Boris Rozhenko joined the terrorist defense in the first days of a full-scale invasion/Photo from Boris Rozhenko's archive
Territorial defense, which brought together a wide variety of people in its ranks, became one of the forces that helped repel the first Russian offensive against Kyiv. However, the Ukrainian capital is still a hot spot for the occupiers.
How the soldiers are ready to defend Kyiv and how the experience of previous generations of soldiers helps – Territorial Defense fighter Boris Rozhenko told Channel 24 website exclusively.
Preparing for a possible assault on KyivAlmost immediately after the liberation of the Kyiv region from the invaders, telegram channels and social networks began to spread rumors and speculation that the Russians were preparing for a second attempt to storm the capital.
The military leadership does not exclude the possibility of another storming of the capital , despite the fact that he does not yet see the formation of shock groups of Russians for such an offensive. Therefore, as the speaker of the Ministry of Defense Alexander Motuzyanik, the defense of the capital is only getting stronger.
At the same time, the adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Viktor Andrusov stressed that imitation of activities on the territory of Belarus is nothing more than maneuvering in order to stretch our forces. According to him, the Russian occupiers cannot take Severodonetsk with their gigantic army, they don’t even have the strength not only for an “assault”, but even for moving towards Kyiv.
The Minister of Internal Affairs himself Denis Monastyrskybelieves that the risk of a second offensive by Russian troops on the capital cannot be completely ruled out. This is in addition to the fact that the threat of Russian airstrikes remains throughout Ukraine. Therefore, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is also “preparing for any scenarios in enhanced mode.”
From the very beginning, the Russian military had the idea that Il cargo planes with troops and equipment would land in Gostomel. It was supposed to be the “entry point” to Kyiv. Their task was to save the runway for landing here and unloading equipment. They didn't succeed. This will not be possible next time either,” Monastyrsky said.
Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Pavlyukalso assured that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are doing everything possible to keep the enemy away from the capital and are preparing for any development of scenarios. Therefore, now new defensive lines are being intensively equipped, as far as possible from Kyiv, in order to prevent either the possibility of artillery shelling or the entry of troops.
One of those who build the defensive lines of the capital was Boris Rozhenko. On February 24, he joined the ranks of the Territorial Defense of the capital. And this is the case when a person at different levels perfectly understands what defensive lines are for.
What is known about Boris Rozhenko
Philosopher-culturologist by education. Involved in reconstruction. Since his student days, he is well acquainted with the world of Ukrainian archaeologists. Worked in the Heraldic Chamber. For five years he worked at the Maidan Museum. Responsible for communications at the Kyiv Children's Cardiology Center. Founder and head of video production at Wild Fox Film. Producer. Co-creator of the Wild Fox historical channel. Since February 24, 2022, he has been a soldier-shooter of one of the units of the capital’s terrorist defense.
Boris is the head and founder of the Wild Fox Film video production. Which, among other things, produces different formats of historical projects. Some of the brightest ones are in Ukraine.
Boris Rozhenko, a fighter from one of the units of the Kyiv terror defense/Photo from the archive interlocutor
The experience of many years of friendship with historians and archaeologists at this stage of the war proved to be useful.
To some extent, all the life experience and all the books read on the history of military affairs were not in vain. At some point, it clicks in your head and you understand that it’s worth digging such a trench here, – Boris joked.
He ironically calls the terrorist defense fighters garrison people, whose task is to follow orders. I am convinced that Troop is the last hope and the last shield, rear and cover of the capital. He believes that it is absolutely fair to call the Russian invaders orcs. Because everything in their army – hazing, chaining soldiers for desertion, depreciation of human life – is pure orcina. And he has no doubt that Ukraine will win.
Now he serves with one of the co-authors of content on the Wild Fox channel, archaeologist Andrey Olenich. “Now we are in the same unit with Andryusha and another good friend of ours and his girlfriend, they are also archaeologists. So we are all digging trenches together. free creativity, as a result, the battalion commander came to see us to see what we had set up,” Boris noted.
Such a service, in addition to effective work to strengthen the defense of the capital, gives another unexpected result – the guys can record the archaeological finds found on the positions . This is also important, since the constant shelling of the Russian occupiers destroys cultural heritage at various levels. Including those that archaeologists have not yet had time to explore.
About territorial defense
Boris admitted that he was afraid of the army since childhood.
I thought that is very creepy. Heard all these stories about hazing and other horror stories. But it turned out that, on the contrary, all sorts of different things were mixed up: some strict atoshniks, some young boys, some drivers. Among all these people somehow – hoba – and you feel at home, – he explained.
“Thro are really friends. And you would never make friends with these people in other conditions. They are all completely different. But they are all united. This collective conscious unconscious relieves the psychological burden,” the fighter added.
According to him, he finally decided to go into the defense because he could not do otherwise. Now he already understands that now he is where he should be and everything is happening as it should.
I have always been a Russophobe. Even relatives said that they did not understand where all this came from in me. It can be seen that in my childhood Shevchenko fell into my hands in time and away we go. I have many friends in the ATO. I partially even regretted that I did not go to the front in 2014-2015. But then they dissuaded me. They said that special forces were needed there, and not a person with poor eyesight and after a heart operation,” the man added. defense. He answered: “Yes, grandfather, we are getting ready!”, hung up, packed his things and went to the military registration and enlistment office.
I noticed that he was not so much taken to the unit as he came himself.
“He came and said:” So, I'm enrolling in the defense. “The girl looked at me, gave out a form. And I signed the contract with the thought: “Well, that's it. Now you can’t breathe on me. “Many came with me, stood for hours without initiative and nothing happened. But it doesn’t work like that in the army – you have to take the initiative, otherwise you’ll do something,” he explained.
Boris admitted that he was afraid of the army since childhood, but it turned out to be nicer than he thought/Photo from Rozhenko's archive
In the first days of the war, Boris said, the atmosphere was rather gloomy. “You don't know what's next. The war has begun. Rockets are flying around. How it will unfold is not clear. There are no communiqués. You don't really believe the information that is, because you yourself understand what is happening. Where to go and what to do – it's not clear. Around – guys in civilian clothes, all with weapons, everyone's eyes are hefty. And you think like this: “Yo mayo!”. It was a feeling of some kind of revolutionary events. They give me a machine gun and I go to defend the country, ” he remembered.
It feels like we are going to be sent to win the battle right now. I also thought to myself: “Yes, they will kill him – well, fuck him.” Then, of course, things changed. But the first 2-3 days, when constant anxiety, when everything is unusual, you don't know what's going on, were unforgettable. But the whole body, all the consciousness turned on the “win” mode, the fighter added.
The worst, he said, was during the first three days of full-scale invasion training. When you don’t understand how you will behave in battle, you don’t know what and how will happen next and you don’t know if you will return to the barracks from which you are now running out.
Boris is convinced that this will be the last war with Muscovy/Photo from Rozhenko's archive
“At the same time, there was a feeling of a certain disbelief that a big war had really begun now. Disbelief that something so terrible had happened that I could not imagine at all. Yes, when a comrade is standing next to you, who is obviously scared, you think: ” Okay, I'm not more scared than he is. “But at such moments you wind yourself up a lot. Therefore, the most terrible thing was the expectation of those first days. Then you get used to it and to a certain extent you start to get high from this,” Boris explained.
About being tired of suffering
He talked about many things in a very ironic way. This half-joking look at everything largely determined the format of his channel. Boris himself notes that the production appeared from the fact that he was tired of the eternal emphasis on sorrow and suffering in the presentation of the history of Ukraine. During the Revolution of Dignity, while on duty at the Maidan, he found out that it was not only him who was tired of it. In 2013, he took up the creation of historical videos in various formats.
“Quite quickly, we came to the conclusion that the channel should not require titanic efforts. In principle, we have not changed anything in our lives. We just put the camera in front of us and continued to do what we were doing,” the defender added.< /p>
The channel can be approached more seriously, but the studio has no extra hands and resources now. All that the channel brings is donations of patrons. It is not income.
Everyone has work to do at the same time. We continue to work because we are rushing. Many historical channels exist this way. Of course, there are mastadons like the Taras Shevchenko Channel, which, by our standards, receives a lot of money and invests a lot in its videos. But we are not going to make their format. We are simply not capable of smearing our theses with such national lard even for money, – Boris grinned.
He spoke about the service with the same ease. In general, he believes that everything has become very simple with this war. “Before, there was some kind of mental anguish, what to do next, where to stick yourself, some existential throwing. And now everything is simple. They brought a cake – awesome! creativity – you wave with pleasure. If they told me that I would someday dig trenches with pleasure, I would twist my finger at my temple, “he added.
About the war
After the start of a full-scale invasion of Russia, Boris does not part with the feeling that now we are all involved in the creation of a new history textbook. interesting times. Unfortunately or fortunately, but it already happened. This will indeed be the last war with Muscovy. It will really be something decisive. And then this war in Ukraine, at least, will be remembered in the same way as the Second World War was remembered. It will be a new victory. And it will be a completely different, purely Ukrainian, narrative. I am sure that Ukrainian nationalism has no better ally than Vladimir Putin, Rozhenko is sure.
He noted that he is convinced of Ukraine's victory by how much people are doing to bring it closer.
< p>“I say this without too much pathos. Not all of Ukraine rose to its defense. A lot of people faltered, there are many marauders, there are many who are frankly afraid. A lot of kitsch and self-promotion. It's annoying. But the fact that I I see in the people around, I am assured of our victory,” the defender summed up.
