Often, the real heroes of the war remain out of the media’s and society’s attention, even though they are actually carrying out many complex operations. Sometimes this is justified by secrecy and security, but more often than not, those who are at war do not have the time or desire for personal PR. And when they return to the rear, they also have to be convinced that they “fought somewhere” at all.
Valentyn Manko went to war as a volunteer, even before the military and other units appeared in 2014, and at his own expense he gathered and equipped a small detachment of “Makhnovists” who were “nightmarizing” the separatists at a time when official structures were still being deployed. There were several extremely important operations that, for example, resulted in the failure to hold so-called “referendums” in some cities.
Then there was the Right Sector, where Valentyn was a deputy commander and led some very risky operations. Then he became an advisor to the head of the Dnipropetrovs’k Regional State Administration. It went from Novohrodivka and Karlivka, to Ilovaysk, to DAP, and other hot spots, to the present day. Several injuries and more contusions, then a return to public and farm life – and February 2022, when he did not hesitate to take up arms again. In the very first days, his old comrades-in-arms joined him, and within a few days, the “Manchiks” formed a fairly capable unit of more than 100 units. There were both professional commandos and volunteers like Marlen Misiratov, a friend of Tatar’s who has become a legend since 2014, having escaped from captivity twice.
One of the first important operations was the liberation of hostages in a school in Kyiv region, when all enemies were killed and no hostages were injured. At the same time, several of Valentyn’s comrades were killed, some of whom have not yet been properly recognized by the state, and their families have not received compensation.
After a few more operations as volunteers, the unit came to the attention of military intelligence and for some time was considered one of the best special forces. Then he was transferred to the Army and fought in the most difficult areas of the counteroffensive.
Valentyn himself again received several serious injuries and contusions, but immediately after recovery he rushed into battle. Due to certain nuances, we cannot tell you more about his combat operations, but now he is heading not just a group of volunteers, but a large structure that includes units involved in combat operations and a specialized training center.
One of Valentyn Manko ‘s main rules is to never sacrifice fighters, to always plan all operations carefully, and to support everyone who, God forbid, is injured.
My fighters are like my own children. Everyone’s pain is my pain. And a caring attitude towards the soldier increases the credibility of the commander, which allows him to win where others are giving up. When a fighter knows for sure that he is not being used for meat, he will always follow orders without any doubts
Valentyn says.
He also notes the commanding qualities of Oleksandr Syrsky, who is directly subordinate to his units. And he believes that it is these modern commanders who allow us to successfully confront a more numerous enemy.
