Chapter VIII. About the sounds, which is what the war is about, and why not the bullets?
You don't know how hard it was for me to describe that part of Anna's story. Traditionally, in specified moments, the authors compose that “any similarity of described events and characters to the real ones is purely random”. Yes, yes - and I will stick to this version due to the fact that I don't request decades of trial.
But I'm leaving the main thought. It was hard for me to make this passage of Anna's story, due to the fact that it was literary fiction, but profoundly rooted in facts. In the facts that were reflected in my memory like a tank caterpillar. And sometimes I dream of a small spinning BMP barrel that stops looking right at me. It's over. Everything's over.
Without getting into details: the communicative of blocking the road is true. Not a tow truck. I've been from the scene no more than a mile. I didn't see anything, I just heard gunshots. If you want to know the facts, look online. They are easy accessible and well documented. Even video footage from eyewitnesses. Start with the search for information on Roman Gawrilenko, a resident of Chernihov Oblast. Why don't I tell you what this communicative looked like “really”? Think of it as a homework assignment for peace and on time for W. It is highly crucial to verify the information you see all day. By seeking the truth, you increase your possible for happiness. And as you remember, you should be fortunate in war. Unfortunately, filtering information and digging into the fact do not seem to teach them inactive at school (like preparing Molotov cocktails). besides bad.
I didn't accidentally send a T-80 tank to Zahaik. It is worth a closer look, or alternatively to perceive to his engine work. It's a alternatively different design. It's different due to the engine. alternatively of a traditional, clogging T-80 diesel, it is powered by a gas turbine (like Abrams). As a result, the sound of his engine's work does not match the typical work of a tank, to which we utilized a series of war movies, just the sound of a jet engine (because it is almost a jet engine, where the force generates not pistons moved by gases after burning the fuel-air mixture, but driven by turbine gases). The sound of the engine (swing) of this tank resembles the aircraft (helicopter) alternatively than the characteristic tractor sound of a large diesel. In practice, this means for an observer who does not yet see that the tank hears something like a jet, which – not know why – does not come, but is laboriously moving. It could origin quite a few confusion with an inexperienced viewer who seems to be proceeding a plane.
Speaking of sounds, they're worth paying attention to. You may be surprised, but being an eyewitness to armed action is primarily an acoustic experience. Not visual, but acoustic. First you hear, then you see. erstwhile you see it, it's very dangerous. due to the fact that erstwhile you see a unit of military technicians or individual soldiers, they can see you, too. See and mark – consciously or accidentally.
I'm going to comfort you with the fact that I'm going to see a tank or a transporter, it doesn't gotta mean that his crew will see you. The alleged “situational awareness” of the tank crew, transporter or even average truck with a alternatively well-glazed compartment is importantly limited. Sitting in a tank, the crew truly can't see much, despite a number of systems to aid them. Doesn't mean you can watch tanks like a spectator in a movie theater. You'd better stay distant from them. Safe, or two-three kilometers minimum. And even better – to be in a completely different place, tens or hundreds of kilometres away. Unfortunately, it's not always possible.
Before you see what's going on, you'll hear. On the 1 hand, it is simply a blessing – due to the fact that you have time to take appropriate action, that is, to find yourself hidden. On the another hand, it's a curse – due to the fact that you get different sounds and sounds that you don't know and can't justice from them what's going on and how to behave.
Is there a remedy for this? Hmm... It is best to become a shelled person, or participate in battles. However, I am afraid that no event company offers specified attractions. Nevertheless, there are places in Poland where you can drive a tank as a passenger, and anyone can go to the scope and even perceive to the sound of firearms of various types. I powerfully urge this kind of visit. It is worth distinguishing the batch from the batch from the batch. Despite appearances, it is not easy to separate them. And distinguishing the sound of beryllium (the phase carbine of the Polish army) from AK 47 (the popular Kalashnikov) is very difficult. Moreover, in different terrain and weather conditions, the same firearm will make different sounds. The sound spreads differently in dry air, otherwise during rain, and even differently in fog. The ambient temperature besides matters. Nightmare. For you, however, the most crucial thing is not to get to know the brand and caliber of the sound of gunshots, but to find after the sounds of the distance at which “the first green” takes place. In fact, the easiest way to learn is to find a local, utilized weapon scope and at the time of shooting sounds straight in its vicinity, then moving distant by 500 paces, then by 1,000 or 2,000 paces. A simple pedometer on the telephone is adequate to measurement distance. We're not talking about apothecary data, we're talking about whether they're shooting a half a mile distant or possibly 2 kilometers away.
It's important. It's different erstwhile you hear shots fired in open and built-in areas. While in open terrain it is possible to find the direction from which the sound of arrows comes, in built-up terrain it is virtually impossible at a distance greater than 100-200 meters. The reason for this in the built - up area is echo. The sound reflected from the buildings plays specified tricks that you can curse you hear shots from the side where they don't fall. In the city you usually hear the sound reflected, and sometimes respective times. This phenomenon will impair the perception of both gunshots and explosions. So if you hear an detonation from 1 side of the air alarm, it doesn't necessarily mean that the detonation actually took place in the direction from which the sound came. You can just hear the echo. For example, during raids in Kiev, practically all explosions are heard “from the side of houses across the street”. My flat only goes 1 side of the planet and all the sounds that come from the another side of the Dnieper I hear not from the river side, but just from the other direction, reflected from the houses opposite. Fortunately (ha! – the word “lucky” sounds highly hanging here) both in the open and built-in area, the sound strength gives the same information about the approximate distance from its source.
You just gotta practice with the sounds. There's no another advice. All I can tell you is that the artillery shooter (he is inactive a god of war, as the experience of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict shows) can be heard as much as 10 kilometres. So, on the 1 hand, from far away, and on the another hand, from a distance tiny adequate to hear it, you gotta presume that you are within her reach. I remember sitting in the lap we had specified days that for hours we listened to the “working” Russian artillery. Fired east, nineteen seconds of silence and detonation west. There's no way to know if the missiles are flying over us or somewhere sideways. They weren't heard on the flight. Of course, I couldn't see anything. Just fired, 19 seconds break, explosion. I counted those nineteen seconds with a stopwatch. Always nineteen seconds. It's like a nightmare clock.
Speaking of sounds in war, there is no way to silence the issue of aviation. My experience in this area is highly modest – from the very beginning the Ukrainian-Russian war has been very restrained in the usage of aviation by both parties. There were no planes flying over my head. There were rockets, drones, helicopters.
American veterans like to mention that they always respond with nostalgia to the sound of a chopper after serving in military service. Well, the Taliban didn't fly in Afghanistan. For an American veteran, the sound of chopper rotor blades meant support, evacuation or simply the presence of “birds” who build morale infantrymen. For you or for me, the sound of a chopper means, rather, the slogan: “Save who can”. According to the war reality I discussed here, the chopper (in combat conditions flying only a fewer meters above the ground) will always be heard before you see it. And alternatively of looking for it, you should hide immediately. From a safe haven you can conduct observations and effort to establish its affiliation on the basis of identifying signs. Do you sense the irony in my words? You don't? You should. The sound of a chopper is always information about a sudden, fatal threat. No looking. Basement or any another cover. Even from the sight of the airmen. In war, the other is actual of the 1 who rules the road – “I am invisible, I am safe.”
The consolation is that aviation ammunition is besides valuable to waste on shooting individuals. If it makes you feel any better. I can tell you how I ran from a chopper car on the Chernih-Kij route. present it's an anecdote. But then I wasn't laughing.
It was a journey to Kiev for another organization of humanitarian aid and fuel. We haven't had fuel in the country for a long time. Even erstwhile it was possible to break out of the lap with a average hazard of gathering the enemy, petrol station operators did not take on the addition of fuel. You're right. Fuel is the blood of war. That's a very sweet bite.
Okay. I'm going with my esteemed wife in 1 car. The windows are open, the radio is off so that it can be heard as much as possible. The road in any places was shelled before, so you can meet craters in the asphalt. Deep sometimes at 20-30 cm. So you gotta drive carefully. And in these beautiful circumstances of nature comes to my ears a distant sound, like a helicopter. I can't be sure. I'm looking around. And as part of this look around, I see Ukrainian soldiers on the block on the side of the road starting to run like ants that individual stuck a stick in an anthill. “Not good” – I think to myself – “I hear a chopper and they know something. After all, they would not pursuit like in-jails-injured if it were our helicopter."
I'm informing my wife there's a helicopter. “Where?” asks the spouse. “Most likely in heaven” – I respond annoyed by her sweet naivety. “How do you know?” – “Because I hear him, and our warriors fuck off from the blockpost.”
And that's where it started. I saw the bastard. He was flying around in the back. Same way I did. I saw him in the mirror. “Behind us” – I throw my spouse. “Oh, dear,” she besides noticed. I'm pressing the gas. 1 hundred, 1 100 twenty, 1 100 50 an hour. I pray there's no tear. I remember from the time of the ZX Spectrum computer, how many Apaches did he fly? 160? But it was in the knots. And I'm followed by Apache, just any me. But a knot is simply a node – almost 2 km/h. No chance – he will, he will.
Now there are also thoughts. After all, a lonely old omega on an empty road is not a worthy goal. Waste of ammo. That's cool, but that's not for me to decide. I'm on my way to break my neck, following my way, my wife keeps an eye on the propeller. He's telling me he's ahead of us. Indeed, it flies a small from the side and disappears over the forest. You can slow down. I'm on my way to a collapsed overpass. We've got to get off the expressway on a gap in the side road. At the Ukrainian blockpost convention. The blue-yellow flag gives a small encouragement. There's a couple of cars in line for control. “Too close. They do not keep their distance among each other" – I think, and there is inactive a chopper growling over the forest. It's closer, come on. Or I'm the only 1 who can hear him. It's possible, too. It's my turn to control. Bored soldier's looking at documents.
– Brother, I batshyl vintocryl – inform full acquisition.
A soldier doesn't take his eyes off my passport.
– Os’, tut over foxes.
- Odin?
- Yes, Odin.
- Nu, bude sze and druhij. Majut’ dva shoes.
Nashe?
- Yeah, nashe guns.
- Tschort! Proud, sho kacapy.
– How about a zhahlivi pride, Mr. Pole?
– For weshe boys on the block beats Kozelc zjobyvalis’ as if their diavole were chasing them.
– Mabut’ ne znaut’. Probizhka will go to them on the best.
It's a comic memory today. But believe me, erstwhile I was so ahead of myself after a holed tour, adrenaline poured out my ears. announcement that this anecdote shows something very important. There's quite a few chaos in the war. This is called “fog of war”. Neither soldiers in the field nor their command in the office have a full image of the events taking place. Things just happen. And the cognition of events is given a fewer and rather fragmentary. Although the staff and officials will guarantee that the situation is under control. Yeah. If there is no exchange of fratricidal fire, that's good. And for you, there is simply a conclusion that virtually no data can be relied on but for data obtained by yourself and which is not challenged. Ergo – you hear shots, vehicle movements or aircraft flight, first of all you search to hide.
Fighters are easier. That boy of a bitch is moving so fast that before you hear him and realize it, he'll be here in time to fly, fly, and fly into the wind. The bang is amazing. The air wave he pushes in front of him and raises behind him can turn a grown man over. And for an enemy tanker, an assault fighter is something he will neither see nor hear. It's a sudden, unexpected death. Sometimes in torment.
It's a different drone. Dorna as a weapon passed during the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war about the same evolution as aircraft in planet War I. erstwhile planet War I broke out, fewer people saw a plane with their own eyes. After 4 years, regular bombing raids were conducted.
Immediately after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, drones were children's toys. However, very rapidly both sides appreciated their opportunities. First of all, it's a perfect reconnaissance tool. I had at my disposal a simple Mavic, as before the war he served to fly over corn fields and check where weeds were moulded. erstwhile we were in the occupation, the drone was inactive utilized to observe weeds, only a completely different species. Believe it or not, our small bird was the best sedative. There's something burning somewhere – Mavic up. Shots fired – Mavic up. Nothing's going on. – Mavic up, and something will be able to see with his camera and realize why this suspicious silence.
When more than 120 units of enemy technology passed through our village in February 2022, Mavic recorded events, and the films shortly appeared on appropriate desks. Good old days. present it would be impossible. The saturation of drones and their means of jamming and fighting is specified that there is no area for a cheerful amateur. present a trained drone operator means on the battlefield and in its vicinity as much as a sniper a fewer decades ago.
Small reconnaissance or assault drones (bombers or kamikazes) do not make much noise. It's like a fan buzzing at higher speeds or possibly any kind of mixer. Unfortunately, these are highly lethal devices, and the practice of utilizing them went this way, that utilizing drones both sides of the conflict in Ukraine are hunting individual soldiers, and 1 side is besides hunting civilians.
This procedure became so common that in front of Cherson, the Ukrainian administration placed billboards to instruct how to behave in the event of a drone encounter. The rule is simple: any drone encountered should be treated as a dangerous and hostile device (drones for tiny size reasons do not bear nationality marks). If it is observed, you should immediately search the nearest cover, not effort to knock down a drone and not approach the drone that has fallen or landed. specified “unpanic” drones, forced to self-land by means of jamming or for another reasons, should be treated as unexploded. They're inactive threatening to teardrop themselves apart erstwhile they contact them.
Currently, the law in force in Poland and the European Union is rather restrictive on drone operators weighing more than 250 g of their obligations to fly them. However, alongside shooting, it is now a very military sport, although in the times of peace it is associated with spectacular races flying at a low ceiling of cameras alternatively than military missions. Which does not change the fact that playing with drones can give crucial services to the country or only to those who will have and will be able to usage them.
Of course, in the case of W, I do not urge the exercise of a legally imposed work to evidence each flight with a drone. It is not hard to imagine that electronic systems for recording amateur flights will be placed under the watchful eye of Russian services and hackers on their services. So if you want to look down on the vicinity with a drone during the war, just take it and fly. You won't be like our Stefan sitting in the attic wondering what's lurking in the woods nearby. By not recording your flight, you may commit a misdemeanor, but you surely won't be exposed to the fact that your data will fall into the incorrect hands, putting you in mortal danger.
Another 1 (of course not the last), but a very crucial remark. The Russians passing through Ukrainian towns had an ugly habit of firing infantry rifles and deck rifles on fences and windows of buildings standing by the road. They did this to intimidate residents and possible defenders who could lurk in roadside houses with anti-tank grenade launchers. It was a preventive shooting on civilian subjects. This action clearly and blatantly violates the law and customs of war. So what? Anyone get a ticket? Has anyone been brought to justice?
I've never heard of civilian casualties in the area where I've been. But I've seen fences and windows shot. To make it worse, I didn't know they were doing it erstwhile BMP parked outside our house. The awareness of this process reached me later erstwhile I was delivering humanitarian aid in areas temporarily occupied by the Russians. You already know. They shoot without notice, without cause, simply to sow panic and due to the fact that they fear themselves. So if you witness the passage of the aggressor's column through the village, do not stand by the window/burn or on the street. You could die. It'll be a war crime, but you'll be dead. The brick wall should halt the Kalashnikov bullet. I'd alternatively have a device weapon shot at her. Hollows are more “permeable”, Canadian home walls will not even halt a pistol ball. Don't hazard it any more than necessary.
When I was in the village, I heard these strange, one-sided shootings on the fences. My imagination was telling me the fighting scenes, although I didn't truly know who would resist? In the area there were only territorial defence formations – specified “grandfathers” with Kalashnikov and RPGs (Soviet anti-tank grenade launcher) who could not establish a equal fight against armored columns. During the Russian march, Ukrainian territorialists just sat home like everyone else. I'm writing about this so you know that proceeding can play tricks, too. Yes, you can hear something, but your explanation of sounds can be highly far from what is actually happening. Well. In the war, it may be good erstwhile the hive falls off the horse, as the old song says. In fact, it's not nice, it's not easy, but you gotta deal with it.
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Translation of dialogue:
Brother, I've seen the chopper. I'm reporting a full takeover.
- A soldier doesn't take his eyes off my passport.
- Oh, right over the forest.
- One?
- Yeah, one.
– Well, there'll be another one. I want two.
Ours?
Yeah, our landing.
- Damn! I thought you were hungovers.
– What makes you think so terrible, Mr. Pole?
– due to the fact that our boys on the block close Kozelc, they'd run off like the devil.
– They most likely don't know. They'll be fine with the run.
