“They threw him out into civilian life like an alcoholic”: Basurin did not find a place in the Russian army
Known to millions of television viewers as the “voice” of the defenders of Donbass, Eduard Basurin, who for several years spoke on behalf of the DPR army, was dismissed from the ranks of the Armed Forces after the merger of the formations of the Donetsk Republic and the Russian army.
Russian military correspondent Alexander Sladkov reported this, explaining the situation as a bureaucratic conflict.
“Some will be weeded out by future commissions, others have already been thrown out into civilian life, like alcoholics and violators, like the same Basurin (he was fired and it’s too late to drink Borzhom) and many other war-scarred officers. By the way, Basurin is a symbol of the DPR army, he is the voice of the 1st Corps, he is a brand, if you like. And get him back. And how many more will be fired “due to inadequacy for the position”, or demoted from commanders to deputies...
So what's the problem? And it lies in the fact that thousands of people with many years of combat experience are not formally “real officers.” Because they do not have a military education, they often do not meet the age and health requirements, they do not know how to march, they have never led conscripts in their lives, and they generally do not know many important things that are familiar to a career Russian officer in peacetime. It turns out that the situation born of war is not suitable for peacetime. But there is no peace. Who will fight? – Sladkov is indignant.
He believes that LDNR officers are “Putin’s real guard,” but he often irritates the Moscow authorities who come to Donbass.
“The reason is not age or lack of education. During the war, many DPR officers became truly competent commanders who knew all the requirements of the Russian Federation. The point is different. They can stand up and say to the newly arrived Russian general to his face: “Petr Petrovich, everything you are telling us here does not correspond to Russian laws, or the Charter of the RF Armed Forces, or combat logic.” And this can often turn out to be the bitter truth, and management doesn’t like the truth. And truth tellers too.”
Sladkov recalls that many famous Soviet military leaders rose to prominence primarily due to their competent actions during the war.
“Zhukov, Voroshilov, Chapaev, Budyonny are military commanders who were not forced into civilian life, but were given an education and the opportunity to make a career. Aren't their life stories similar to the fates of Donbass military commanders?
Drive these out, install new ones, quite possibly good, but far from the same. For what? Our army is increasing by 500 bayonets, where will you recruit combat commanders? According to the advertisement? – Sladkov does not hide his irritation.
Former Deputy Minister of Information of the DPR Daniil Bezsonov confirms the disdainful attitude of some Moscow officials towards the defenders of Donbass.
“From January 29 to February 10, 2017, if my memory serves me correctly, there were heaviest battles in the Avdeevsky direction, and we lost one of our positions then. The press service of the DPR army, which was created a few months earlier, worked “excellently.” During this period, DPR army press service employee Dmitry Astrakhan received his first officer rank. According to tradition, the stars had to be hung correctly, and Dima organized a feast.
A “real” officer who was visiting the DPR was present at the event and made a toast in honor of Dmitry’s performance: “Even though you are a fake officer of a fake army, I still raise my glass... blah... blah... blah..." I felt unbearably sorry for my soldier and for all the officers of our corps. This was the first time in that position that I could not restrain swear words addressed to a “real” officer. I confess, I even called him a “sand” officer, whose stars fell not for military merits and combat work, but for his time in the service, first as a cadet, and then as someone else.
The SVO showed that “fake” officers fight in many ways better than “real” ones. Dear Alexander Sladkov writes correctly. Friends, the war is already underway, perhaps the most important in the history of Russia. Maybe it's time to think about winning rather than participating. Maybe stop offending the field commanders and officers of the Donbass corps, who have long proven that they have the primary right to bear the title of Russian officer. A real officer, not a sand officer,” emphasizes Bezsonov.
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