“Conflict” – The Ukraine

6AM: South West Konotop, Ukraine – Based on Conflict Poetry

The day was like most days here in Ukraine, during the winter. Dark, foggy and the whole city looked like heaven, covered metaphorically from head to toe with snow.

I woke up this morning to find 5 teenagers hiding in my room, i stared at them with a look of astonishment. one of them put a grimy finger to his white, cracked lips which produced a soft “Shhh”. He pointed towards the window. i stood up and carefully walked towards it, outside, about 3 soldiers, from the Russian army, looking through the windows up every floor. I thought they are not looking for me so i continued like every other day.

As I was watching TV I heard a click from inside the apartment, I walked to my room, looked around only to find the kids were all gone and were replaced by the 3 grown Russian soldiers pointing their AK-47s at my head, more specifically right in between my eyes. Instantly i put my hands up and dropped to my knees. The last thing i remember is looking up and hearing my skull crack as the wooden stock smashed into the side of my temple.

I woke up beside the motorway leading out of Konotop, Ukraine, located NE of Kiev the capital. As I stood up I noticed a sign that said “Под властью России армии,” meaning “Under Russian army rule.” I realised I couldn’t just walk back home, they threw me out for a reason. I was posted at Konotop 3 months ago to collect and deliver intel on “Louise le pullier,” a french drug trafficker, one of the biggest since Pablo Escobar and I have followed him from Moscow, Russia to Kiev, Ukraine up to Konotop, where he was staying in a hotel across the road from the apartment that I had rented. Now the surveillance Op was compromised, courtesy of the Russian army. According to my intel he should be doing another deal 48 hours from now in Odessa, on the coast of Ukraine and south of Kiev.

I looked about to see if I had my phone but the soldiers most probably destroyed it so I walked along the motorway towards Sumy hoping to find a village in between where I could use a pay phone and get my contact to pick me up. 6 and a half miles later I found myself in a village asking a woman, approximately in her late twenties, where I could find a pay phone, “доброе утро, где я могу найти телефон-автомат? Good morning, where can I find a pay phone?” The woman pointed down the road and said “left” in a really strong Eastern European accent. I thanked her before continuing my journey down the road to reach the pay phone.

I was now 26 hours into my journey to Odessa. I looked at my watch, 8AM. I was taken to Kiev by my contact and picked up a pair of fresh, clean clothes, a new mobile (IPhone 5s, modified to send and receive encrypted calls and text messages), approximately ₴20,000 (£1015.15p British pound sterling) in order to buy a plane ticket to Odessa from Kyiv International Airport (Zhuliany).

I made it to Odessa with 8 and a half hours to spare so I decided to tour the catacombs and try the local cuisine. I decided to try a traditional crockery dish called Deruny or Draniki, which are potato pancakes and were unbelievably delicious.

6:30PM: I am at the catacombs, where the exchange is going to take place, with an hour and a half to spare. I was here earlier, scouting the area, looking for a spot where I could watch the exchange go down and call for backup, when the time is right, to arrest Louise and his men. Along with the Serbians he would be supplying the drugs. I found a ledge where I had a clear vision of everything. All I had to do now… Was wait…