Yulia on staying in touch

Previous: Yulia’s Father

Українською мовою: Юлія розповідає про те, як підтримувати зв’язок

Ivan: Are there any other examples?

Yulia: Our soldiers have a tradition during rotation — meaning a change of soldiers from the front line. In the last settlement where there is a café, before going on a combat mission, they stop, slowly drink coffee, and look at the sky.

As my dad explained to me, this has meaning for them — just to look at a clear sky.

Because later they won’t see it. There will be drones and missiles flying, and they want to have this moment of calm.

Ivan: Like enjoying a peaceful moment.

Yulia: Yes, yes.

Ivan: And this is before rotation, meaning for those who are going to the front.

Ivan: Is there something similar for people who are coming back from the trenches? Some traditions for those who are returning to peaceful life?

Yulia:
It is very hard for soldiers to return to peaceful life, because they still carry everything they went through with them. But they talk to those who replace them. They help them, explain what is there, what to expect.

I can’t give a specific example, but they share their experience, and they are very grateful to those who replace them.

Ivan: And this happens somewhere near the front?

Yulia: Practically right on the front line. Earlier there was what they call “zero,” where direct contact happens. Then there is “one.” Those who replace them come as close as possible — around “one” — and then go to “zero” for combat missions.

Ivan: Are there any other traditions connected to rotation?

Yulia: Well, soldiers gather as a brigade, for example, they live in small houses, and they go to church to light candles.

First of all, those who are truly religious light candles for fallen comrades. And when they go to the front, they light candles for health and pray, for example, to the Mother of God.

Ivan: Like praying for protection?

Yulia: Yes.

Ivan: Interesting. Do you think that the full-scale invasion that started in 2022 made people more religious in general?

Yulia: I think yes. I personally prayed to God many times for my father and for my ex-boyfriend. And I think it had its own ….

Ivan: Strength? Meaning?

Yulia: Yes, I think so.

Ivan: Do you personally have any superstitions? Maybe connected to what should or shouldn’t be talked about at the front?

Yulia: Earlier, when I was dating my boyfriend, he couldn’t tell me what was happening there or what the mood was like. He completely cut me off from that part of his life. We talked only about him and about good things.

Ivan: So he didn’t share what was happening there at all?

Yulia: Yes. First of all, he was afraid of my reaction, and second, he didn’t want to jinx anything. If everything was good, then everything was good.

Only when he came out of hot zones, or from encirclement — they were surrounded in Severodonetsk, well, somewhere in the Donetsk region.

Ivan: From captivity or from encirclement?

Yulia: From encirclement. The factory was surrounded, and only then could he report that everything was okay.

Ivan: She asks whether this secrecy is more about not wanting to jinx things or also about not revealing positions.

Yulia: Yes. All soldiers are closed in this sense. They don’t talk about what happened to them. That’s why many women and mothers don’t even know half of what happened to their sons or husbands.

Ivan: Is this secrecy something soldiers decide themselves, or do commanders tell them not to share? How did this kind of secrecy appear?

Yulia: At the beginning of the war, when everything started, all patches — name patches or unit numbers — were thrown away, so that if someone was captured, no one would know who they were.

Especially in Vitalik’s case — he had no documents, he was a sniper, and for him captivity would mean death. This was done on commanders’ orders.

Everyone was also afraid of wiretapping. Remember when everyone was saying not to use Viber or Telegram? Everyone was looking for alternatives. Signal appeared exactly then.

People were very scared and thought they were being listened to.

Of course, commanders also say not to reveal exact locations. But also, from a personal point of view, when a guy says, “I’m going on a mission,” he usually doesn’t give details so people won’t worry.

Sometimes, if he does say something, he then won’t be in touch for a week, and that really hits the nervous system.

Usually, when they go on such missions — let me explain — they go on foot, not by vehicle, because it’s dangerous. They still have to walk far, sometimes ten kilometers, to get supplies or to charge equipment.

They collect all phones from the group, and one person goes somewhere to send a message that everything is okay. Not to charge phones — they don’t have Starlink — just to send a message.

He sends a “plus,” meaning everything is fine. That’s it. They usually don’t share details.

Ivan: Are there any other symbols soldiers use, besides the “plus”?

Yulia: Usually no. The “plus” means: I don’t have time, but I want to let you know so you don’t worry.

People just wait for that plus. They don’t need questions like “How?” or “What?” Just the plus is enough to know that everything is okay.

Ivan: She says it’s a very good system and that it makes sense.

Yulia: I understand.