[Viktoria Korchagina, director of Russia's Bodyguard Association in the Northern Region] Contact!
Viktoria Korchagina, director of Russia's Bodyguard Association in the Northern Region
I was once known as the Russian Nikita
In the film, she killed a lot of people
We don't do that
[Hind Wajih Othman, female bodyguard Egypt] Hind Wajih Othman,
the 1st female bodyguard certified by Egypt's
Ministries of Defence and Internal Affairs
I'm a member of the International Bodyguard Association in Germany
and the 1st female martial arts coach in Egypt
[Nadezhda Mikhailova, female bodyguard] Nadezhda Mikhailova, director of the Eye of Horus bodyguard school for women
Over 7 years in private security
I'm a Master of Sport in boxing and hand-to-hand combat
I have a 4th dan black belt in Kyokushin karate
[Aleksandra Orekhova, female bodyguard] My name's Aleksandra Orekhova
I'm a Master of Sport in swimming and European champion in mixed martial arts
I currently work as a bodyguard
My name speaks for itself - Aleksandra means 'people's protector'
Protecting people, even ordinary citizens, is in my genes
I love helping people
Like G.I. Jane, I have to be ready at all times
[Mikhail Smirnov, curator, 'Grey Shadows' bodyguard club, Moscow] All right, get in position, take 2 easy shots at the leftmost target
I've never met a female bodyguard before
Where are they? What could one do in a dress?
Nothing!
[Nadezhda Mikhailova] Raise her skirt! What's the problem? Clothes stretch nowadays
[Viktoria Korchagina] Skirts usually have a slit
If a situation arises, no one thinks about tearing their skirt
[Mikhail Smirnov] Could she act the part? Yes
Could she hide a pistol?
Yeah, we all have an idea of where she could conceal it
How quickly could she draw it? That remains to be seen
[Viktoria Korchagina] Why? There's a special holster that you strap to your hip
[Nadezhda Mikhailova] Sometimes you need to flash your gun, but most of the time it remains concealed
I've got a tactical pen that comes in handy
It can do anything
It's all metal, so you can use it to break glass or stab someone
You don't need fists
Move quick and hit right here
First, you need to put your opponent off guard,
then knock him off balance and apply techniques
like locking grips or chokeholds
Any object can be used as a weapon, a pen, a pin… anything!
[Mikhail Smirnov] That only works in the movies
Time?
[Man] 8.66, you reload slow, Misha!
[Mikhail Smirnov] The clip's far away, and I can't get used to this release
[Man] It's because of that junk on your belt! [Mikhail Smirnov] I'll lose my gun without it
[Aleksey Fonaryov, head of HQ National bodyguard association of Russia] Women have two weaknesses they can't do anything about:
mood swings and lack of physical strength
[Aleksandra Orekhova] There've been times when I arrived, and they said: 'What are you doing here, Miss?'
And I said, 'Guys, let's move on to training, and see how it goes'
I didn't get here because of my looks
Men don't understand when a situation has become critical
until the point where they're ready to sit down and wet themselves
[GEO] Cairo, Egypt
[Hind Wajih Othman] People say, 'You're a woman, you're not fit for this job'
With any job I get, I'm always criticised because I'm a woman
When I trained at a stadium, I went to a famous team's directors and coaches
They gave me moral support, compliments, and
promises, but did nothing to help me get work
They saw only a woman, not my skills
[Viktoria Korchagina] Men are skeptical about female bodyguards
I've been hearing, 'Look at this girly guard!' for my entire career
I've always had to prove that I belong in this profession
Always!
[Hind Wajih Othman] I really love my job
I dreamed of working in our president's security detail
It's not hard for me at all because I've been trained to do my job well
Even Colonel Gaddafi, may he rest in peace, had an all-female security team
[Dmitry Donaryov, Vice Chairman, council for professional qualifications in the private security center] When Gaddafi arrived with his girls, it came as a shock
After Gaddafi walked down the ramp, these odd ladies appeared
They were hilarious to look at
They were all different shapes: some were curvy, others the opposite
The effect was striking
The first thing I noticed was their makeup
They all wore heavy lipstick and mascara
They were all young
Red berets with cockades
They all wore jackets tucked into trousers with wide officers' belts
The senior ones had white epaulettes
And they had huge pistols in their holsters, just huge ones!
In an emergency, you've got 3 seconds to react
And what could these girls do? Nothing, they didn't do anything!
They didn't do him credit
I have this feeling because, well... it was simply grotesque, over the top!
AFTER MUAMMAR GADDAFI’S MURDER IN 2011, A FEW OF HIS FEMALE BODYGUARDS WERE SHOT DEAD
[Nadezhda Mikhailova] You can say what you like: that they're all like this or that
I can say that when my weight got up to 90 kilos during a 'wonderful' time in my life,
I could still do splits like I could when I weighed 63 kilos
So, weight or body mass does not necessarily indicate that someone lacks speed,
or that they have some phenomenal throwing or punching technique
[Aleksey Fonaryov] Libya is a rather specific story in itself,
especially with respect to its leader, Muammar Gaddafi
Why did he hire these women and why were there so many of them in his guard?
And how many real guards did he have?
The answers to these questions aren't obvious
The Middle East is a part of the world with its own specific traditions
[Hussein Moftah, editor-in-chief, Africa News] Gaddafi did not focus on the fact that his guards were female
Gaddafi, in his philosophy and attitude,
always tended to the weak and, first and foremost, to ordinary people
This was far from customary tradition
Gaddafi always appeared in public with his unit of female bodyguards, even in the media
I believe this was due to his predisposition to women,
and to send a message during his visits to European countries,
as well as other countries that constantly call for freedoms for women in the East,
and to dispel the well-known stereotype of Middle Eastern women
[Hind Wajih Othman] Let's do it like in the movies
[Hind Wajih Othman] You should fall to the ground [Man] No, I'm not falling
[Hind Wajih Othman] Want to give it a try?
You seem lighter
Let's try hand-to-hand combat. Put your hand here
Let's do that again
Men find it difficult and odd to train with me
I'm the first female fitness trainer in Egypt, I train a male football team
Naturally, I want to be a trailblazer
I'm the first woman to ever work as a bodyguard in Arab countries
It upsets me that I couldn't receive recognition
in my own country, but I really wanted it,
so I got certified in Germany and was the
first Egyptian woman to do something like this
[Heba Wajih Othman, Hind's younger sister] When men see Hind walking down the street, they are afraid of her
Not because she may hurt them, no
They don't want to hurt her feelings
Men on the street really respect Hind
She's very beautiful
If someone says bad things about her, she'll surely retort and cut them down to size
She'll find the right words
But if someone insults or humiliates her, she may prefer to hit that person
She might beat them and knock them out with the first punch
[Hind Wajih Othman] When I leave home, I know I may never return
My job requires it,
and since I chose this job, I have to be ready for anything
[Heba Wajih Othman] People in our society see Hind as a very strong woman
I wouldn't say she's stronger than all men,
but she's stronger than most of them!
She's much stronger than some men
[GEO] Vasilyevo, Leningrad region, Russia
[Viktoria Korchagina] Living in the country leaves its mark
We fetch water from the well, nothing comes out of the tap
We have to go to the well to get water
I don't mind washing dishes, you justify the space you occupy
It's necessary to wash dishes
I have three kids
I wish I had more, but I'm happy with the ones I've been given
We've got two grandkids so far
This is the youngest, Misha, he's a very positive fellow
Misha, give me a hug! Give me a hug!
Why, hello!
A woman's main job is bearing and bringing up children
There's much more to it than it seems
Who brings up boys until they're 6 or 7?
A woman, right?
A mum, sister, grandma…
Who instils his values? Who tells him what kind of a man he should be?
To be a warrior who seeks revenge,
live or die!
Or, maybe, he should become a great musician
All those military theories: 'You've got to remove these or those…'
But remove women…
and, in a generation, you won't produce the kind of men we have today
What? No? Open your mouth! What tasty pumpkin!
Ah! How delicious!
[GEO] St. Petersburg, Russia
[Viktoria Korchagina] I was once hired for a job shortly after a high-profile hit
The client was blown up with a rocket launcher
After that, I became head of personal security in a very big company
I was surprised that they offered me the job,
as my youngest child was less than a year old
I was somewhat acquainted with the company's president
I asked him directly: 'Why me?
With so many capable, strong, and experienced men around, why me?'
He said, 'You know, for some reason,
I've come to the conclusion that, with you, I'll live'
Because the two presidents before him were murdered, and he was the third
So, we signed an employment contract
Contact!
In situations like these, many say he'd start shooting immediately. He won't!
When people plan a job like this,
they know very well there'll be one or two armed guards
And he has little or no chance of shooting through the window
The attacker aims for a 100% result, and he'll wait for such an opportunity to arise
He wouldn't shoot at a car that has just parked
Normally, a car would drive off, and he wouldn't know if he'd been successful
All he'd done was scare the mark off
So the next contract would cost more, and the hitman doesn't want that!
I've had good relationships with every client I've ever worked with
That's very important. I mean, our job was to provide security, and we did that
At what cost? With what means and resources is nobody else's business
Bottom line: both sides must be happy
When putting a client into a vehicle, hold his neck and push him in like this
So you must guide the client's head in
In a tight spot they won't do it themselves
People ask if I pray or meditate, or something. Maybe I do
So guys, learn to pray like this, and your service will be great
I'd be happy, and I might even share my experience
[Aleksey Fonaryov] There's another myth in the security business,
that women have a stronger sense of danger, or they can react faster to it
That's just a myth
[Viktoria Korchagina] We were working with a guy,
and we had a meeting to attend
Nothing was supposed to go wrong
There were three of us on our side: me and two other guys
The other side also had security guards
So, our clients were arguing and raising their voices
Suddenly, our guy's opponent turned and stalked back to his BMW
I dragged my client by the arm behind a column
He asked me later why I'd done that. I said that I didn't know
I just had a feeling that something bad was going to happen
He asked me where I was dragging him? Behind the column, I replied
At that moment, the guy took a machine gun out of his boot
and fired a burst that landed near the guards' feet
He wasn't trying to kill anyone. He was just being intimidating,
to show that he was the boss
Pardon the details, but the guys with me wet their pants
It's terrifying when you're being shot at
[Andrey Poshekhov, Viktoria Korchagina's husband] It can be dangerous
You feel anxious
But you get used to it
Things are really more technical these days. You have much more equipment
When I started...
we had none of that!
It was chaos then!
No one asked questions
People got out of cars, and got shot point blank!
[Nadezhda Mikhailova] I need real ammo! These BBs are a joke
So, we start shooting from here, right
Go! One, two, three...
Get them out! Four... Go, go, go, five, six... Get down!
At least six, yeah
Because getting trigger-happy, it's well...
It's OK if you've got a spare clip because you'll be going under fire, and that's scary
[Aleksandra Orekhova] It often happens that a situation goes down really fast
Men react a little slower
Yes, they might be more agile and stronger, but they're a bit slow
[Nadezhda Mikhailova] If you hear something, sit down and take a single shot
Incoming, straight ahead!
Bang, bang! Get to cover!
[Man] Jammed again!
[Viktoria Korchagina] Male and female psychology is different
I wouldn't compare it to sports,
but nonetheless, I go in for biathlons
I realise that a bullet flies much faster than a kick or a punch
It travels further too
So, my priority is to prevent things from getting out of hand in the first place
Many men get competitive, and they'll wait and try to fight against their opponent
It often comes to a tragic end
There are priorities when eliminating threats
Firstly, avoid the danger, and then secondly, escape!
If you get somewhere and realise it's the wrong place,
turn around and run while you still can
Confrontation is a last resort
What have you got at hand? A pistol at best
They'd surely be carrying automatic weapons, and more than one!
So, you wouldn't stand much of a chance
[Aleksey Fonaryov] People become bodyguards for a variety of reasons
Firstly, it's well-paid work
They're looking for some kind of allure, trying to become part of the high life
They think they'll get to wear fashionable clothes,
ride in luxury cars, talk to handsome men, and dine at fancy restaurants
This is also a myth because you rarely get to eat with a client
You stand for 4 hours straight by a closed door or stairway
That's the reality of our work
Don't expect this job to be as sexy as it looks in the movies
[Nadezhda Mikhailova] People hire security for a girlfriend or wife,
not because they're in danger, but for prestige
Say a businessman has bodyguards, so his wife should have them too
[Petros Pogosyan, chief, 'Armada security'] There are clients that hire security to go to a friend's birthday party in style,
or to go to a club and look cool
Some want a bodyguard for a photo shoot
I love you, I love you, I love you!
[Vasily Pasechnik, TV show finalist, the Voice] To be honest, I don't really need a bodyguard
In principle, I can deal with some matters myself
At both private and public events,
all kinds of strong drinks are provided
I absolutely hate talking to drunk people
That's why I tell Sasha, 'I trust you, go ahead and do your thing'
[Aleksandra Orekhova] You're a star, you come home,
and there's a crowd of fans out there waiting for a kiss,
or an autograph on their breasts or legs
But you've just got back tired from a shoot and don't feel like doing anything
So, naturally, that's what your bodyguard is for:
to move them along and tell them to come back later
[Petros Pogosyan] Female bodyguards are less in demand in Russia than in Japan or China
Russians look at America,
where clients have big bearded security guys, and they want the same
But in some cases, a female bodyguard is even better than a big bearded guy
A female may have tactical training
She may have served in the special forces or fought in a hotspot
Next to a client, she wouldn't look like a bodyguard
She'd look more like an assistant, a girlfriend, etc.
And if she had to protect her client, it'd come as a surprise for any opponent
[Nadezhda Mikhailova] Women aren't like men. Men can only wear a suit
A woman can put on a wig, dye her hair, wear it long or short,
change outfits several times a day, assume any role
So, that's why, most of the time, we have women working undercover
They pretend to be assistants or secretaries,
while, in fact, they're on duty
[Viktoria Korchagina] Women and weightlifting don't mix at all!
[Andrey Poshekhov] And female bodybuilders? They look horrible to me
Women that are into fitness? That's all good
A female bodyguard? That's fine, it happens
In some cases, you can't do without a woman
Men and women are indivisible
Here, on Earth, we're like positive and negative poles
The same goes for work
A woman can be essential. She can do things a man can't