Diary of a Russian soldier. Андрей Владимирович Устинович
April, there's no snow, it's dry. You can't say that the new year is in 4 days. It's +6 outside. I also received 3 letters. There is no limit to my joy.
By the way, on the march we had with us: a duffel bag, unloading, pouch, shovel, UGC, stockings and a gas mask.
December 28th.
I washed the floor in the morning, today everything seems to be in class. I slept like the dead, fell asleep quickly and got up on command. This is the first time. Still, there was a drill today, but there was nothing complicated, and I looked at the dawn. They also told how AK and Pecheneg (machine gun) work. More precisely, about why the barrel does not overheat and about the AK-12, a mixture of M4 and AK74 with high accuracy and rate of fire and lack of recoil. Today, one guy was sent to plaster the ceiling and I was with him as a helper. I'm not used to construction, I don't understand how I used to do it.
I also pulled myself up with weight, it was very difficult, the muscles had already begun to atrophy, I hadn't trained like this for a long time. Last time in civilian life.
December 29th.
The morning was easy, everything was done quickly, there was a lot of time to shave and even started writing a diary in the morning.
In general, the day is easy, no one really bothers us, we just sit and supposedly teach duties. We went to the sauna, Volodya and I swayed, I stood the bar at 3:05. So far, my record. Company stand down…
December 30th.
The morning didn't go well, in the morning my friend got sick at the construction site. They put him on a bed all white. To be honest, I was scared for him. We took him to the infirmary. There was also a foam party today, the second platoon, as always, decided who would do what. Well, we did everything quickly with our platoon. I also cleaned the belt. Initially, it was painted green, but in our department it is customary to remove the paint, immediately with a metal brush, and then with a small sandpaper. After lunch, the day is light, the barracks were decorated before the new year. They even allowed me to go to bed and sleep. The guys from the visits brought delicious food for everyone, there was even my favorite cookie. By the evening, there was some kind of awareness of the new year and with it sadness and longing.
December, 31st.
I slept well and just looked out the window for an hour and a half. We went outside, and there was snow.. It was very unexpected. Some kind of magic. It was a great day, we were given our phones and I called my family all the time. And I also sewed a couple of secret pockets in the form, for the future. So that you can secretly carry your phone with you. We are waiting for the new year…
They started preparing for the holiday. They carried tables, chairs, and set the table. The second platoon was dumb as always, but we tried. I cut up the whole sausage and a lot of other small things. I didn't want to eat on New Year's Eve itself, there were a couple of contests and skits. We went to the fireworks and went to bed at one o'clock in the morning.
There is a depressive mood in the army on New Year's Eve, you realize that you are losing your life here..
January 1st.
At 5:30, I was awake as usual. We got up at 9. We got up, washed, dressed and started eating everything that was left. I was standing next to a bucket of chicken, it was 7 liters. I ate 5 chicken legs, and then climbed into the same bucket with olivier salad and herring under a fur coat and greedily ate it all. Top with 3 mugs of coffee and a bunch of cookies and other sweets. Coffee in the army is a rarity, especially for the first half of the year. It is so unusual to drink coffee and watch TV carelessly while in the army.. Well, that's how my new year in the army went.
January 2.
I got up in the morning with a stomach ache. It's normal after a day of overeating. After I got out of bed, it suddenly darkened in my eyes so much that I was blind for about 5 seconds. Soon everything passed and I went to have breakfast. I had a little snack and went to the barracks. It was bad. I had stomach aches, chills and weakness. And then suddenly a doctor came and asked if we had any complaints. I didn't want to talk right away, but suddenly it went dark in the ranks again and there was a noise in my ears. I said I was sick. The doctor gave me a thermometer to take my temperature. It turned out to be 38.4. He gave me a thermometer in my mouth, it showed 36.6. He said that I might have been worried, so he showed the thermometer. And it's safer in the mouth. They gave me pills and told me not to eat anything, just to drink boiling water. The doctor arrived in the evening. There was no fever, but there was a fever. She sent me to bed early. It's 21:20, evening verification is underway, and I'm writing this text and going to bed.
The first period.
January 3rd.
In the morning, our patients were raised early, their temperature was taken and they were given pills. I woke up in a sweat, all wet. I have a little headache and feel sick about strong black tea without sugar.
Today is the day when you need to leave for the brigade. The course of the young fighter is over and it's time to go to the main place of service. We quickly packed up our things and Comrade Major took us to his car. He took us to the first-aid post in that new unit for us, without even going into the barracks. He said he would watch until the evening and let him go to the barracks. There were 4 of us and most likely we were poisoned by the salad "herring under a fur coat". Since we were sitting at the same table and we had a plate with the same salad that our friend brought from a visit. The one who ate the most is the worst of all.
The infirmary is cool, the door is old with a broken handle, the walls are worn with paint and some scary beds and blankets. And the bedside tables are broken.
In the evening we arrived at the barracks, the first thing the sergeants said was to forget about the phrases "that's right", "allow me to apply" and other soldier phrases. The sergeants here are the same conscripts as me, only they served for half a year or a year more. The first impression is positive.
A little bit about the part. The part is located in the forest, nothing is visible in the window except the forest. If in the old place the windows overlooked the city and you could look at the city traffic, beautiful girls in skirts and in general there was a feeling that you were among people. Then here it feels like you're some kind of Mowgli. Looking ahead, I can say that it will be very depressing.
January 4th.
We got up cheerful in the morning, we did everything slowly. Let's go to the firing range, 8 rounds each with an AKC with a collimator sight. I didn't like it, it blinds the eye and the target is hard to see. Then they threw a training grenade and fired 8 rounds again. The sight was better this time. But I didn't like everything exactly. The bosses are strict here, but that's okay, so it would be completely fucked up. We were also forced by 4 spirits to clean machine guns, from which 40 people fired. We cleaned for 3 hours and the attendant did not want to take it.
Today I found out that my position is a sapper, and Volodya is a senior sapper.
January 5th.
The climb was fast. We were forced to level the beds and wash the floors. The morning check-up was easy. We weren't particularly touched. From the very morning there was a "work session" according to the schedule. According to the schedule at 8:45-9:45, but actually before lunch. They immediately told me to sweep the park with military equipment, then carry some stones from place to place, solve some kind of metal mesh in the fence. In general, we were doing some nonsense. After lunch, everything is the same. Then dinner. Dinner ended at 19:30. The walk was great too.
January 6th.
Today is PCB day, Saturday. I was forced to wash the mold off the ceiling and walls. Inventory: a sponge, a rag, a brush and a partner who, as you can see, does not have work clothes. And that's why he can't work, but only hold the ladder. Anyway, I'm tired. We have mold all over the barracks. Well, after lunch, as always, cleaning until the evening. I also called my wife and talked on the payphone. The world seemed to be on its feet. In fact, a soldier doesn't need much to be happy. Talk to your family on the phone 2 times a week.
By the way, I haven't written before. But when we arrived at the unit, the old-timers came