. We were already encircled, had to eat rotten food. There were 2 stores on the plant - "Tenner" and "Twentyner". Fridges were no longer working but⬇️

They had some [chicken?] wings in them. You sniffed them and they stank. But that was nothing. Put them in the pan. Everyone had diarrhea almost all the time. But you won't get anywhere - you have to eat. "You can live when you don't work, when you don't eat you may die"⬇️

Our doctors were brought in once a week. At first, they were accompanied by Donetsk doctors and wardens with clubs. They made sure that they did not give us any ampoule or needle.⬇️

We were bandaged. I constantly told them: I'm rotting, the wounds are leaking. And once a doctor from Donetsk said: "We need to remove the device." I said: " Well thank you for telling me about that. What can I do? The two lower pins have already moved in the bone."⬇️

When I laid down on my side, my arm was severely twisted, it hurt. With great trouble we managed to make them to bring me to Donetsk only as late as August. I was injected with antibiotics, an X-ray was taken, which clearly showed that four centimeters of bone were missing.⬇️

The doctor and the murse came: "Well, Misha, let's take off the device, shall we?" I saw him laying out the wrenches. Those were from a car tool kit. Rusty pliers. The heads of the nuts of the fixation device did not match the wrench.⬇️

He took pliers, stadrted to unscrew. I said: "Maybe, at least give me some painkillers. Actually, this is done under anesthesia." Just as they injected me with a drug, immediately they started removing the fixation system.⬇️

And those pins that were inside the bone had also already bent. He pulled them with pliers... When he removed the extreme pin - I breathed a sigh of relief - phew... The wounds began to heal.⬇️

- And as they were doing that to you an explosion happened in #Olenivka...⬇️

- The explosion was on July 27th. I was just brought to the hospital. DPR soldiers who were in the hospital, ran up: "Your lads fired at your own With some kind of American rocket." ⬇️

Well, wait, I think. It happened just half an hour ago. You are standing here - an expert who has not even been to Olenivka, and you are telling me how it went down. They started bringing the wounded to the hospital. All were "#Azov" guys⬇️

I don't know how many were in that barrack. According to various sources - 200 people. Everyone who got to the 15th hospital said: "There was no sound of outcoming fire nor the sound of incoming fire from above. The explosion was inside. They planted explosives, brought in beds⬇️

As far as I know, July 30 was supposed to be the second stage of the exchange. During the first - on June 29 - amputees were changed. And on July 27th, there SUDDENLY was an explosion. This was done to disrupt the exchange.⬇️

2 days before our exchange, it happened again. We were inside the building around September 17th. There are five barracks. The first is called 9-10. It's after the floors. Next is 1 and 2. And then there are 3-4, 5-6, 7-8.⬇️

At first I arrived at 2 barracks, then I was transferred to 3-4. After the hospital, I was at 5-6. I was there when I heard the outcoming fire.⬇️

By the way, their artillery was constantly stationed around #Olenivka. And everything was fired in our direction. And it was the same around 15th hopstial. They put us in front of themselves to hide behind us so that our arty doesn't fire back. They place their artillery close⬇️

So I heard the outcoming fire. Explosions and missiles flew. I thought some anti-aircraft defense was working. And there I heard incoming fire at the territory. Boom-boom-boom-boom. The cassette arrived. We rejoiced. thought that our boys were finally working... ⬇️

And we had already known that our guys were winning on all fronts: prison's a prison, but no one canceled the fact that we were military and could find out information anywhere. And then we found out that the place where our boys used to work got hit, they were digging some pit⬇️

At the moment of the explosion 1 killed, 4 wounded, but one got his feet torn off and another didn't make it to the hospital so in the end, 3 were killed⬇️

What did you talk about in #Olenivka [concentration camp]?
- Collected information, whether we had a chance to be exchanged or not. Chess, backgammon and dominoes saved us. There were no cards⬇️

- There were no books [in #Olenivka concentration camp]?
- There were, but it was a luxury. In order to borrow a book to read from someone, you had to have such an incredible thing as cigarettes, or collect a loaf of bread. And then they gave you a book for two days maximum.

- Were you able to read?
- Of course.
- What?
- I gave my lighter to read "The Selfish Gene". Some psychologist professor talks about genes. It had me for 20 pages. I thought that I could take 20 pages more and that it would get better. It didn't. I closed it and gave away⬇️

There I read what I had wanted to read for a long time: "Three Comrades" by Remarque. Didn't like it. Before that I read "All Quiet on the Western Front" - that one was very good. Written from the trenches.⬇️

In 2017 I was an interpreter for "Sea Breeze" international military exercises. When we talked with the Americans, and I told them our stories, they wondered: "What are you, World War I, sitting in the trenches?" He didn't even find the words to cuss.⬇️

A cool guy. Fought in Afghanistan, Iraq. I gave him a knife that I once took from an enemy, and he gave me a watch that has been through Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Where is that watch now?
- I exchanged it in #Olenivka [concentration camp] for a pack of cigarettes

- Did you want to smoke that badly?
- No. I can quit easily. I distributed those cigarettes.
- Don't you miss the watch?⬇️

- I learned 1 thing there. We get too attached to things. That watch went through the Afghan & Iraqi wars then on my hand it went through Anti-Terrorist Operation, Joint Forces Operation plus full-scale russian invastion. But it's just a watch. An electronic thing in plastic...⬇️

...But it's just a watch. An electronic thing in plastic. When I handed out cigarettes to the boys, they had so much happiness in their eyes - wow!⬇️

STARVATION
- What kind of torture were you subjected to?
- This is my subjective opinion, but a person can be cut, beaten, wrapped with scotch tape on his head... You can bear any pain. Hunger is the horror.⬇️

- Weren't you starving at #Azovstal?
- We were, but you could go out and look for something. Could cook peas on the fire. The only issue was that we had technical water. We shot the pipes there so that it would flow. We boiled it and drank it.⬇️

On #Azovstal you could come up with something, exchange something, those healthy ones could go out where the enemy was destroyed and take something there, find some combat rations. In #Olenivka [concentration camp] you eat what you're given⬇️

- What food did they give?
- Combined feed. The one fed to pigs. That compound feed was cooked without salt. Salt was forbidden, so you understand. Two teaspoons of sugar may have been added to that pot.⬇️

The ration was like this: for breakfast it was a plate of compound feed. The capacity of a single-use large plastic cup. Then, for lunch, their so-called "schi" water & sauerkraut. If you were very lucky, there could be a piece of potato. In the evening, compound feed again⬇️

They gave a piece of bread the size of a Snickers bar. Not the big, but ordinary one. Such piece of bread 3 times a day. What did I do to sleep normally? I put aside feed & bread for the evening. Before going to bed, I ate everything so that my stomach was full & I could sleep⬇️

If you did not do this, then when you closed your eyes you saw the food. You didn't see your family, you weren't curious if Ukraine was free or not.⬇️

- What food did you see?
- Eclairs and boiled condensed milk. I thought that when I arrived, I would just pour half a liter of boiled condensed milk into myself. And eclair to follow it.⬇️

People who go to the canteen are given 30 seconds to eat. And they specifically give boiling water & hard bread. You physically do not have time to make it.⬇️

You run there. You run back. On the sides there are guards with German shepherds. When I saw it, I thought: it reminds me of something, I've seen it somewhere. #Fascists [#Nazis] did the same! some kind of "#Schindler's List" reenaction...⬇️

Parcels are prohibited. Nothing will reach you! If you want to torture a person, destroy him mentally and physically, don't feed them. Feed little by little. Not only that - after a month, tease them by eating something delicious in front of them.⬇️

- What did they eat in front of you [to mentally torutre]?
- Some waffles, chocolates. And you look and imagine the taste of that food. How I would like to eat that... How much I would pay for that chocolate bar.⬇️

- After the exchange, were you greeted w/ food?
- Yes. They gave me a sandwich. There was sausage in it. Mayonnaise. I love mayonnaise. I eat everything w/ it. There were also cabbage &garlic
- Was it tasty?
- It was divine! Michelin should give 5⭐️immediately for this sandwich⬇️

-Besides starvation, have you been abused in any other way?
- Every morning at seven o'clock they played the Russian anthem. It's a good thing that the sound was so bad that you couldn't hear the words.⬇️.

But they didn't touch me personally much
- Because of the hand?
- No, because I was already famous by then⬇️

- Does fame gives any preferences?
-"What's up 'star'?" - the guards used to ask me. There were photos from the capture on May 17, where I am all dirty...⬇️

They were taking me to the toilet. I started having diarrhea. And all the way from Mariupol to Olenivka, I really wanted to go to the toilet. The bus did not stop. One of the guards showed me my trademark "Victory" gesture from afar. "Well, yes, that's me" I agreed and...⬇️

I showed him that I needed to go to the toilet. "No," he showed. It was cramping me for 4hours, I endured. We reached Olenivka. And then they held us. And I remember that the number of the bus was russian - from Rostov-on-Don. I understood that a russian was driving.⬇️

And it was his bus. So I shouted to him: "If they don't let me out now, I'm gonna mess up the whole bus for you" He began to shout to the guards. ⬇️

And the photo, where the guard with a rifle is following me, was taken just then. In fact, five guards were following me, not all of them got into the picture. They took me to the street toilet. When I passed them, they backed away from me. I also made an evil face⬇️

I thought: "So Ukrainians are still worth something, if five it takes 5 armed muscovites to escort 1 wounded Ukrainian to a toilet. They are afraid! So, everything was not in vain."⬇️

But I was once taken to the toilet by 12 men. All with automatic rifles! Then they took away the rifles from our guards. They were scared: what if I take the rifle away from him? Batons were issued. But the guards on the towers had guns⬇️

- But they still beat you...
- Well, they beat. For prevention. There beat those guilty of something. And the situation is that you could not even know that you were guilty of something. The guard just decided that because you turned your eyes in the wrong direction...⬇️

or lowered your head too low. I was mostly beaten when they took me to the Investigative Committee...⬇️

...on the bus, they beat me with a rifle stock. Almost always - over the head. "You didn't raise your hand to your head. "But I can't raise my hand," I explained. "Ah, right, indeed you can't. Then one more blow for you"⬇️

- Did you feel that you were losing strength?
- I couldn't climb the stairs. I lived on the second floor. And my right leg has already healed, I could move normally, not even crooked. But when I went upstairs I felt that I had to grab the railing. Every day it got worse. ⬇️

That's why I went downstairs to the first floor only to go to the toilet. Didn't do anything else. I read. Tried to move as little as possible. Yes, in this case, the muscles atrophy, but you do not waste energy and don't get as hungry.⬇️

INTERROGATIONS
- What were you asked about during the interrogations?
- "What did you do?" - was the most common question. I told that I was an AT-soldier, the chief sergeant of the platoon. That I was destroying the targets that were in front of me. "Killed a lot of your men"⬇️

"Those weren't our men, those were DNR" they emphasized in the investigative committee. "I don't care" I answered. "Are you a patriot?" - this was constantly asked. A stupid question, - I said, - and I don't answer stupid questions.⬇️

"What's your attitude toward the war?" Towards the war? Bad one. "Well, THIS war, how do you feel about it" - that's when my blood began to boil - How can I feel about it? Why the f#ck did you attack me? What do you need here? Why did you shoot me?⬇️

Do you realize that there are no fascists here? I speak Russian to you. What, you don't have enough land at home? You came and slapped me, and I punched you back... Is this not humane? Not a manly way? They agree with me: "Well, yes."⬇️

"And where are you from?" - they asked. From Ternopil. "And where is that?" Western Ukraine. "And what, you came all the way down here?" I ask: where are you from? From Rostov-on-Don. And if something similar happened in Ust-Ilimsk, would you come there? "Well, it's semantics"⬇️

What semantics? I have my own personal anthem, the band's called Buk, they have a song "My Land", it has words in it - "We'll stand until the very end". That's it. It's my land. Everything else is out of the discussion.
⬇️

Ethnically I'm not Ukrainian
- And who are you?
- I don't know. All certificates state that I'm Rusian. Mom was born in Dagestan. I've got Bulgarians in my family. But I'm Ukrainian. My passport is the one with the Trident. I was born in this country. Whom can I be?⬇️

Ethnicity should be canceled as a notion. What does it matter what blood runs in my veins, what does it matter who gave birth to me? Your essence's your nationality [here it's 🇷🇺error of confusion between ethnicity and nationality used in 🇷🇺propaganda tropes Mykhailo answers]⬇️

[basically dumb russians confuse ethnicity and nationality, so it's impossible to translate easily, basically they call Ukrainians Nazis and nationalists (which is the same to russians) and nation is ethnicity to them, but here it's about nationality... okay, let's move on]

If you believe yourself to be Ukrainian then you must be able to speak this language, gotta understand it to 100% I'm not a nationalist [in a russian sense of Nazi at least] It's not about ethnicity, it's about nationality [see, because of the dumb 🇷🇺asses this looks weird]⬇️

- Where did you get such willpower? You are always smiling.
- I lived through the bad 90s. And I was not a thug. I was a musician. I am from a poor family. I know what is better than bad. And now it's better than bad⬇️

My father once taught me... I was little, 7 years old. Went for sour cream. I bought it, returned - and broke the jar. I came home and cried. Father asked:"Why are you crying?" "I broke the sour cream." - "Yeah... Why are you crying? Does something hurt?" - "No."⬇️

Why are you crying? Will sour cream come back?" - "No." - "Then why?" - "Because you will punish me." - "Then here's the punishment - take 3roubles, go buy some more sour cream." The situation isn't gonna improve because of your sadness⬇️

If you're a prisoner [in a concentration camp] and you can't change that, why be sad? Yes, the mood is bad all the time. But gather optimists around you. Tell jokes. You can't change anything, but you can cheer up - no problem⬇️

Anyone from #Olenivka [concentration camp] can confirm I supported the guys strongly, even when I didn't believe that we're gonna be home soon. Every morning I said "We got 1 day less left, we're 1 day closer to getting out of this situation"⬇️

"So Mishanya" they asked me "Are we gonna be exchanged?" - "For sure, they'd kill us if they didn't want to exchange us. Soon we'll be back home" - "When?" - "Soon, just wait a little" - "You told the same 2 months ago" - "See? 2 months passed, it means that it's gonna be soon"⬇️

Maybe the fact that I'm at home already is an award for my optimism. Captivity reveals the essence of a person. A person can be a warrior. War reveals exactly the warrior: I'm brave, I'm strong" but captivity reveals the completely opposite - it reveals the humanity.⬇️

MONEY
- In social networks, a huge amount was collected for you in a day...
- And now I don't understand how can I spend other people's money? They explain: we chipped in for you - spend how you see fit. It's gratitude. I've got 100k saved for a watch earlier. I've got money⬇️

But the way people rushed in to support me. I was in 10th degree shock. Even that doesn't convey what I feel. I'm grateful to each and every one
- And does that motivate you?⬇️

- I'm confident that we will win. Because we already are winning. I was waiting for a turning point. And while we were at #Olenivka this point arrived. And thanks to this, those boys who remain in captivity, believe me, feel better morally now, they have become stronger.⬇️

Because we began to win. And the conversations in the barracks changed: "probably, we will not be changed, probably, we will simply be released". ⬇️

We were most afraid that when we'll see the yellow-blue flag on our tank or BMP, the Russians would hit us with artillery, won't us survive... ⬇️

We were very happy when we heard that the russians started to flee. That's why I'm sincerely happy and very proud of our fighters who beat them to the core. Well done!
END OF THREAD🧵
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