- Category
- War in Ukraine
The Story of the Kayfariki, Or How We Were Trapped for 14 Hours Under Russian Assault and Actually Made It Out Alive
A punk, a tattoo artist and a German journalist walk into a bar. What happens next?
And yes, this is not a joke. But this is not your typical story either. After all, nothing is typical when it comes to the war in Ukraine.
- Authors
![Philip Malzahn]( "Philip Malzahn")
When we set off for the frontline, we had a simple goal: to make a report about a unique group of Ukrainian Air Assault Forces called “Kayfariki”, loosely translated as “those who enjoy life.” They are, like many others in Ukraine, a group of friends who came together when the war started.
The group originates from the Kyiv underground, with members dabbling in punk music and anti-fascist hooliganism. And precisely because they are not what you would expect from a typical Ukrainian frontline soldier, especially if you watch Russian propaganda, we thought showing them in action would be a valuable and interesting story.
So, we went with the Kayfariki on a mission to the first line of defense, with the enemy positioned just 600 meters from us. But the Russians had just taken the village down the road, so we estimated that it would take them a couple of days to regroup and get their act together before staging the next assault.
We were wrong. Suddenly, the worst of all possible scenarios became a reality: the Russian army attacked the village we were stationed in with a large armored convoy, including three tanks. Surrounded from all sides, the paratroopers ended up fighting a 14-hour battle for the position, for their lives, and ours.
What happens next? Well, you can watch the full report on Youtube and find out.
SPOILER: Thanks to the bravery and resilience of the Kayfariki, we all make it out alive!
