By Oleg Vernyk
Macsym is one of the members of our Ukrainian Socialist League (USL) who fights in defence of Ukraine, in this case on the southeastern front. The report was carried out over a long period of time in which he answered the questions by parts, in moments free from military tasks. We share his answers with our readers.
Oleg Vernyk (OV): Macsym, first, I convey to you the sincere greetings from the comrades of the USL. We care about you and the other colleagues who are on the front lines. The last time we met was in Kyiv, when you were on military personnel rotation. Where are you now? In which part of the fighting front is your military subunit? What type of specialisation do you have?
Macsym (M): “My brothers in arms and I are stationed in the direction of Kupiansk. My military specialisation continues to be aerial reconnaissance, with DJI and Autel commercial drones, although I have also perfected myself in piloting FPV kamikaze drones and bombers.”
OV: Recently, after the beginning of the counteroffensive, have you noticed any differences in the army? What is morality? Did the expected changes occur in relation to weapons? Are the modern weapons available enough to affirm that the counteroffensive will be successful?
M: “Unfortunately, I have not seen a fundamental change for the better, as before there is still stupidity. However, now that we have begun counteroffensive activities, it is stupidity squared. Since I am part of the aerial reconnaissance, I contact the senior staff of my brigade and other subunits; which is why I can say with certainty that the stupidity of military commanders has not disappeared. Deplorable bureaucracy and weakness continue to predominate among the higher commands, while subordinate personnel bear the burden of defence and assault. They appear only to take credit for having achieved success or to blame subordinates for having failed.”
“The morale of soldiers is proportional to the number of armoured vehicles and artillery in their brigades, the success of using them and the military operations in which they participate. When the enemy began assaults in the area for which I am responsible, his infantry was equipped with weapons and snipers. They were also assisted by armoured vehicles and precise artillery against our infantry.”
“Of course, we lost and we had casualties. We had to retreat a couple of kilometres, but the enemy did not have great success because, despite their quantitative advantage and firepower, they also suffered casualties. It turned out that an entire section called “Monolith” refused to go to battle. This was told to us by the communications interception subunit, it is a testimony that reflects the low morale of an enemy that does not even understand what it is doing in Ukraine. Under such circumstances, at first, there was low morale in our subunits, but when the brigades equipped with artillery, vehicles and infantry arrived, we managed to recover the territory we had lost and the morale of the combatants returned to normal. Generally, according to my observations at the front for 536 days, the morale of the soldiers moves like a see-saw, oscillating between “we’re going to die shit” and “we’re going to fucking kill them all.” Reach balance when the confrontation calms down. As for Western weapons, I haven’t seen tanks or anything like that. The artillery is there, but the amount it has depends on the brigade; some do not even have Soviet artillery, they do not even have ammunition. I can talk about the TBP MaxxPro. One of the brigades has been equipped with these vehicles. However, of the one hundred TBPs, they have about thirty left.”
OV: I would like to know, based on your example, how fighters who have leftist political opinions feel. Does it occur to the soldiers that there is a separation between the interests of the bourgeois power and the interests of the Ukrainian people?
M: “It is extremely difficult to understand what is happening, that the bourgeoisie presents its own interests as the interests of the Ukrainian people. The soldiers subconsciously understand the fact that whatever they do, the bourgeoisie will appropriate it. However, they continue to defend what is theirs. News has recently emerged about the terrible level of corruption that exists in Ukraine. What psychological impact does this have on soldiers? It depresses them, it makes them angry, it drives them crazy.”
OV: Among the soldiers, is there any interest in socialist ideas? Do you have the opportunity to share ideological arguments with your brothers in arms? Is the understanding gradually forming in the soldiers’ consciousness that leftist ideas have absolutely nothing to do with the pro-Russian ideas or feelings?
M: “It’s hard to know. There is certainly interest in populism. When we discuss politics, I carefully interject one comment or another, but when it comes to the word “socialism”, there is a certain taboo.”
OV: What do you think of the popular opinion that when combatants return home after victory, they will become a driving force for profound social changes?
M: “I thoroughly agree. They will surely be agents of any change, for better or worse.”
OV: What message do you want to convey to the comrades of the USL?
M: “Let’s be brave, strengthen the spirit and strengthen the body by doing weights.”
OV: Thanks, Macsym. We really need the victory. One for all and all for one. Take care! We are with you!