Killed in Buch. The fate of the paratrooper from the Pskov Division of the Airborne Forces

The 20-year-old Pskov paratrooper Eduard Bulanov, who had dreamed of getting into the elite troops of the Airborne Forces from childhood, fought in Chernobyl and died in the notorious Ukrainian city of Bucha, which was now inflated. His younger brother also dreams of joining the army, the correspondent of the North. Realities found out, and his mother feeds people for free shawarma in memory of her son, which he loved so much.

"He was happy that he ended up in the Pskov division"

Eduard Bulanov was born on June 29, 2001 in the village of Kaisatskoye, Pallasovsky district of the Volgograd region, in the military family. His parents served in the border administration at the FSB in the region. Edik's father, Askar Bulanov, Kazakh, he is still associated with military affairs. Mom, Natalya Bulanova, Russian. After the 8-year service in the border troops, she became an entrepreneur.

Edward was the second child in the family. With his older sister Alina, he has a difference in the age of a little over two years.

“We were always very close with him: not just like a brother and sister, but as best friends,” says 23-year-old Alina Bulanova.

There are four children in the Bulanov family. In addition to Eduard and Alina, there is another 12-year-old Sonya and 11-year-old Stas. Grandma helped to follow all the guys parents.

- Edik loved his grandmother very much. She is probably more dear to him for his mother, because the parents were constantly at work. We both in essence grew up in front of my grandmother, ”Alina recalls.

Edik's parents parted more than 10 years ago, older children worried about the divorce. “But it was the choice of parents,” says Alina.

Natalya Bulanova married a second time, and her older children had another sister - Eve. She is now 6 years old.

Eduard’s mother says that his son was the “soul of the company”, played the guitar, “danced well with the guys Lezginka,” went to counselors in children's camps.

- He loved to communicate with people. He gave the latter, even if he himself had nothing left. Was shy. Sometimes I could not stand up for myself, I went to intercede for him, ”says mom.

- He walked everywhere for me. I remember there was a strong thunderstorm, and we were alone at home. Edik comes up to me and says: "Alin, I'm afraid, can I go to the floor with you?" I allowed, he laid a mattress, took a blanket and a pillow. At the age of 16-17, he could be said to sleep alone! Already graduated from school, but still ... But Edik was the main passion of Football. He was even recognized as the "best goalkeeper of the Pallasovsky district." - says the older sister.

In 2017, Eduard Bulanov graduated from the 9th grade. He entered the Institute of Continuous Education of Volgau for the specialty "EMERCOM and fire safety". In 2021, he received a diploma and almost immediately went to the army. Physical preparation and physique allowed him to get into the unit of the 76th landing and scurvy division-it is considered elite.

- When Edik was in the army, he was happy that he was in the Pskov division. All the time he served there, he regularly called us, told how he served, rejoiced that he had made ten jumps. In August, he signed a contract. We were very happy for him! - says Edik's mother Natalya Bulanova.

- He said that he wants to start earning immediately. He wanted to serve under a contract and thus financially help his parents, - adds Alina. - He immediately matured in the army.

The status on the old page of Eduard Bulanov on the social network says: "My goal in life is pride in the eyes of my father."

- He always wanted to be like dad. He dreamed of becoming a military man. He even has children's photos where he is in the form of Airborne Forces, ”recalls Edik's mother.

Eduard went into the army ordinary. Six months later, he became a corporal, he was appointed deputy head of the combat vehicle, the gunner of the tank.

"He was dragged around the battlefield when they shot and had to run away"

Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Pskov paratroopers were built in a row and asked: "Who will go to fight?" According to relatives, Bulanov without hesitation took a step forward.

The last time Edik Bulanova heard his father. He called him late in the evening of February 23, congratulated him on the "Defender of the Fatherland Day" and warned that he was sent to Chernobyl.

- He said: "Dad, I love you very much." In the morning we wake up and see the president’s appeal. Then we realized that Edik was sent to the "special operation" ... We constantly called the military registration and enlistment office, to the military unit in Pskov. We hoped to get in touch with Edik. We were constantly told that he is alive and everything is fine. After his death, we called, but they told us that he was alive. But in the end, the very next day we learned that he died, ”says Alina Bulanova.

Later they told the relatives that Eduard Bulanov died on March 21 in Buch.

- When Edik was killed, the boys could not just leave him. They dragged him across the battlefield when they shot at them, and it was necessary to run away. Therefore, his body was brought intact. I know that some just brought a leg, bones or one pelvis. And Edik was brought as he is. He had only two injuries: in the head and in the stomach. That is, he instantly died, did not even have time to understand anything - adds Edik's sister.

The family was told about the death of his son only on March 29. On April 1, 2022, the paratrooper Bulanov was buried. Then the mayor of Buchi Anatoly Fedoruk said that the city was released from the Russian army.

On the evening of April 2, Reuters journalists published shocking photos from Buchi streets. The bodies of the murdered civilians are visible on them, which are dotted with the streets. In the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the personnel were called "provocation" and "production." According to the mayor of Buchi, 320 civilians died during the Russian occupation.

“Even before the start of Russian aggression, we assumed that they would go to atrocities. We consider this a war crime and contribute to the collection of evidence. But the most important thing is to allow this to be treated as a norm,” said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote on Twitter: "The monstrous attacks against the civilian population of Buchi and Irpeni are another evidence that Putin and his army commit war crimes in Ukraine. And no misinformation will hide the despair of Putin and the failure of his invasion." Johnson called for the introduction of a new, more tough package of international sanctions and demanded an international investigation of crimes committed in Ukraine. Olaf Sholts also stated about the need to tighten sanctions. "Putin and his supporters will feel the consequences. We will continue the supply of weapons to Ukraine so that it can defend itself from Russian invasion," he said. The Minister of Defense of Germany Christine Lambrecht urged the EU to completely abandon Russian gas.

A month after the tragedy, Reuters stated that the 76th parachute-long division from Pskov, the same where Eduard Bulanov served, as well as a division of the Vityaz and three divisions from Chechnya, acted in Buch.

When asked whether the family of Edik Bulanov believes in the Buchi, his sister replies that "I do not believe in anything at all."

- I do not watch TV, not everything tells it. The whole truth will be known later. But I watched the TV when Edik was there, hoping to see the shots with him. When he had already died, one person sent us a video - it turned out that Edik was shown on federal channels. They were photographed there, and shot how he was going on a tank. How could we miss?! She is surprised.

According to the colleagues of Edik, the fighting in Buch were, "rather unnecessary." And initially not planned.

“They say that one officer wanted to get the Order and led the Pskov paratroopers there ... But I can’t say this,” the North Correspondent told one of the military who asked not to call his name.

Could Eduard Bulanov kill a peaceful man?

- You know, he never hit anyone, this is not in his character. But there is war ... I don’t know, if there was such an order, I probably could, I don’t know ... - says Alina.

One of the interlocutors of the North. Realia said that many of Edik's colleagues have an “unbearable cough” after Chernobyl. Whether the paratroopers feel the consequences of radiation or a cough appeared because of something else-it is definitely not clear.

"I want all the children to return to parents"

The body of Eduard Bulanov was brought to the Volgograd region in the zinc coffin at the end of March. First, the family of the fighter said that it was impossible to open the coffin. But Edik's father insisted: "I want my son to be opened, we will transfer him to his coffin." The authorities went to meet the Bulanov family.

“Three months have passed, and as if it were yesterday: mother’s screams, his body in the coffin, funeral,” Alina recalls. - The father and grandmother are especially difficult to experience the loss of Edik. Mom went to work with her head. Edik was very economic: if something broke in our house, he would certainly repair, screw, do everything. The hand was ... the only thing he loved to sleep very much. His grandmother constantly scolded him for this, said: "You will go into the army. Stop sleep!" And after his death, the grandmother said: "Well, now you will sleep forever ..."

Eduard's younger brother, 11-year-old Stas Bulanov, says he dreams of serving in the army.

- At the school on May 9, he wrote an essay and talked about the deceased brother. They are like two drops of water. Only Edik is darker with us, and Stasik is brighter. And the youngest always wanted to be like the eldest. When Edik went into the army, he told Stas: "So I will serve. And if there is an opportunity, I will help you also get a job." After the death of my brother, we put a corner with photographs, diplomas, and awards of Edik. The younger brother is constantly approaching this corner and looks. When one of the guys comes to visit Edik in the cemetery, Stasik also asks to go, ”says Alina.

She recently received a diploma of a lawyer of the Volgograd University. In the future, she plans to settle down in the UK, Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Ministry of Emergencies. “If it turns out, I will become an officer. Edik could not, but I want to finish his business,” she says.

Due to the fact that mom is Russian, and the dad is Kazakh, the Bulanov children seem to be two faiths. Edik read namaz and went to the mosque, but Orthodoxy did not deny. He was buried in a Christian. But the family follows Muslim traditions: it remembers for 7 days, and will be remembered on July 9, for 100 days.

The state paid compensation to the parents of Eduard Bulanov. With this money, Natalya Bulanova opened Bistro. “Edik was very fond of shawarma. I already had a hookah lounge bar, and now I opened a bistro in memory of him. Sometimes I make charity day and shawarma just give it to people,” says Natalya.

Meanwhile, a mini-football tournament dedicated to the deceased was held in Kaisatsky in May.

"Our fellowship-sportsman is known not only in the Pallasovsky district, but also far beyond its borders. At the age of 20, he was one of the best goalkeepers in the area. The tournament came to honor 5 teams and 3 teams gathered local guys ... Papa Eduard Askar Vladimirovich was transferred to the murals from the players," the villagers in social networks said .

How do the family of the deceased Edward relate to the invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine now?

- On the one hand, it’s good that we now present ourselves as a power. And on the other hand, a lot of young boys die there. This is such a damage to the population of the country! These soldiers are still inexperienced children. Edik has not even served a year! And there are fighting thugs and mercenaries - men who are not afraid of anything. In addition, they told me that Ukraine allegedly wanted to attack us on February 27. Here is the president and decided to repulse the first, - Alina Bulanova is sure.

- He will always remain in our hearts a hero that we will be proud of. But I would like all other children to return to their parents, so that less families experience the grief that we had to experience, ”says Natalya Bulanova.