"Real panic". As the Russians ran when the Armed Forces went to the Ukrainian border in Kharkiv region - says a counter -offensive participant

Vsevolod Kozhemyako together with his brothers (photo: Vsevolod Kozhemyako VIA Facebook) Commander of the Volunteer Unit, Charter Vsevolod Kozhemyako told on the air of Radio NV about participation in the counter -offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kharkiv direction. - How did the counter -offensive begin for you and your volunteer unit? - We monitor these events not only in the context of our unit.

Of course, here among the military and those involved in these processes, it has long been mature and everyone was waiting for it. When ours went to Balaklium, everyone realized that here it began! And some success has been achieved. [Everything] was so gradually planned that other crews also began to move in different directions. Video of the day was not always easy, so that without resistance, but everyone was moving.

And the 127th Brigade Tro, to which we are subordinate, also went forward in the north, along with the national guards, towards the border. We were involved, the command we were tasked with entering certain settlements and providing control there, which we did. -In the video you posted on social networks, we saw how you reached the Ukrainian-Russian border. In particular, they saw the fence of former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. - Famous.

It was a humorous video, because one must somehow encourage yourself and people. In order to reach that wall, we made a hiking march for about 15 kilometers, passed two villages, were quite exhausted. These were already such emotions very positive. This is not what we wanted to offend someone, the fact is. I will tell you that the fact that we have reached the border is the work of the whole brigade, there were several crews, a lot of people.

Our task was to enter those villages that are very close to the border. We saw these intersection points and also cleaned them. I would not like to say that it was only we came, because everyone came on different flanks. Already yesterday in the Volchansk area, as you know, but my video for some reason became so popular. - Alexei Reznikov, Minister of Defense of Ukraine, said that the counter -offensive of the Armed Forces in Kharkiv was even more successful than expected.

And it really looks like a lightning, fantastic success. How do you think Russian ran so fast that we didn't even expect? -First, what we see confirms that the operation was very carefully and efficiently planned is a fact. And it gives an exaltation! I am very pleased that not only at the expense of the heroism of the Ukrainian people and those who protect Ukraine everything is happening, but thanks to military opinion.

This offensive was very carefully planned, many facts were taken into account, this is really true. This means that our military intelligence is very high. And when some actions were taken in the direction of Balakliya, the effect of domino began: there was no point in staying in certain places of the Russian army, because there was a threat of their environment and destruction. This was understood by their commanders, fighters. They began real panic, the army resorted to escape.

They did not just retreat to Balakliya - Izum - Kupyansk, but they threw equipment there, a lot of equipment, tanks, art. I talked to the guys I know, who were in the direction [were], there is a lot of everything left, their army resorted to escape. Therefore, in our northern direction, they did not make sense to stay, because they would be destroyed. They prepared their departure and made it as far as possible.

The fact that the departure was planned very quickly and a little panic, says that they tried to destroy the BC, the technique, to pick up everything, but they still left something. And by BC and by technique, we see it. But we understand that the decision to depart was made, apparently, a few days ago. - A week ago, you said that at that time our Ukrainian positions were only 10 kilometers from Kharkiv and that you can go to work to work.

Will the situation change now as a result of such a successful counter -offensive? - Almost all our military in the Kharkiv region went to the state border, which is completely different distances. As a result, these are other means of damage. They will no longer be able to fire us with artillery from our territory, they can only work from their territory. It is very important. In many settlements, life begins now, people begin to return a little, they exhaled.

They lived there for almost half a year under [occupation]. This northern direction was occupied on the first day of the war at once, people did not even have time . . . I have a friend who left the village of Mali in the morning at 04:00 in bedroom, in pajamas. He took his wife, the child - they jumped right in front of the Russian column. His relatives remained there, there are so many people left that they could not simply respond to it.

There are a lot of destruction there, many people were tortured . . . Now our law enforcement agencies began to work there, and I think we will learn about a lot of atrocities that the Russians have committed with Ukrainians in those occupied territories. There are both ATO veterans, and Ukrainian activists did not have time to leave and so on.

As for the escape of the Russians, both the information from the intelligence officers and my words that the collaborators did not know that the Russians would go, confirms that they starred sharply at night. The collaborators woke up, saw that no one was lined up on the border with Russia. Those who cooperated with the Russian authorities also resorted to escape.

- Did you have the opportunity to communicate with people who have been occupied in Kharkiv, if so, what did they tell? - Being in Kharkiv is a certain psychological, mental pressure, we are constantly in the war, constantly under fire and on the front line . . . But here, here, we do some action, something that depends on us. It would be so difficult for me, for example, if I were not a well -known person, to live in occupation - I cannot imagine at all.

It's just a horror when you can't influence anything, you can't do anything, and you can't escape from there. We talked with some people. This family I said - they were not even released from home. The Russians were afraid that they would call and give their positions, information. What people still did, by the way. But they were not released from homes, they were sitting in the houses and even could not go outside. And those homes where there were no owners, the Russians simply robbed.