๐ณ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐๐ - Piper, 3rd Separate Assault Brigade
๐ณ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐
๐๐ - Piper, 3rd Separate Assault Brigade
ย ย ย Piper joined the Azov SSO unit immediately after the Russian invasion on February 24th, 2022. It was the Azov SSO out of Kyiv and he was accepted on the first day. Piper would go to have two weeks of training before being sent on his first assignment to Irpin. Many Ukrainian soldiers like Piper would dig into the defensive and hold defensive lines, halting the Russian advance on Kyiv. The Battle of Irpin itself would last just over a month, the defenders holding the line in Irpin and Bucha and subsequently going on the counteroffensive to push the Russian forces back north towards Belarus. While some of the Azov Regimentโs soldiers were fighting in these northern and western regions, much of the regiment was down south defending Mariupol.
ย ย ย
ย ย ย After the Russian forces were pushed back into Belarus Piper and other members of the Azov Regiment would be assigned east to the Zaporizhzhia Region, unfortunately having suffered heavy losses in Mariupol, as those who fell fighting and others were taken prisoner by Russians. โWe were mainly conducting assaults and reconnaissance missions in Zaporizhzhia.โ He said. โIn the beginning the Russian troops werenโt doing well, they werenโt good at communication or properly utilizing their weapons systems. They were using old soviet-era tactics at first and so were we, we had to adapt to that and change our ways, which we have, and thatโs led to greater success on the battlefield.โ
ย ย ย
ย ย ย Piper and his unit would transition from Zaporizhzhia back to a 2 month training cycle, then deploy to Kherson, followed by another training cycle before their deployment to Bakhmut. โWe were doing heavy assaults, we were in close contact, completely surrounded except the Road of Life.โ Piper began describing his experiences with Wagner Group.
ย ย ย โIn Bakhmut we primarily saw Wagnerites and Russian VDV troopers. We paid attention to their tactics and learned. We put Wagner into four separate categories (A, B, C & D), A and B were full of their more seasoned guys, a lot of former Russian Spetsnaz, former conventional soldiers and guys who had already fought in Syria, Libya or other African countries. C & D were mainly made up of their newer contractees and convicts who exchanged their sentence for service, a lot of them were inexperienced. Groups A & B would often sit back, send in waves of C & D to probe our lines, test our defenses, try to erode our lines and then Groups A & B would come in, their actual seasoned fighting force to try and push us out. We saw and experienced everything there, constant artillery, there was nothing left of the city, constant ATGMs, we even saw white phosphorus being used.โโจโจย ย ย The Road of Life
ย ย ย
ย ย ย Piper then described the day he was wounded. His unit had been pulled out of the city to protect what was called The Road of Life, the one road leading into the city that Ukrainian forces held and used to transport men, supplies and conduct medical evacuations. The road itself was constantly shelled, with Russian assault groups also constantly pushing to take it. โThis was intense combat in this area, it was important to hold, we had to keep it open. We were tasked with holding a defensive line and then counter assaulting to try and push the Russians back. We would retake Ukrainian positions that were lost to the Russians. I was on a small hill, firing my rifle and throwing grenades when a 120mm round impacted nearby and threw me 10+ meters off the hill. I was evacuated out of there.โ
ย ย ย โI learned a lot out there, not just in strategy and tactics. I learned how to manage, how to lead, how to take care of my men and also myself. I learned my body can endure more than I knew, I discovered and learned how to be a better soldier, how to be harder. My experiences there and on other fronts however have made it difficult to understand โnormalโ life, I feel more useful here, I feel I belong here more.โ
ย ย ย Piper then discussed the transition between the Azov Battalion is it progressed into the Azov Regiment and then what it is now, the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade. โThe 3rd Separate Assault Brigade is the most powerful and most effective unit. Itโs our motivation, the ideology of the warrior spirit. We have also adopted more modern tactics while others remain in a more Soviet era mindset. In Bakhmut we were one of the few units to not only hold our lines but also take ground back in a small amount of time compared to others.โ
ย ย ย โIf I were to tell the the people of Ukraine anything it would be to not relax, if you are not in the forces now you may be soon. People shouldnโt relax, and the World is a whole should be aware of Russia, its history and its actions now. We ask that you give us a chance in this war, support us. Alsoโฆ hello to my sister in Washington. Thatโs it.โ
ย ย ย Piper joined the Azov SSO unit immediately after the Russian invasion on February 24th, 2022. It was the Azov SSO out of Kyiv and he was accepted on the first day. Piper would go to have two weeks of training before being sent on his first assignment to Irpin. Many Ukrainian soldiers like Piper would dig into the defensive and hold defensive lines, halting the Russian advance on Kyiv. The Battle of Irpin itself would last just over a month, the defenders holding the line in Irpin and Bucha and subsequently going on the counteroffensive to push the Russian forces back north towards Belarus. While some of the Azov Regimentโs soldiers were fighting in these northern and western regions, much of the regiment was down south defending Mariupol.
ย ย ย
ย ย ย After the Russian forces were pushed back into Belarus Piper and other members of the Azov Regiment would be assigned east to the Zaporizhzhia Region, unfortunately having suffered heavy losses in Mariupol, as those who fell fighting and others were taken prisoner by Russians. โWe were mainly conducting assaults and reconnaissance missions in Zaporizhzhia.โ He said. โIn the beginning the Russian troops werenโt doing well, they werenโt good at communication or properly utilizing their weapons systems. They were using old soviet-era tactics at first and so were we, we had to adapt to that and change our ways, which we have, and thatโs led to greater success on the battlefield.โ
ย ย ย
ย ย ย Piper and his unit would transition from Zaporizhzhia back to a 2 month training cycle, then deploy to Kherson, followed by another training cycle before their deployment to Bakhmut. โWe were doing heavy assaults, we were in close contact, completely surrounded except the Road of Life.โ Piper began describing his experiences with Wagner Group.
ย ย ย โIn Bakhmut we primarily saw Wagnerites and Russian VDV troopers. We paid attention to their tactics and learned. We put Wagner into four separate categories (A, B, C & D), A and B were full of their more seasoned guys, a lot of former Russian Spetsnaz, former conventional soldiers and guys who had already fought in Syria, Libya or other African countries. C & D were mainly made up of their newer contractees and convicts who exchanged their sentence for service, a lot of them were inexperienced. Groups A & B would often sit back, send in waves of C & D to probe our lines, test our defenses, try to erode our lines and then Groups A & B would come in, their actual seasoned fighting force to try and push us out. We saw and experienced everything there, constant artillery, there was nothing left of the city, constant ATGMs, we even saw white phosphorus being used.โโจโจย ย ย The Road of Life
ย ย ย
ย ย ย Piper then described the day he was wounded. His unit had been pulled out of the city to protect what was called The Road of Life, the one road leading into the city that Ukrainian forces held and used to transport men, supplies and conduct medical evacuations. The road itself was constantly shelled, with Russian assault groups also constantly pushing to take it. โThis was intense combat in this area, it was important to hold, we had to keep it open. We were tasked with holding a defensive line and then counter assaulting to try and push the Russians back. We would retake Ukrainian positions that were lost to the Russians. I was on a small hill, firing my rifle and throwing grenades when a 120mm round impacted nearby and threw me 10+ meters off the hill. I was evacuated out of there.โ
ย ย ย โI learned a lot out there, not just in strategy and tactics. I learned how to manage, how to lead, how to take care of my men and also myself. I learned my body can endure more than I knew, I discovered and learned how to be a better soldier, how to be harder. My experiences there and on other fronts however have made it difficult to understand โnormalโ life, I feel more useful here, I feel I belong here more.โ
ย ย ย Piper then discussed the transition between the Azov Battalion is it progressed into the Azov Regiment and then what it is now, the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade. โThe 3rd Separate Assault Brigade is the most powerful and most effective unit. Itโs our motivation, the ideology of the warrior spirit. We have also adopted more modern tactics while others remain in a more Soviet era mindset. In Bakhmut we were one of the few units to not only hold our lines but also take ground back in a small amount of time compared to others.โ
ย ย ย โIf I were to tell the the people of Ukraine anything it would be to not relax, if you are not in the forces now you may be soon. People shouldnโt relax, and the World is a whole should be aware of Russia, its history and its actions now. We ask that you give us a chance in this war, support us. Alsoโฆ hello to my sister in Washington. Thatโs it.โ