Oleh Buzun about the modern guerilla movement in the Chernihiv region, the militarisation of the governing bodies of the municipality and the role of its head in the general resistance.

Text by: Dmytro Syniak

The village of Kruty in the Chernihiv region is a symbol of the Ukrainian spirit. At the end of January 1918, about 600 students of the 1st Ukrainian Military School and Cossacks of the Free Cossacks volunteer militia unit fought for five hours with a 4,000-strong Red Guard detachment led by Mikhail Muravyov, delaying his offensive on Kyiv. So when, at the end of February 2022, the artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine set up a perimeter near Kruty, they sought revenge on the Muscovites, who were once again pushing from the east. Oleh Buzun, Head of the Kruty municipality, told Decentralization about this battle, as well as about the resistance of this small community to the invaders.

What can you tell us about the modern Battle of Kruty?

The hostilities near Kruty were the same as in the other parts of Ukraine. From 28 February to 1 March 2022, our Armed Forces between the villages of Pamiatne and Khoroshe Ozero used rocket artillery against the invading forces. Targeted artillery strikes resulted in a lot of destroyed enemy equipment and about two hundred Russians killed. Their bodies were then taken in the direction of the Sumy region by two Kamaz trucks, as witnessed by many locals.

Were there many occupiers in your municipality?

All the Russian trash, which would later overrun the Kyiv suburbs, passed through our villages and directly through Kruty. It passed through Konotop but failed to reach the Glukhiv highway through Baturyn, where our army had managed to blow up the bridge. So the enemy forces had to choose a parallel route through the town of Bakhmach, the villages of Holinka, Haivoron, Plysky, Khoroshe Ozero and finally Kruty. In total, more than 700 units of various Russian military equipment passed through the administrative centre of the Kruty municipality. They were stopped from entering Nizhyn because of strong Territorial Defence units created there, which were later supported by the Armed Forces.

Were the villages of your municipality under occupation?

During its attack on Kyiv, the Russian army stood for four days in only one of our villages, Khoroshe Ozero. The first thing they did was to loot the local shops and the Village Council. They took away all office equipment, even old computer mice and keyboards, went on a grand bender, destroyed Internet cables and transmitters that have not been restored to this day. And when the Russian orcs were withdrawing, our municipality was saved by the Armed Forces blowing up the bridge in Kruty. Because of this, the Muscovite monsters, high on their brutalities in Bucha and Borodianka, could not get to our villages and went to Ichnia. Blowing up this bridge saved us. Who knows what it would have happened otherwise…

Has your municipality suffered any damages?

Only a few houses have been destroyed. However, in the villages of Velyka Doroha, Nova Basan and Osynivka, which belong to the neighbouring municipalities, the damage is much greater. Our Territorial Defence unit is now helping to clear the rubble in Novyi Bykiv, and then they will do the same in other towns and villages.

So you managed to create a Territorial Defence unit before the occupation?

On February 24 at 10:30 a.m., we held a meeting in the Kruty Village Council, where we decided to defend ourselves from the enemy in whatever way we can. And at noon, almost every senior official of the municipality was already receiving weapons at the Nizhyn Military Enlistment Office. Thousands of people in the district capital and surrounding villages were preparing for resistance. Our detachment was enlisted in the ranks of the Nizhyn Territorial Defence Unit, which was subordinated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Our first duty was near the airfield, and later we guarded the approaches to Nizhyn. As for our municipality, we have created combat units in all villages and set up checkpoints everywhere. Of course, these checkpoints were clearly visible from Russian reconnaissance drones, and I believe them to be the reason that the Russians chose other routes to the west. They did not want to waste time fighting against unfamiliar military units as they were in a hurry to get to Kyiv.

Did the Russians offer you cooperation?

No, they must have realised that there was no point. After all, we took up arms on the first day. Last spring, a detachment created to include senior officials of our Village Council held territorial defence training in the village of Honcharivka. It came in handy to us in February and March. None of us lacked morale, because we were literally protecting our families and our children. There was no talk of leaving the Chernihiv region.

Covered with dense forests, the Chernihiv region was called a ‘partisan land’ during the Second World War. Have you resorted to guerilla warfare?

Indeed, although I can’t talk about most of those operations yet. We will talk about this after the victory. Now I can only say that we took special care of Russian fuel trucks, which could not get to Kyiv through us for two whole weeks. My comrade, Anti-Terrorist Operation veteran, public and church activist Stanislav Proshchenko* died during a purely guerilla raid near Nizhyn. Now a street in Nizhyn is named after him, which, by the way, used to be called Moscow Street. Our guerilla raids hurt the Russians even though we only had small arms and Molotov cocktails. If only we had Javelins and NLAWs, the Muscovites wouldn’t have known what had hit them! Now, fortunately, we have them, and if the orcs dare to come here again, it would not be a walk in the park for them as in February-March!

How did the people of the municipality help you?

First of all, they monitored the movements of the Russian troops from various hiding places, informing our Armed Forces about them. No one had warm feelings toward the Russians, and almost no one communicated with them. And they did not hesitate to openly loot basements and shops, steal valuables and throw people out of their own homes to settle there. However, I believe those were small potatoes. I think that in the first days of the war, the Russian orcs did not yet have an order to destroy the local population, as in Mariupol and Bucha.

Did the municipality have enough food during the occupation?

In the first days of the war, there was a critical situation only with the delivery of bread. Fortunately, our unit being stationed in Nizhyn helped solve this problem. With the help of the military, we found a way to a municipality that was not under Russian control, and we were able to provide bread for all the villages except the occupied Khoroshe Ozero. Moreover, thanks to the fuel we received multiple times from the Nizhyn District Military Administration, we were able to ensure all the necessary supplies to our stores, hospitals and even some businesses, which, despite everything, continued to operate.

Under fire?

Basically, yes, because shells or rockets flew over our municipality every day. We were also shelled. But some daredevils carried on despite all this. The dairy farm gave us free milk, which it could not sell anywhere during the war. The meat factory supplied us with meat. So people in our municipality did not go hungry.

What could you say about the Russian army?

There were about 50 units of Moscow equipment in Khoroshe Ozero. And four days later, every third car went to Kyiv on tow. And this is without any actual effort on our part. What kind of army is this, full of scrap metal?! And the Russians even left a howitzer**. Experts from the Armed Forces later told us that it just had bad batteries.

 

Trophy self-propelled howitzer abandoned by the Russians in Kruty

How is the Kruty municipality recovering after the Russian invasion?

Two weeks ago, we closed several checkpoints and restored the bus service to Nizhyn. We have recently resumed rail service. The Nizhyn District Military Administration provided us with one of Elon Mask’s famous systems, and now we have high-speed Internet via his Starlink satellites. We also opened schools and kindergartens. Once we get the approval of the Chernihiv Military Administration, we want to start rebuilding the blown-up bridge. For several weeks, we have been working with deminers, detonating dangerous ammunition, clearing mines and removing IEDs left by the Russians. Due to this, explosions are heard all the time, but no one is afraid of them. They know that it is our guys that restore peace and prosperity to the community.

Elon Mask’s Starlink operates in the Kruty municipality

How will you now combine your service in the Nizhyn Territorial Defence Unit with the work of the head of the municipality?

Since there are no active hostilities in the Chernihiv region, the entire staff of the Kruty Village Council was sent ‘to perform the functions of local self-government in their municipality.’ So there is nothing illegal here. We’ll be right back as soon as we’re needed. The opposition deputies accused me in the first days of the war. “Make up your mind!” they said. “Either fight or lead the municipality!” I answered: “In these circumstances, the head of the municipality that stays in power simply must fight!” I said to that. “Everyone else is looking up to you, waiting for guidance. You simply cannot remain a civilian in this situation!” In the second week of the war, I issued an order requiring me to have two military deputies along with a civilian one. Later, we introduced one of these military deputies to the executive committee, and now, among other things, he ensures the construction of fortifications, oversees the Territorial Defence soldiers clearing the rubble and organises military training for them. This is an ATO vet with combat experience. With him on board, all the villages of our municipality are getting stronger every day. In my opinion, the position of a military deputy head should now be in every municipality: this is what the times call for.

Will you now have a new holiday, Municipality Liberation Day?

I believe that today we need a joint victory over the enemy, the victory of all of Ukraine! In Mariupol, near Kharkov and in Izium... For this purpose, we all actively support the Armed Forces. We immediately provide everything they need such as food, clothing, transportation. Now we can only hope for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and our own luck. And the victory will definitely be ours! Glory to Ukraine!

* 46-year-old Stanislav Proshchenko died on March 1 in the village of Dorohynka near Nizhyn. His task force attacked the invaders who looted a local store. In pursuit of one of them, Stanislav was mortally wounded. He was later found with a grenade in his hand, which he, already mortally wounded, wanted to detonate when the Russians approached him.

** Self-propelled howitzer is a type of self-propelled artillery, lightly armoured and with its own propulsion system.