A Ukrainian aerial acrobat, circus ace and tank performer now performs pirouettes in his tank. He is leading a daring rescue mission of a high-tech Russian vehicle.
Volodymyr Bouichuk, also known as Baidar, traded in the spotlight of international circus shows for a T72 tank to fight the Russian invasion. Boichuk, a former professional acrobat who performed with Cirque du Soleil, is now a mechanic/driver for the Azov 12th Special Operations Brigade of Ukraine‘s National Guard.
From competitions to international Circus Rings
Boichuk began to show an interest in sports and acrobatics in his childhood, and this continued into adolescence. He performed aerial acrobatics for 12 years and was a member the Ukrainian national team. He won silver at the World Sports Acrobatics Championships.
Volodymyr Boichuk, his colleagues and Alfons Schuckbeck, the German restaurateur and top chef, were invited to Germany to work on a musical dinner with acrobats and circus performers.
“It was an entirely different world, and I made a lot of money. When you get a salary that is 70 times higher than your previous one, you can feel the difference. As soon as i got into circus arts, and the show community I realized that i’d never return to competitive sports. It was pure magic. We performed in evening concerts and gala concert. Circus performers have a wonderful life. One day you’re in one country and the next, in another. Before the war I enjoyed life. I made new friends, experienced emotions, felt sensations and went to parties. “It was my reward for all the hard training.”
Tanks and military life: How to master them
Boichuk’s transformation from acrobat into soldier began on the 24th of February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion in Ukraine. He was on a train to Odesa Oblast, returning home to Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi to renew his work documents when news of the war broke. Boichuk and his family fled to western Ukraine initially, unsure whether to join the military, or continue his career in the circus abroad.
“There was a struggle within me: I am an artist and I perform in the Circus. Boichuk says, “Why in the world would i go to war?” in an interview with Circus Life.
His resolve was strengthened by reports of atrocities committed in Bucha in 2022. Russian soldiers had committed over 9,000 crimes against humanity and executed more than 1,400 civilians during a short period of occupation. Boichuk, who had arranged for the safety of his family in France, joined the Azov 12th Special Purpose Brigade on September 20, 2022. He says he wanted the “real tigers” to fight with him in the most difficult places.
The transition from circus performer into soldier was not an easy one. Boichuk’s initial challenge was to pass the rigorous selection process for volunteers.
“I had to face the training course for young soldiers… it was not easy! I was confident that my physical condition was good. I was confident that I could handle any physical load or exertion. On ‘day zero’, I realized I was wrong! Running, non-stops squats and standing at attention for hours makes your legs buckle and your back stiffen like a rod. At this point, half of the recruits had left – some were crawling, unable to walk, and others were puking on the roadside. It wasn’t as I expected!”
Azov tank training
Boichuk became an army tank crewman accidentally, when he raised his hand to volunteer. He didn’t realize what he was doing. His initial training included learning complex theory, a whole new vocabulary, and practicing on simulators before finally operating a real-life tank.
He found the huge metal carcass claustrophobic and uncomfortable at first. He was used to flying in the air, performing aerial acrobatics and being in large open spaces. He thought that only a fool could sit in a stuffy enclosed space and peer through such a small slit. Hard work and daily training in simulators and on the field transformed Baidar into a versatile and effective tank crewman.
“I am not exaggerating. I walked around with the curiosity of a child. This is the barrel of the gun? This is the gun barrel? What’s that, a hatch or something? Wow!” he describes.
Boichuk’s tank mission was a baptism of fire. He was deployed to support infantry fighting an enemy breakthrough. His visibility was severely reduced as he navigated through mud. He could not see much, and his vision was getting worse with each passing minute. All he could see were the vague outlines of a road. Boichuk faced hundreds of challenges but he completed the mission and earned his Azov chevron.
Boichuk has since taken part in many operations. He says that the hardest part of war for him is waiting.
“It is one thing to know that you have to act, get there quickly and help the guys… but it is another thing to wait, camouflaged for hours… sometimes 8, 10, 12 hours. It’s freezing and cold, and you can not even light a fireplace to warm up. “This waiting for the battle is the hardest.”
Baidar and Tenor are returning home in a brand new Russian tank
Boichuk participated in a major operation in early April 2024 near the village Terny, Donetsk Oblast. The Azov Brigade and other units stopped a column consisting of Russian tanks. They destroyed 11 vehicles, killing 50 enemy combatants. The operation resulted also in the capture of an advanced Russian T-72B3M equipped with technological innovations.
During the failed attack, Russian forces lost an operational T-72B3M, which was abandoned on the battlefield by its crew due to control problems. The 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade’s infantry and FPV drone operators, along with nearby units, eliminated the enemy crew. The tank was prepared to be evacuated over a three-day period.
Volodymyr Bouichuk gives a detailed account (with English subtitles) of the tank retrieval operations in the YouTube video below:
“We realized that the tank was in good condition, so we received the order to retrieve it. Our group had already examined the tank in detail – the barrel had been lowered to the driver’s compartment and the entire track was covered with concertina cable. It looked as if the tank had wrapped the wire around its track, rammed an IFV into the tank and stalled.
We set out the next day to raise the barrel and turret. We were forced to take cover under the tank while a wounded soldier near us was evacuated. The stench from the surrounding Russian corpses made it impossible to breathe.
On the final day “Tenor”, a driver/mechanic, and I set out to retrieve the prize tank. We had to replace the 70-kilogram batteries of the tank first. Wheelbarrows were used by infantrymen to transport the batteries. Throughout the operation, we were under fire as we unloaded and dragged the heavy batteries.
While connecting the batteries, i examined a nearby IFV that was knocked out. I thought it was poorly maintained because of the grease on the vehicle. I then realized that it wasn’t the grease, but what was left over of the driver or the body from the explosion under the seat.
We were able to start the tank, drive away but immediately hit a large crater caused by an air bomb. “Tenor”, who had hit his head on the hatch, briefly lost consciousness. Tenor continued to drive despite his nose being fractured and bleeding profusely. He would periodically black out for seconds. I was a navigator inside the turret, but I took over driving duties on the last leg.
This successful operation was made possible by many people: reconnaissance, infantry and sappers. The captured tank was the latest production model manufactured in 2022 or 23.”
Boichuk received a leave of absence to visit his daughter in another country for his role in the successful operation.
Dreams of victory and a return to the circus ring
Boichuk, despite his current role as tank crewman in the Ukrainian army, dreams of returning to his career in circus after Ukraine’s win. He believes Ukrainian circus artists are unique professionals that deserve protection and recognition.
“Everyone knows that Ukraine has some of the best circus performers in the world.” They always win awards and victories at any festival or championship. It takes years of hard work to train a professional circus performer or athlete. They represent our country overseas. They must be protected. So that we may hope to be able show our tricks and talent on the world stage once again.”
Volodymyr’s journey, from the circus to the battlefield, exemplifies those who have stood up to defend Ukraine. His story highlights personal sacrifices made in the face war by many Ukrainians, as well the hope of a return to normalcy in a peaceful world.
RELATED:
* Ukrainian soldier walks to freedom after surviving Azovstal hell
* Ukrainian soldier faces gruelling rehab after severe combat injuries
* “Stopping Hitler the Modern”: Snipers hold the line in Ukraine’s battle for survival
* Russia disrupts humanitarian convoys in Ukraine and evacuations from the war zone
* “Mariupol People Melt Snow, Drink Water from Heating Mains”: Besieged City faces Total Destruction
* “The last seven days were pure horror and hell,” an evacuee of besieged Mariupol remembers
* “Mariupol people drink water from heating pipes to melt snow”
Mariupol: How to escape. “I begged God that I die quickly!”
* A resolute woman judge endures Russian captivity and torture
Read More @ euromaidanpress.com