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My survival in the war in Ukraine

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#1 ·
Hi!
I am ordinary former inhabitant of Donbass – region, where is war now. Until end of 2014 I lived in Donetsk and then three months – in small town Dzerzhinsk, where also were combat operations in suburban. Before war I was some kind of survivalist – I had a shotgun, I liked hiking, DIY-hobbies and so on. And when on my city begun fall missiles, I understood that I am completely not prepared to this scenario. Please, don’t judge my text strictly – I do not know English well, but I hope that my experience will help somebody in future crysis. And, also, it can help better understand, what happens in Donbass.
I am not pro-russian and I am not a fanatic ukrainan patriot. I am just a victim of this damned war.

As I have said, I had a shotgun, Maverick 88 – I bought it in April 2014 for 550 $. For permission to buy gun I bribed my well-known policeman. It was last pump-action shotgun in gunshops of Donetsk, other were already bought – somebody wanted to be militant (or separatist, if you like), somebody wanted to protect yourself in emergency cases when police can’t help. I also hoped that shotgun will be good usefull thing, but I was wrong.
I was surprised soon. City police (generally, in Ukraine police called “militia”, but I will use common term “police” for it) was on the side of separatists. They did not anything when they had seen armed men)) I had bought gun in April and already in May in the city had arrived first parties of well armed Russian mercenaries (or volunteers, if you like). Police was on the side of DNR (Donetsk people’s Republic) and can help nothing.
From this moment shotgun was useless. Separatists was armed with AK-74, they constantly walks on two or three and my shotgun unlikely can help me. But, after all, social chaos and rise of robbery in city not happened then. Of course, militants taken away many cars on the their’s check-points and simply on the streets, but they did not robber ordinary flats (as a rule they didn’t it, but were also exceptions…). Police had continued secure order, so shotguns turned out to be useless. I did not say nobody that I had it, because separatists seized hunting guns from civil peoples.

If you are interested, I can also tell about GRAD missile attacks, destructions and shelters, troubles at check-point (separatist’s and Ukrainian army’s) and life when people have not electricity, heating and water.
 
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#2 ·
Thanks for telling us about your dire situation. I hope peace will come soon over there. The world is at a precarious point now with fighting erupting all around. Most people just want to raise their families, work, and live in peace. Unfortunately, some have other motives which involve greed, power, politics and in some cases plain old harsh feelings toward their fellow man. Use your shotgun to shoot something for dinner. Save it as a last resort for defense. I think in your case just being seen with any gun or weapon will be an immediate death sentence. When people are shooting all around you, they don't take much time to figure out who the good guys and bad guys are. In your case, somebody might be your neighbor one day and on the other side the next day. Take care and keep your head down!
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the info! I am very interested in the situation and follow it myself. Are you still in Ukraine?

Shotgun is certainly NOT the type of weapon I'd ever carry if SHTF. Much better to have a military-style rifle if you can acquire it.

Sounds like the separatists are not making it easy for the average E. Ukraine citizens. How about the Ukrainian army? How have they treated you? I know they are dropping a ton of bombs on cities and villages to try and get to the separatists.


Are you ethnic Russian or Ukrainian? Your english is fine, I can understand everything you wrote.
 
#9 ·
Welcome.
Your English is very understandable.
I am sad about the situation in Ukraine.

Stay SAFE, as best you can.
Do not post anything here that would jeopardize your identity & safety.
Many here would be interested in factual information how it is there.
 
#10 ·
Nothing will get better as the fool Putin becomes
backed into a corner... with low oil prices and a
starving country..he will take more of Ukraine to
keep his country united in something.

The American president will sit back and watch it
all happen....his only concern is his legacy,nothing
more.

You folks there are in store for a lot this year.
If it were me,I would take my family and leave.
The militia corruption will only get worse as the
separatists and Russians take more & more land.
 
#11 ·
WELCOME..George
...As both of my Mom's parents were Ukrainian immigrants, ( by escaping to Austria) 1917-18
I am sensitive to the current ,ongoing, conflict & crisis.
Congrats.. for resisting ,& striving to be vigilant ..to protect you and your family.
Stay safe & Good Luck.
 
#12 ·
Thank you George for sharing your experience. Hope you and your family are safe.

I think your experience that you share on here is helping others in their preparedness. They can learn from you.

Lessons we can build upon are priceless. Nothing goes as planned in this world, so we must have alternative plans and escape routes.

I hope you will share more with us. Be safe and don't give away your safety.

God Bless, Ukraine is in my Prayers and that they kick some russian butt.
 
#13 ·
Thank you for your answers! Now I am trying to answer your questions.

1. "Where are you now?"

I am in Kharkov now, it is city behind front line, but there often explode bombs of, probably, separatist’s underground. Last explosion was 22 February. Here is video http://news.bigmir.net/ukraine/877471-Terakt-v-Har-kove--pojavilos--video-vzryva-vo-vremja-shestvija.

2. "Are you ethnic Russian or Ukrainian? Your english is fine, I can understand everything you wrote."

I am ethnic Ukrainian, but I speak Russian like mostly of citizens of Ukraine. I can speak Ukrainian too, but all of Ukrainians understand Russian and I don’t need speaking Ukrainian.
I have had studied English in University, but it was not very productively)) Google translator helps me)

3. "Use your shotgun to shoot something for dinner"

I am afraid that it is impossible)) In first, rocket attacks kick away all of sorts of birds and animals in Donetsk. In second, separatists very afraid Ukrainian saboteurs on their territory and try to catch every man with gun who are not from their “Army”. In third, I haven’t my gun now because it was impossible to transport it through check-point and I have leaved it in my old home. Shotgun stands in the safe and waits somebody, who, may be, will robber my flat and get it))

4. "How about the Ukrainian army? How have they treated you? I know they are dropping a ton of bombs on cities and villages to try and get to the separatists."

It is a very difficult theme. Yes, they treated me)) There was very unpleasant situation on the Ukrainian check-point, when one soldier wanted to arrest me as separatist)) Fortunately, my wife and daughters were with me and this soldier did not stopped me. Problem was that I have a beard and, may be, my face was very “suspicious” ))) Soldier told me that)
Yes, Ukrainian Army every day very imprecisely shoots Donetsk, but it will be in my next story about missiles attacks)

I am very grateful you for your interesting!
 
#22 ·
Thank you for your answers! Now I am trying to answer your questions.

1. "Where are you now?"

I am in Kharkov now, it is city behind front line, but there often explode bombs of, probably, separatist’s underground. . . .
Welcome to the boards. When you get past 5 posts you should be able get private messages. One of my sons lives in Kharkov, with his wife and children.
I will send you information is you are interested.
Stay safe.
 
#17 ·
Thank you for your story!
I'm living next to Russia myself and I have been following this conflict from the very start.
If I could ask only one question, I would ask something like this: "If you would have to go through the same situation again, how you would prepare for it?"
I'm myself kind of preparing for war too because what have happened lately.

Because I'm pretty much completely focused in medical skills, I would also like to ask how much people respect mark of red cross over there?
 
#18 ·
Thank you for your story!
I would also like to ask how much people respect mark of red cross over there?
Not sure how "people" there respect red cross. Trigger happy forces tend to fire on anything suspect.

I can assure you rockets, artillery & mortars fired into populated areas DO NOT respect anyone or anything.

A lot of that is going on in Ukraine, more often than not killing & damaging innocent peoples work places, business's & homes.

No sane person would voluntarily wish "war" upon himself, family or friends.

There is "truth" in the saying, "war is hell".
 
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#20 ·
Thanks for sharing George. 1 real account of an SHTF event is more valuable than any number of theoretical debates.

It sounds like you narrowly made it through the checkpoint. How prevalent are they? What else have you heard in regards to checkpoints? Are they all official, or have enterprising combatants set some up for profit? Or used officially sanctioned checkpoints to seize valuables?

Thanks in advance for your time, and good luck to you and your family.
 
#23 ·
Hi!
I am ordinary former inhabitant of Donbass...
Thanks for writing and welcome on board.
I was going to to translate a document I have, that combines accounts of couple people living in the area, but it looks like I don't have to now :)

I am attaching that document, take a look if you are interested. Please let me know if something doesn't sound right.
 

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#36 ·
Thank you. I can say that most of this text is very usefull. Really, in Donbass would be better do not have portable radio set - it is very suscicious for every man with gun. Another facts about rockets, shelters, checkpoints are also true.
But as for me I can not say about ukrainian troop's looting - in Dzerzhinsk ukrainian soldiers, as I know, don't do that. May be in another cities they do...
 
#24 ·
Thank you for your post.
Would a hand gun have been more use to you? Would have you been able to sneek a hand gun through checkpoint? I think many survivalist don't understand by walking around armed you make yourself out as a target. Fare better in a lot of senerios to appear unarmed yet have the ability to defend yourself. You may have been better off with a single or double barreled shotgun and a hacksaw.
 
#37 ·
yes, pistol would be more usefull gun than a shotgun. Yes, I think, it would be able to sneek it. But... but, after all, it was not critical nessesary. Ordinary thives in DNR were cleaned out by separs very fast (and drugg-addicts and drugg-dealers too), and ordinary robbery with, for example, knifes and similar are very rare now. And when several men with AK-74 from Novorussia Army want something from you, pistol can't help you.
 
#25 ·
Great thread. Welcome George and please keep sharing. This is really useful to people everywhere. People tend to have a conceptual idea of what might happen and how they might react and what supplies to collect and stock. But, it the real world the best plans can and will fail. Chaos theory is the one I most subscribe too. That even the best plan will be subverted by even small unanticipated influences. The point, stay flexible.

George1980, what do folks in that part of the world say about the aircraft that was shot down a few months ago? The info we got here was unclear with a lot of assumptions.

There's also a video floating around of a huge explosion from a couple of weeks ago. The conspiracy folks say it was a nuke but, it doesn't look that way to me.

Please take care of yourself.
 
#26 ·
George, I feel for you and your family, I hope everything works out well in the end. Please don't expect any help from America because the person we elected as president doesn't have a clue what foreign policy is. In fact, he has no clue on what to do on just about everything except playing golf.

I truly wish you well and hope to hear more from you.

Be safe and take care.
 
#39 ·
Thank you.
I think, USA don't need take part in this war in direct way. Ukraine has a lot of old soviet weapons, brave soldiers (most of them tough, motivated guys) and horribly stupid colonels and generals. They are corrupted covards, and often traitors. It will be great if USA makes something like units with ukrainian soldiers and american officers. We even no need american weapons - all that we need are skilled and fair commanders.
 
#31 ·
“What else have you heard in regards to checkpoints?”

Front line divides region. On the one side of it stand Ukrainian checkpoints, on the another side stand checkpoints of separs (I am going to use this short word – it uses in Ukrainian for naming separatists). For example, civil bus goes from Ukrainian Dzerzhinsk to separ’s Donetsk: bus have to be stopped 1 or 2 times at Ukr. checkpoints and 1 or 2 at the checkpoints of separs. Every time control may be different. Often control is like that: soldier entered the bus and ask – do have all of passengers documents? And quite rare every document checked. As a rule, most of passengers of buses are women, so soldiers are not too strictly to them. But for men they are strictly. One time I was the cause for stopping bus for half an hour – soldiers take away my passport and check the database of separs for my name. It is good that they did not find my name in it))
Generally checkpoints of other sides rather quickly check civil buses, but very slow and meticulously check private cars. Every soldier hopes to get money for an easier pass)) And real “goldmine” for soldiers are big trucks with food and other goods – every driver must have a lot of cash to pass a checkpoints. It is a cause of very difficult situation in DNR with food.
 
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