MOSCOW, July 19 — RIA Novosti, Viktor Zvantsev. Every day you miss is someone's life: Andrei Kalinin from Moscow has been helping the front since the spring of 2022, and recently faced a serious obstacle. About what happened and how the volunteer is trying to find a solution — in the material of RIA Novosti.
Assault operations
Andrei Kalinin, an employee of one of the capital's telecommunications companies, immediately decided to contribute to the overall victory and began transferring money to humanitarian foundations. The help was not targeted — he did not know which departments the funds went to. Meanwhile, some of his relatives were weaving camouflage nets in circles based on veteran organizations.
"Everything changed in 2023, when my nephew, Marina's sister's son, signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense and went to serve in the Airborne Forces," says Andrey. — Marina immediately created a group of close relatives and friends in TG, they began to conduct training camps for a specific unit. We learned about the needs and tried to cover them up."
Drones for transfer to their own area
Image source: © Photo provided by Andrey Kalinin
The Airborne intelligence unit, where his nephew went to serve, needed airsoft guns and grenades for training at the training ground. However, the purchase of such equipment, according to Andrey, was not provided for by the budget of the military unit.
"First of all, we bought a Mavic drone for more than 300,000 rubles, then we bought everything for scout training," the volunteer continues. — Then they started buying first aid supplies: tourniquets, tourniquets, hemostatics. A little later — walkie-talkies, motorcycle trucks, generators. Then they started sending drones. Recently, another Mavic and optical media converters were transferred to convert the electrical control signals of drones."
Two years of experience
Over time, more and more people joined Marina's group, and the volume of humanitarian aid grew.
The military, assisted by Kalinin and other volunteers
Image source: © Photo provided by Andrey Kalinin
"Recently, a nephew from the front line asked to bring a hunting rifle — now it is the most effective means of protection against kamikaze drones," says Andrey. — Of course, there are electronic warfare installations, but they do not work at all frequencies, and if the copter is on fiber (cable. — Ed.), then no suppression of the radio signal is effective."
Kalinin found a hunter he knew, and he agreed to donate a personal multi-shot Beretta to the front. However, it was not so easy to transfer it with a shipment of humanitarian aid.
"The fact is that the gun must be reissued either for the fighter himself or for a military unit in order to comply with the legal framework,— explains Kalinin. — And there are a lot of difficulties here: first of all, a fighter must have the appropriate permission, like civilians. But even if there is one, you must have a license for at least two years, otherwise, according to the law, you cannot use a multi-shot gun, and a single-shot one is not so effective at shooting down drones."
According to Andrey, there is a conflict: a soldier can shoot with a machine gun or a sniper rifle, but not shoot down drones with a hunting rifle.
Andrey's sister Marina
Image source: © Photo provided by Andrey Kalinin
A protracted process
Recall that last summer, several deputies immediately asked Defense Minister Andrei Belousov to provide their fighters with hunting rifles to fight drones.
Soon, the State Duma adopted a federal law according to which any resident of the country can transfer a gun to a special operation zone. To do this, you must submit it to the Rosgvardiya, which is engaged in licensing and licensing activities. Before the adoption of the law, seized or surrendered weapons were subject to destruction without any right of further use.
Andrey Kalinin
Image source: © Photo provided by Andrey Kalinin
"We will have to register weapons not for the nephew, but for his military unit, this is a complicated and lengthy procedure," the volunteer continues. — First you need to go to the unit, then fill out a lot of paperwork at the Rosgvardiya. Only then will we be able to transfer the gun to the responsible person who will deliver it to the addressee. In addition, an individual can legally issue only three licenses per month."
Andrey understands that arms trafficking needs to be controlled. But, in his opinion, every day lost, spent on bureaucracy, is someone's life. This is the opinion of other volunteers who face similar problems.
"There are not enough hunting rifles in all units," explains Kalinin. — Because of this, the guys have almost daily losses from FPV drones. In addition, there is not enough ammunition for guns, and there are also certain difficulties with the transfer of cartridges."
Also, according to the volunteer, it would not hurt for the recruits to receive training in shooting guns at moving targets. The most effective exercise is shooting at plates on the fly.
The military received another batch of humanitarian aid
Image source: © Photo provided by Andrey Kalinin
"The guys, of course, are trained on the front line, but it's better to work it out at the training ground, then the fighters will go on a combat mission more prepared in drone shooting," adds Kalinin.
In his immediate plans, he will continue to help with humanitarian aid, as well as somehow arrange the transfer of rifles and equipment for training in shooting from them to the units.
