"We're back": Azov serviceman Oleksandr Laptii on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, the spirit of Polissia, and Azov drones over Mariupol
However advanced modern weapons systems become, the most important thing always has been and always will be the spirit. "That's what we should rely on first and foremost, and only then, of course, on modern technology," says Oleksandr Laptii.
The 52-year-old Azov serviceman is referring to that very ancient, traditional fighting spirit which the Russian Empire has always tried to destroy in everyone born on Ukrainian lands.
Oleksandr Laptii is a theatre and film actor and director who appeared in the video game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. His voice, physicality and real-life appearance brought one of the main characters in the world created by Ukraine's GSC Game World – the mercenary Shram (Scar) – to life.
A fan of Ukrainian underground culture and Eastern martial arts as far back as 2014, Laptii, who is from Chernihiv, volunteered to join the military with none of the reflections or discussions about motivation that are so fashionable today.
"I learned about that word and its meaning sometime in the 2000s," Oleksandr recalls. "I grew up in a different paradigm, where concepts like duty and discipline matter. That's what pushes a person towards serious decisions and action."
In this interview with Ukrainska Pravda, the Azov serviceman talks about remarkable Ukrainians, the magic of Polissia – a region of marshes and forests in Ukraine's north – and the interplay of technology and tradition in modern warfare. He also discusses the benefits and dangers of video games and how a new military is being shaped by a generation with a gamer mentality.