A former Soviet soldier who now goes by Nik Mohammad, 55, sits in his rental house in Kunduz surrounded by his family. Stefanie Glinski / The National
A former Soviet soldier who now goes by Nik Mohammad, 55, sits in his rental house in Kunduz surrounded by his family. Stefanie Glinski / The National
A former Soviet soldier who now goes by Nik Mohammad, 55, sits in his rental house in Kunduz surrounded by his family. Stefanie Glinski / The National
A former Soviet soldier who now goes by Nik Mohammad, 55, sits in his rental house in Kunduz surrounded by his family. Stefanie Glinski / The National

‘I’m an Afghan now’: The Soviet soldiers who never left the country they invaded


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On a clear starry night in 1984, Gennady Tsevma – then 18 years old – quietly stepped over the drunk, dozing-off soldiers who kept watch at his camp in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz.

He had made up his mind to escape what he refers to as the “tortures of the Soviet army,” not knowing what would come next.

Upon desertion, the Ukrainian soldier walked straight into the arms of the Mujahideen, the US-backed Afghan militant group fighting the Soviets during their invasion.

When the Soviet army withdrew in 1989, they were sure that all of their soldiers had left Afghan soil. But Mr Tsevma remained. In fact, a total of 226 army-defectors like him stayed back, according to the Russian Cultural Centre in Kabul.

The decade-long war killed almost two million Afghan civilians, as well as 15,000 Soviet soldiers between 1979 and 1989. Mr Tsevma was alive, but decided to put his previous life to the grave.

Originally an atheist from the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass, Mr Tsevma, 55, now refers to himself as Nik Mohammed. He is a father of four, speaks fluent Dari, the Afghan dialect of Persian, and has become a practising Muslim.

In his beige baggy tunic, he sits surrounded by his family on a bed outside his house, resting his arm on a walking aid as his smiling two-year-old grandson tries to get his attention.

“I’ve built my life here and I’m an Afghan now,” he says in Dari, with no hint of a Ukrainian accent.

“There isn’t much that I miss anymore, except for maybe a cold beer every once in a while,” he grins.

Back in 1984, when he encountered the Mujahideen the same night he fled, he was first taken prisoner. But the group soon integrated him into its ranks.

“They gave me a language teacher, taught me how to pray and chose Bibi Hawa – 14 at that time – to become my wife,” he says, adding that he stayed with them for seven years, after which he took up a job as a lorry driver.

Old Soviet tanks continue to speck the landscape in Afghanistan, such as this one in Kandahar Province. Stefanie Glinski / The National
Old Soviet tanks continue to speck the landscape in Afghanistan, such as this one in Kandahar Province. Stefanie Glinski / The National

Heading back to Ukraine – though the Soviet Union had fallen – never became an option for Mohammad again, even after representatives from the Russian Embassy contacted him and offered a repatriation stipend of $2,000 (Dh7,340).

“I was afraid and, besides that, I had already built a family in Afghanistan,” he remembers.

Eight years ago, he travelled by land to Donbass with his Afghan passport which he acquired for the trip, having already obtained an official Afghan ID card, or "taskira". It was his first and last visit.

“My parents had already passed away, so I met my brother and his family. It was emotional. We couldn’t stop crying and hugging.”

After a two-week visit, Mohammed returned to his family in Afghanistan, sharing photos and stories with his children. He barely keeps in touch with his family, but says he has one Ukrainian television channel that he switches on every once in a while to follow the news. The war in Donbass between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists, which broke out in 2014, has saddened him, and ultimately contributed to his decision to never return.

“I would have liked to see Ukraine, but it’s a long trip from here,” his 26-year-old son Faizal says, adding that he barely speaks a word of Ukrainian.

The family now lives in a big airy house in Kunduz that they rent for 7,000 Afghani ($95) a month. Mohammed spends his days sitting on his terrace, overlooking his blooming garden. At night, he sometimes wakes up to the sounds of explosions or US and Afghan air strikes around the city and its outskirts.

Decades of war have taken a toll on the man, who looks much older than his actual age. Fighting has increased around Kunduz, with the Taliban closing in on the city. The insurgent controlled the city for more than two weeks in late 2015 before withdrawing.

Afghanistan’s army has now turned its position from defensive to offensive, according to the Ministry of Defence, and the US has increased its air strikes by around 20 per cent.

“I came here to fight a war, but now the war is fighting me,” Mohammed laughs cynically.

Mohammed says he does not know any of the other Soviet fighters who stayed behind, except for Haji Ahmad, another Ukrainian living in Kunduz who worked as a logistician, driving goods down to Kunduz, but defected the same year Mohammed did.

“When we meet, we speak Dari with each other,” Mr Ahmad, whose birth name is Alexander Uriwich, laughs. Like Mohammed, he escaped the army, eventually joining the Mujahideen.

Haji Ahmad, 54, a former Soviet soldier, now works as a taxi driver in Kunduz city. He arrived in Afghanistan in 1984 and hasn't left since. Stefanie Glinski / The National
Haji Ahmad, 54, a former Soviet soldier, now works as a taxi driver in Kunduz city. He arrived in Afghanistan in 1984 and hasn't left since. Stefanie Glinski / The National

Mr Ahmad has never visited Ukraine. He says he cannot afford the journey. Instead, he saved up for the Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia six years ago, and says that he’s saving for a second trip – and this time he hopes to bring his wife.

Mr Ahmad, a father of six and taxi driver who sits in a busy market area in Kunduz does not stand out with his traditional tunic, hat and long beard. His village, Hazrat Sultan, is in a Taliban district, but he says the militant group respects him.

“I accepted Islam and it almost feels like I’ve spent all of my life here in Afghanistan,” he explains. Though some memories remain.

“In Ukraine, I had a girlfriend. On weekends, we’d go out to parties to have a drink,” he remembers. “Life was free and I could do whatever I wanted to do. Here, I didn’t choose my wife. It was given to me by the Mujahideen.”

He doesn't seem upset with the way things turned out for him though.

Like Mohammed, Mr Ahmad received financial assistance from a Russian delegate to travel back to Ukraine, but said he used the money elsewhere.

“I have a big family and it’s my first priority to provide for them,” he says, his voice almost drowned out by the bustle of the market’s patrons.

There isn’t much that reminds Ahmad of his life back in Ukraine he says, explaining that his parents and siblings have already passed away and he cut ties with his extended family.

Old and rusty Soviet tanks continue to speck the landscape throughout Afghanistan, reminding of a war long gone. Like the conflict, their homeland is now a distant memory.

“I don’t miss Ukraine,” Mr Ahmad says, getting ready to drive off with his next customers. “Afghanistan is my home and this is my culture. It’s not bad. I’m happy.”

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results

6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Major Cinnamon, Fernando Jara, Mujeeb Rahman

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,900m; Winner: Al Mureib, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash

7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Remorse, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar

8.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Meshakel, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Desert Peace, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m; Winner: Sharamm, Ryan Curatlo, Satish Seemar

Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3ECompany%3A%20Zywa%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202021%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Nuha%20Hashem%20and%20Alok%20Kumar%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20UAE%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%3Cbr%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%243m%3Cbr%3ECompany%20valuation%3A%20%2430m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.

The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?

My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.

The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.

So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.

 

 

Pieces of Her

Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick   

Director: Minkie Spiro

Rating:2/5

THE%C2%A0SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.4-litre%20four-cylinder%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20210hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Starting%20from%20Dh89%2C900%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
if you go

The flights 

Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning. 

The trains

Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.

The hotels

Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EElggo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20August%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Luma%20Makari%20and%20Mirna%20Mneimneh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Education%20technology%20%2F%20health%20technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Four%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Five%20calorie-packed%20Ramadan%20drinks
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Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)

What is THAAD?

It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.

Production:

It was first created in 2008.

Speed:

THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.

Abilities:

THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".

Purpose:

To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.

Range:

THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.

Creators:

Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.

UAE and THAAD:

In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.

SERIE A FIXTURES

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Saturday
Roma v Udinese (5pm) 
SPAL v Napoli (8pm)
Juventus v Torino (10.45pm)

Sunday
Sampdoria v AC Milan (2.30pm)
Inter Milan v Genoa (5pm)
Crotone v Benevento (5pm)
Verona v Lazio (5pm)
Cagliari v Chievo (5pm)
Sassuolo v Bologna (8pm)
Fiorentina v Atalanta (10.45pm)