“Fighting in Ukraine is like fighting in Karabakh.” ‘If I refuse to fight…’ |
“The Russians shot and killed my beloved daughter five months ago when she was examining civilians. If before I was fighting only for Ukraine, today I am also fighting to take revenge for it.– in Ukraine Russia An Azerbaijani who fought against the occupation, who did not want to be named, speaks to Radio Liberty.
“Fighting in Ukraine is like fighting in Karabakh. Myself Ukraine I am a citizen, my father has always lived in Azerbaijan. He was talking about the battles in Karabakh and how people were destroyed. The same army – the Russians today make people orphans, kill and displace people in Ukraine.” – said R.A. He emphasizes that he has been living in Ukraine for 12 years and is always ready to defend this country.
On February 24 this year Russia He started a new attack on Ukraine. 10 There are Azerbaijanis fighting in the army of both countries in the war that has been going on for more than a month.
R.A. From 2014 to 2021 Ukraine served in the army. Six months before the start of the war military Although he left the service voluntarily, the invasion that started in February forced him to join the army again. Saying that he is ready to protect the country where he has lived for 12 years, R.A. He talks about going after the girl he loves to Ukraine.
“She was a nurse. Soon after I arrived, I joined the military, the same with my boyfriend military we were working in the section. Then we got married and continued our service to Ukraine. We left the military last year because we had a daughter so that our child would not be left without a father. But count what you count, see what the sky counts. When the war started, we voluntarily joined the ranks of the army. Our daughter was taken to Germany by her grandmother. The Russians shot and killed my beloved daughter five months ago when she was examining civilians. Only before Ukraine If I was fighting for, today I am also fighting to avenge him”– he tells RFE/RL.
The soldier, who was away from the war only twice since the start of the war, says that he was unable to fight for a week, the first time at the end of July, when his wife was shot: “He slept in the ward for two days, but he did not survive… I could not come to myself… One day, they brought a child to the mass cemetery where my comrade was buried, they said. “Russians killed”. I started to cry, I saw that it was time to fight. I returned to the front. In those days, I was shot in the arm myself, and I could not pick up a weapon for four days. Now I’m fine, I’m at the front again.”
R.A. he says that there are Georgians and representatives of other nationalities in the unit he fought in. According to him, the fighting spirit is unbreakable, but fatigue is felt.
“I started fighting in Donetsk, then in Valeryanka and other areas. There is fatigue, the war has been going on for almost a year. One difficulty is the obsolescence of ammunition, another weather related to the conditions. In between, we kept the stove warm, cooked food, and continued to fight with sleep for an hour or two during the day. It’s hard, but we can do it.” – tells how they helped the Azerbaijani civilians to move from the war-torn areas. “The most terrible thing was that the Russians shot these people non-stop. If we could save two people from Russian fire, four people would die. Russians sometimes kill all members of a family, sometimes half captive was taking The game that the captives will play on their heads Karabakh It was known from the wars.he notes.
Compared to the spring and summer months, the war zone is now relatively quiet, says the fighter. He is in the capital, Kiev medicine and says that there are no problems with food supply, some theaters, restaurants and cafes are working in the city. There are difficulties in communication, of Ukraine Electricity is cut off in the entire territory according to the schedule: “It happens in shifts for 12 hours. It is divided into four hours, that is, they cut off electricity every four hours. This makes it difficult to communicate with loved ones.”
Ukraine-Russia in the war perished Information about Azerbaijanis is often published in the local media. Radio Liberty Azerbaijan According to media reports, the war continues 10 for more than a month, about 30 Azerbaijanis, including military and civilians perished calculated that Ukrainian sources also confirmed that seven Azerbaijanis died in three days on the first day of the war – from February 25 to 27.
“Allah saved me from dying at the hands of the Russians every time,” another Azerbaijani told RFE/RL about the help of the local population and the provision of food and clothing. He the countries of the world to Ukraine military calls for increased aid: “The enemy is coming at us not with weapons, but with tanks, cannons and other equipment. Azerbaijanis are one of the nations that serve the most in the army. There are also Georgians, but we are more. (Georgians who fought in Ukraine say that their number is more than other nationalities – ed.) Because we saw such a tragedy in Khojaly. Khojaly They don’t equate the Bucha massacre with it for nothing. Russians are Armenians in Khojaly hand with female-male, child– he killed without saying anything. The same thing is happening in Ukraine today.”
The warrior repeatedly talks about how he survived death: “We had been settled in Nikolayev for a month. A girl I am close to said to me, “Come to the front of the military unit, I have baked sweets for you, I will give them to you.” In the middle of our meeting, I first heard the sound of Russian fighters, and then I saw them. They started shooting the local population. After those shots, three people survived, one of them was me. It’s just that God protected him.”
On the night of February 25-26, 1992 Armenia armed forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, with the help of armored vehicles and military personnel of the 366th motorized rifle regiment of the former USSR Khojaly occupied the city. As a result of the occupation, 613 civilians were killed, 487 people were injured, 1 thousand 275 people were injured. captive it was announced that 150 people were missing.
There are also women among Azerbaijanis fighting in Ukraine. In addition to those who take up arms at the front, there are also those who serve in the rear. According to one of those women, they face fear today so that one day their children will live without fear.
“My father and brother are fighting here. My friend also for Ukraine martyr has been Maybe me too martyr i will be But for the sake of my children, I will fight so that they live well in their homeland. My child has been with my sister in Azerbaijan for two months. I miss his face, but I don’t think I’ll stop fighting. Here, to the old men who knit woolen socks for the soldiers, sweets soldier we meet schoolchildren who share with How can we leave them?”– the conversation with the woman is interrupted due to the problem with the means of communication in Ukraine.
The military mobilization announced in Russia on September 21 was met with protests in the country, in many cities of Russia protest actions were held. On November 14 President Vladimir Putin on the procedure for foreign citizens to serve in the Armed Forces of the country decree signed.
According to Azadlig Radio, one of the Azerbaijanis recruited into the Russian army, Azerbaijan has lost his citizenship, 10 lived in Russia for more than a year and enlisted in the military a few months ago mandatory was involved.
“I served in the army in Azerbaijan. At the end of September, the call came and mandatory I joined the Russian army in uniform. I love Russia, but my love for it does not give me a reason to kill my friends and acquaintances living in Ukraine. Russia is a hegemonic state, I understand its desire to increase its territory, but I wish this desire did not end in blood. There are people who died on both sides, people who were separated from their homes”– said our interlocutor gun, food adds that there are no difficulties in supply.
He fought in the Russian army perished who is an Azerbaijani Sahin Ahmadov he remembers fighting shoulder to shoulder with, sometimes he doesn’t hide that he wants to take revenge on Ukraine for these losses. According to him, after Ukrainian forces blew up the Crimean bridge in early October, Russia ordered Ukraine to increase its missile strikes. “We obey orders, even if we don’t want to, we had to do it. Civilians were dying in front of my eyes.” – said our interviewer, emphasizing that the battle has become a matter of honor for the Russians.
“After the last rocket attack on Kherson, some of the Russian soldiers detonated explosives and threw firecrackers before eating. We used to sit outside and watch them having fun. Many people tell me that they cannot force a person. They do not understand that the wifechild, parents are here (referring to Russia – ed.). If I refuse to fight, I will either be imprisoned or killed. Who will look after them…” – the warrior shares his hesitations and worries.