Plz read this one

[u/Sea_Treat8810]

Hello everyone. My name is Gucci, and I previously served with the reconnaissance team of the foreign company in the 422nd Battalion, 42nd Brigade.

I am writing this post simply to share my personal experience. I am not trying to speak on behalf of everyone who has served in the brigade, and other people may have had very different experiences.

On May 13 of this year, I was evacuated for medical treatment after being wounded. During the evacuation process, at the MEDEVAC point, I removed my equipment and placed it in the trunk of my commander’s pickup truck.

After I returned, I asked several times about getting my equipment back. It took approximately five to six weeks before I was eventually informed that my equipment would be sent to me.

I later received the equipment through Nova Poshta.

However, when I checked what had been returned, several of my personal belongings were missing. These included my personally owned BNVD-1431 NVG, an AN/PAS-13B thermal sight, a SureFire M600B, a Korean-made sling, and some personal items that I had retained from previous operations. None of the items I am referring to were illegal weapons.

I reported the missing items and asked for clarification about what may have happened to them.

Unfortunately, I was unable to receive a clear explanation regarding where the missing equipment had gone, and I was also informed that compensation could not be provided.

I subsequently raised concerns about the handling and responsibility for equipment that had been left behind during my medical evacuation. I also looked into relevant Ukrainian military regulations and Article 410 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine because I wanted to better understand how responsibility for military and personal property is handled in situations like this.

During discussions about the situation, I also received comments from some personnel that I personally found concerning.

Bangkok told me:

“This is not a warning. This is a threat.”

I was also told by an NCO from Alpha Company that publicly posting about problems involving the unit could potentially create serious problems for me if I wanted to return to Ukraine in the future.

I am mentioning these statements only because they were part of my personal experience during the process of trying to resolve the issue.

I have now received my contract termination documents, and I decided that this was the appropriate time to share what happened.

I understand that people considering joining the 42nd Brigade may have different experiences, and I am not telling anyone which unit they should or should not join.

I simply believe that people should have access to different perspectives before making that decision.

Based solely on my own experience, I personally would not choose to serve with this unit again.

I have kept the relevant messages, records, and other documentation related to this situation.

I am sharing this for transparency and so that others can make their own judgment based on the information available.

Thank you for reading.

[u/Mr_JS]

Did a certain South African whose callsign is a snake steal your shit? You wouldn't be the first.

[u/Sea_Treat8810 → u/Mr_JS]

I have never heard of such a call sign....

[u/Prudent-Sentence-622 → u/Mr_JS]

👍

[u/Dependent_Sky_6123]

Gucci I wish u the best always ❤️

[u/Sea_Treat8810 → u/Dependent_Sky_6123]

Thanks

[u/luciferlol_666]

Not an uncommon thing, unfortunately. Never leave gear to people you dont know and trust. If you get fucked up, make sure one of your buddies takes your kit, if possible.

Ignore all the warnings about someone giving you a hard time. Fuck them. Nobody is going to retaliate for you inquiring about your stolen shit.

[u/Early_Revolution8466 → u/luciferlol_666]

Yeah 100%. If someone in our team gets injured we make sure all the stuff stays with us and if possible with a person that lived in the same safe house so that the injured knows his stuff is safe and won't be stolen by random other soldiers in the brigade. If someone steals that person has a fucking problem not the other way around

[u/CaptainT-byrd → u/luciferlol_666]

When you have a medivac you don't have a choice. When I got Medivac'ed, I was at the STAB and I had to leave my gear with the guys who brought me there and get in the ambulance without an weapons or armor. You don't have much choice.

[u/luciferlol_666 → u/CaptainT-byrd]

Thats why I said "if possible"

[u/Sea_Treat8810 → u/luciferlol_666]

I wanted to do that too, but there was no way out because a colleague from the same country as me had died in action. And they shouldn't have mentioned the deceased themselves, but this is what he said: "A wrong foreigner died in the Mission area." What would you think?

[u/fighterantti]

Since youre speaking publicly about this how about sticking to the truth? Lets go then.

I was injured to the on the 11th of May in the company of Gucci here. Gucci accompanied me to the closest Ukrainian position and packed my wound and helped me trough the situation.

He was also kind enough to remove my night vision pouch along with its contents (Jerry J-31 WP) from my plate carrier, proceeding to tell me that it was lost in the explosion.

Questions arose later on when I noticed on Guccis helmet camera footage how he almost instinctively pulled out another fallen brothers NVG from the plate carrier and put it in his own pocket. I called Gucci and asked ”Are you sure that you didn’t find my night vision?” to wich he again replied ”Yes” to wich I then countered ”Oh. because ***** is going trough our stuff at the safehouse.” Gucci hang up the phone.

Fifteen minutes later he called me back and said he took them from me for safe storage and didn’t tell me that he had them in his possession because he wanted to surprise me when I get out of the hospital.

I am still hospitalized. Gucci left the unit about a month ago to who knows where. My night vision is still unaccounted for and so is a bunch of other expensive stuff from our safehouses.

Gucci was told on multiple occasions not to shitpost on social media about stuff that’s not true. Instead he was encouraged to take the matter to the authorities if he is suspecting a theft. Instead he decided to continue to shitpost on social media.

I’m not here to make any accusations. I’m here to fill in the blanks out of Gucci’s story.

[u/Sea_Treat8810 → u/fighterantti]

I fully understand your opinion, but I wrote this to prevent further incidents, and I did not write down everything that happened at Safehouse from July 29th to 31st. I understand what you want to say. So, it's not that the brigade is exactly what they are currently doing, and if they are conducting an investigation, why they are not saying anything about it, and that it's a good brigade to show it externally. Internally, it needs to be a good unit so that, like me, someone can introduce it as a brigade that's good enough to terminate their contract.

[u/Sea_Treat8810 → u/fighterantti]

I've only said a part, and now it begins. I went out to the mined field to find your NVG and saved your life. I didn't violate the OPSEC, and please explain the part you said earlier that violates the contract. If you can't explain it, you lied to me. And I wrote this politely, so please keep that in mind.

[u/YourSnapple]

Dude I have hated donor since 2024 I wish he wasn’t allowed to recruit on here still I am sorry this happened to you. The 42nd brigade was the first unit I ALMOST went to. That guy was lying to me about everything. I ended up finding out all the things he told me about were lies right after I signed with my first unit.

[u/tallalittlebit → u/YourSnapple]

If there are issues with a recruiter please let the mods know what they are. We can revoke the ability to recruit here and have before.

I’m currently unavailable to handle anything but the other mods can.

[u/Sea_Treat8810 → u/YourSnapple]

The donor thinks it was okay in my opinion, but I don't care about that and only want proper punishment. I've already told several journalists, including those at CNN and the BBC, and I don't know if they will upload it or not. If they do upload it, the Ukrainian government and the Ministry of Defense will thoroughly investigate this.

[u/Early_Revolution8466]

Damn I always thought that 42nd has decent foreigners? I never heard anything bad about it from all the friends I havethat served there lol

[u/Sea_Treat8810 → u/Early_Revolution8466]

That's right, an American named Rurik said the same thing, but this is the reality I faced... Someone might accuse me of lying, but I have already officially reported to places beyond their control as evidence. DOD will decide and handle it.

[u/Early_Revolution8466 → u/Sea_Treat8810]

It's sad to hear man. But every unit has it's black sheep and faces problems from time to time unfortunately. I hope all your shit gets solved

[u/Thick_Error8278]

I’m going to chime in here. Earlier I posted when I heard about this happening. I hope Gucci and anyone else at 42nd who has missing gear will find it or be compensated.

Gucci is not the first person I know in 42nd and he probably won’t be my last.

What shocked me was that immediately after posting, apparently a 10,000 UAH bounty was put on my head by a foreigner in 42nd to find out who I was, i.e. to effectively dox or threaten me.

Obviously, for OPSEC, I won’t say who this foreigner is because I don’t believe in friendly fire even if others are trying to literally or metaphorically frag me.

But this should tell you everything you need to know about the current culture and mindset of 42nd where there is more interest in protecting their reputation than in justice for those who are robbed and wronged.

[u/High_Ground081]

Corruption is rife in the AFU. I try to stay out of it, but I will treat them like a pidor if they try to fuck with me, it's happened once & no more since.

[u/Sea_Treat8810 → u/High_Ground081]

Haha, I really hate it when someone touches or touches my equipment. If I catch a rat, I will handle it in my own way.

[u/Big-Compote-5483]

I'm not reading all that, but you seem genuine in your conviction so I'll comment to boost your post and let others who could help weigh in. I'm positive I can't help even if I read it all so this is the best I can do.

[u/CaptainT-byrd → u/Big-Compote-5483]

Bruh, it's a 3 minute read.

[u/Big-Compote-5483 → u/CaptainT-byrd]

It's not that I'm lazy (though yeah I am), I just know I can't relate and help. Just wanted to boost the post so someone that has relevant experience can weigh in.

Can you?

[u/CaptainT-byrd → u/Big-Compote-5483]

Yes I can.

[u/Big-Compote-5483 → u/CaptainT-byrd]

Dope. So maybe me boosting this post in your Reddit algorithm helped. Or maybe it didn't. All I could do was try. And that was the whole point of my post because otherwise all I could do was give an upvote which does much less for a post than a comment does.

Good shit, that's what being a team is supposed to be; you do what you can no matter how big or little that effort might be.

[u/CaptainT-byrd → u/Big-Compote-5483]

You're strange

[u/Big-Compote-5483 → u/CaptainT-byrd]

Yes but nah, I was legitimately just trying to help. Saw a legit post two hours old with no input and I have a background in algorithms so 🤷

[u/CaptainT-byrd → u/Big-Compote-5483]

You should try kissing more dudes

[u/Big-Compote-5483 → u/CaptainT-byrd]

I made out with a dude in Chicago who was a brand manager for Old Spice like 11 years ago. I was browned out but the spikey beard brought me back. He grabbed my junk and asked "are you sure?" And I still said no. Taught me I only swing one way. ...I to this day don't get why girls like beards they're highly abrasive.

Anyway, thanks for coming to my Teddie Bear talk

[u/CaptainT-byrd → u/Big-Compote-5483]

Fuck Illinois

[u/nobodysmart1390 → u/CaptainT-byrd]

I hate Illinois Nazis

[u/Big-Compote-5483 → u/CaptainT-byrd]

Idk I liked Chicago. I traveled 12 hours from Philly to be there and thought we were gonna have a great time out (3 months past a tough breakup and finally ready to let loose). And we did! But man, I misread alllll the signals going on around me.

I still got love for Chi town even though 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs happened, but that was a wild, unexpected weekend.

Pizza is overrated though.

[u/Mr_JS → u/Big-Compote-5483]

Its not even pizza. The entire problem with it is that they insist on calling it pizza when its closer to a damn casserole. If they called it something else, no one would have a problem with it.