I'm going to fight on the side of good

Russian volunteer, disappointed in the DPR, goes to Syria

In April 2015, an interview with Russian entrepreneur Bondo Dorovsky was published on the Radio Liberty website, who, under the influence of television propaganda, decided to fight “fascism” and went to eastern Ukraine as a volunteer. The Dorovskys were accepted into the "Ghost" brigade Alexei Mozgovoy, who was operating in the Lugansk region, then he fought in the territory of the DPR. But, being in the Donbass, Bondo of the Dorovsky discovered that it was not at all what he had dreamed there. “When you get there, literally from the first minutes you understand that this is not a military unit - this is a real gang,” he said. Realizing that propaganda deceived him, Bondo of the Dorovsky returned to Russia and began to think about going to war, but on the other hand - to one of the detachments of the National Guard of Ukraine. The publication of the story of Bondo Dorovsky about the everyday life of thugs from the separatist republics caused a noticeable resonance, and the Russian special services became interested in them. Dorovsky went to Kyiv, but his acquaintances dissuaded him to join one of the battalions participating in the ATO. Soon, Dorovsky concluded that the main battle of the forces of good with the forces of evil was taking place in the Middle East, and began to collect like -minded people who were ready to fight the Islamic State in Syria. I corresponded with Bondo Viktorovich and tried to dissuade him, but he replied that he firmly decided to go to the war: "Now I am looking for hostilities as a drug addict. It’s scary to go for the first time, and then not to stop. I want to visit those battles." On his Facebook, he explained: “Real assistance from Russia in Syria can come only from their citizens, that is, volunteers in this case. In order for Russia to deploy its contingent there, it needs to create a group there out of at least 60-80 thousand people, but we are not the USSR, and this is unrealistic. Therefore, we are going there on our own, and the same militias who are on the side of Assad and supported by the official Dama, not. They are waiting for us to even answer our requests for accepting their ranks. In September, Bondo Dorovsky said that an agreement was reached with the Kurds fighting in Syria, who are ready to accept volunteers from Russia. The first group of Russian volunteers out of 12 people went to Iraq on September 22, and Bondo Dorovsky decided to postpone his departure for several days. Before his departure to the war, we recorded this conversation about everything that happened after the publication of the sensational interview about the Donetsk separatists.

“Your story is a militia disappointed in the DPR, is the only detailed confession of this kind.” This story naturally attracted great attention. What happened immediately after the interview was published? You wrote to me that the special services became interested in you ...

- Yes, employees of the special services were looking for me, they wanted to talk to me about the Donbass. They called, came, even their parents called. All the same, I, of course, came, talked, told, just like you, everything that I saw, and my attitude to this. True, in the end, they told me that they have their own information on this subject, they all see differently. This is where our conversation ended. As it turned out, it was pure curiosity: our special services wanted to ask what I saw there and what happened there.

- But there were no threats?

- No, there were no threats. They were interested in whether I have information about the planning of terrorist acts in Russia or in Ukraine. Regarding the territory of Ukraine, I addressed them to the DPR and LPR - there this is planned daily.

- And your former comrades who fought on the side of the DPR and LPR, how did you react to your story?

- They reacted absolutely normally, because I did not tell anything new to them, with the exception of the first Slavic battalion, where they printed this interview at the headquarters, they went very evil. The guys gave me so that I would not appear in the Donbass.

- After that, you decided to go to Ukraine and fight on the Ukrainian side. But you wrote to me that you were quickly disappointed. Why?

- Yes, indeed, it was so. I wanted to help the Ukrainian side. But the Russians who are on the other side are disappointed with what is happening there, and regret that they came there. And they cannot return back to Russia, here they are actually considered terrorists.

“Have you joined some kind of detachment?”

- No, I was not in any detachment. Everything was very fast, literally one or two days. I met with the Russians who are fighting there, and I was very popular: you yourself know very well what kind of war it is: there is simply nothing to do, not only from that, but even from this side.

- And what exactly disappointed them?

- First of all, probably the same as the militias: people are not allowed to fight, neither forward, nor backward. There is an artillery war, you are standing in the trenches; When the ping pong is on, you catch these shells, and that’s it. They do not give you tasks, for example, to storm, to conquer some territories. In fact, you just stand in the trench - this is that on the one hand the war is such, on the other hand.

- That is, annoying the indecision of the command?

- Yes, of course. War is when you really go somewhere forward, and if you just stand and wait until the shells arrive at your head, it is pointless. The guys with whom I talked are all in Kyiv.

-They went to fight for Ukraine out of beliefs, for the sake of adventure, because of money?

- They beat themselves in the chest that they did it all of the beliefs in order to fight precisely against Russia. But in fact, I do not believe them. I openly told them: guys, you probably came here for PR.

- Often on the side of Ukraine they are fighting, paradoxically, Russian nationalists of extreme right beliefs.

- That's it they say.

- Returning from Ukraine disappointed, you decided to go to Syria. Why Syria and how did you decide on which side to fight? I know that you first thought to fight on the side of Bashar al -Assad, and then chose the Kurds ...

Chechens who have a choice of work as a guard, loader, cleaner or participate in hostilities, of course, choose the second

- The thought came about Syria for a long time, a year ago. Being in the Donbass, we talked about going to Syria. So this is not even today. Since January, they tried to establish contact with the official Damascus; Unfortunately, nothing happened. They tried to establish a connection with the detachments of national self -defense, which are fighting on the side of Bashar al -Assad, they were connected, there was no answer either. Sliming deeply, understanding what is really happening there, who is fighting there, contacted the Kurds. The Kurds are very quick guys, they have a very good organization to attract volunteers. This is not only we turned to the side of Bashar al -Assad, several Russians who are now in Syria, encountered absolutely the same problems. The Syrian Free Army, of course, does not suit us, because two years ago they promised to cut their heads to Russian, Ukrainians, Germans, seized hostages, issued these hostages for a lot of money. They are fighting against Bashar Assad, rebels. Naturally, they do not suit us, and, as far as I know, the Syrian Free Army generally ceased to exist. So, of course, the Kurds. Moreover, Russia supports the Kurds, the president recently talked about this. We go there exclusively to fight ISIS. We have no desire to participate either in the support of the revolution or in the support of Bashar al -Assad, we are going to fight exclusively with terrorists.

- That is, you are seriously worried about ISIS, or is it all for the adrenaline?

Bondo of the Dorovskys

-Once having been in the war, having gained some experience, you understand that in fact it is not everything is so scary. Although it is clear, anything can be, you can get into such a binding that you will come in general to pick up a weapon. Yes, I believe that if we had promoted this movement, as a trip to the Donbass were promoted last year, then two and a half thousand Russians who are now on the side of ISIS, they would not have been there, they would be on a completely different side. I understand these people, people want to fight. The same Chechens who have a choice to work as a guard, loader, cleaner or participate in hostilities, of course, choose the second. But they were not given the opportunity to fight on the other side, so they went to ISIS, propaganda did its job. If they knew about the same Kurds that you could also fight there, only on the side of good, then I'm sure they would go there.

-Someone is also going to fight on the side of ISIS with the confidence that this is a “side of good”, a new Muslim state that confronts evil from their point of view, that is, a corrupted modern unbelieving world.

They have their own security service, which is engaged in checking people who want to come to them. This is not Donbass where they took everyone in a row

- I spoke with many Muslims, there is no such thing in Islam that they do there. After all, they kill defenseless people: they cut off their heads, someone is burned. They are not even warriors. So does the warrior come with a defenseless person? Yes, there are people who sympathize with ISIS, but it seems to me that these people do not really deepen and do not understand. Then, nevertheless, ISIS is a terrorist organization that is probably recognized by all the states of the world.

- That is, your main motivation is to fight with a dangerous terrorist organization?

- Yes, of course. When we went to the Donbass a year ago, we rode for some kind of meaning, searched for our ideals in life. Not what they were looking for, they were somewhere inside. We believed that these ideals were found. I already spoke about the ideals that were in the Donbass, which I personally were not found there. ISIS is really evil. I think this will be a significant act in life: you will do something for people. We go there absolutely disinterestedly, we are real volunteers. I like the fact that we do it for free.

- Do they check you before enrolling in the detachment? Do they help to cross?

- They have their own security service, which is engaged in checking people who want to come to them. This is not Donbass, where they took everyone in a row. It takes a certain time to check. How they check there - I do not know. We arrive in Suleimania, to the eastern part of Iraq, from there they already deliver to the territory of Syria, somewhere about 8-10 days, an exciting journey. And you have to get on boats, and cars. There is a whole adventure.

- Do they recruit Russian -speaking? Is there any Russian branch?

- No, there is no Russian department, there is a site, you turn and you can make contact with the Syrian Kurds.

- Do they help you in order to move to Iraq? Offer financial assistance or are you doing everything at your own expense?

- Everything is exclusively at your own expense. We ourselves get there, we equip ourselves. Moreover, it is necessary to have about $ 200 a month of their funds, because the food that is provided there is rather scarce: rice, lavash, beans. Naturally, communication funds, something to buy. Each volunteer who goes there himself pays for the trip and there, and back, equipment and monthly expenses.

- Have you been interested in the history of the Kurdish problem?

We are now choosing people not only with experience of hostilities, but also served in the army

- I know how this problem arose. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the Kurds were actually thrown, because they promised a separate state. Bashar al -Assad did not allow the Kurds to open his schools so that the Kurdish language was there, in this regard the Kurds were oppressed. Although the Kurds of Syrian are not so much needed, they talk about autonomy in Syria. The Kurds about autonomy in Turkey are the same, they have a long problem with the Turks, they have been fighting for more than a decade.

- A group of 12 people who went there first, how did it arise? Are these your friends or did you meet on the Internet?

- Since January, I have been looking for like -minded people. There were a lot of people who wanted to go. This group has formed, and there are a little more people who will leave next month. We have long been organized.

- And everyone fought in the Donbass?

- There is absolutely no one from Donbass. We are now choosing people not only with the experience of hostilities, but also that have served in the army. There are almost all military pensioners, almost all officers. Those who took part in the fighting in Chechnya, someone on the Tajik-Afghan border. There is one person who has served in a foreign legion in France for 10 years.

- That is, not young people?

- No, the average age is 40 years old. These are all professionals.

-Are there any Russian instructors, Russian employees, or do you correspond directly with the Kurds?

We do not want to participate in any policy or in any revolution, our task is only one - to destroy ISIS

- Directly with the Kurds. As far as I know, there are one or two of the Russians in total. Moreover, the Kurds suggest studying the Kurdish language, in particular, the Kurmaneji dialect. Türkiye has a strong impact on Iraq, now the border of the blocked, especially after a truce has ended between the Kurds and the Turks in the summer. Now the guys have arrived, they just can’t get there, there they were slightly resigned. In this regard, of course, this is a big problem. But we found how to solve it. Because there are Peshmergs - these are Iraqi Kurds, on which the side we arrive in the eastern part of Iraq. We will be precisely as part of the Peshmergs departments. Moreover, Peshmergs are much better organized, equipped, because it is simply not possible to get to the Syrian Kurds.

- Do Iraqi and Syrian Kurds act autonomously, is there no general command?

-They act jointly with joint operations, but they still have a policy of autonomous, they are ideological opponents among themselves. Last year, when they liberated the city of Kobani, they acted together. They are still acting together, but at the same time these are ideological opponents.

- And does they unite them not only with hatred of ISIS, but also hatred of Assad's regime?

- Yes, indeed, it is present. Although the same Syrian Kurds are working now, albeit secretly, with the regime of Bashar al -Assad. They are now united in the struggle against ISIS.

- To Assad, you do not feel hostile feelings and even thought to fight on his side?

- Yes, we are going there exclusively with one goal - the struggle against the Islamic State. We do not want to participate in any policy or in any revolution, our task is only one - to destroy ISIS.

- Putin provides military assistance to the Assad regime. Do you believe that you will be on the front line, and from the opposite side there will be Russian troops? This situation may arise, you are ready for it?

- I think no, because Russia supports the Kurds. Putin spoke of the support of the Kurds. In Moscow, some negotiations are organized. Therefore, I think this should not happen.