“Balu Crossroads” Documentary Tells the Story of Ukrainian Soldiers

Oleh Martseniuk watched “Balu Crossroads”, a documentary depicting a battle in the Donbas region in 2015. Now, he calls them all of his “brothers”. In February 2015, they defended a strategic checkpoint together – the last piece of land before the entrance to the occupied city of Debaltseve. Russian-led militants fired at the four-way intersection with heavy weaponry and advanced with tanks.

On February 17 the Ukrainian fighters were forced to retreat. They left the block-post at night. The soldiers didn’t believe they’d survive.

After the battle, the block-post was dubbed “Balu”. Ilhar Bahirov’s call sign was also Balu. He was a captain of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He died in September of 2014 not far from Debaltseve. Ilhar was captured by separatists during a reconnaissance mission. Ilhar detonated a grenade and instantly killed himself and a number of militants who tried to force him to surrender. His widow Tetyana says the soldiers in his unit respected him for being strong and kind. Tetyana claims, she can still feel her husband’s tenderness.

The creators of the documentary, filmed for a year in different corners of Ukraine. They wanted to recreate battles at the block post in honor of those who lost their lives protecting it.