“Like being held captive in the Russian Federation”: veteran Roman Zamriy spoke about being forcibly detained in the CCC without food and water

Combat medic from Khmelnytskyi and war veteran Roman Zamriy, better known by the call sign “Yoda”, shared the story of how he was kidnapped by employees of the Chernivtsi TCC and tried to mobilize him, despite the valid reservation. He emphasized that he did not share all the details of the incident because he did not want to harm the mobilization, without which the country cannot stand, but to remain silent about the methods that break people and kill morale is a crime. However, even what he told is terrifying and shameful that such a thing could happen in our country. The veteran emphasizes that the days spent in the TCC were no different from Russian captivity.

Detention at the roadblock: the phone as a tool for kidnapping

For in words Roman Zamriy, on the evening of June 4, he was stopped at a checkpoint near Khotyn. An employee of the TCC took the documents for inspection, got into his car and asked to be taken to the military commissariat – allegedly to transfer copies of documents confirming the right to postponement. At the threshold of the Military Commissariat, the same employee asked for a phone to “download a photo”, but it immediately disappeared along with the device. The veteran never saw him again. It was in the phone that there were documents certifying the availability of the reservation.

“I never asked for publicity, but I want everyone to hear it. I’m sorry, I’ll leave out words, but you’ll understand their meaning. I’ll leave out sentences you can guess and paragraphs you can’t even imagine. But I’ll leave them out because my heart is torn between an unspeakable anger at specific people and a desire not to harm the mobilization on which the country’s survival depends.

It is true that on the evening of June 4, at a checkpoint in the Chernivtsi region near Khotyn, a representative of the TCC took my documents for inspection, after which he got into my car and asked me to drive him to the police station to drop off the documents confirming my right to postponement at the police station. At the door of the military station, he asked for a phone to enter the data to send the photos to, but immediately took the phone and disappeared. I never saw this employee again.

The officer came out and said that he would take me to the VLC while they consider my right to postponement, while repeating that everything is fine, they will just conduct the VLC and give the documents, because the grounds are sufficient for them.” – wrote Roman Zamrii.

VLK was a circus: “everyone is healthy” by default

Romanov was informed at the Military Commissariat that he was being sent to the VLK, a military medical commission, “just to complete the formalities.” But, as the doctor notes, the VLC turned out to be a farce: there was simply no X-ray, the doctors wrote “healthy” by default. When he claimed kidney stones, he was denied, citing missing data on the card. He indicated that access to the card is closed and requires SMS confirmation — but the phone remained in the TCC. The answer was simple: “No phone – no diagnosis.”

“I don’t deny at all that I am fit for service, and therefore I don’t understand why there is such a circus. There is simply no X-ray, it is absent. From the word at all. They just say that you are healthy. So even tuberculosis is a problem for the troops later, not at this moment. I understood that it was a circus and just told the truth that I had kidney stones. They told me that I did not. I was indignant, because I know what it is. The laptop screen was returned to me: “here’s your electronic card – no”.

The whole class – only the phone is in the tsk and they will not give it back, they will not look at SMS and there will be no access to data, so – “everyone is healthy”! They gave me a phone for a second on the way. I just had time to tell my sister that I was transferred somewhere. And he called his TCC. I only heard from the TCC: “…… ….. ….., this can’t be …… ….., I’ll try, I’ll call you back now, wait.”

I will run far ahead. Because I didn’t hear anyone else the following days. But these words: “I’ll try, I’ll call you back now, wait!” They were a great support, I knew that someone cared about my fate.

But the worst was yet to come. Because then you will be thrown into the basement.” – said the veteran doctor.

A closed room without access to air and a toilet

After the VLK, Roman was taken to a room, which the TCC employees later asked not to call “basement”. But, according to the veteran, the windows faced the barred wall of the warehouse, there was no air, a surveillance camera, and the door was locked. No answers to questions, no connection with the outside world. To go to the toilet, you had to knock on the door, and then there was no guarantee that it would be opened. There was food and water only on the first night. The veteran repeatedly asked to be sent to the 57th brigade, where he previously served as a paramedic. He was not heard.

“By the way: Today I spoke with representatives of the regional Chernivtsi TCC. They apologized profusely for everything that happened, and asked not to write about the basement and that there is no basement.)

Ok. I’m sorry, they brought me to a room at night, the window of which opens onto some dark warehouse and there is a grate on it. Everything behind bars. The camera is pointed at you, the door is locked from the outside. The room is battered, smelly and nothing to breathe. It was no different from a basement. Next – slavery. There are no answers to any questions.
– I have a reservation!
– Show me!
– In the phone!
– you don’t have a phone, and therefore no armor!
I listened to it for the next few days.
– What is wrong with my documents?
– which ones?
– Which give the right to postponement!
– where are they?
– In the phone, I sent it to you!
– you don’t have a phone, so you don’t have documents!

To access the toilet, you need to knock on the door. Because you are in the castle. But they may open, and they may not. On the first night they gave water and fed. In the afternoon, they were taken to the military hospital. It became clear that they are mobilizing, writing tests, asking for data,” – continues the story of the paramedic.

Two other detainees: an aviation major and a guy on a bicycle

Together with Roman, an aviation major was in the same cell, who voluntarily returned to the army, but was sent to the infantry, despite his connections with the aviation brigade. They also threw a 27-year-old guy without armor there, who was just riding a bicycle with a girl. He was thrown from the rover, the phone was taken and thrown into the cell. The guy only asked to call the girl to leave the bike and return home. The answer is laughter. This young man, who had previously been ready to serve, said: now he will look for ways to avoid the army, because he does not want to defend a state that humiliates its own.

“There was another officer with me. He is a major, served in aviation from 2014 to 2019. He was related to the aviation brigade. He asked to contact them. They will come and take them to themselves, but no. In that case, the TCC had a plan and followed it. The Soviet system penetrated so far into the west of Ukraine!

I asked to contact the 57th brigade, called the data, so that I could be sent to mine. Nobody listened to anything. In one hour, they stuffed him in a bag and took him to the same room, locked it. For the next 2 days, we did not see air or anything outside the room.

In the evening, they stopped feeding and giving water. Around 9:00 p.m., the boy was thrown, he is 27 years old, he had neither armor nor grounds for delay, he knew that they could be mobilized and was not against it, so he did not hide or run away. He rode bicycles with his girlfriend, they made a long run from Khmelnytskyi to Chernivtsi. In the middle of the road, they threw me off my bike, took my phone, threw it at us. He begged for the phone just to tell the girl to leave the bike, accept the loss and just go home. But they just laughed at him.

I looked at these two men. A young guy with tears in his eyes, he just wanted to take care of the girl… He said that he didn’t mind serving until today, so he didn’t protect himself or hide. But now… He does not want to defend such a country… He will find a way not to serve now…

The aviation major repeated that he had sent his sick mother to look after him because he had decided to return to aviation service, but now he does not see the point, because what he saw changed his outlook, he no longer wants to serve! But it could still get worse. It’s hard to imagine, but… They could have deprived them of water and food. They could and did.” – said the soldier.

16 hours without water and food on the bus, without stops

The paramedic further reported that on the third day the detainees were put on a bus and driven for more than 16 hours without stops, food and water. When asked to buy water, they answered that the bus does not stop. Only at the end of the route, the TCC major, shocked by their condition, tried to find food in his pockets.

“At around 01:00 they lifted us out of bed and put us on the bus, then we had to travel for more than 16 hours. Without food and water.
– I will give money, stop the bus, buy water, tie us up if you are afraid.
– the bus does not stop.
– Tie us with handcuffs, but let us at least drink from the puddle.
– the bus does not stop.

At the end of the road, a major from the TCC management appeared, if I understood correctly.
– Mr. Major, tell me, maybe we can eat something.
– and they didn’t give it to you?
– no!
– You should have been given dry rations.
– look, they didn’t let us out, we have absolutely nothing.

He didn’t believe it, started looking in his pockets for some food, repeated everything:
– they are all there ….. All ….. This cannot be…

We told everything step by step, I won’t write everything to you, but I told him everything. His eyes widened, he couldn’t believe it, he repeated everything:
– this cannot be, they are all …. All ….

Conflict at the point of arrival: Military vs. Military

The paramedic reported that when they were brought to the military unit, an officer from it — the first in these days — treated them like human beings. He immediately saw the documents, recognized the valid reservation and called on the TCC representatives to stop the absurdity.

“We arrived at the place where we were transferred to the unit. The first officer of the military unit treated us like people for the first time in 3 days.
– I see your documents, you will be fired for sure.
– I now think so!

He returned to the representatives of the TCC:
– you …. …. Why is this? He wants to go to another part, they want to see him there, he is there for a few months, let him go!

But there was already silence here. He turned to me:
– do you have these documents?
– So.
– Let’s.
– in the phone.
– Come on, it will suit me.
– They took it from me and won’t give it back.
With anger he turned to them:
– you …. ….. …… ….. ….. …. Why are you doing all this?

These are people, living people, can you really be like that …. …. …. Give him the phone immediately.

They rushed to search, the phones were with the employees who had already fled from there, they searched for them for another hour, the phone was returned.
– We have already carried out all the orders, he is mobilized. We can’t take it back, take it away.

I watched a picture that just popped into my head. Military against military. Then the scream only intensified. The officer of the brigade did not stop: “he has active armor! You… …. how can you mobilize him, open his phone!”.

“This one has the first group of disabilities, why? How could you?… …. ….”
“Major from aviation??? We will not take him. We are infantry, there are only hundreds of his kind in the country, take him to the aviation brigade, what …. ….. ….”

This went on for hours. It didn’t cross my mind for hours, nor did anyone with a shred of common sense!”, – says Roman Zamrii.

“This is not mobilization, but the killing of the spirit”

Roman Zamriy emphasizes that mobilization is vital for Ukraine. However, the methods used only kill morale and discourage people. He urges not to deprive the mobilized of contact with their relatives, not to take away their phones, not to turn their last day before the war into humiliation, fear and despair.

The military medic emphasizes that the three days spent under the control of the TCC were no different from Russian captivity. Unless they were beaten – even though they were beating another person in front of him. He refrained from releasing all the details for reasons of national security, but admitted that he was treated in a way that no country that respects its soldiers should allow.

“Without mobilization, our country cannot stand! But there is no greater crime in wartime than to kill the morale of one’s own men, one’s own mobilized, one’s own soldiers. Hear me, everyone who still has even a drop of common sense in this country! There is no greater crime than to kill the morale of the army!

I note that not all TCCs are like this. Thank God that not all of them are. These words: “I’ll try, wait, I’ll call you back” still ring in my head! This rummaging in our pockets to feed us after more than a day without food or water! This is a sincere impression from an employee of the TCC: “This cannot be, they are all …. …. ….”. There are normal people.

If a person wants to join the air force, or join his family, let them go, let them serve. Just imagine! When we were assembled, an officer of the brigade said that if we misbehaved, we would be transferred to where I had requested immediately. Does it bother anyone? I immediately wanted to go there, I know it’s hard there, but I’ve been there, I know the work, I’m very needed there, right today!

I don’t understand picking phones at all. Whenever I was a child, I used to pass by the Krasyliv military station, where my late mother worked for many years. I saw how soldiers were being escorted to the army, how girls were crying, mothers, how their children were kissing them. Who gave you the right to deprive your heroes of this? Who gave you the right to steal this last photograph from them, which they will hold in front of them in their final battle, in unimaginable conditions, as they stare at imminent death?

If the connection with relatives interferes with your mobilization – change the laws, and not steal the family. If the laws do not allow you to mobilize this or that – do not break the law or go to jail! Why do you make it so that the last thing a soldier sees before the war is such disappointment in his country? Do you want them not to run away and serve faithfully by showing them three days locked up in the castle, without contact with relatives and without the right to a toilet, deprived of freedom and the last day of food and water?

I will answer all of you the same as today to the workers of the Chernivtsi regional procurement center: “if at least one day I stand before the president and the commander-in-chief of the troops, or the generals I know, I will not remain silent, because you are etched in my memory forever.

I know why in 2022 we pushed back the enemy without weapons, then lost our fighting spirit and now retreat with weapons. I know someone who showed himself to me the same as the Russians, because nothing distinguished those 3 days from captivity in Russia. Thank you, although I was not beaten, because the major was beaten before my eyes.

I didn’t write everything I wanted, because without mobilization we will lose the war and we will all die. I didn’t write everything, believe me, not everything I saw in these 3 days! And you can close my mouth and take away my voice, but this was one of the last votes in your support, you closed the wrong voice, because I supported you! Maybe that’s why I still can’t get over the shock. It’s not about mobilization! And in your methods!”, – summed up the veteran.

As of the time of publication, the Chernivtsi regional TCC and SP have not commented on the incident and the accusations by the veteran.