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An eye opening and troublesome discussion
a week ago
General
I met a guy today with his young sons, he was discussing obtaining a new firearm at some point, mainly for protection of himself and his sons "With everything starting to go sideways lately, I rather rely on my own means of protection over requiring help if things get nasty."
Thats when he told me he was somewhat fresh from fighting in Ukraine after 16 months fighting there, returning in last June. He's also Ukrainian American. He joined the fight along with two other fellow Ukrainians back in late December of 2023. He said he was among "35-40 Americans of Ukrainian ancestry" who volunteered to fight for their birth nation "Against the Soviets". He told me that his prior military history was with the US army in Afghanistan, doing two tours there. "They hand me an RPK, gear and body armor and put me in the trenches." He said that the fighting wasn't anything he previously experienced in the Afghanistan theater. First off he pointed out that the drone warfare was the key weapon you truly feared. That the ground was literally spider webbed with fiber optic wires from both sides using those drones. Plus he pointed out its becoming a WW1 situation with trenches everywhere. Only things missing are gas attacks and flame throwers. But the drones used by both sides, seriously changed the battlefield of even 5 years ago. He said one soldier managed to shoot down a Russian drone, upon careful examination, Iranian built with French made electronics.
He said with a wide grin "Those Russian tanks, when hit, blow the turrets high into the sky, as high as 100-150 feet, You know how heavy the turrets are alone?" I asked him what he's been seeing equipment-wise in armor , "They are literally raided museums for armor, I witnessed almost new looking T-34/85s running out there!!" (Russia traded Myramar (Burma) 25 T-72s for 120 Late WW2 T-34/85s in 2021, and the Kremlin said they were to be used in military parades and used in films) But he grimly discussed an event he witnessed, "I was in an M2 Bradley, my back against the rear loading hatch facing front of the tank, two of my buddies were seated in front of me, facing the rear, when a Soviet 120mm Mortar round landed directly in front of the Bradley, I felt the heat from the explosion and slammed back, then saw myself covered in blood and my two buddies, also covered in blood and intestines. We had the top hatch open. Turned out the eight Ukrainians riding on top (Mainly it was safer outside the track than ride inside due to mines) were literally shredded by the fragmentation of the mortar round. That seriously will forever be in my mind,"
He also pointed out that he was wounded three times and showed the scars "I caught grenade fragments in the legs, mine fragments in my arms and side, and shot in the shoulder with an AK, likely a ricochet, cause had it been a direct hit, it would go right through me, its still in my shoulder under the shoulder blade." He stated he didn't even feel it for a couple hours, til a buddy jammed his finger in the hole and showed him a bloody finger "Then I felt it!".
I asked if he encountered any North Korean soldiers, "Oh hell yeah, worthless fighters, and they HATED the Soviets, but LOVED their porn!" Stating they found vast amounts of porn on the North Korean phones and magazines found in their gear! "They are gutless soldiers, shitty in battle, I ran into one face to face in a trench, less than 3 feet away, I had my AK literally in his face, he quickly threw down his AK and started yammering in Korean at me and clasping his hands in begging. I took him prisoner and hauled him back. We managed to locate somebody who spoke Korean. He said the guy BEGGED them to not send him back to North Korea and let the UN know that he was killed instead. He was very adamant about it! I have no clue if they obliged him or not."
He also said that they encountered numerous foreign fighters on the battlefield "Chechens , Iranians, Libyans, Yemeni, Syrians, Africans, Cubans and even Chinese." Plus acknowledged a massive "UN of foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine, We have Americans, Canadians, Brits, Poles, Dutch, Danes, Albanians, Hungarians, Czechs, Germans, Fins, Italians, even some from Brazil and Argentina." Stating the war was literally bleeding Ukraine white, but also bleeding Russia white as well, and apparently they've lost higher numbers than they admit.
He said when he got home, he couldn't sleep properly, was edgy all the time, his wife of 6 years filed for divorce 2 months after he got home, saying she couldn't deal with the PTSD. "My mind is still 90% over there! Part of me wants to go back and continue the fight!" I pointed out his two sons who were with him , aged 3 and 5, needed him more. "Stay for your sons!! Don't have them lose their dad if you go back again." He actually looked at his sons, and back at me, sighs and nods "Thanks man!" Fist bumps me back and leaves.
But man, listening to him talk about it, seriously made me think about the bullshit still going on there. And we're approaching the 4 year anniversary of Putin's bullshit war.
Thats when he told me he was somewhat fresh from fighting in Ukraine after 16 months fighting there, returning in last June. He's also Ukrainian American. He joined the fight along with two other fellow Ukrainians back in late December of 2023. He said he was among "35-40 Americans of Ukrainian ancestry" who volunteered to fight for their birth nation "Against the Soviets". He told me that his prior military history was with the US army in Afghanistan, doing two tours there. "They hand me an RPK, gear and body armor and put me in the trenches." He said that the fighting wasn't anything he previously experienced in the Afghanistan theater. First off he pointed out that the drone warfare was the key weapon you truly feared. That the ground was literally spider webbed with fiber optic wires from both sides using those drones. Plus he pointed out its becoming a WW1 situation with trenches everywhere. Only things missing are gas attacks and flame throwers. But the drones used by both sides, seriously changed the battlefield of even 5 years ago. He said one soldier managed to shoot down a Russian drone, upon careful examination, Iranian built with French made electronics.
He said with a wide grin "Those Russian tanks, when hit, blow the turrets high into the sky, as high as 100-150 feet, You know how heavy the turrets are alone?" I asked him what he's been seeing equipment-wise in armor , "They are literally raided museums for armor, I witnessed almost new looking T-34/85s running out there!!" (Russia traded Myramar (Burma) 25 T-72s for 120 Late WW2 T-34/85s in 2021, and the Kremlin said they were to be used in military parades and used in films) But he grimly discussed an event he witnessed, "I was in an M2 Bradley, my back against the rear loading hatch facing front of the tank, two of my buddies were seated in front of me, facing the rear, when a Soviet 120mm Mortar round landed directly in front of the Bradley, I felt the heat from the explosion and slammed back, then saw myself covered in blood and my two buddies, also covered in blood and intestines. We had the top hatch open. Turned out the eight Ukrainians riding on top (Mainly it was safer outside the track than ride inside due to mines) were literally shredded by the fragmentation of the mortar round. That seriously will forever be in my mind,"
He also pointed out that he was wounded three times and showed the scars "I caught grenade fragments in the legs, mine fragments in my arms and side, and shot in the shoulder with an AK, likely a ricochet, cause had it been a direct hit, it would go right through me, its still in my shoulder under the shoulder blade." He stated he didn't even feel it for a couple hours, til a buddy jammed his finger in the hole and showed him a bloody finger "Then I felt it!".
I asked if he encountered any North Korean soldiers, "Oh hell yeah, worthless fighters, and they HATED the Soviets, but LOVED their porn!" Stating they found vast amounts of porn on the North Korean phones and magazines found in their gear! "They are gutless soldiers, shitty in battle, I ran into one face to face in a trench, less than 3 feet away, I had my AK literally in his face, he quickly threw down his AK and started yammering in Korean at me and clasping his hands in begging. I took him prisoner and hauled him back. We managed to locate somebody who spoke Korean. He said the guy BEGGED them to not send him back to North Korea and let the UN know that he was killed instead. He was very adamant about it! I have no clue if they obliged him or not."
He also said that they encountered numerous foreign fighters on the battlefield "Chechens , Iranians, Libyans, Yemeni, Syrians, Africans, Cubans and even Chinese." Plus acknowledged a massive "UN of foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine, We have Americans, Canadians, Brits, Poles, Dutch, Danes, Albanians, Hungarians, Czechs, Germans, Fins, Italians, even some from Brazil and Argentina." Stating the war was literally bleeding Ukraine white, but also bleeding Russia white as well, and apparently they've lost higher numbers than they admit.
He said when he got home, he couldn't sleep properly, was edgy all the time, his wife of 6 years filed for divorce 2 months after he got home, saying she couldn't deal with the PTSD. "My mind is still 90% over there! Part of me wants to go back and continue the fight!" I pointed out his two sons who were with him , aged 3 and 5, needed him more. "Stay for your sons!! Don't have them lose their dad if you go back again." He actually looked at his sons, and back at me, sighs and nods "Thanks man!" Fist bumps me back and leaves.
But man, listening to him talk about it, seriously made me think about the bullshit still going on there. And we're approaching the 4 year anniversary of Putin's bullshit war.
How 'Our Leaders' have handled the aid/assistance? As an American Vet., I in no way approve of the massive funds/materials flushed down whatever toilets it was, to what effect? Others getting filthy rich, buying multiple mansions/yachts?
I'm so done with all of it. I can't care about what other countries are dealing with. America has far too many challenges of our own, and until ALL of them are resolved, I don't want to hear or see another .01 of our Tax $$$'s thrown elsewhere.
Call me a cold-blooded Bitch if ya want. I'll even agree with you (To some extent.)
I'm just tired, in pain, and fed up with it all.
:-/
I think Putin just wants some sort of legacy and he doesn't care that it's built on corpses from the entire world. He's really done nothing for his country but they all fear and loathe him.
"A single death is a tragedy, but a million deaths is a statistic."
Brings to mind the Tommy Lee Jones movie "Heaven and Earth."
Vix
I did read that they were told they were only going on a training exercise, which is grimly amusing.
I hail from a military family. Papa was a 'Nam Vet, so was Momma. SO many others in our community were Vets, and I suppose that proximity educated us kids more than others? The adults rarely let us hear/see stuff if they could prevent it. We'd know something was up by the way they'd act, and of course there were times we were told to stay away from the 'Circle' (Fire-pit area, also used for communal ceremonies/celebratory events), and we'd see them gathered, talking and smoking, sharing whatever drink it was they had... 'Body language' spoke volumes.
My first Tour (Liberation of Kuwait), did not see me directly involved in the conflict, but I was side-by-side with some who did. I/we saw so much of the carnage, and that 'Highway of Death' that has been documented? Yeah, I was there, picking-up wreckage/offal, shoving destroyed vehicles/equipment out of the way to clear the road. What's always stuck with me, to this very day, was the smell(s). We'd return to the barracks, shower, and that damned reek still clung to our hands/bodies. There are moments today when something will trigger it (Usually if I'm downwind of a certain fire or BBQ), and the memories/emotions slam right back into you, often haunting my dreams for days.
Whoever it was who first said "War is Hell" knew what they were talking about. Pictures can show the gruesomeness, but if you're there? Seeing, touching, smelling it firsthand?
I had two fellows die in that engagement. One was a very dear friend I considered a Brother, another a close associate (Both died in different ways/times, but close together, as the conflict and our time in the clean-up didn't last very long). I served as Honor Guard to them at their funerals, Stateside, and handed the flag to their Mothers. For me, that was the most difficult thing I've ever done as a Marine. It's hard to even type about, now, seeing that grief in their eyes.
whew....
I need a stiff drink. Or three.
I'm with you/this Man, always. We can never be too aware, too trained, or too equipped when we're put into a SHTF situation. People let their guards down far too often, and 'Life' catches them so totally by surprise it isn't even funny. (That poor woman stabbed to death in that damned train car? Yeah that's exactly what I'm talking about!)...
And that was General William Tecumseh Sherman who said "War is Hell".
I do remember vividly that news of the war broke just about exactly when we were starting to get a bit of relief from the constant yammering about Covid, so that tidbit has been in the back of my mind.
That’s fair.
That's the thing for countries like North Korea. There's no actual combat experience, only good for parades and such. And who wants to fight for a nightmare hell-state? Especially seeing the nice things the outside world has to offer. And rather than clean themselves up, the cretins in charge will double down. It validates the fact, that the only reason they signed up for political careers, is to have a cushy life at the expense of the struggling citizen.
Hope he gets therapy. The PTSD ain't fun, but it can be dealt with, and needs to be.