The Combat Path of "Tatarin": The Story of Marlen Misiratov
Friends, the story of today’s hero is too vast to fit into a single post. This is just the beginning of a tale about an extraordinary warrior who traveled a challenging path from a volunteer to a professional soldier.
Marlen Misiratov: From "Right Sector" to Frontline Battles
Marlen Edemovych Misiratov, known by his call sign "Tatarin," was born in 1978. His military career began in the Dnipropetrovsk branch of "Right Sector," where he proved himself to be a brave and decisive leader. Thanks to his exceptional qualities, he quickly earned the respect of his comrades and became the commander of a reconnaissance unit in the "Dnipro-1" battalion.
On August 12, 2014, during a combat mission, Marlen fell into an ambush, sustained severe injuries, and was taken prisoner. The story of his release is a drama filled with incredible courage and will to live.
The Ambush and Horrors of Captivity: Marlen Misiratov "Tatarin"
August 12, 2014, marked a tragic day for a group of volunteers, including the commander of the reconnaissance unit, Marlen. Their mission was humanitarian — to exchange four russian captives for a deceased Ukrainian soldier. However, this journey turned into an ambush, where most comrades perished.
The Route into the Trap
Thirteen fighters from the "Right Sector" volunteer corps set out toward Donetsk. Leading the convoy was a "Niva" vehicle carrying "Tatarin" and two comrades, followed by a bus with other fighters and prisoners. Armed only with rifles and without body armor, they were unprepared for combat, as their mission was peaceful.
As the group approached a sandbag-fortified checkpoint, they came under heavy fire. russian-separatist forces opened fire with automatic weapons and grenade launchers. The attack was so intense that survival seemed almost impossible.
The Fight
Within minutes, most of the Ukrainian fighters were killed. Of the 13, only three survived: Marlen Misiratov and brothers Oleh and Andriy Martynov. Though severely wounded, they remained alive. Marlen, concussed and injured, injected himself with painkillers and attempted to keep firing. When his strength was exhausted, he was captured.
Captivity: Torture and Attempts to Break the Will
Marlen endured unspeakable trials in captivity. He was beaten, interrogated, and intimidated.
“They tried to extract confessions: who I was, where I was from. I firmly stated I belonged to the 'Dnipro-1' battalion. Had I admitted to being a 'Right Sector' fighter, they would have executed me on the spot,” Marlen recalls.
Prisoners were forced to sleep on the ground, while others lay on beds with white sheets, creating an atmosphere of animosity. Psychological and physical abuse was relentless. Marlen was subjected to mock executions, with shots fired over his head, aimed at breaking his spirit.
Adding to the challenge was the fact that Chechen mercenaries fighting for the enemy offered money for a public execution of "Tatarin" as a Muslim. However, a russian officer overseeing prisoner exchanges refused, citing principles of military honor.
Exchange: The Fight for Freedom
Eventually, an exchange was arranged. Marlen, along with two comrades and one Ukrainian Armed Forces lieutenant colonel, was traded for 12 separatists and a russian major. Even during the exchange, tensions remained high.
“When I heard the exchange might proceed without me, I couldn’t bear it and ran towards our side — naked, with a catheter in my body. The enemy driver chased after me, shouting to stop. When he prepared to shoot, our soldiers acted first. That moment saved my life,” Marlen recounts.
When he reached his comrades, he mustered the strength to address the russian officer: “Tell your people they’ve lost Tatarin.”
For his exchange, Marlen is personally grateful to Hero of Ukraine, Valentyn Mykolayovych Manko, with whom he has stood shoulder to shoulder defending the state ever since.
The Combat Path of "Tatarin": The Story of Marlen Misiratov
Friends, the story of today’s hero is too vast to fit into a single post. This is just the beginning of a tale about an extraordinary warrior who traveled a challenging path from a volunteer to a professional soldier.
Marlen Misiratov: From "Right Sector" to Frontline Battles
Marlen Edemovych Misiratov, known by his call sign "Tatarin," was born in 1978. His military career began in the Dnipropetrovsk branch of "Right Sector," where he proved himself to be a brave and decisive leader. Thanks to his exceptional qualities, he quickly earned the respect of his comrades and became the commander of a reconnaissance unit in the "Dnipro-1" battalion.
On August 12, 2014, during a combat mission, Marlen fell into an ambush, sustained severe injuries, and was taken prisoner. The story of his release is a drama filled with incredible courage and will to live.
The Ambush and Horrors of Captivity: Marlen Misiratov "Tatarin"
August 12, 2014, marked a tragic day for a group of volunteers, including the commander of the reconnaissance unit, Marlen. Their mission was humanitarian — to exchange four russian captives for a deceased Ukrainian soldier. However, this journey turned into an ambush, where most comrades perished.
The Route into the Trap
Thirteen fighters from the "Right Sector" volunteer corps set out toward Donetsk. Leading the convoy was a "Niva" vehicle carrying "Tatarin" and two comrades, followed by a bus with other fighters and prisoners. Armed only with rifles and without body armor, they were unprepared for combat, as their mission was peaceful.
As the group approached a sandbag-fortified checkpoint, they came under heavy fire. russian-separatist forces opened fire with automatic weapons and grenade launchers. The attack was so intense that survival seemed almost impossible.
The Fight
Within minutes, most of the Ukrainian fighters were killed. Of the 13, only three survived: Marlen Misiratov and brothers Oleh and Andriy Martynov. Though severely wounded, they remained alive. Marlen, concussed and injured, injected himself with painkillers and attempted to keep firing. When his strength was exhausted, he was captured.
Captivity: Torture and Attempts to Break the Will
Marlen endured unspeakable trials in captivity. He was beaten, interrogated, and intimidated.
“They tried to extract confessions: who I was, where I was from. I firmly stated I belonged to the 'Dnipro-1' battalion. Had I admitted to being a 'Right Sector' fighter, they would have executed me on the spot,” Marlen recalls.
Prisoners were forced to sleep on the ground, while others lay on beds with white sheets, creating an atmosphere of animosity. Psychological and physical abuse was relentless. Marlen was subjected to mock executions, with shots fired over his head, aimed at breaking his spirit.
Adding to the challenge was the fact that Chechen mercenaries fighting for the enemy offered money for a public execution of "Tatarin" as a Muslim. However, a russian officer overseeing prisoner exchanges refused, citing principles of military honor.
Exchange: The Fight for Freedom
Eventually, an exchange was arranged. Marlen, along with two comrades and one Ukrainian Armed Forces lieutenant colonel, was traded for 12 separatists and a russian major. Even during the exchange, tensions remained high.
“When I heard the exchange might proceed without me, I couldn’t bear it and ran towards our side — naked, with a catheter in my body. The enemy driver chased after me, shouting to stop. When he prepared to shoot, our soldiers acted first. That moment saved my life,” Marlen recounts.
When he reached his comrades, he mustered the strength to address the russian officer: “Tell your people they’ve lost Tatarin.”
For his exchange, Marlen is personally grateful to Hero of Ukraine, Valentyn Mykolayovych Manko, with whom he has stood shoulder to shoulder defending the state ever since.
In February 2014, the Ukrainian people ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, prompting Russia to invade and annex the Crimean peninsula. By the start of April, Pavel Durov had given his notice, with TechCrunch saying at the time that the CEO had resisted pressure to suppress pages criticizing the Russian government. Two days after Russia invaded Ukraine, an account on the Telegram messaging platform posing as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged his armed forces to surrender. At its heart, Telegram is little more than a messaging app like WhatsApp or Signal. But it also offers open channels that enable a single user, or a group of users, to communicate with large numbers in a method similar to a Twitter account. This has proven to be both a blessing and a curse for Telegram and its users, since these channels can be used for both good and ill. Right now, as Wired reports, the app is a key way for Ukrainians to receive updates from the government during the invasion. The perpetrators use various names to carry out the investment scams. They may also impersonate or clone licensed capital market intermediaries by using the names, logos, credentials, websites and other details of the legitimate entities to promote the illegal schemes. As the war in Ukraine rages, the messaging app Telegram has emerged as the go-to place for unfiltered live war updates for both Ukrainian refugees and increasingly isolated Russians alike.
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