The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) special officer with the call sign "Tiapa" [means "Bungler" in English - Ed.] took part in the Snake Island's demining, the de-occupation of the Kherson region, the counteroffensive in Zaporizhzhia, as well as in combat special operations in the area of Bakhmut, Horlivka, and Avdiivka.
He began his military career as a volunteer in 2019 and even then found himself on a "special account" in Putin's regime. In the spring of 2022, he joined the ranks of Paragon company in the DIU "Timur" special unit.
"Tiapa" told the team of the Ukrainian independent media online.ua what he did for four days on Snake Island, how to use a cobblestone instead of a grenade against the enemy, why Budanov, the DIU chief, is a role model for the military, whether military scouts compete, and on whom Ukraine's victory depends.
How to become a scout
The Defence Intelligence [of Ukraine] is the elite that I wanted to join to become a professional. And so it had happened. The DIU "Timur" special unit participated in the operations to liberate Snake Island, return the "Boyko's Towers" to Ukrainian control, counteroffensive in the Zaporizhzhia direction, and raid the Crimea, Kherson region.
We always work in group by two, four, six and eight. Because one warrior is zero, two is one.
DIU "Timur" special unit was created during a full-scale invasion. It is headed by a commander with the call sign "Timur". The unit got its name by accident when President Zelenskyy called it that in his address. Since then, the name has been fixed.
The Paragon company works where most militaries don't. We help AFU to knock out enemy positions, penetrate enemy territory, and sabotage, sometimes in superhuman conditions.
Fighter "Tiapa"
DIU commando
Those willing to complete a questionnaire are selected to get into our squad. After the questionnaires are completed, they are invited to an interview. If everything goes well, the person gets to the training ground, where another selection of recruits is carried out.
Future scouts who come to DIU must be immediately motivated. We don't take people from the street. They find us themselves.
We ask everyone: "Why do you want to join our unit?". If a person doesn't know, then it is a waste of time for us.
You can join the Paragon Company here.
Who are the Ukrainian scouts
The boy, who had just turned 17, returned to Ukraine and immediately went to the DIU. We asked him, "Why do you want to fight?" He answered, "I was born in Ukraine, so I will defend it. I want Ukraine to be independent." It is a strong indicator that a person this age picks up a weapon and fights.
We also have female military scouts who show excellent results. Most of them want to assault, and they try to show their strong spirit.
In the Zaporozhzhia counteroffensive, girls at our level stormed enemy positions. It was obvious that it was difficult for some [of them], but it was difficult for the boys too.
We gave one of our soldiers the call sign "Batia" [which means "Pops" in English — Ed.]. He is 51 years old and came to us. "Batia" is a tiger. It is our "Paragon" legend. He is tough, strong, and a tremendous fighter. The fact that he is 51 does not interfere at all.
Previously, "Batia" was engaged in boxing, running, and swimming, so he was in good physical shape. Sometimes, he performs tasks even better than young fighters. "Batia" can walk, run and hold on more than them.
If a person has a strong morale, he can do absolutely anything. I've seen fighters work miracles by using their morale.
Also, healthy competition and even white envy often arise among the DIU special officers.
When the guys worked in the Crimea and on the "Boiko's towers", and we worked in Zaporizhzhia, we felt white envy. We wanted too. We also have a competition to see who will destroy more enemy and equipment.
How do DIU fighters improvise?
There is constant improvisation on tasks. For example, during the "Kyiv campaign," we reached almost the end of the village and ran out of grenades. It is necessary to throw grenades to cleanse this or that basement successfully.
Our soldier improvised: he took a cobblestone, threw it into the basement, and shouted that it was a grenade. And six Russian soldiers ran out of there. They were taken prisoner. Such deceptions with mines often happen.
In Zaporizhzhia, we set off Chinese sky lanterns as if they were lighting mines. At first, the Russians did not "attack" them, and then they started shooting from their observation post. That's how we easily detected their positions.
The world's intelligence services need the DIU experience
Scouts from other countries want to learn from us. Because not every elite unit in the world met such an enemy.
We are fighting a very professional and trained army. Other countries don't have such combat experience with an enemy that uses large numbers of artillery, aviation and minefields.
Fighter "Tiapa"
DIU Commando
Therefore, many people from other intelligence agencies and special forces came to Ukraine to learn from our war experience. They are well prepared, conduct all the tasks at the same level as us, and don't sit out [somewhere]. After the first task, they don't run away but continue to work with us.
The combat experience of the Paragon company
The Paragon Company occurred in battles in the Vysokopillia district when the Kherson region was still occupied. We also conducted raids on the islands of the Kherson region and the Snake Island. [We] also participated in the Zaporozhzhia counteroffensive in the battles of Klishchiivka, Horlivka, and Avdiivka.
A small group of six people demined Snake Island for four days. My brother and I were from the Paragon company, the others were from adjacent units.
The Russians left us many "gifts", such as cartridges, grenade launchers, mortars and other weapons. We took it all and used it against them in battle.
During the counteroffensive on Zaporizhzhia in the village of Kamianske, the guys on "Hummers" broke into enemy positions. Our second operation is the assault of Pyatykhatky.
We moved the observation post 800 meters deep into the island on the Potemkin's island in the Kherson region. [We] advanced as much as possible to not open up to the neighbouring island, where the enemy was also present. The next day, we learned from the Russian public that the enemy was coming to meet us. We were surprised we didn't cross paths with them.
In Horlivka, there was a unique special op for our mortar calculation. They used either 102 or 112 mines for one task. And there was such a situation that our guys had already entered enemy positions, and the Russians began to pull up their reserves.
There was a group of six enemies, and from the first mine, almost all of them were injured. One pretended to be the dead one. A drone watched him for a long time. He got up, heard the fire of our mortar, and fell. The mine hit him directly in the head and did not break it.
Budanov is a model for the military
His phenomenon is that he can perform tasks on a level with fighters. He clearly understands these tasks — what for, why, and how.
[DIU chief] Kyrylo Budanov competently plans tasks and conveys them to the soldiers. He is a role model for many. And such people, I believe, should be emulated.
He came to Bakhmut and performed tasks at the same level as the soldiers. It dramatically increases morale. And this is not the case only at DIU. I know many brigades and battalions in which commanders participate in combat missions.
Ukraine is probably the only country in the world where commanders perform tasks on a par with soldiers.
Fighter "Tiapa"
DIU commando
I haven't yet had the opportunity to work with the DIU chief, Kyrylo Budanov. I hope that such an opportunity will arise in the future. He is a legendary person. There are very, very few of them.
If all commanders were like Kyrylo Budanov, everything would be different.
What can everyone do for a win?
There is a war going on in our country. Not a special operation, not an anti-terrorist operation, but a war. Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine. Everyone must join in the victory for the war to end sooner.
If a person can't perform combat tasks, he can do something else. Ukrainians should aim for victory.
Now, it isn't easy to close the fundraising for our needs. Many civilians believe the state should help the army so they won't donate. The state gives us everything that its resources allow.
We lose drones in every operation. It is an expensive consumable that is very necessary in war. People don't want to pay for it because they don't understand the importance of drones. A car is also a consumable. Dozens of them are destroyed every day.
I am often asked: "How many people have you killed?". The military doesn't kill but destroys either the enemy or the target. We aren't murderers.
Fighter "Tiapa"
DIU commando
I want to tell civilians to go to the training ground at least once a week, take medical aid courses, study combat tactics, develop physically and help the army in whatever way possible.
Aviation will also give us a significant advantage over the enemy. It plays an essential role in the war. In Avdiivka, the enemy bombarded the city with "Grads" [Soviet-Russian MLRS—Ed.]. Therefore, the sooner we have aviation, the greater our advantage will be, both in the air and on the ground.
When is Ukraine's victory?
There was Russian propaganda even before the full-scale invasion. However, since February 24, 2022, it has increased many times.
Their videos motivate us to win. Enemy propaganda causes even more hatred for Russians.
Our enemy has an ugly face because of his meanness. It is an inhuman monster that has no pity. I don't know how to treat Russians who kill children, women, and the elderly in a civilian city. The enemy seeks to destroy our nation. Victory will come when we destroy the entire Russian army.
As for many fighters and me in our company, there will be no victory. It's simply the destruction of the enemy and the de-occupation of our territories. Many people died, so we can't talk about celebrating the victory.
Fighter "Tiapa"
DIU commando
Historically, Ukraine has been fighting for the right to be Ukrainian for a long time. We know why and what we are fighting for and are motivated to win.
If, God forbid, we lose the war, then all the deaths were senseless. We have a strong and mighty country, so Ukraine will definitely win this fight.
