"Two commanders died in my hands." The story of the paramedic from the Kalinovsky regiment

"We do not refuse Belarus. I believe that we will definitely return to our country." Brovar is a paramedic from the Kastuya Kalinovsky regiment . After the start of the Russian full -scale invasion, he decided to go to Ukraine and provide first aid to people, since he was already doing this during the protests of 2020. As a civilian, Brovary was not taken. Then he entered the Kalinovsky regiment with a fighting paramedic.

Radio correspondent Freedom spoke to Brovar about the difficulties of the work of the paramedic, the loss of combat comrades and the possible liberation of Belarus.

Brovar mentions life in Belarus only casually. “For security reasons,” he explained. Brovar was born near Minsk, studied at the Belarusian -speaking school, then entered one of the Minsk universities, worked there in Minsk.

- You said you studied at the Belarusian -language school. And in life, what language do you communicate in?

- I am fluent in both the Belarusian language and the Russian. Depending on the situation, I can switch.

This is our legacy, part of our ethnic group, our nation

- Should Belarusians completely switch to the Belarusian language?

- I think that the Belarusian language must definitely be revived. This is our heritage, part of our ethnic group, our nation. Of course, without a language, it will be difficult for us to maintain our identity. Yes, it needs to be revived, introduced, but it is necessary to do this gradually, as non -conflict as possible, because there is a situation when the vast majority of the population speaks Russian, and just take and prohibit - not a way out. It is necessary to gradually increase the number of Belarusian schools. It is necessary to educate people. People need to talk about the fact that the Belarusian language is part of our culture, that owning it is the obligation of a citizen of Belarus.

It is necessary to learn the language of children from an early age, gradually introduce it not only in everyday life, but also in documentation, laws should be in Belarusian. Lectures must be given in the Belarusian language, and gradually we will return the tongue, but we will have to do this for a very, very long time.

- Have you always been in the opposition?

- Perhaps yes. Starting from your first vote. It was 2010. I voted for anyone, but not for Lukashenko.

Fighters of the Kalinovsky regiment. Photo provided by the press service of the regiment

- What is it like to live in Belarus, being disagreeable with the system? Did you have a problem because of this?

- You know, although I take an active civic position, but I never had conflicts on this basis. I have never been repressed, and even after the protests of 2020, on which I provided first aid, nothing happened to me. Although this is strange, because I was definitely shot on camera. The Belarusian media even showed a video from the protests on which I was. This, of course, is good that nothing happened, but this thought that they can come for you always kept in tension. I never hid my views. I have always been in opposition in relation to Lukashenko, but there were no repression.

There was a prediction of the wind of changes, which was about to blow down

- As for the protests that you are most remembered from those days?

-There was a strong enthusiasm, there was an anticipation of the wind of changes, which was about to blow out. Everyone believed that our country would finally change. I believed that my activity would soon bear fruit. Then, when everything began to curl up, this, of course, greatly influenced me. I was suppressed, apathy developed. I did not want to stay in this country, I was already starting to think about moving. I have already received a Polish visa.

- What injuries did people have to help during protests? Maybe you remember the story of one of these people?

- Most often, people had injuries of the eyes and respiratory tract from tear gas. There were also injuries from blows with stupid objects - most often with rubber batons. There were cases when riot police were thrown by the protesters and they received injuries in the fall. These are numerous injuries of the musculoskeletal system due to the fact that people in panic fled where and as they could. Accordingly, these were fractures of the legs, dislocations, ruptures of the ligaments. There were also fragmentation injuries from light -school grenades. The grenade has a case that breaks, and the objects lying next to the grenade, such as small pebbles, become shrapnel.

Of course, numerous psychological injuries. Plus, chronic diseases were aggravated by people: hypertensive crises, there was one case of epilepsy. One day there was a rally and people were going to go to the blackbirds ( the Minsk district, where the residence of Alexander Lukashenko and many Belarusian politicians was located. - RS ) to the House Yermoshina ( Lidia Yermoshina - Chairman of the CEC of Belarus from 1996 to 2021. - RS ). They were blocked. The man left the Arena shopping center, saw a huge number of riot police, and he had an epileptic seizure. With knife wounds I have not seen people, with bullet - too. In my practice, this was not.

- Why did the protest choke?

- In my opinion, two factors played: excessive softness of Belarusians, the reluctance of great blood, deaths and confrontation with the authorities. The second is the spraying of protest leaders. There was no single leader who would take a protest, because our leaders, unfortunately, sought to prevent escalation, blood and deaths. They can be understood. Of course, this is noble and every life is really priceless, but still nothing has been achieved.

We can fight, we can do it

- Does this mean that Belarusians are not able to change anything?

- Absolutely not. History teaches us to the opposite. We know that Belarusians have stood up more than once in our history and sought their own. For example, a partisan movement during the Great Patriotic War. By the end of the war, it paralyzed all the logistics of the Nazis in Belarus.

Fighters of the Kalinovsky regiment. Photo provided by the press service of the regiment

We can fight, we can do it. Well, they tried it differently, tried softly and without violence-it did not work.

- When did you leave Belarus?

- With the outbreak of war.

- Can you recall the day of February 24?

- When the war began, I had a red veil before my eyes, blood pounded in my ears. I could not do anything. I just did not understand how it was possible and how it happened. I did not fully believe that the war would begin.

Literally after a couple of sleepless nights, I decided that I would go to Ukraine to help people - to survive this whole nightmare

I felt ashamed of my country, because the offensive went through Belarus, rockets and planes across the border of the republic flew. Literally after a couple of sleepless nights, I decided that I would go to Ukraine to help people - to survive this whole nightmare. I already had first aid experience, and I hoped that my skills would help people.

Initially, I planned to work in civilian medicine of disasters, then there was no Belarusian group of the military: then there were only the first calls for the formation of such a group, the Warsaw association of Belarusians, which sent people to Ukraine, was just beginning to work. They agreed with the Ukrainian authorities so that people could cross the border, since they did not let Belarusians on their own. We are representatives of the unfriendly country, with our passport, the entrance to Ukraine was closed. I decided to come to Ukraine through the Warsaw Center. I quit from the work then, broke the contract for hiring housing and went to help.

Already in Warsaw, I realized that, most likely, I would not be allowed to work in civilian medicine, because there were no debugged mechanisms by which I could draw up documents and work in Ukraine as a civilian physician. But I could come as a volunteer. I was just in the group of Belarusian volunteers who were driving to fight. I weighed all the pros and cons and decided to remain a paramedic, but as part of a military unit.

- You also said that you provided first aid during protests, now you also provide assistance to the wounded fighters. Do you have a medical education?

- No, paramedics often differ from doctors. These are ordinary people who work on strict protocols for the provision of medical care. The more the paramedic is qualified, the wider his work front. That is, he has more tools, more skills and methods of how he can provide assistance.

When we arrived, no one really knew anything about military medicine. It’s good if someone had an army behind someone: for example, there were several people who studied in the military institutions of Belarus, but the Belarusians did not deal with the real war for a very long time. Naturally, we did not own the medicine of disasters and resuscitation of the wounded, because it is a strictly military direction, which ordinary doctors do not know. In the first stages, Ukrainian specialists trained us, as well as Belarusian instructors who have been in Ukraine since 2014. We had something like a course of a young fighter: the basics of tactics, the foundations of rifle battle, medicine and physical training.

Fighters of the Kalinovsky regiment. Photo provided by the press service of the regiment

When I arrived there, there was not even a Kalinovsky company, the entire personnel - several platoons. The first platoon was combat - only people with experience in the fighting got there. There were people who served in the French foreign legion; There were people who previously fought in Ukraine. There were people with valuable combat skills - sappers, for example. I got into the second combat platoon, in which they took on the principle of "physically strong, but so far untied." We studied, and the commanders evaluated whether we are ready to go into battle or not. No one sent us cannon meat: I got to the front only in April.

Gradually, we developed: from a pair of platoons we grew into a company, then three companies were formed: the first combat, the second - the reserve combat and the third - educational. I got into the second. We became a battalion, and in May a regiment was formed, which is still increasing. Of course, the number of people in the regiment changes-at first the most motivated rode, then the stream increased or changed due to the situation at the front, the situation in Belarus. In the end, each person needs to check whether he is a saboteur - this also takes time.

A little later, the paramedic training system was structured in Ukraine, and for them they began to conduct preparation courses strictly according to NATO standards. We are already working and studying strictly on them. The improvement of their skills is constantly going on. Paramedics come to the regiment, get basic skills, and then these skills are expanding, after which they are already put in medical accumulations. We are now planning to train the crew of the reanimobile for evacuation. We are growing.

- Can you recall your first task? You had an experience of assisting, but in completely different conditions. When you were already directly in battle, how was it?

- It was in the Nikolaev direction. There were defensive battles near Nikolaev. I went accelerated. I went first with my second reserve company, since the paramedics from the first company were treated after injuries. By that time, I was still training, but it was already coming to an end.

Everything was bahal, fired, rumbled

The doctor, of course, should not participate in battle. A combat medic is involved in battle only when there are no wounded. Then he works as an ordinary fighter. When there are wounded, the paramedic works with them. It so happened that on the first combat mission I did not enter the battle: I had a task - to be on duty and wait if the wounded suddenly arrived. The wounded, thank God, did not act. I was on duty in a relatively safe place - a few kilometers from clashes. Of course, everything was bahal, fired, rumbled. It was impossible to lean out. I felt in the thick of the hostilities. I think I was lucky that I did not immediately get into the hell. This allowed us to prepare for the next battles. I could evaluate that I am doing correctly, what - no.

The first shooting battle was in early May at the assault operation. I walked a paramedic fighter of the assault group. This was the first shock group. Here I have already used weapons. There was already a large number of wounded. I managed to use all my skills and skills that I had at that time.

Fighters of the Kalinovsky regiment. Photo provided by the press service of the regiment

- As I understand it, now you are working in the Bakhmut direction. Could you briefly tell you about the situation? It is reported that the "PMC Wagner" together with the mobilized have successes in the south; Someone says that the situation is controlled. How would you appreciate the situation?

- I can say that everyone is right. At that moment, when information comes, it is true, but it changes literally within half an hour. There are permanent assault battles: either the Russian army or the Armed Forces of Ukraine is storming. There are constant artillery and tank duels.

Indeed, the battles are very complex, saturated. The technique brings a lot of damage. We recently had a case when Ukrainian fighters did not observe the distance when moving, and with one blow from the tank we received four seriously wounded fighters who will never return to the service. Unfortunately, they have lost their health in just a second.

The concentration of technology is very high. The situation is similar to Severodonetsk, but Bakhmut in this regard is much more convenient for defense, so the forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hold the city.

- Who fights against you under the bahmuth?

- All gathered there: special forces, PMCs, mobilized, regular army.

- As for losses in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Bakhmut direction, different information comes every day: some sources claim that we are talking about hundreds of wounded. How close is this information to reality?

There are practically no whole houses

- The numbers are changing. If there is a large assault operation, then the losses of fighters, unfortunately, are growing. There are many wounded - dozens a day.

There is no water in the city, there is no sewage, no electricity. The city is completely devoid of all communications. Everything works only on generators and bourgeois. There are civilians who refuse to leave him in the city. I do not know what they are counting on, because the city is systematically destroyed as a slow, but advance. Artillery fired deeper and deeper to the central areas. Those parts of the city that adjacent to the war zone - the southern and eastern, are destroyed - there are practically no houses there. In the north and west, a little better, destroyed houses are also found there, but the city is more or less intact.

- Before the interview, you said that a couple of days ago you were on a mission. What was it, if not a secret?

- In general, this is a single format of the entire medical service. This is a duty at the evacuation point, taking the wounded and dead. The tasks are almost always the same, albeit a little in different variations. We do not climb deep into the tasks that combat units perform. We work on our site of this task. We ask for information about the task only when it concerns the movement of the alcohol of our military units.

Fighter of the Kalinovsky regiment. Photo provided by the press service of the regiment

“Could you describe the life of a soldier?” How does your day go at the front?

- Life can be divided into two completely different reality. The first is being on the rear base, the second is a duty on duty during the implementation of the combat mission.

The rear base is a reliable structure. The stronger the better. There are communications, command post and all the bedrooms, household premises. If we are in positions, this is a completely different conversation. The evacuation point is usually different, but it can be repeated on different combat missions if it is suitable for this. There, of course, the conditions of Spartan. We can spend the night in the evacuation machine itself, we can spend the night in some basements. As you have. The main thing is to find a reliable shelter. It is determined by the commander of the alcohol.

As for the fighters, there is a similar story. They occupy buildings, basements, strengthened structures, where you can set convenient observation points, protection.

- Often shelling?

- We work mainly in the frontline zone. We are always in the reach of armored vehicles and artillery. It happens that in the zone of reach of small arms. We are the first link in medical evacuation.

You do not see the person you wounded or killed

-Are there any psychological barriers through which it was hardest for you to cross? For example, the realization that you will be forced to shoot at people, or that it will shoot at you.

-Of course, there are difficult moments and barriers, but they are not connected with the enemy: in the modern war you do not see your opponent, this is some kind of flickering figure within visibility. You do not see the person you wounded or killed. It is psychologically easier.

But the fact that my two commanders were in my hands - Volat ( Pavel "Volat" - the company commander of the Kalinovsky regiment. He died in May 2022. - RS ) and "Brest" ( Ivan Brest Marschuk - fighter of the Kalinovsky regiment. The commander of the Vulat battalion. He died on June 26, 2022 - RS ). I just could not do anything, and it shook me very much. Моя группа оказывала помощь "Волату", мы пытались его вытащить, везли его в больницу и откачивали. То же самое касается и "Бреста". Об обстоятельствах его смерти говорить не могу: наши ребята находятся в плену.

Он был всем нам братом

– Вы служите в батальоне "Волат", названном в честь Павла. Каким человеком он был?

– Он был бойцом до мозга костей. Он жил боем. Это именно тот тип людей, которые сейчас пируют в Вальхалле ( "Небесный чертог" в германо-скандинавской мифологии, куда попадают павшие воины. – РС ). Это воин с большой буквы. У меня к Павлу бесконечное уважение. Это был наш самый сильный боевой командир за всё время существования нашего подразделения. Он был всем нам братом, а его смерть ударила по всем бойцам.

– Что самое сложное в работе парамедика?

– Самое сложное – когда ты сделал всё и немножко больше, но всё это бесполезно. Это ещё сложнее, когда это близкие тебе люди. Это твои побратимы, с которыми ты идёшь плечо в плечо, которым ты прикрываешь спину. Когда они умирают, это тяжелее всего.

Мы чувствуем, что мы черствеем

– Как вас изменили эти 10 месяцев?

– Я и до этого был человеком непростым, а теперь и подавно: я вспыльчивый, это зачастую мешает в моей работе. Я стараюсь сдерживаться, но не всегда получается. Наверное, стал более ответственным. Наверное, стал более злым, чёрствым и циничным, потому как сохранять в себе человека в таких условиях не всегда удаётся. Известно, что медики не видят в своих пациентах личность, которой мир может лишиться навсегда. Если так думать о каждом человеке, которому ты не смог помочь, то просто поедет крыша. Мы чувствуем, что мы черствеем.

– Не разочаровались после этого всего в жизни?

- No. Даже если бы я знал, что всё вот так повернётся, я бы сюда всё равно поехал.

– Президент России Владимир Путин впервые за три года посетил Беларусь. Аналитики считают, что он пытается склонить президента Лукашенко вступить в войну. Как вы думаете, насколько такой вариант реален?

– Украинцы мне часто задают этот вопрос, мы же общаемся со смежными подразделениями, да и с друзьями, которых мы нашли в Украине. Они говорят "Вот как ты думаешь, пойдут ли белорусы на Киев, Львов, Ровно?" Мне очень понравилось, как на это ответил секретарь СНБО Алексей Данилов. Он сказал: "Такая вероятность всегда есть, но в данный момент наша разведка оценивает её как низкую". Я согласен, вероятность удара есть, но на данный момент она ещё низкая.

– По другой версии, Путин хочет присоединить Беларусь и склоняет Лукашенко ускорить интеграционные процессы. Как вы считаете, хочет ли белорусский народ стать частью России?

- I think no. Тут всё очень зависит от регионов. Те регионы, которые граничат с Россией, – там бóльшая часть населения ездит на заработки в Россию – они, наверное, за присоединение. Более западные регионы видят, какой может быть другая жизнь. Конечно же, они не хотят вступать ни в какую Россию. Я думаю, что бóльшая часть белорусов всё-таки против.

Какой конкретный этнос в Российской Федерации является нам братьями?

– Я также довольно часто слышу слова о "братских" народах. Действительно ли Беларусь и Россия – братские народы?

– У меня вопрос уточняющий – а что есть россияне? Какой конкретный этнос в Российской Федерации является нам братьями? В любом случае, граждане Российской Федерации не являются нам братским народом.

– Полк имени Калиновского, исходя из заявлений командиров, имеет две цели – победа Украины и освобождение Беларуси. С первой всё достаточно понятно – выход на границы до 2014 года, а как быть с освобождением Беларуси? Каким образом полк собирается это сделать? Есть ли у вас план?

– Понимание того, как мы можем это сделать, есть, но, конечно, мы об этом говорить сейчас не станем.

Фото предоставлено пресс-службой полка Калиновского

– Возможно ли это с вашей точки зрения?

– Я бы даже сказал, что это реально.

– Ранее стало известно, что от полка Калиновского отделился батальон "Террор". Также есть информация, что на территории Украины есть ещё одна группа белорусских добровольцев – " Пагоня ". Насколько я понимаю, никаких взаимодействий на сегодняшний момент между этими тремя подразделениями нет. Как вы считаете, могут ли они в таком случае объединиться для выполнения одной задачи?

– У нас просто нет выбора, потому что если мы не объединимся, то нечего даже начинать.

– Почему между формированиями сложились такие отношения?

– Потому что в формированиях все являются добровольцами, и это всё живые люди. Возникает недопонимание, возникают расхождения во взгляде на будущее. Это всё не добавляет прочности и стойкости. Приходится договариваться, строить совместные подразделения или же, наоборот, отделяться. К сожалению, это происходит на фоне разного видения командирами будущего своих подразделений. Когда станет нужно, я уверен, что белорусские подразделения начнут работать для выполнения общей цели. Возможно, сейчас это не очень нужно: работает "Террор" – отлично, "Пагоня" выполняет задачи ВСУ – это тоже плюс.

Мы не отказываемся от Беларуси. Я верю, что мы обязательно вернёмся в свою страну

– Какой вы видите Беларусь будущего?

– Я вижу её демократической, развитой и образованной страной, которая имеет свой язык и чтит свою историю. Она не строит заборы со своими соседями, она дорожит ими: других у нас не будет. Беларусь будущего является частью большой европейской семьи – не обязательно Евросоюза, но европейской цивилизации.

От себя я бы хотел пожелать всем белорусам постараться сохранить себя, не потеряться в потоке бесконечных чёрных новостей, искать оптимизм в самых простых вещах, потому что Беларусь без людей – это просто пустое пространство. Наши люди – это наше величайшее сокровище. Наши люди должны даже в таких сложных и абсурдных условиях стараться двигать страну вперёд, несмотря ни на что. Мы не отказываемся от Беларуси. Я верю, что мы обязательно вернёмся в свою страну.