In an interview with Online.UA, Abu Yunus, a volunteer of the Chechen Battalion named after Sheikh Mansur, who fights on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, talked about the ideology of the military unit and his first combat experience in a full-scale war against Russia.
Points of attention
- The recruitment process for the Battalion named after Sheikh Mansur is demanding. The military must vet and trust all volunteers.
- Abu Yunus, a participant in the Russo-Ukrainian war, shares his combat experience and emphasises the importance of faith in moments of battle.
- The volunteer discusses the impact of Russian propaganda on Turkmen's national identity and emphasises the importance of knowing one's history and culture.
- In the context of hostilities, it is essential not to lose faith.
- Volunteer Abu Yunus emphasises the importance of an independent decision to join the hostilities and draws parallels between current events and the historical past.
Not all volunteers are selected for our battalion
If volunteers come, for example, many want to, but we don't take all of them. All must be verified. We select only specific people who are familiar to soldiers from our battalion and can trust them. It is very difficult to get to us.
First of all, one must believe in the Almighty. This is what unites us. We live by faith and keep it. When we go to battle, we say: "Brothers, if we offended someone, forgive us for the sake of the Most High, for the sake of Allah. Do not hold evil!".
Abu Yunus
Sniper of the volunteer battalion named after Sheikh Mansur
Abu Yunus shared how the new volunteers came to the Chechen Battalion named after Sheikh Mansur.
Yes, we do not have any compulsion. It is voluntary. I have a certain task, I can take it, or I can refuse it. We understand everything very well, there are cases when, on the contrary, they are offended that they were not taken on the task.
According to the volunteer, "No one tells anyone whether you are a coward or not; we all perfectly understand that everyone wants to fight".
I was not accepted for the first task, for example. They said I don't have enough experience yet. I insisted on the second task, and I was accepted. Then they already gave me a machine gun. There was a task in Brovary, a village there that we liberated. These orcs, the occupiers, sat down there. And then I was assigned to cover my brothers.
Abu Yunus recalls that the combat test passed without any casualties.
Three tanks were knocked out (Russian tanks—ed.). They were chased away and released. This is how my first assignment went.
Turkmens do not know their history because the USSR destroyed it
Volunteer Abu Yunus emphasised the terrible role of Russian propaganda and its influence on Turkmenistan.
Well, of course, first of all, Russian television (influences — ed.). Then, the road to Russia opens. Do you want to get to Ukraine? It is very difficult, but in Russia, it is easy.
They (Turkmen — ed.), not knowing their history, support and want to join Putin. Like, it was USSR, we were friendly. But he (Putin — ed.) does not understand that we are Turkmen. We have our history, culture, and our faith. If everyone studied their history, no one would love (Russia — ed.).
