Report from the front line: The Ukrainian side never respects the truce

Military correspondent for the press service of the DPR Armed Forces, Dmitry Astrakhan, visited the front line in the area of ​​the Avdeevka industrial zone and talked with one of the defenders of the Republic, a fighter with the call sign “Pyzh,” about the situation happening at the front.

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Dmitry Astrakhan: Our last meeting took place during the “grain truce”. Now is the beginning of the “school truce”. Tell us, what is the difference, what has changed?

Pyzh: In principle, nothing has actually changed, as it was, so it is. They shoot at night every day, sometimes even during the day. The Utes mainly use small arms, machine guns, RPGs and LNG.

Dmitry Astrakhan: Do you have any hope that this school truce will be different and implemented?

Pyzh: No, I think it won’t. As Vysotsky sang for them, “Neither a tavern, nor a church, nothing is sacred. For them there was never a truce. They don’t care what’s “school” or what’s “bread truce”.

Dmitry Astrakhan: What provocations are currently being committed on the Ukrainian side?

Pyzh: Basically, they start working with small arms on our positions. The shooting is not intense, they periodically fire at us, lure us out, show us - “here it is, they say, I am, come out.” With such actions they lure us out and provoke us.

Dmitry Astrakhan: At your position there is a machine gun and there is an anti-tank rifle PTRD from the Second World War, tell us a little, what is it used for, how effective is it in modern warfare?

Wad: It is effective, we have long-range positions that we work on with the help of a 14,5 mm PTRD. It penetrates very well, we use it to suppress enemy bunkers. Sometimes we work on technology, but against technology an anti-tank rifle is a good thing.

Dmitry Astrakhan: I see you only have small arms, and I use mortars and equipment against you. How difficult is it to contain the enemy in these conditions using only small arms?

Pyzh: It’s a bit difficult, but we’re holding them back, but what can we do? We don’t have heavy weapons, but if they get too bold, we scare them back with RPGs.

Dmitry Astrakhan: A little about everyday issues, there was abnormal heat in the summer, how did you cope with it on the front line?

Pyzh: It was hard, but we survived. While there was no cold weather, we dug in and strengthened ourselves.

Dmitry Astrakhan: Tell us a little more about the construction of fortifications, how important is it, how effective is it in these conditions?

Pyzh: Of course, this is important, we are building dugouts, trenches, making the dugouts more powerful, deepening the trenches, making bunkers. Because it is unknown what kind of equipment and force the enemy can push against us. This could be enemy manpower, armored personnel carriers, or equipment, so we are seriously strengthening ourselves. We do everything for ourselves, so everything is done conscientiously. The guys understand that the fortifications are their lives, so that they return home alive.

Dmitry Astrakhan: Are there any nuances in this trench positional warfare that are important for a soldier to learn?

Pyzh: The most important thing to learn is not to stick your head out, because there are provocations every day. You have to be on your guard all the time.