"Faratov harlequin": the history of the AFU Scout that worked as a clown in the circus (photo) to the front

At the time of the full -scale invasion, Nikolai Bilenky lived and worked in England. In Europe, he had a signed contract, but the man collected things and returned to his homeland when he learned about Russia's attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The 53-year-old artist of the original genre Mykola Bilenky from Lviv worked at the arena. In 2022 he returned to Ukraine from England to stand up for his homeland and joined the Armed Forces. Nicholas has a call sign "Harlequin".

He was wounded in battles and received injury, but continues to serve in the Ukrainian army. The history of the fighter is told by "Ukrainian Truth". After the decision of the Ministry of Culture, there was a lively discussion from the mobilization of circus workers in society. However, for the most part, it did not mention such circus representatives as Mykola Bilenky. Circuslife branch journalists were counted by 44 representatives of Ukraine's circus groups who went to the war.

Among them are the dead, in particular, Vladislav Grudinin - the artist of the ballet SE "National Circus of Ukraine". At the time of the full -scale invasion, Nikolai Bilenky lived and worked in England. In Europe, he had a signed contract and could continue to work there. But when he learned from the news on February 24, 2022 about Russia's attack on Ukraine, he gathered things and returned to his homeland. "It was a specific motivation. Yes, he could not go, do his favorite business. But returned.

The main thing in this choice was that my parents were buried in Vinnytsia. I have family, children, sister in Ukraine. Where they climb, the enemy will come very far against us, that you know, people without head are fighting, "the fighter says. He says that when he said in the military enlistment office that he was an artist of the original genre, he was asked several times about what it was and what he was able to do.

The man says that he served in the Soviet Army in his time and got into the "Afghan Leader", but he was lucky because the war was over. "In 2022 I had three weeks of preparation, then we were sent to Kherson. I have received an injury under Bakhmut. The sight of the fighters falls. He was also injured. The debris flew in his foot in the Kherson direction. Then their 28-year-old combat was killed.

The fighter says that he sometimes looks at what is happening in the council, in politics, and he is funny. "If it is a circus, it is very, very amateur. With a real, professional circus he has nothing to do. In Lviv, I have been doing in the Studio" Harlein "since the age of 14. I was not in the circus in the family. Military physician, my father. Two sons on the ice work with Kabakov, " - says Nicholas. He says he is proud of his profession. "The clown is that, you know . . . So politicians can be said.

I call myself" artist of the original genre. " Even if they say "clown". The man confesses that it is the hardest to see young boys near him. "I still have strength, believe me. - says the fighter. He confesses that he was annoyed by the comments of Ukrainians under the decision of the Ministry of Culture on the reservation of circus workers. "There is a lot of annoying in the rear. Come to Lviv, see what is done in the evening in the center.

You go dirty, stinky, apologize, and men sit in a restaurant, beer drinking. The most important thing is that no one touches them. –40 years, they can rest. How we are friends from the Mimographer Studio, an artilleryman in the 24th brigade is 58 years old, "says Nicholas. He believes that the circus is needed during the war because children grow up, have a rest and see something happy.

It should be reminded that the state -owned enterprise "Mobile Circus of Ukraine" filed only 12 employees from mobilization. The rest are afraid to go to the military enlistment office. Earlier it was reported that on April 8, the Ministry of Culture recognized "critically important" state -owned enterprise "Circus of Ukraine".