Speaking on behalf of fallen soldiers: a right or a duty?

Nature detests the void. Human nature is no exception.

If we imagine our collective memory as a giant library, there is already an empty shelf with the inscription ‘War for Independence 2014-20….’

If this shelf is not going to hold books with true testimonies of the participants in these events, it will instead hold a gift edition with a gilded cover and colour inserts. The thing that some people call a ‘nation-building myth’ or the ‘official version’ of collective memory.

Such epics are always crafted with the same patterns. It will be a story of valour and heroism. About how, in response to an attack by a strong, cruel and treacherous enemy, the indomitable Ukrainian heroes stood shoulder to shoulder to defend their land.

A feature of this genre is that it is always incomplete and smooth around the edges. Because the ideological message is more important than the facts.

That is why the people who live and fight in this version of history are perfect. In this epic, no one is ever afraid, hesitant, tired, no one ever swears, deserts, gets wasted, or dies because of their own stupidity or stupid orders from above. They don't even masturbate, excuse my indecency.

It won’t necessarily be a fictional story. But in any case, it will only be part of the truth. And partial truth is a kind of falsehood. There is a serious danger in that. A delayed action mine for future generations.

When the time comes for the next war (and with a neighbour like that, we should always say ‘when’ rather than ‘if’), the next generation will compare themselves to the heroes described in this epic...

...and realise that they are not like that.

They are ordinary people who are afraid to fight and really do not want to die or kill. Then these future Ukrainians will say: the generation of titans is gone, and now there is no one to protect us. 

And they will surrender without a fight. 

It will be even worse when future generations of military personnel are trained on such an idealised version of the memory of the war. Because you cannot become a professional by studying the history of victories. You can become a professional by first and foremost studying the errors and failures of your predecessors. So that you never repeat them.

Let me explain with an example. In the official epic, you will be told the story of an infantry platoon that did not lay down its arms being completely encircled but bravely repelled the attacks of the superior enemy forces.

And in this form, the story is quite suitable for a lecture on civic engagement. But in reality, this episode should be analysed by a tactics specialist. And start with a fairly obvious question: how did this unit end up encircled? That was hardly the goal of the operation, was it?

Try to imagine a combat order that would say: 

‘I ORDER: the third rifle platoon of the second company of the fifth line battalion to enter the encirclement and show heroism in there. Signed: Colonel Petrenko.’

You don't have to be a military person to understand the absurdity of the situation described. Obviously, the tactics instructor should have honestly told the cadets that this was the result of a mistake. And that this mistake has a last name, an officer's rank and a command position.

And after this lecture, one must take the cadets to the military cemetery, bring them to the soldiers' graves and say: this is the price of a commander's mistake, his indifference, incompetence and negligence.

So, kids, when you feel like skipping lectures, sitting on a park bench and opening a bottle of beer... open a tactics textbook instead. Your future soldiers will thank you for it. And even more grateful will be their children and wives, to whom you will return a living father and husband from the war.

My brother-in-arms told me a wonderful story that perfectly illustrates the creation mechanism of an idealised epic by military censorship.

The unit took up their positions. Young, untested soldiers. After the first barrage, some of them got scared and ran away. Three remained. After an attack with mortars and FPV drones, two of the three were wounded. At that moment, the enemy infantry launched an assault.

The last soldier suddenly revealed himself to be a true berserker. He single-handedly repelled the assault and dragged his two wounded comrades to safety. Only one sentence was cut from the hero's interview for the brigade's official press service:

‘I actually wanted to flee with everyone else, but I twisted my leg badly on the first day.’

You have to admit, this little detail greatly changes the meaning of the story. In its censored form, this story is an example of heroism. However, in the uncensored version lies a valuable lesson. Soldiers should not be placed in hopeless situations and expected to demonstrate heroism. Because most of them will not do so.

That is why the testimonies of military personnel and veterans are particularly valuable. They contain fragments of truth about the war that no one else knows.

Many of our brothers and sisters-in-arms gave their lives for their country. Only we know how it happened. Only we were there at that moment. And we realise how important this truth is. It is important for the families of our fallen brothers. It is important for the new generations of military personnel, who must be taught the true history of the war. It is important for the country. I want to believe that it is important for all of humanity and our shared history.

Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that this truth is not forgotten.

We must bear witness not only on our own behalf, but also on behalf of those who died. They can no longer speak for themselves. They have delegated this task to us, their comrades who were lucky enough to survive in hell.