Snipers "Udav" and "Fizruk": There are no strong emotions when taking down an enemy. It's just part of the job.
Snipers are often referred to as elite fighters. They inflict significant losses on the enemy and can even alter the course of combat actions in specific areas. What tasks do snipers from a "specialized" unit perform, how can one join the reconnaissance company, and what qualities are essential for the profession? Read on to learn more.
Their work is romanticized in films and books, but the soldiers themselves believe that being a sniper is just one of the military professions, like being a machine gunner, assault trooper, or artilleryman. In war, there is no romance—only dirt.
For Russian occupiers, snipers are among the most critical targets. Until the enemy uncovers their positions, a mere pair of Ukrainian marksmen can take out dozens of Russians attempting to storm our defenders' positions each day.
Who definitely won't be accepted as snipers, whether a helicopter can be shot down with a Barrett rifle, the myths surrounding the profession, the prices of firearms, and how Ukraine has managed to maintain its defense throughout the years of war—these topics are discussed in a conversation with RBK-Ukraine.
Motivated Volunteers. The Reconnaissance Company, where mobilized soldiers rarely make it
The unit where our interviewees serve is often referred to as specialized due to the nature of their tasks. They consider themselves and their comrades to be versatile fighters.
"Udav" is the commander of a special forces sniper group in the reconnaissance company. His comrade and friend, known by the call sign "Fizruk," is a first-category sniper. Both are professional military personnel, each with over ten years of combat experience.
They have been defending the country from occupiers for roughly the same amount of time: first during ATO/OOS, and now in a full-scale war. They have participated in battles in towns that are now well-known across the country—Popasna, Mariupol, Zolote, and many others.
The unit is diverse: it includes people from various professions.
"We are versatile fighters in the reconnaissance unit, with the designation of 'special purpose.' There are infantry tasks—we perform infantry tasks. There are assault tasks—we assault. There are tasks for snipers—we handle those. There are people who adjust fire, and there are 'flyers' (drone specialists). There are many professions, and people are different. Each has their own specialty," Udav explains as we travel to their deployment point.
Currently, they are temporarily in the "rear," but they can be called for a mission at any moment. While there are no such tasks at the moment, they are honing their shooting skills and participating in various "field" activities. Recently, they organized an event to honor the memory of fallen comrades.
5Photo: The commander of the special forces sniper group in the reconnaissance company, "Udav," has been serving in the army since 2008
To join this unit and become a sniper, a fighter must first undergo basic training as an infantryman. They also need to learn to be a scout. Then they can choose what they want to do. Some in the unit see themselves as machine gunners, while others as aerial reconnaissance specialists. Medics are also needed, and they too must complete relevant courses.
"Everyone here has combat experience; rarely does anyone come from civilian life. Even more rarely do mobilized individuals make it here. Most often, they transfer from other units. There are some civilians, but the majority are motivated volunteers. This is because the unit is, let's say, unique. The work is such that if there is no desire, no instructor can force someone to do it," the soldier explains.
Important Targets for Russians. Why Snipers Don't Show Their Faces
For photos, snipers wear fleece buffs that cover most of their faces, except for their eyes.
"In my 14 years of service, I've never been searched for. Those who need to will find and recognize me anyway. I've served with Fizruk for several years, so I can recognize him whether he's wearing a buff or not. I would know him even if he were turned away from me. If they want to find me or any of my brothers-in-arms, it wouldn’t be a problem. However, it's preferable to keep faces covered in public," Udav says.
In civilian life, snipers rarely talk about what they do.
"I really wouldn’t want many to know what I do. It leads to a lot of questions. And I generally don’t want anything excessive around my work—where I serve, what I do. This is one of the general safety precautions," Fizruk adds.
Nonetheless, Ukrainian snipers are one of the highest-priority targets for Russians. They "quietly take out" all hostile targets that come into their sights. Snipers disrupt logistics and can quickly sow panic among the occupiers. If a sniper is eliminated, any unit gains greater freedom of action.
"If the enemy sees 3-5 infantrymen, and there are a couple of snipers nearby, they will focus special attention on them. We also always pay attention to something like that. For instance, there is a certain situation on the front, and everything is normal for two days. Suddenly, something atypical starts happening—different sounds of gunfire, some new weapons. Anything new that draws attention could be a sniper," Udav explains.
6Photo: First-category sniper "Fizruk" has been serving in the Armed Forces for 10 years
A sniper sees more on the battlefield than others. This allows for a clearer assessment of the situation. During an assault, he "covers" his comrades. He selects targets that can cause the most harm—machine gunners or anyone who can fire at our forces.
When the enemy identifies a sniper's position, all available heavy weaponry is immediately directed there. Fizruk illustrates the consequences of such a strike on a sniper's position by showing his rifle—its optical sight is completely destroyed, and the barrel is twisted.
That day, on the Severodonetsk direction, the enemy attempted to storm our positions. Fizruk was working with his rifle, trying to reduce enemy fire. There were many machine gunners, and they realized who was firing at them. They directed heavy weaponry to that area. Mortars began firing very close, and the sniper decided to leave the position. At that moment, "Grads" and "Sunstreakers"—heavy flamethrower systems with a caliber of 220 mm—were launched at that spot.
"We managed to hide, but we didn’t grab the rifle in time. We took cover underground, and I didn’t dare to go back out. If I had gone for it, I doubt I would be talking to you now. I tried to step out, and a mortar hit the wall. The shockwave threw me back. My colleague began to worry, shouting, 'Are you alive? Are you alive?' I opened my eyes. I felt a bit nauseous and had some trouble hearing. As they say, the people are safe, but the concrete didn’t hold up," Fizruk recalls.
Despite these "peculiarities" of the job, the guys don’t dwell on the fact that life can end at any moment.
"Life can end at any moment here too. A car could hit you, or a Shahed could kill you. Of course, the likelihood is higher on the front. But this is my profession; I chose it consciously. When you've trained to be a surgeon and are given the chance to operate on a person, and you say you're afraid of blood—what kind of surgeon are you then? I came into service in 2008. Even before the war, I understood these risks. Now, all risks are expected for me, including the risk of dying," Udav states.
7Photo: The aftermath of enemy "arrivals" at the position where the Ukrainian sniper was located
He has four children. He notes that the state has granted him the right to deferment, and he can leave service at any moment. However, it is precisely the children that keep him in the trenches because they need to be protected.
"Fizruk" has also been on the front for nearly the entire war since 2014. He joined the service when he was not yet 20 years old. He has been in Mariupol, Shyrokyne.
"There were people who said: 'Are you an idiot? You're 19. What war?'" But someone had to stand up to defend the country. I've spent my entire professional life in the army. I made the decision consciously. I knew it would be the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Years passed, and now I have a son and a daughter. And now I’m being told: 'Why don’t you have a third child?' I’d get discharged from the army.' But this is the job I chose for myself," he explains.