A guidebook for W. So how do we last the first 48 hours of modern war and find ourselves in a fresh situation?
Word from the Author
I have lived in Ukraine since 2012. I remember very well the day of November 30, 2013. After a visit to a local tv channel in Kiev, hosting me and a fellow journalist, she enthusiastically suggested that we go to Majdan, where Ukrainians – mainly students – protested against the decision of then president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych not to sign an association agreement with the European Union. Feeling what is happening, through the skin, I politely thanked for the invitation and went home in the sleeping territory of Pozniaki on the left bank of Dnieper. A fewer hours later, there was a bloody pacification of student protesters by Berkut troops. 1 fortunate decision kept me from getting all worked up.
Anegdota says that Napoleon Bonaparte was to ask candidates for his generals “Are you lucky?” For, according to the French emperor, who was lucky, could attract them, too, to the people with whom he was dealing. Everyone intuitively understands that in war craftsmanship – apart from craftsmanship – a immense amount of happiness is needed. It's just good to have them. But happiness must be helped. Another anecdote speaks of how God asked the 1 who was sorry for his deficiency of happiness in the life of a Jew: “Moses, you tell me what you want?” Moshe replied, “Lord God, I would like to win a million for the lottery.” And God says, “Moses, you give me a chance, you at least buy a lottery ticket.”
I'm putting the lottery ticket in your hands. I can't warrant you'll win a million or save your life. I am not God to decide that. However, I warrant that having this fate, having learned about its content and following its principles, you will increase your chances to last the beginning of a possible modern war, which may be the victim of the Republic of Poland and you. First of all, it's you. Your life and your loved ones.
I, surviving in Ukraine since 2012, survived Euromaidan, the Revolution of Dignity, Anti-Terrorist Operations, and a full-scale war initiated by Russia's unprovoked assault on Ukraine on 24.02.2022. From 28.02.2022 to 25.03.2022 I was under business in the Chernihow region (oblasti). From 28.03.2022 to 28.04.2022. I distributed and distributed about 15 tons of humanitarian aid in the area where I survived the occupation.
I was filming from a drone the passage of an enemy column through the village where I lived. Over my head were helicopters and artillery missiles. I was moving a individual across the field from hostile reconnaissance. I was taking the bus over the blasted crossings. Under my windows, there were tanks, and the occupiers were looting close shops and killing random passersby. I collected corpses of Russian warlords so that their animals wouldn't spread. I've been avoiding faces, bombs, temples, caltrops. To this day, I live in Kiev, listening to the noises of air-raid sirens, passing Shahjeds and the sounds of rocket explosions falling on the capital of Ukraine all day.
At the minute erstwhile I compose these words (19.11.2024, 23:58 EET), the alarm continues and I just heard the explosion. Shahjed. In a word: I know this war not like a soldier, not like a reporter, not like a humanitarian mission worker, not like a diplomat. I met her like a civilian who had to be in a flash in a fresh reality to survive. Like a civilian who, as is common in war, is completely invalid. At least from the point of view of the textbook story, which is written among others by his blood without asking him.
And having gathered this mighty baggage of experience, I will choose from it what is crucial to you. What will be critical, on the 1 hand, to prepare for the worst, or war, and on the another hand, to find itself in a new, war reality, if, God forbid, it comes to it.
You're gonna ask, why prepare for a war that won't blow up? due to the fact that NATO, due to the fact that that, due to the fact that that, due to the fact that siamto. I don't want to get into any controversy about this. You bought that book, didn't you? Let me put it briefly: si vis pacem, para bellum. I want you first of all the experience of your days in peace. But it truly wouldn't hurt you if, just for a moment, though mentally and just a small bit, you tried to find yourself in a situation of modern war. Think of it as an intellectual exercise. Let's face it, 15 years ago, if individual had told me that a part of my life was going to be war reality, I'd have knocked on my forehead.
And 2 more things at the end of this long admission. First of all, I'll call you female. Why? due to the fact that I want to. due to the fact that in this way, I want to pay due respect to all women who are confronted with a war-like reality mainly caused by men.
Somehow, it's so unusual that wars start with men, and quite a few their burden falls on women's shoulders. Women don't just fight with guns. It is women who organize, take care of, cook, heal scratches and wounds, negociate life and death, and arrange tiny things.
The war that passes through my life, it has to do with the fact that men go to the front (minority), flee abroad (some), or hide under women's skirts (oh, a lot, a lot). The war that can contact you will be precisely the same. Last but not least - a real man will not be offended by this form of communicative and addressing the reader. The real guy's above the pronoun, isn't he? I'm so comfortable. And – not that I'm scaring you – but someway it is that men die much more frequently in war. You may gotta face this situation on your own. In fact, all it takes is for your man to be mobilized.
Secondly, this brochure, although of a guide or instructional nature, will be intertwined with literary feature inserts. Only in this way can I rapidly show things and events that in a dry description of the nature of fire instructions will lose their dynamics and drama. War – as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote – is not an adventure. War is simply a disease. These dramatic literary inserts are meant to emphasize that. And although they are a product of my fantasy, and their likeness to actual events is purely random, know that they are based on facts.
I promised only 2 things at the end? Oh, I'm a liar. I'm sorry. 1 more thing, possibly for any (because not for me) rather important. Legal disclaimer. most likely any of the ideas, methods and life of the hacks that I will give for your consideration in this brochure will be incompatible with the mostly applicable laws in the Republic of Poland.
I am an educated lawyer, and I will keep up-to-date on what may end with a mandate, fine or another administrative penalties, or non-administrative penalties. erstwhile this brochure has been published, I am happy to break copies at the first evenings (yeah, I can't wait to see you) or in social media with legalists who will point out to me that for this or that there is simply a punishment from-to. This brochure is about surviving a civilian in a war, not how to avoid a driving ticket without safety belts or lights on or – about horror! – with pre-mounted daytime moving lights cut off.
In order to increase tension, I will mention that as shortly as a fewer days after the start of the full-scale aggression of Russia on Ukraine, the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Żeleński issued a brief decree (literally 2 sides of A4 with all the headlines), in which he abolished criminal work for the execution of a associate of the Russian army or auxiliary personnel or any another persons straight active in the aggression of the Russian Federation. At the same time, this execution could have been committed in any way, including illegally owned firearms and by anyone, that is, individuals (not soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine). In short and in English, you see a mosquito and you want to shoot it? There you go. It won't be a crime.
I do not know whether this decree was (is) compatible with the global law of war, which mostly divides the population of areas under armed action into combatants (warlords) and non-combatants (not militants). I don't know if the grandma who fed her orcs with rat poison, so that they died for hours in torment, from an global law point of view, she gets combatant position and is protected by Geneva conventions... Honestly, I don't truly care. I only hope that the Polish parliament will rapidly follow these steps and depenalize the killing of invaders by any means available. somewhat calmer is simply a man's bow tie, erstwhile you know that the act does not in any case constitute a violation of Article 148 KK par. 1. “He who kills a man is subject to imprisonment in time not little than 10 years old or punishes life imprisonment”.
And in order to rise the level of emotion a small bit more, and your courage to read, I will draw attention here only to the fact that having a hostile infantryman sitting on a BMP armor the last thing you think is simply a penal code. What are you gonna think? You'll know erstwhile the time is right. Come in.
