On his Facebook page, Editor in chief of Censor.Net, Yuri Butusov published a story from the Battle of Ilovays’k, as recounted by Colonel Evgeniy Sidorenko – Head of Tank Forces (Operational Command “South”, Sector “B” of the Anti-Terrorist Operation).

This is Colonel Sidorenko’s Story:

The Beginning:

I was in Ilovays‘k from the beginning. I arrived there from Marinka together with the armored group of Vasilyi Koval, armed with 4 tanks and 4 BMPs of the 17th Tank Brigade. This was our main strike force.

Colonel Siderenko sits on the captured T72

The armoured vehicles we have are old and they need ongoing professional maintenance. I am a “mechanic” and after each deployment I was repairing the vehicles. Yes, I’m a staff officer, a Colonel, but we’re short of skilled professionals and therefore we have to personally pick up the tools and do repairs. This is an acute problem, because our machines stood for a long period in storage. According to the instructions of the MOD USSR, the average storage period of military equipment is 15 years. Our machinery has exceeded that deadline twice. Therefore, the armoured units desperately need specialists to support ongoing repairs.

File picture of Colonel Siderenko

Leading staff officers and the commander of sector “B” Lieutenant General Ruslan Homchak himself was in Ilovays‘k for command and control and to direct the military equipment. Lt.Gen. Homchak was in command of a number of different units, which in total numbered nearly a battalion task force in strength. The officers are on the front line – without exception. We did not have the authority to withdraw troops from the other sectors of the front, so all the combat-ready men (from sector B) were involved in Ilovays‘k, otherwise we would not have had enough strength.

The operation to seize Ilovays‘k, and the cooperation of all our units, were conducted in a tactically correct manner. Many enemy supply routes were cut off. And while the armour was not sufficient, the commander personally distributed them to positions. The DNR mercenaries used armored vehicles to attack constantly. Their artillery was also permanently firing.

We could have fully captured Ilovays‘k, and therefore completely surround Donetsk, if we had more strength. The main problem was we didn’t have enough strength in our rear. We had nothing to cover the Starobeshevo-Kuteynikova area. Despite the transfer of the fine reserve units of the MIA (Ministry of Internal Affairs) volunteer battalions they could only strengthen our defense. Their numbers were small, and attack was impossible without additional armored vehicles.

August 24th

We received information about the Russian invasion on August 24th. General Homchak requested a withdrawal from Ilovays‘k, but was ordered to “hold”, withdrawal was prohibited. Therefore, the commander prepared a round defense. Unfortunately the pressure from the enemy resulted in the unorganized retreat of our 5th and 9th battalions of the Territorial Defense from Kuteynikova, leaving our rear completely unprotected.

Around 16.00 on the 24^th our reconnaissance group under the command of Chief of Intelligence Operational Command “South” moved into the Kuteynikova area. There they picked up a “BRM-1K” brought by our soldiers of the 28th or 30th mechanized brigades. At that moment the first fire contact with Russian troops took place. Our cover group in Kuteynikova destroyed the advanced Russian scouts – I saw the destroyed BMD and BTR’s. We examined the BMD – numbers and signs which had been plastered over, but the machine was new. At the same time not far from us in another battle near Kuteynikova our forces smashed one more unit of Russian paratroopers from the 98th Airborne Division, and captured 10 Russian soldiers.

Later that night the serious fighting began. Our positions were fired on with heavy artillery. Our field shelters were reliable, but the heavy artillery with the help of UAV’s smashed these light fortifications. We suffered great losses in equipment and transport, and soldiers died. Nevertheless, our battle group with the help of a BMP disabled a Russian tank. I was not a participant in this fight, but I was immediately summoned to inspect the trophy. The tank crew left the vehicle and ran away together with other Russian armored vehicles.

I climbed into the tank and found that it is the latest modification of the Russian T-72B-3, which entered service in 2012. The main modification is the thermal sight “SOSNA-U” for the commander and the gunner. The sights on the tank were damaged by our fire, but after a small repair it was possible to use them, although the thermal sight and gun vertical stabilizer did not work. The rest of the tank was fully functional.

According to documents the tank belonged to the military section of the Russian Federation № 54096 – this is the 8th Motorized Rifle Brigade, 3rd Tank Company. The company commander was listed as Rashitov A.R., and the tank commander as Sergeant Goncharov. I took the tank into service of our group, and personally drove it to our position. During the break out this tank saved the lives of many of our soldiers, and me personally.

On the evening of the 24^th, soldiers from the 93rd Mechanized Brigade with seven BMP joined us having redeployed from Saur-Magila. But our artillery had to leave our little area of defense – as soon as our side fired for ​​several times, the enemy pinpointed our locations using artillery intelligence stations which were covering the entire area. There were heavy losses, and our artillery had to retreat. We’ve were left with mortars with a limited amount of ammunition….and we were soon out of mortor rounds. Obviously, without the presence of artillery support, without durable shelters against heavy artillery fire, and without the presence of reserves, we could only hold out for a very short time in Ilovays‘k. On that night of August 24, we could easily leave the encirclement without any interference, but there was no order to leave.

Captured Russian T72 tank in Ilovays’k, heavily concealed to prevent destruction by enemy artillery

August 25^th

The task was not to retreat. Our troops quietly and without panic preparing to repel the Russian attacks. The fact that General Homchak stayed with us at the forefront made ​​a deep impression on the soldiers and officers. His example made it possible to avoid any thoughts about retreat. Homchak risked his life with us when he stayed; by the time we left the area our command post was a lunar landscape.

At around 15:00 on the 25^th, we discovered a column of Russian armored vehicles – 16 units in total, including tanks on the road between Kuteynikova and Ilovays‘k. They moved directly towards our positions, and our forces were subjected to artillery fire. I heard about the movement of the column on the radio. I was the one next to our captured Russian tank, but our crew was not formed yet. Knowing that at our positions covering the road there was only one of our anti-tank guns “Rapier” from the 2 anti-tank battery of the 51 Mechanized Brigade, I put down my work fixing the tank, jumped into the driver’s seat, and went to the threatened area. Battalion commander Kovalev was manning the gun himself. He is one of the guys who broke out of the encirclement in Ilovaisk so I can happily name him. I also wrote down the name of the Gunner, but he’s not listed as having escaped from the encirclement, so I cannot now speak of this heroic soldier.

The boys proved themselves brilliantly and professional. The first shot from the anti-tank gun destroyed an enemy MTLB-6M, which is in service only in the Russian army. At that moment I realized that I need to cover our gun during the reload. So to divert attention from our boys I went ahead on the road, moved to the chair of the commander and opened fire with the heavy machine gun. I was a little anxious of course, I did not know who was there behind me – will they lay down covering fire, or will they run and I’ll stay here alone in an open area without any chance. But the guys were real heroes and professionals. They shot down two more enemy vehicles. The Russians opened fire indiscriminately, and under the cover of smoke and fire the three advanced armored vehicles fled, leaving their dead and one seriously injured soldier from the 31^th Air Assault Brigade.

During this period, our intelligent forces worked actively and effectively. We had accurate information about the enemy location, active searches were constantly conducted. The scouts fought heroically. One of our groups, raided the enemy rear, and when they returned I saw that from nine soldiers only four returned.

We fought, following the orders of ATO command, and held our positions. All our other troops were withdawn from Kuteynikova and Starobeshevo areas. With our weak forces, we of course could not hold those areas. Taking advantage of our weakness, the enemy bypassed our positions and moved to the west about 25-30 kilometers (closing the encirclement around Ilovays’k). Attempts by small groups of (ATO forces) to reach our group were unsuccessful. These troops were defeated. We knew about it and realized that rescue would not come. By now only had enough ammunition for 1 to 2 days maximum, and during that time our situation would only get worse. Therefore, general Homchak decided to go for the break out.

The Break-Out

We had started repairing vehicles, from two or three broken machines we managed to get one working vehicle. Before we departed we destroyed any apparatus of secret communication. I heard some `chief’ saying that the group needed to attack in the direction through Ilovays‘k towards Khartsyzsk, not retreat. It is very surprising, but in fact we did not have any option but to retreat along the roads towards Starobeshevo. These roads, as we knew, were by now strongly defended by Russian troops.

We offered the Russians a trade; their captured soldiers in exchange of a safe route out for us. The Russian commanders said that they would provide a safe corridor for the group and because it was confirmed by the political leadership of Russia and Ukraine, we decided to move in convoys. But on the morning of the 28th the Russians began to tighten their encirclement around us. Now it is clear that it was a trap. The enemy under the guise of negotiations strengthened its forces along the roads towards Starobeshevo.

We formed two conveys, each was headed by an officer of Staff Operational Command “South”, led overall by General Homchak. One group had 4 tanks, our group had 2 tanks. Our forces were very small. Our column was led by Colonel Grachev, and our route was from Mnogopoloe through Novokaterinovku towards Komsomolsk.

I am surprised that some people say how the commanders abandoned their convoys. It’s an insulting lie. Commanders together with the rest of us took the same risk. Our commander Colonel Grachev and one of our best officers – Communications Brigade Commander Colonel Boris Kifarenko died heroically in battle. A number of officers were captured after being wounded. Staff of the headquarters of the Sector “B” went into battle with weapons in their hands as simple soldiers, and military officers also fought and died, as did the volunteer soldiers. The memory of these people must be respected, and not blackmailed.

My T-72 was the second in our column. I was very lucky to have with me as my crew heroes of the 17th tank brigade, Sergei Isayev and Eugene Martyniuk. Their vehicle machine gunner had earlier been evacuated to the rear, while they remained at the front. So for these heroes we found a new tank. I took the gunner’s seat. And we went on the break. The battle began not long after we started moving. Over the past four days the enemy had prepared deep defenses. We had no artillery support – I saw some fire from our artillery around 12:00 but it was rare and very inaccurate. We had no aviation support. Only once did I see a couple of our aircraft and that’s all. We went relying on maneuver and fire. Our task was to go like a battering ram to suppress and divert the fire of the enemy from our column. The enemy fire was very tight from all sides.

It’s unbelievable that we survived – We travelled about 22 kilometers under fire. We survived with the help of the crew’s skills, especially the driver Eugene Martyniuk. He was constantly maneuvering, using the terrain, allowing moments for firing, and then without any delay changing our position. It was important to suppress enemy firing points with the first shot and not to let them adjust fire. Our tactic worked well, but we still took a lot of hits. Soon the other tank in our convoy was destroyed, but we still were lucky.

How well did we shoot? I saw one enemy BMP exploded and we achieved direct hits on another two. But the Russians had a clear advantage in numbers and we were almost out of ammunition. Our tank was fatally hit after about 22 kilometers from our start position. We had to break between Russian positions. By that time we had already been hit on the side and we had received multiple injuries, secondary tank armor fragments. All monitoring devices and sight were completely broken. We almost broke out, but then we received a direct hit from a tank gun. Martyniuk banged himself of a surveillance device and lost consciousness.

Under the cover of machine gun fire, I pulled Evgenyi from the tank and bandaged him. Luckily his eyes remained intact, although he had numerous shrapnel wounds to the face. It was impossible to repair the vehicle, so we had to leave it. Sergei had an assault rifle. I had left mine in the tank. But Sergei’s rifle could only shoot single shots and was not very reliable. It was the fields of sunflowers that saved us. We walked past all the Russian soldiers and arrived back to our own lines. We walked 30 kilometers in one night. Then we were taken to hospital, our wounds treated, and from there back to service. There is a war going on – there is a lot of work to do.

As a conclusion of the Ilovays‘k battle I’ll say that: I have fought with real heroes and thank to everyone, who showed courage and valor. Under Ilovays‘k I haven’t seen a single coward. I watched how we fired at Russian troops and them running away. We can defend our nation from Russian aggression. But this requires professionalism – at all levels, at the command level, at the level of mobilization, at the level of equipment, intelligence, interaction, technical equipment and logistics. We must fight in the blessed memory of our heroes, for those who survived Ilovays‘k and for those who stayed there forever…

Written and posted on Facebook by Yuri Butusov. 9 September 2014.

https://www.facebook.com/butusov.yuriy?fref=ts

Translated by Aleks Burduli, Edited by Larry Field