By Alex Temples, “People’s Army”
04.07.2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine
Source: http://narodka.com.ua/4931-ya-ne-xotiv-buti-geroyem-prosto-dotrimuvavsya-vimog-prisyagi-i-statutiv
FILE – In this Tuesday, March 4, 2014 file photo, Air Force Col. Yuliy Mamchur, commander of the Ukrainian Belbek Air Base, leads his men to the base outside Sevastopol, Ukraine. The day after Crimeans voted to leave Ukraine and join Russia, a man in a black raincoat turned up at the gate of the Belbek Air Base to demand that the Ukrainian forces holed up inside surrender to Russia. The Ukrainian commander of the base came out proudly wearing his visor cap decorated with gold wings – and refused. Having withstood five days of sustained intimidation and pressure to defect from his captors, Mamchur now awaits a heros welcome in the capital, Kyiv. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, File)
More than a month later, events happening in Crimea are meticulously followed by the entire world. Ukrainian soldiers were kept under conditions of extreme moral and psychological pressure.
Photo: VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images
Thus, the name of the Commander of the [204th] Sevastopol Tactical Aviation Brigade, Colonel Yuliy Mamchur, is already known by millions of people on different continents. He and his subordinate military staff demonstrated to the entire world how a man in uniform is to protect the Military loyalty oath.
Officer Yuliy Mamchur’s career began in August of 1992, when he finished Chernihiv Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots. As the officers who served with him side by side for years say, Yuliy Mamchur always distinguished himself through his diligence and desire to improve his professional skills. Almost two years ago he was appointed Commander of the Sevastopol wing. Then he was even envied, because service in the Crimean airport “Belbek” on the coast of the Black Sea was so popular many aviators. Hardly anyone would have predicted such a development of events …
With the advent of Internet video, in which the fearless commander [can be seen] leading his unarmed subordinates under the [Ukrainian, Soviet and regiment] banners to reflect to Russian invaders the captured working places, Colonel Mamchur became a symbol of the resistance of the Ukrainian military. It should be noted that on that day (the author of these lines was a witness to the event) in the morning all deploying pilots volunteered to stand in their ranks and set out to the airport. In addition, our officers sang a hymn, while the Russians fired [warning shots] into the air.
Members of the press were constantly waiting for Yuliy Mamchur to get a comment. Surrounded by journalists, the military aviators were in the administrative area wing on the day of the storming. To keep the situation under control and prevent complete lawlessness, Colonel Mamchur spent much time in negotiations with the Russian military. The officer and his family were constantly threatened – with death, and criminal procedure, and then they dramatically changed tactics and began to cajole, offering hundreds of apartments to his subordinates and to him personally.
The Commander with iron nerves could not sleep for a long time, allowing himself only the critical minimum needed for rest breaks. The officer’s endurance is amazing. Even on the day of the assault, he tread carefully. What guided him – a sense of responsibility that fell on his shoulders, or his inner core personality? Perhaps the fact is both and more. And above all, human and officer’s dignity.
“I do not want to be a hero, I just complied with the oath and statutes. I am grateful for the support of my subordinates, for their understanding that you cannot just lay down your arms,” – said Yuliy Mamchur, smiling softly.
Last month the aviation brigade Commander had to pass many tests. On “Belbek” there was both shooting, and provocations, and one night the “green men” damaged military equipment – throwing stones into the engines, they shot the chassis, and cut down power cables and communication lines, out of hurt and anger, said the officer.
Among those who condemned the actions of the Commander, were veterans of units who for over the 22 years of Ukraine’s independence served under the yellow and blue national flag, but now suddenly spotted in Ukrainian’s national symbol something fascistic or occupational. These people picketed with the support of local residents and relatives, who had also served in this unit, appeared at the unit’s gate. For the Ukrainian military it was a blow to the spine. But war is war …
More than two weeks after “Crimean self-defense” stormed the airbase in Belbek incident, a [Russian] APC rammed their gate. It involved a lot of force with firearms. At the same time Russian soldiers kidnapped Mamchur. He was held at a military guardhouse of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. Prison conditions were “spartan.”
– “For three and a half days I was kept in solitary confinement. On the first day, constantly talking to me, were unidentified Russian soldiers who were trying to convince me to go over to the service of the Russian army. Then there was psychological pressure – they did not allow me to sleep, banging their rifle butts against the door,” – said Mamchur after his release from captivity.
In general, according to the Colonel, to stand and not succumb to the provocations of the Russians was easy, because once he had made the decision, nothing could change it.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKgv_Ukv2So][youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKQTpJhdNDQ]
Photo: © Anastasia Vlasova
“Recently, I and my troops were on the cutting edge of the fight. No one at this point even mentioned what nationality or who speaks the language,” said Julius Mamchur. According to him, at that time, he and his soldiers remembered only one thing: “we are Ukrainians.”
SEE MORE:
Video (in Ukrainian)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYoExo2uKNk
Voices of Ukraine 
Reblogged this on Euromaidan PR and commented:
Colonel Yuliy Mamchur: “I did not want to be a hero, I just complied with the oath and statutes.”
He is a HERO, like it or not. Col Mamchur is an inspiration to all patriots. Much like the leader of the Crimean Tartars, who said that the Tartars would not switch sides for the sake of a few rubles, I applaud this patriotic Ukrainian. We need more people like this man.