[Soldier] Fire!
WAR CORRESPONDENT SARGON HADAYA
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY KLIM POPLAVSKY
WAR CORRESPONDENTS–3 HE PRAYS IN GOD'S LANGUAGE
[Correspondent] What's been most memorable in this war?
[Sargon] When we went into Artyomovsk,
just after we took the industrial zone
[Sargon] And the first days, after we liberated a village
[Sargon] That's memorable
[Sargon] Unfortunately, I can't say everything…
[Sargon] But there is much to remember in this war
[Sargon] I'm about to say a few words in Arabic
[Sargon] Don't worry! It's kind of an inside thing we do
[Sargon] If people in Donbass want to speak Russian...
that's their right
[Sargon] Their parents, grandparents, and entire history
is tied to Russia and Russian
[Sargon] People and values are different, that's to be respected
[Sargon] When it's not, you start hearing the gunfire we hear now
[Radio] Company, 60!
[Radio] Tell 'Shar-Pei'…
['Cast Iron'] Direct hit, one! Direct hit on the house, that's two
['Cast Iron'] When we first drove in, they saw us. Did you see?
[Sargon] The military sees the danger level
[Sargon] It's very different for civilians
[Sargon] When they think, 'Well, that's nothing!'
[Sargon] It's very hot for any civilian
[Soldier] Fire!
[Sargon] The guys who trained with weapons...
that's their job
[Sargon] But bringing the truth, showing what's really happening
is a no less vital weapon
[Soldier] That's how we kill Ukrainians nice and quick
[Radio] Yes, I hear you
[Film crew] That's it, guys
[Sargon] Yes, let's get out of here. Thanks, guys!
[Sargon] Honestly, we're fighting for the minds of populations
in nations that are now our adversaries
[Sargon] If the other side doesn't understand us when we try to explain,
then we'll have to explain it in a slightly different way
['Cast Iron'] We smashed them ['Shar-Pei'] 'Feral', 'Feral', I'm 'Shar-Pei'
['Cast Iron'] Now, we'll observe, they may evacuate
['Cast Iron'] If they do, we'll fire some more
[Radio] Bulwark on the southern dugout
NEAR SEVERSK
['Cast Iron'] Southern dugout bulwark hit
['Cast Iron'] We drive up, get out fast, the car goes, and take cover
['Cast Iron'] Everyone behind me. If you hear banging nearby, do what I do
[Correspondent] Hi!
['Cast Iron'] This is my favourite signaller, Yura. Callsign 'Steel B*lls'
['Cast Iron'] This dugout took two direct hits from 120mm shells
[Sargon] Yeah? ['Cast Iron'] Yeah
['Cast Iron'] Three rows of 1.5 metre logs. Clay - wheels - clay...
['Cast Iron'] This trench is twice as deep, it's covered with beams
['Cast Iron'] I have trenches like it in all positions
['Cast Iron'] 'Akhmat' special forces seem to detest digging
['Cast Iron'] They sat in little wigwams
['Cast Iron'] When shelling began, they dropped tools and ran to my other position,
and Yura stayed in theirs
['B*lls of Steel'] 152mm shells fell nearby, but he sat and waited, doing comms
He came out, 'May I leave, too?' They're very close!'
- I said, 'No' - It's 1.5m
[Sargon] Our task is to show how we've advanced
[Sargon] The guys we sit with...
[Sargon] This is Russian territory, it's ours
[Sargon] It's a constitutional duty to restore our country's territorial integrity
[Sargon] Accordingly, the guys do it, and we cover it, on our own land
[Soldier 1] 6 men there, I think,
and 2 on lookout
[Soldier 1] Going between north and south dugouts
[Soldier 2] Our drones are always flying? [Soldier 1] Yeah
[Soldier] We observe enemy hardware and troops approaching
WE ARE NOW ON THE FRONTLINE NEAR THE CITY OF SEVERSK.
RUSSIAN FORCES, OR RATHER THE 2ND BATTALION,
ARE STRIKING AT THE ENEMY'S POSITIONS AND FORTIFIED POINTS – NAMELY RESERVISTS WHO ARE TRYING TO BREAK THROUGH THE FRONTLINE.
AS YOU HAVE SEEN, RUSSIAN DRONES ARE CONSTANTLY IN THE AIR.
ARTILLERY POSITIONS ARE ALWAYS STANDING BY TO ATTACK ENEMY POSITIONS.
[Sargon] By the way, as a kid, I knew the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic
[Sargon] I've mostly forgotten it, but...
HALLOWED BE THY NAME, THY KINGDOM COME,
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN…
[Sargon] There's more. I forgot
[Sargon] By the way, I'm Aramaean [Correspondent] No way!
[Sargon] I am [Correspondent] It can't be!
[Sargon] I'm serious. My name's Sargon, the name of Assyrian kings
[Sargon] So we're Aramaean, of the ancient Assyrian church
['Cast Iron'] 471 was here
[Soldier] Yeah
[Soldier] This is the enemy's fortified area ['Cast Iron'] Yes, we hit the north dugout
[Soldier 1] Today, the first one was a sighting shot
['Cast Iron'] Now, there'll be a direct hit and a flash
['Cast Iron'] It is 90 metres from the enemy to my extreme point
[Correspondent] 'Cast Iron', what year?
['Cast Iron'] Birth? [Correspondent] Yeah
['Cast Iron'] I'm little [Correspondent] How old?
['Cast Iron'] I've just turned 29 [Correspondent] Nice!
[Correspondent] That's wild!
['Cast Iron'] I was a battalion commander at 28 [Correspondent] What?
['Cast Iron'] A commander at 28, yeah
['Cast Iron'] I love porridge and to serve
['Cast Iron'] I don't want to go home, eh? [Correspondent] Yeah
[Sargon] Wives are jealous anyway
['Cast Iron'] My wife says, 'Well, as the Motherland called, you have to serve'
THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD…
[Sargon] The conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, parts of Africa, etc...
[Sargon] Put this mosaic together, and you have World War III
[Sargon] No need to fight there with armies
[Sargon] You can fight with others' hands, it's called a 'proxy war'
[Sargon] That's what the Americans are doing now to maintain their hegemony
[Sargon] Well…
[Sargon] By the way...
[Sargon] 'Sable'…
[Sargon] You're an international criminal, yes? Where…? You were tried in Europe?
[Sargon] Yes, in the US, they say I was tried in Europe
[Sargon] By the way, I was saying that...
in one day, these guys killed how many?
[Sargon] 7 Americans, 4 Brazilians?
['Sable'] At the start, we got 7 Americans, 4 Brazilians, and a Polish girl sniper
['Sable'] We got a lot of them
['Sable'] Well, there were even more later…
['Sable'] But, in one go... That was my first time
[Sargon] As-salamu alaykum
[Soldier] In the south, a shell hit a minefield, explosions all over, a forest on fire...
['Sable'] Imagine this: a missile costs $300,000
['Sable'] It flew, one part shot down, the other hits
['Sable'] Thank God, no one was hurt, not civilians, not us
['Sable'] No deaths...
only a building was destroyed
[Sargon] They threw away at least $3 million
['Sable'] They just threw it away, you know, for nothing
['Sable'] It got me thinking... If this was their goal,
they'd have hit their target, right?
['Sable'] But they hit a closed post office
['Sable'] I don't get it!
['Sable'] 'There's $300,000 left, let's hit a post office!' What a shame!
['Sable'] Have to build a new one
KREMENNAYA
[Radio] 'Thief' receiving
[Correspondent] We're heading for the fire [Radio] Yeah
AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE THE POSITIONS OF THE CHECHEN 'AKHMAT' UNIT.
THERE HAS JUST BEEN AN ATTACK BY UKRAINIAN TROOPS.
FIGHTERS ARE NOW BEING EVACUATED FROM THE BURNING ZONE.
FIRE TRUCKS WILL PUT OUT THE FIRES.
[Sargon] A so-so morning!
[Sargon] A whistle [Correspondent] Not nice, huh!
[Sargon] Well...
[Sargon] When it whistles like that, you...
stay away!
[Sargon] We'll wait a while, till it calms down
[Sargon] Can't even take a helmet off
[Correspondent] Did you remember the Aramaic Lord's Prayer?
OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME,
THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE
[Sargon] Can't remember more. A few more hits, and I'll remember it all
[Sargon] See? 'Mum said to wear it'
[Sargon] Mum never gives bad advice
[Correspondent] What's your mum's ethnicity? [Sargon] Russian, native Muscovite
[Sargon] I was born in Moscow
[Correspondent] And studied...?
[Sargon] I studied in Moscow at an Arab school, and in Syria
[Sargon] It's a long story, and not the best,
as I was expelled from both
[Correspondent] No, go on! [Sargon] No, no, no
[Sargon] People won't get it!
[Sargon] Things happen!
[Correspondent] You misbehaved? [Sargon] A bit
['Sable'] You can't save it, they took weapons out
[Sargon] To keep it there? ['Sable'] Yes
['Sable'] They tried to burn us last year, it's their tactic
[Sargon] Shelling?
['Sable'] Well, yeah [Sargon] Shelling the city
['Sable'] The Ukrainians used cluster bombs first
['Sable'] Then they launched 2 artillery attacks and it all burnt
[Sargon] And that gunfire? ['Sable'] That's our ammo
[Sargon] Because of fire?
['Sable'] They use bullets…
['Sable'] Shelling!
[Sargon] At ours, yes?
[Radio] 'Sable', 'Sable' to 'Armour' ['Sable'] Go ahead
[Radio] Commander, where are you? ['Sable'] On the road
[Radio] Roger
['Sable'] What's your status?
[Radio] 'Bumblebee' fired
[Fireman] Forests are always hard, but if you get there in time...
[Fireman] To be in time is key! Put it out and...
[Sargon] Are you local? [Fireman] Severodonetsk
[Sargon] Severodonetsk?
[Fireman] We stayed after the… We've recovered, so what do we do?
[Fireman] We save people, that's our mission
[Sargon] We're leaving?
[Soldier] Hold out in your positions!
[Sargon] The order is, 'Get in position, hold the line', who knows what's up!
[Sargon] Now we wait, so we...
don't bother the guys
[Sargon] We keep filming
[Correspondent] Our car's ahead, Sargon!
[Correspondent] There's our car
[Correspondent] What do we do, Sargon?
[Sargon] It's more interesting over there
[Correspondent] As you wish
[Soldier] Commander, mines...
[Sargon] Mines! Turn back!
['Sable'] Guys, go back!
[Sargon] They're hitting our minefields. As we approached, the guys
ran into the dugout, saying fragments were reaching here
[Sargon] It's better... not to tempt fate and stay away
[Correspondent] Can you like this sort of work? [Sargon] No!
[Correspondent] Why do you do it? - I have to...
[Sargon] Few can tell the Arab world the truth of what's happening
[Sargon] There are just a few of us here
[Sargon] 'Sable', if you need anything, we're here
[Correspondent] He's laughing at us
[Correspondent] What do you dream about?
[Sargon] I want to learn how to surf
[Sargon] 'Sable'...
[Sargon] Sit down!
[Sargon] They're filming us too now! We're not the only ones filming
['Sable'] Sitting like in that picture, 'The Hunters at Rest'
['Sable'] There's a girl at our HQ. Her name's Anya
['Sable'] I went once, she had lots of young cucumbers there
['Sable'] Today, she gave me a bagful
[Sargon] How many men have you lost? ['Sable'] A lot
['Sable'] 10 of my people
['Sable'] My guys
['Sable'] Well...
statistically not much, but a lot for me
['Sable'] Last year, when we took Severodonetsk, we were in...
['Sable'] Lisichansk, Rubezhnoe
['Sable'] No one was wounded in my unit
['Sable'] But now people are dying in this shelling:
cluster shells today and yesterday
['Sable'] They hit the private sector not our positions
['Sable'] They hit shops and civilians suffer
['Sable'] Take the cucumbers. With potatoes and all,
then they would be…
['Sable'] Plain cucumbers are too salty
[Correspondent] I know who you look like [Sargon] Who?
[Correspondent] Russell Crowe [Sargon] Really?
[Correspondent] The spitting image of Maximus from 'Gladiator'
[Sargon] Well, here he is - Maximus!
['Sable'] I'm afraid they're going to swallow a lot of smoke
['Sable'] You can't breathe here
['Sable'] After the wound, my heart got sewn up. Now it's hard to breathe
['Sable'] I probably won't go there
['Sable'] I tell them to take turns so as not to take in too much smoke
['Sable'] It comes from the burning resin
[Sargon] But can't they use it? Use the smoke and try to break through?
['Sable'] We have more positions there. If a fight starts, clearly we'll…
[Sargon] Send reinforcements ['Sable'] What else to do?
AFTER SETTING FIRE TO THESE FORTIFICATIONS, THEY WILL PROBABLY TRY
TO BREAK THROUGH OUR DEFENCES FROM HERE, AND THEN THE FIGHTING WILL SHIFT TO THE CITY,
WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE ABSOLUTELY DON'T WANT.
[Sargon] When we see we're getting in the way...
it's vital...
to feel that moment when journalism ends
[Sargon] Well, then we just…
move away so as not to interfere, to save lives:
ourselves, our team, our group, and the people who accompany us
[Sargon] Once, in 2015, I made the news when my car was blown up in Syria
[Sargon] The guys and I were wounded
[RT News] Russian journalists in Syria have come under shellfire
in the north of Latakia province.
[RT News] Now, the RT crew including correspondent Roman Kosarev
was in a car when anti-tank missile exploded nearby.
[Journalist] Two fragments hit your back
[Sargon] It's better if we report and show people what's really going on here
[Sargon] Therefore...
know your limits: when you shouldn't go on...
[Sargon] You won't be of any help, just a burden to the soldiers
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD;
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES,
AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US…
[Sargon] Combat work will now be carried out by...
the Ka-52...
with a Mi-28 covering the helicopter
[Sargon] We and the search and rescue team...
will be on duty
[Sargon] If, God forbid, our pilots or the drones are shot down,
our choppers...
the guys we're flying with will go to the rescue
[Sargon] That's how I describe it
[Sargon] It's particular work they do:
if all the choppers are now working...
and being covered,
the rescue group lands, and they'll be working in the open
[Sargon] If, God forbid, that happens...
then the enemy...
will hit us with all they've got
[Sargon] And we know they have a lot
[Sargon] What we take is all the standard stuff
[‘Doc’] Probably the same as everywhere: a bag valve mask, bandages,
and accompanying haemostatics, tourniquets...
as everywhere else
[Sargon] Plus a rifle and everything else [‘Doc’] Well, yes!
[Sargon] You're probably not like an ordinary doctor?
[‘Doc’] No, I think it's hard everywhere. It doesn't matter
whether you're stationed at a paramedic point or...
[‘Doc’] Everyone has the same job
[‘Doc’] It's just that we have to carry rifles here
[‘Doc’] Their injuries are similar to tankmen's. So there were those who
got badly burned, or literally charred to ashes. So, we had to collect
anything that was left
[‘Doc’] This is, of course, tragic. Survival depends on the situation,
and, probably, on the competency of pilots regards saving their own lives
[‘Doc’] We work on the ground. If people follow evacuation protocols well,
get out of the aircraft and reach to the ground safely,
then in 90% of cases all ends well
[Soldier] This is the best job in the world!
[Sargon] The one you filmed is a Mi-8 working on its targets
[Sargon] And the second is… Shelling, right?
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL…
[Correspondent] Do you work alone? [Sargon] No, I have...
a team:
a cameraman…
another one...
and a driver
[Sargon] It's boring alone...
more fun in a team!
[Sargon] When you've been in this business, as I have, for 10 years...
well..
you act more wisely
[Correspondent] Business, service, work? [Sargon] Huh?
[Sargon] Business, service, or work?
[Sargon] I call it business
[Sargon] You wise up
[Sargon] Get home alive, no need for heroism!
NEAR SVATOVO
[Song] You'll come back from the clouds
[Song] You'll rain upon me like a rain...
[Driver] We go straight on here? [‘Thunder’] Yes
[Correspondent] Sargon, it's like Vietnam here
[Sargon] Yes, it's somewhat similar - the rainy season!
[Correspondent] Or maybe something like Cambodia
[Sargon] Nature has no bad weather
[Sargon] This weather is actually a good thing because drones can't fly in it,
and there's less artillery
[Sargon] Fresh air, more oxygen... No, seriously, do this!
[Sargon] This is the dust of war, and here, just fresh air
[Song] Your voice, I'll hear with the wind…
[Sargon] Tell us about the situation? What can you say about Kupyansk?
[‘Thunder’] The situation is stable. We're working according to the strategy
and fulfilling all tasks set
[‘Thunder’] Attempts to breach our defences aren't working
[‘Thunder’] Our mortars, artillery, and MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) are operating well
[‘Thunder’] No way the enemy will break through!
[Sargon] 'Thunder', how old are you? [‘Thunder’] 23
[Sargon] How old? [Correspondent] 23 years old
[Correspondent] He received a Medal for Courage. He was seriously wounded,
but returned...
to the ranks
[Sargon] Your parents must be proud [‘Thunder’] They are
[‘Thunder’] I returned from leave
[Sargon] Where are you from? [‘Thunder’] Dagestan
- Got married [Sargon] Really?
[‘Thunder’] I went on leave, got married and returned to the front right away
[Correspondent] What can I say? It's not even one bit scary here with these guys
[Sargon] The frontline's over there
[Sargon] 'Baba Yagas' fly round here
[Sargon] A 'Baba Yaga' is a large and impressive drone
[‘Thunder’] It's a really dangerous thing [Sargon] Dangerous?
[Correspondent] Oh, is that a destroyed tank there? [‘Thunder’] Yes. A 'Baba Yaga' did that
[‘Thunder’] It hits and detonates a shell that blows the turret off
[‘Thunder’] Blew the turret and tracks off, right? [‘Thunder’] Yes
[‘Thunder’] And here's a UAZ truck. See the result!
[Driver] We go down there? [‘Thunder’] Yes, straight on
[Sargon] Damn! We can't film here. All positions can be seen
[‘Thunder’] They hit the church here. It's against all rules of war to fire on holy sites
[‘Thunder’] But here's a destroyed church
[Correspondent] They hit the church on purpose? [‘Thunder’] Yes, on purpose!
[Song] The road now seems to be quiet...
and tranquil
[Song] But the song 'Road to Hell' comes to mind...
by Chris Rea, I think
[Song] Because over there...
it's an inferno
FOR YOUR KINGDOM, AND POWER,
AND GLORY ARE ETERNAL.
[‘Thunder’] 'Highlander', it's 'Thunder', come in
[Radio] We're on the move, just turned right, be there soon. Come in
[‘Thunder’] Copy, we're waiting
['Highlander'] Preparing for battle...
['Highlander'] We'll take this gun this time
[Sargon] How old are you?
['Highlander'] I'm 25
['Highlander'] I'm a full-time Russian Army officer
['Highlander'] Graduated from the Moscow Command School
['Highlander'] After being severely wounded,
I recovered and served in the Taman Division,
then transferred to the 4th Motorised Rifle Division, to my brother
['Highlander'] We studied together in the same platoon...
our company commander, 'Mountain'
[Sargon] We just talked to him
[Sargon] 24 years old? ['Highlander'] Yes, and he's 23
[Sargon] 23 ['Highlander'] He's 23
[Sargon] How do you command older men? Those over 40?
['Highlander'] That's our job
['Highlander'] We were taught to do it
at the great and famous Moscow Command School
['Highlander'] So, we have no problems with that
['Highlander'] Yesterday, the Regiment Commander summoned us,
and Malik received a national award:
a Medal for Courage
[Sargon] Right from the family front to the frontline, eh?
['Highlander'] Yes, right away... Couldn't even spend time with his new wife
['Highlander'] But that's our life, we're used to it
[Sargon] Was your wife understanding? ['Mountain'] Of course
['Mountain'] She's sympathetic… Even wanted to come to the front with me
['Highlander'] She was ready to
['Mountain'] Once, on leave, we went to a shooting range
['Mountain'] She hit one target after another
['Mountain'] She said, 'Come on, take me with you!'
['Highlander'] Yeah…
['Highlander'] Well, let's head out ['Mountain'] Yeah, let's go
[Sargon] Where? How far away is the enemy?
['Highlander'] The enemy is about 500 metres away
['Highlander'] We'll go to the nearest point,
where the enemy will be only 300 to 400 metres away
['Highlander'] Our guys are preparing a 'gift' for them
['Highlander'] If we want to have time to film...
we'll need to speed up a bit
[Correspondent] Wait, don't unfold it yet!
[Sargon] Highlander', does the lezginka help? ['Highlander'] It empowers me!
['Highlander'] How could it not?
['Highlander'] I'm carrying my people's flag
['Highlander'] We're all part of our vast, great country
['Highlander'] I'm proud to be a native of Dagestan
['Highlander'] I'm very proud to represent my Republic here...
to defend and protect the honour of my Motherland, my home
[Soldier] Fire!
[Correspondent] Sargon!
RUSSIAN TROOPS ARE ATTACKING UKRAINIAN POSITIONS AND
FORTIFICATIONS NEAR KUPYANSK…
[Soldier 1] Fire at the 203th [Soldier 2] Fire!
SHOTS ARE GUIDED BY DRONES…
AND THIS IS THE THIRD SHELL NOW.
[Soldier] Fire!
[Soldier] All 3 fired, that's it!
[Soldier] Take cover!
[Correspondent] Let's go, go, go…
[Sargon] Do we need a password there?
[Soldier] Drone! [Sargon] Drone!
[Sargon] Is it ours?
[Soldier] No
[Sargon] It's not ours
[Correspondent] We often see them flying all over
[Sargon] They're everywhere around here
[Sargon] Everything's close here
[Sargon] It's no joke here
[Sargon] We're shooting a film here, but this is no movie
[Correspondent] It's a documentary
[Sargon] No, I mean, it may be a documentary, but here...
[Sargon] Well, you can hear the artillery fire around us...
and drones in the air
[Sargon] Drones are the most horrid thing
[Sargon] If they see you and realise we're journalists...
they'll…
they'll start...
[Sargon] Hear that?
[Sargon] They'll hit us with everything they've got,
so no unnecessary heroism:
we go in quickly, film, do our work,
talk to the guys, and leave as fast as possible
[Soldier] 'Ghost', lead the other group
[Sargon] That's how it goes
[Soldier] Bring some
[Soldier] Let's go
[Soldier] Careful
WE'RE NOW ABOUT 200 METRES FROM THE UKRAINIAN TROOPS' LOCATION.
THE RUSSIAN ARMY WILL NOW ATTACK THIS CHECKPOINT.
EARLIER, IT WAS HIT BY DRONES,
WHICH CAUSED THE WITHDRAWAL OF A PORTION OF THE UKRAINIAN FORCES FROM THERE.
ANOTHER BLOW WILL BE STRUCK AT THIS PLACE NOW.
[Soldier] Back up a bit
[Soldier 1] It didn't go in, back up [Soldier 2] It's too far ahead
[Soldier 1] Drone! [Soldier 2] Is it ours?
['Mountain'] 'Professor,' this is 'Mountain'! Is the drone yours?
['Mountain'] It's coming in on our 3 [Radio] Repeat, repeat
[Radio] It's ours
[Sargon] Is it our drone? ['Mountain'] It's ours, let's go
['Mountain'] Roger!
[Soldier] Hit them!
[Soldier] Is it burning? The b***h is burning!
[Soldier] 'Afghan'! This is 'Mountain', we got them!
[Soldier] The turret flew off!
[Sargon] How'd it go?
[Soldier] Right on target, target destroyed - There's the hero
[Sargon] Tell us about it [Soldier] We hit the turret on the 3rd try
[Soldier] Great shooting!
[Soldier] Report in: one, two, three, four...
five, six people are leaving the IFV,
heading west
[Sargon] The circumstances surrounding military journalism
has changed a lot in this conflict
[Sargon] We used to wear blue helmets,
there was the Geneva Convention, protection…
[Sargon] But after the Syrian campaign, everything changed
[Sargon] Journalists became a target, and they are here too
[Sargon] When Europeans come here,
they certainly don't come anywhere near where we are now
[Sargon] They may be 40 kilometres from the front, in the rear
[Sargon] They all come in blue armour and helmets
[Sargon] For them, it's… They're still…
[Sargon] There it goes
[Sargon] They all live in an illusion
[Sargon] Imagine, we're sitting here in blue helmets
[Sargon] There's an enemy drone above, and this blue spot…
[Sargon] You'd have to be blind not to see it
[Sargon] They aren't exactly idiots on the other side, they know what they're doing
[Sargon] I think they're hunting for people...
whose injury or death would cause a stir
[Sargon] These are journalists, priests, maybe public figures...
cause that would cause a stir
[Soldier] Ukrainians are digging trenches under a destroyed enemy IFV
[Soldier] There's a dugout there, a trench…
[Soldier] We hit it today
[Soldier] There it is burning
[Sargon] Tell us how it went
[Soldier] We targeted the enemy's IFV-3 with 6 missiles, 5 reached their target
[Soldier] One exploded prematurely due to a technical error
[Soldier] We're going to finish it off
[Sargon] What was under the IFV?
[Soldier] The enemy dug in under the IFV, made a dugout
[Soldier] They set up fortifications and a firing point there
Not the 1st vehicle you've destroyed?
[Soldier] I've also burnt a 'Ural' truck with enemy troops inside using an ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile)
[Soldier] 'Professor', do you copy? [Soldier] I copy
[Sargon] Cut! Well done!
[Sargon] Look here: young guys from all over Russia are liberating our land
[Sargon] How old are you, 'Mountain'?
[Soldier] 24 [Sargon] 24 years old
[Sargon] And you? [Soldier] 42
[Sargon] Just swap the numbers!
[Sargon] Well, and...? [Soldier] All's OK
[Sargon] We have an even younger one who's 19
[Soldier] He's just fearless [Sargon] Really?
[Sargon] Where is he? In the trenches? [Soldier] No, flying
[Sargon] A drone operator? [Soldier] Yes, but he goes on missions too
[Sargon] So, he jumps right from his PC into a combat zone?
[Sargon] Well, how else?
[Soldier] 'Professor'! This is 'Mountain'... [Sargon] So that's how it is here...
[Sargon] 19 years old, 24…
[Sargon] For those watching this:
remember what you were doing at the age of 19
[Sargon] And they're here
[Song] You'll rain upon me…
[Sargon] And if it shakes? [Soldier] It'll be OK
[Soldier] Fun, eh?
[Song] Over the fields…
[Soldier 1] 'Babe', let's go [Soldier 2] Come on, jump in
[Sargon] 'Babe'? You don't look so young [Soldier] That's the point
[Soldier] Let's go with God!
[Song] Your voice I will hear with the wind…
[Correspondent] How do you say: 'Real heroes, true sons of the Motherland' in Arabic?
[Sargon] Real heroes, true sons of the Motherland'
AMEN.
[Sargon] This is a war of modern tech, like drones
[Sargon] There are few direct battles here, it's a different kind of war...
a war of artillery
[Sargon] You can be any kind of specialist:
well-trained, professional...
[Sargon] They fire artillery at you, and your training…
[Sargon] You can learn things somehow
[Sargon] The most important thing is to always remain vigilant,
to never lose your concentration
[Sargon] You leave a position and move to a safe place...
a safe distance away where you can let your guard down
[Sargon] Well, 20, 30, or 100 times, you may get away with that...
but on the 101st, life will punish you
[Correspondent] How many wars have you seen?
[Sargon] Not many...
not many, but enough
[Correspondent] Sargon, is this a super active week for you, or is it like this every day?
[Correspondent] I mean, you had the fire at Kremennaya
[Correspondent] Then, you went with the guys who were shooting ATGMs
[Correspondent] Now, you'll be in the air... Is it always like this?
[Sargon] Well, something like that, even more active sometimes,
depending on how things are going at the front
[Correspondent] What do you like filming most?
[Sargon] You know, already nothing...
[Sargon] I just want it to end, and for everyone to go home
[Correspondent] Aramaic... [Sargon] Aramaic is the language of Christ
[Sargon] The language of Christ...
[Sargon] It's been preserved in several cities in northern Syria
[Sargon] And several churches in the Middle East...
still conduct services in this language,
sometimes mixed with Arabic or Latin,
but it's this language
OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN,
HALLOWED BE THY NAME,
THY KINGDOM COME,
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY
OUR DAILY BREAD;
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES,
AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US;
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. FOR YOUR KINGDOM,
AND POWER, AND GLORY ARE ETERNAL.
AMEN.
THIS FILM FEATURES THE FOLLOWING MUSIC: 'YOU WILL COME BACK' MUSIC AND LYRICS BY VIKTORIA LI