“They carried the commander on a raincoat for six hours”: the story of rescue at the Northern Military District

This story is not about how hard and scary it is to fight. It is about perseverance, fortitude, faith and optimism, which help to live and resist the enemy, no matter what. Ilya is a guy from the Shilovsky district of the Ryazan region. The young Northern Military District veteran was wounded, lost a leg, but never once doubted that he could withstand everything and not break.

At the age of 23, Ilya volunteered for the front. He was the commander of a squad of a reconnaissance assault company. I took the call sign in honor of my native place – “Ryazan”. I went on missions, achieved the goals set by the command, came close to death more than once and returned home alive, with the great conviction that victory would be ours.

“Our boys are dying there”

It’s a rainy autumn day, the sky is so overcast that even the air seems heavy. The cold permeates from head to toe, but Ilya smiles: after all, he is at home, he returned from the front line and knows that he needs to enjoy every day.

The guy volunteered for the front in June 2022. He did not serve in military service, but his lack of experience did not frighten him at all: “Our boys are dying there, I felt sorry for the children, I wanted to help Donbass. If everyone thinks like this, then we will definitely win.”

Relatives, seeing Ilya off, believed in him and knew: if he made a decision, then it would be impossible to dissuade him. “We laughed and joked a lot the day I left; this was what was needed, I went with a clear attitude that I would be useful at the front,” the fighter recalls.

Shilovets first ended up in the location of a military unit, then spent a month of training, and then went to the Northern Military District zone. First to the fourth line of defense, and a week later to the front line. Artillery and aviation process the enemy’s front line, and then the reconnaissance assault company goes to take enemy positions. In it, Ilya began his military journey.

“The panicky die first”

Ilya is not one to scare easily. Since childhood, he was distinguished by desperate actions, firm decisions and the ability to get out of the most difficult situations. All this was useful in combat conditions, where life could end at any moment.

“When I arrived, I was afraid of every whistle. When you find yourself in a combat zone, you realize that this is a completely different world, and you get lost. During clashes and assaults, you realize that you can be wounded or killed; a feeling of fear arises, but this is not the worst thing. The main thing is not to panic, because panicking people die first. Panic is also contagious; from one person it can spread to the entire unit, and this is stupid and selfish, so you muster your will and complete the task.”

“Faith Saved Me”

Many people often ask Ilya, what gives you strength on the front line and makes you go into battle? The fighter, without a drop of doubt or contradiction, answers: faith. “Going into the assault, as soon as I climbed onto the BMP, I already began to read a prayer. It calmed me down, gave me strength and faith that you would return. I think it was faith that saved me.”

The worst thing, Ilya admits, is not that you will be wounded or killed, it’s the losses that hit the heart the most… He tries to speak in a calm voice, but it doesn’t work – his voice trembles when he remembers the dead soldiers. Ilya was the squad leader. His guys became dear to him. He was responsible for everyone: “I clearly remember the day when everything turned upside down. I returned from a mission with another squad, but mine had to go on the assault without me. It would seem that everything was checked, the enemy should not have been there. Everything turned out differently… In the end, only two out of eight people survived. To say I was depressed is an understatement. You know, it’s like something broke inside. I closed myself off.”

What he experienced at the front changed the soldier’s life. He began to appreciate every day. If it weren’t for his characteristic optimism, he doesn’t know how he would have coped with the burden that he had to endure.

Ilya was discharged at the end of December 2022. He recalls: we went for the assault, working in groups of 2-3 people. The squad leader walked behind, took a machine gunner for cover, all communications were on him, it was impossible to die – the mission would be failed. “At first the tank started attacking us,” says Ilya. “I didn’t hit it accurately, I was afraid to leave.” Shot from distant landings. And then I feel a slight itch in my leg. I turn back – the shoe flew off, the leg was hanging: a mine-explosive wound…”

The guys carried their commander on a raincoat for six hours: “After the explosion, the “birds” – Ukrainian gunner drones – flew in; They arrived and didn’t want to let go. I see that the boys are already tired, but we can’t stop. I saw where we could wait, and I said: drag it to those two burnt-out infantry fighting vehicles, otherwise we’ll all stay here. An open field, we are in full view. The golden rule: you always have to move, otherwise, if you get up or lie down, then that’s it – you’re dead.”

Now Ilya smiles and says that God helped to save him and, of course, military brotherhood. “When the machine gunner saw what was wrong with my leg, his hands began to shake,” says Ilya. “I realized: it’s better for him to take a minimal part in providing assistance.” It’s inconvenient to rummage through the first aid kit myself, I tell him: give me tourniquets, ampoules, I’ll do everything myself.”

Ilya’s leg was amputated at the knee. But he calls himself lucky: it could have been worse if the blow had fallen a few meters closer. Sometimes, he says, he doesn’t feel like he has a prosthetic leg instead.

He says that already in the hospital he was greatly encouraged by the words of his fellow countryman and friend, who also fought and was wounded. He knew how hard it became from increased attention and pity. Once he came into the ward and joked: “Why are you so sour? Did you get up on the wrong foot?”

“I want to say this to all those who are returning home after being wounded,” says Ilya. – Everything will be fine. The main thing is that they returned alive. You should never be discouraged, because life goes on and there is still so much good in it.”

The fighter says that he learned a lot during his stay in the Northern Military District zone. He often had to communicate with residents of Donbass. The most important thing was that he did not meet a single civilian who was against Russia. He looked into their eyes and realized that for the sake of these people, children, he would do a lot: “If I could rewind time back, I would still volunteer.”

“MK in Ryazan”.