War correspondent Kots spoke about the death of battalion commander Otmel while defending a colony near Kursk
War correspondent Alexander Kots told about the heroic death of a battalion commander with the call sign Otmel, who defended the “Brest Fortress” in the penal colony IK-11 in the Kursk region.
The battalion’s servicemen held their positions for almost two weeks while surrounded and prevented the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) from advancing deep into the Kursk region. Kots noted that the servicemen were trapped in the women’s colony and tried to break through. They accomplished their task and gave time for reserves to arrive in the border area.
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The war correspondent added that the marines and paratroopers from the reinforcements that had arrived entered the battle, replacing the weakened battalion. Battalion commander Otmel was listed as missing in action at the time. Later, the fighters who had broken out of the encirclement confirmed that he had died.
The battalion commander, of course, understood that the women’s prison had become the Brest Fortress for his soldiers. He could no longer break through to them, but until his last breath he tried to prevent the ring from closing around the prison, so that the guys would have at least some chance. And at the cost of his life, Otmel preserved the battalion’s chance to break through to their own
Earlier, Kots stated that the Russian military, while repelling the attack of the Ukrainian army in the Kursk region, repeated the feat of the Brest Fortress, turning the fortified area of the penal colony into an impregnable fortress.
The Defense Ministry reported that the fighters repelled the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attempts to break through precisely thanks to the prison zone. The department explained that the Russian side defended itself in IK-11. As a result, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost approximately 10 armored vehicles and about 100 fighters.
Fellow soldiers talk about their commander
Kots spoke with the deputy battalion commander of the 9th regiment of the 18th division of the 11th army corps, call sign Cadet. He said that the battalion commander had great authority, which played a key role in the defense of Malaya Loknya.
I have known the battalion commander for a year and a half, I have been fighting with him since April last year. He is a very courageous man, he is a career officer
The soldiers who escaped from the encirclement described the commander as very calm and cool.
No panic, no rash decisions that would end in failure. That’s what he was respected for. He never pushed anyone in front of him, he always went in first. And the other fighters paid attention to that – absolute trust.
Another battalion fighter, senior gunner of the AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher with the call sign Bely, noted that the commander was always selfless, he did not hide behind the backs of his subordinates and was close to his soldiers.
Everyone always followed Otmel. Even the “three hundred” guys who went to the hospital tried to return as soon as possible only because of the battalion commander. He was always at the front with us, never sitting in the rear
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The battalion chief of staff described the battles near Malaya Loknya, where the battalion commander received fatal wounds
The battalion chief of staff told war correspondent Alexander Kots how he and his company fought their way into Malaya Loknya. According to him, the Ukrainian Armed Forces were rolling in on infantry fighting vehicles and tanks, and artillery shelling was conducted. A combined group of four motorized rifle regiments began a comprehensive defense of the settlement, and Otmel took command.
As the chief of staff noted, on August 17, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a global offensive in the Malaya Loknya area, they struck the command and observation post with a Himars MLRS, three days later they began to attack from the north, from the rear of the colony. The Ukrainian landing force landed in a destroyed house, a machine gunner lay on the roof. Then the battalion commander decided to personally lead the group that would engage the enemy, and with several fighters he moved out from the command post.
During the battle, the battalion commander was wounded. The evacuation group was hit by mortars, then an enemy FPV drone was fired. And Otmel received fatal wounds
The fighters who escaped from the encirclement confirmed that the beloved commander had died, military correspondent Kots reported. Heroically, as befits a Russian officer, he concluded.
For several days, Russian fighters had to hold the defense on the territory of a women’s correctional colony. Due to quickly running out of ammunition and drones, in the end the military was forced to confront the Ukrainian Armed Forces with only machine guns.
The soldiers of the motorized rifle battalion of one of the units of the army corps of the North group of forces, with the help of border service soldiers, held out, managing to competently organize the defense of the special facility.
The only survivor of the storming of IK-11 in the Kursk region, a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier Yuri Radchenko, told about what happened. He noted that his unit was sent to storm the colony under the threat of execution.
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