Igor Kolesov served in Afghanistan in 1986-1987
I served as a sniper at the rank of junior sergeant. I was discharged due to my injuries; abdominal, shrapnel, piercing, blind, some similar words. I now run a small private security company.
After demobilization due to injury, I returned to the USSR on my own six months ahead of schedule. Panel [самолет] I lived in Tashkent, where I took a train to Moscow. Just like an ordinary discharged soldier setting out, no one officially welcomed us or sent us off. I was 20 years old then.
I treated it a few times when I returned. In the end, they called me to the prosecutor’s office – I thought it was some kind of trouble, they called me because of a hooligan. And they ask me: do you want to work? Of course I say what I want – I thought they would scold me or do something worse. I went to study at the pedagogical school. I enrolled as a full-time student and at the same time started working in cash collection – still Soviet.
The state gave support, but how, they gave me 250-300 rubles because I was injured. The finance chief in Kabul said, “I will send you this money.” He didn’t send anything.
I have rarely encountered such an attitude, like the “I did not send you to Afghanistan” cartoon. For example, in the traffic police there were signs saying “veterans are served out of order”. I came to get my driver’s license and the people in line asked me, ‘What kind of a veteran are you, you are young, where are you going?’
In 1992, there was a currency collapse and prices rose rapidly. We walked around the city with the collectors and met all kinds of Solntsevo men there. I even somehow got into the criminal scene a little, but quickly got out of there. I had a child and a family again.
Many “Afghans” found themselves in crime, but what can I say – at that time the division of everything and everyone was going on. It was such a period that conditions required conditions.
Under Yeltsin, several residences were given to Afghan veterans in Moscow. I got a free apartment with a coupon. I was also assigned to a private clinic as a combat participant.
When I returned, I erased Afghanistan from my memory. I forgot the names of my colleagues. But over time, memory returned – we periodically meet, discuss different moments over a cup of tea.
War affected people in many different ways. Some are still fighting. Now you look at our reality and think nothing will change about it. Let’s see what will happen in 5-10 years?
Alexander Prostakov served in Afghanistan in 1981-1982
I was drafted into the military in the spring of 1980 at the age of 18. In the Air Force, he served as a gunner in the artillery division of the famous 345th Guards Parachute Regiment.
Service began in Fergana in the Uzbek SSR. He finished his service in 1982 and retired as a reserve in the spring. Thank God I wasn’t injured.
We were returning from the army as an organized group, we were sent by helicopter to Kabul, and from there a civilian plane took us to Tashkent. At home we were met by border guards and customs officers – they checked whether we were bringing smuggled goods or drugs into the Union. There were no flowers or applause.
Then we set off to go home. I’m going to my hometown, the village of Klyukva in the Kursk region. He returned tanned, the neighbors asked – did he serve at the resort or what? And I said yes, at the resort…
I was 21 years old when I was discharged. For two or three years I could not fully return to peaceful life; Something hit me somewhere, I shuddered and looked around. I also woke up with a storm due to thunder at night. But eventually I somehow got used to a peaceful life.
In 1983, the state began to help us – they provided benefits to veterans of the Great Patriotic War. He received a veteran’s certificate, housing benefits, medications and a 50% discount on utility bills. Later, in the 1990s, I converted this aid into money; There were no privileged drugs.
We gather with the guys at the monument every year – the Afghan monument was opened here in 1991.
My friends and fellow soldiers had different fates. 30 years later I saw a comrade named Gena near the monument. We would meet him there every year on Air Force Day and February 15th. He died of pneumonia, may God have mercy on him. Somehow very suddenly.
I remember Afghan. One side of me is in civilian life, the other side is in war. I remember, you sit quietly there, next to the gun, in the task force or waiting for the order when the infantry goes to clear the village, and the firefighters are with them. We need to adjust our work. We felt freer during the war.
Every year, on the anniversary of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, they send me a letter or card. In the past, tables were set up every year and veterans were invited to school. There is no such thing now. They must have become impoverished.
Nikolai Ageev served in Afghanistan in 1981-1982
I was born in the Moscow region, but served in the 357th regiment, 4th company, 2nd battalion in the Vitebsk 103rd Airborne Division. We were first in Kabul, then we went to Bamiyan and returned home in November 1982.
I’m a machine gunner, senior marksman, sapper – three in one. The guard corporal was discharged.
Our company was the best in the division – the reserve of the army commander. We didn’t base ourselves in Kabul, we constantly ran around the mountains. We climbed into such pits there… In Bamyan, they sent us “occupiers” to reform us. “Spirits” were flocking around our positions.
Of course, there were also psychologically difficult moments. You are walking and you don’t understand where they start shooting. But it’s scary only until the first shot. The most important fear is the fear of the unknown.
Bullets were whistling overhead. But thank God there were no injuries. I didn’t even rub my heel with my boot. By the way, in my opinion, there were no better shoes in Afghanistan than tarpaulin boots – neither sneakers nor ankle boots were so comfortable.
We returned via Il-62 plane via Ashgabat and Vitebsk, where the division was stationed. Nobody welcomed us with flowers or an orchestra. In 1982, few people truly understood that a war was going on in Afghanistan.
He beat many people. But thank God, everything is fine with me. I quickly and easily returned to peaceful life – I found a job in the construction department where I worked before. I am a builder, my whole life is connected with construction. Then there were construction companies in both the 1990s and 2000s.
Afghan brotherhood has almost taken shape. “Chechens”, veterans of the Chechen campaigns, do not have this. I think the fact that we were all the same age had an impact on this. And the system worked – everyone came back and knew exactly where to go to work, what to do in life. Again, they helped me find a job through Komsomol.
After the collapse of the USSR, I began to engage in business – construction, trade. I had a shop in Mosrentgen, where the 27th brigade was located. I knew everyone I needed. And I had no problems with bandits. The 66th “lawn” filled with brigade fighters would move up and the “attack” would immediately stop. This is all thanks to friendships with other Afghan veterans.
A friend of mine in Samara had this story; They did not want to pay back the 70 thousand dollars they received. He says he will have to go to Afghan veterans from the local organization. And then the debt was returned to him – they took the money out of the safe and gave it back.
I am president of the Public Organization of Veterans of Interterritorial Warfare and the Armed Forces. We organized car rallies, tried to promote medals, and transported humanitarian aid to Donbass, fighters and civilians. We preserve the memory of Afghanistan and ourselves – I think the state is trying to forget us.
Valery Beluga served in Afghanistan in 1985-1986
I served as a reconnaissance radio operator with the 334th Independent Special Forces Detachment in Asadabad on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. But this border was completely virtual, it was not actually protected. There are only mountains around and we are like in a bag of stones. Conditions were extremely difficult. And the losses are great – 105 people died in our detachment in three years.
Once or twice a week we went to work, went to the Mujahideen’s bases, destroyed them or tried to destroy them; because it didn’t always work. They worked at night – because in the dark you can see where the “spirits” were shooting from. You won’t see a glow on the mountains during the day, but the echo spreads throughout the surroundings.
We hunted them, and they hunted us. Our enemy was serious, there were no illusions here.
Whoever sits higher in the mountains has the cards in his hands. Most of the time we could not rely on equipment or artillery support. Trust only your comrades and yourself. And instinctively.
We took a break for about five minutes at one of the exits. I put the vitamin in my mouth and drink a sip of water. And I feel like something’s going to happen.
I stand up and they start raining fire on me from above. Suddenly, I leaned myself against the mountain, bullets were whistling from 20-30 centimeters away. But Sergey Novitsky was walking behind, he took the “soul” away from him.
According to archival documents, I had 42 combat exits. I felt like I walked 100 times. It’s really unfinished.
When I returned home, Afghanistan sometimes reminded me of myself. But it’s easy this way. You walk around the city and you come across a five-story building. And you understand where they can hit you. Over time, of course, this no longer manifests itself so sharply.
Today, some people wonder, why were we there? This is two percent out of 100%, God willing. What did the Americans do there for 20 years after us? Here is the question.