CHINA, 1991
…We drove out beyond the bridge. Here, near the old stone bridge, a small detachment with two machine guns was holding the defense protecting our Chinese helpers.
Some of our men took up positions at the bridge, while others were sent further along the line as a screen and reconnaissance unit. I was in charge of a group of Chinese track workers which already began to unscrew and dismantle the rails.
AFGHANISTAN, 1981
The term Mujahideen meant by anti-Soviet side “the friendly jihadists”. The Mujahideen are nicknamed “Dushman” (which means Enemy in some local languages) by the Soviets. The friendly, loyal to the Soviets Afghanis was called Shuravi (the friends)
…I grew up and became a Soviet officer. In 1981, already Captain, I was fighting mujahideen basmachi dushmani in the mountains of Afghanistan, and that was our international duty, I was proud of it, I earned 5 medals and orders, eventually for my heroism and knowledge I was promoted to the Lt. Colonel rank. Then the war ended in a complete, total chaos and disaster in the form of Gorbachev’s Perestroika.
CHINA, 1991
…At that moment, the train passed the Mclaugh crossing and began a long climb up the Terracotta Mountain Range. I looked through the wide-open door at the fading day, at the pale yellow disc of the moon, at the sheaves of gaolyan rice floating past,
and thought how nice it would be to be out in the field right now, lying in the fragrant grass, and then returning to my parents’ house to snuggle up to a mug of cold chicken broth… But I understood that all this was now in the past and no one could
bring it back…