A celebration took place at the military unit in Borovka – the new recruits took the military oath. This celebration, like many others, has several key moments.
A celebration took place at the military unit in Borovka – the new recruits took the military oath. This celebration, like many others, has several key moments.
The first moment is anticipation.
Anticipation, as is well known, is one of the most tedious things. The first month of service, waiting for the oath, flew by very quickly for the soldiers, and they didn't have time to look around. The days were filled with exercises, drill training, studying military regulations, and familiarisation with combat equipment.
And from the early morning, the soldiers were anticipating taking the oath and meeting their relatives and friends. Standing in neat ranks on the parade ground, they peered intently in the opposite direction, trying to spot their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, and loved ones in the crowd of guests.
And for the other side, the anticipation was also a heavy burden. Many had travelled from afar, parking their cars in advance near the checkpoint. Their ranks along the roadside somewhat resembled the formations of soldiers.
Now, only a few minutes remain until the ceremony – the most difficult moments of anticipation.
The second moment is the oath.
Although the procedure for new recruits taking the military oath in the army has been refined over the years, it has never become a routine matter. Everyone is nervous, from the experienced sergeant and ensign to the unit commander. Not to mention the nervousness of the new recruits. They had trained for several days, almost memorising the text of the oath. However, the emotions and the sense of great responsibility were visible on their faces. One by one, the soldiers approached the tables and read the lines of the solemn vow: "I, a citizen of the Republic of Belarus…". Soon, all 86 new recruits completed the solemn military ritual.
From the rostrum, they were congratulated by the Assistant to the Minister of Defence – Head of the Main Ideological Work Directorate, Major General Alexander Gura, Deputy Chairman of the District Executive Committee Alexander Shidlovsky, and representatives of the public.
The third moment is the most poignant.
In the author's opinion, the most poignant and moving moments are those when the formal part of the ceremony concludes and soldiers are invited to be congratulated by their relatives and loved ones. Such emotions, pride in oneself and one's new status as a defender of the Fatherland, cannot be found anywhere else. For the guests, emotions ran high in the first few minutes, especially among the women. In such a situation, even some fathers, usually stern and reserved in everyday life, might shed a tear of pride for their son.
There were also plenty of selfies. Friends, mothers, brothers, and sisters took photos with the soldiers and immediately posted them on social media.
Questions and remarks flowed freely. In these ten minutes, a vast amount of information was exchanged. Fathers and mothers were reassured that their sons were serving well and comfortably, and that their commanders showed genuine care. Brothers, sisters, and friends touched real automatic rifles and posed for photos with the soldiers. Loved ones embraced, reaffirming the strength and depth of their feelings.
The final moment was an opportunity to meet fellow countrymen.
After marching in formation, the soldiers proceed to the barracks, where they hand in their weapons, collect their documents, and are granted short-term leave. Meanwhile, the brigade command invites the parents to the assembly hall of the unit's club for a brief talk about the 231st Artillery Brigade, its traditions, and service conditions. At the same time, all guests who wished to, predominantly children and young people, had the opportunity to taste soldier's porridge prepared at a field kitchen, wash it down with sweet tea, and view the combat equipment in service.
It was particularly interesting to observe the keen interest with which the girls examined the cannons, tractors, and launchers – they, it would seem, should be very far removed from military and technical matters.
Seizing an opportunity, I engaged in conversation with the young men drafted from the Lepel region. I took their photos. Meet them: seated are Alexey Paleev from Zaslonovo and Artyom Fomichov from Borovka. Before conscription, Alexey managed to graduate from the state vocational lyceum and obtain a tractor driver-machinist certificate. Afterwards, he studied at a driving school to become a car driver, based on a referral from the military commissariat.
Artyom qualified as a mine surveyor – a specialist involved in prospecting for mineral deposits, constructing underground utilities, and performing geodetic measurements and marking, upon which the accuracy and quality of the work of tunnellers and builders depend. The young man worked on the construction of the Minsk Metro.
Artsyom Kurbaka (far left) is a resident of the village of Chareyshchyna, who worked at the local agricultural enterprise – OJSC "Chareyshchyna". He says that his job was kept for him during his service.
In the middle stands Aliaksandr Kryvets, who was conscripted from Borovka. Before his service, he studied at the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics. On the right is Siarhei Naletka from Lepel, who, by the way, is a fellow student of Aliaxey Paleeu at the Lepel State Vocational Lyceum, also a driver.
The young men do not yet know which units, specialties, and positions they will be assigned to. Meanwhile, officers, the heads of the training for the new recruits, have already conducted testing, so everything will fall into place soon.
Here the weapons are handed in, the documents are in hand, families and loved ones are waiting, the soldiers are heading towards the checkpoint.
Vasil Matyrka.
Photos by the author.
