Soviet Union 1991

(Third update)

In a desolate valley in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, yellow sand swept across the originally desolate canyon. The withered yellow weeds rolled in the wind, rolling over the rough weathered rocks, and the bullet-pierced rocks. Broken walls and ruins, as well as the bodies of steel behemoths that were buried by the wind and sand, leaving only a solitary turret. ◎

There are even half-burnt corpses of Soviet soldiers on the top of the turret, hands desperately reaching into the blue sky. The black bones of the soldiers who died many years ago have long been dried into withered remains. A figure in a white robe appeared in the desolate canyon, holding a Kalashnikov rifle in his hand. When passing by the scrapped T72 tank, he paused and climbed onto the rusty tracks. He used a bayonet to pick away the pieces of clothing stuck to the dead bones, trying to find identification documents that could prove the Soviet corpse, but unfortunately he still found nothing.

Finally, the unshaven man jumped off the tank, saluted the corpse at the top with a military salute that he had not done for a long time, and walked resolutely to the end of the canyon, where he would meet the person who would take over the destination of this long walk.

This man’s name is Islamuddin, whose real name is Nikolai Bestrov. In 1982, when he was 18 years old, he was drafted into the army and was sent to the battlefield in Afghanistan with passion. Tired of the war, Bestrov and two of his comrades became deserters in 1983. When they fled to a valley, they were discovered by Afghan guerrillas. During the battle, two of his comrades were killed and Bestrov was injured and shot. captured.

After being captured, Bystrov tried to escape, but was recaptured and beaten severely. All his teeth were knocked out, and he later had to wear a full mouth of dentures. Later, he was escorted to the Panjshir Valley, the base camp of the "Mujahideen" in Afghanistan, where he met the legendary leader of the "Mujahideen" Massoud. Perhaps out of the mercy of the supreme leader, Bestrov survived. A few months later, when he tried to escape again, he was recaptured and beaten half to death. So Bestrov had to accept his fate and began to learn the Afghan national language and adapt to local customs. Soon Bestrov was asked to convert to Islam, which he agreed to and took on a new name, Islamuddin.

In early 1984, Massoud learned from spies stationed in Kabul that the Soviet army and the Afghan government forces were about to launch a new round of clearing operations in the Panjshir Valley. The captured Soviet officers and soldiers had two options: one was to be exchanged with the Soviet army as prisoners of war, and the other was to escape to other countries through Pakistan. Worried about being punished by law enforcement agencies after returning home, all the prisoners of war chose to go to Pakistan, except Bestrov who asked to stay. Arrange him as a personal guard.

In the following years, he and the supreme leader Massoud experienced countless life and death tests. Because Bestrov has a very serious attitude towards work, he is deeply appreciated by Masud. And Masoud always said that he only slept peacefully when Bestrov was on duty.

Sbetrov, who had changed his name over the years, helped many Soviet prisoners leave this sad place where they spent their youth and years. He was just afraid of returning to the country to face trial. In the end, without exception, those prisoners chose not to return to the place where they had abandoned them. Their motherland was scattered throughout Western Europe and spent the rest of their lives.

At the end of the canyon, a middle-aged man, also wearing a white robe, was holding a camel and stood in front of him. His gentle expression was completely different from the solemn scene around him.

"Islamuddin, my friend, you came as promised." Seeing Islamuddin's appearance, the man holding the camel smiled slightly and opened his arms to give him a hug. However, the latter did not behave in a corresponding friendly manner. Instead, he raised the Kalashnikov rifle in his hand and pointed the muzzle at the man holding the camel.

"I'm sorry, Major Vasily, I'm not your friend." Islamudin's tone was a little cold, "In fact, when the motherland abandoned those poor people nine years ago, I was no longer a Soviet soldier. "

If his closest comrades hadn't privately introduced him to Major Vasily from the Kazakh Soviet Republic, Islamuddin would have definitely believed that this was a conspiracy against the supreme leader of the jihadists.

"The motherland has indeed made mistakes, but it has not always been wrong, right? The mistakes it has made need to be corrected. Is it that Islam al-Din is not even willing to give the Soviet a chance to make corrections?" Vasily sighed, He continued, "Gorbachev really shouldn't have treated you like that. , but you should also have seen the video I gave you before. Our new government leaders are actively rescuing those missing Soviet soldiers. I heard that you have been helping those people for free, so I want to find it here. Look for news, after all, we are no longer enemies after 1989."

Islamudin kicked the yellow sand under his feet and drew a circle with his toes casually. After Major Vasily finished speaking, he said disdainfully, "But the crimes you committed against those poor soldiers, I Can’t forget. For example, the twelve Soviet prisoners of war who died in the Bode Ebo concentration camp, I want to ask, do those high-level officials feel guilty?”

"President Yanayev apologized to the people of the country on TV." Major Vasily took out a newspaper from his arms and placed it in front of Islamuddin. "We should not forget these people. The motherland still has Their mothers are waiting for these children to come home."

"Go home?" Islamuddin smiled a little sadly when he heard the word. He waved his hands and laughed at himself, "Do I still have a home? My mother thought I was dead a long time ago. Oh, forget it. I happen to have five Soviet prisoners of war on my hands. They are poor bastards who have been in prison camps for almost seven years. They have just been released and are going to go to Western Europe. I will bring them to you, and I will be here in five days. They will be brought here, and you can leave here with the five prisoners of war."

"Okay." Seeing that things were finally progressing, Major Vasily breathed a sigh of relief. He asked one more question, "What about you? Don't you plan to go back and take a look?"

"No, I won't go back."

Islamudin rejected Major Vasily's request. His eyes, which had become cloudy in the sandstorm, looked at the blue sky outside the canyon, like a caged falcon's desire for freedom, but it quickly dimmed again. It continued until it finally became as cold and level as a mirror.

"My heart is rooted in this yellow land. The original Bestrov is dead."

Islamuddin turned around alone, returned to the canyon, and walked into the dark depths of the yellow sand sky.