Notes

Notes consist of diaries and orders seen throughout PARANOIA.

Personal diary of Alexander Kalashnikov
2nd August 2008

I've really been going downhill during the last six months, both morally and physically. Six months in the hospital, without seeing the guys, without training and shooting. It's worse than I expected.

Everything has to begin somewhere... My hands are no longer accustomed to the cold feel of a rifle's metal, nor my ears to the detonations. I had a lot of time to think about all this. I examined my views on various things, including my ability to stay in the service. And I reached the conclusion that I cannot exist without it.

In a few days, I'll take up athletics again to get back in shape and I'll start shooting at the range. I don't know what the command will offer me after such a turning point in my life. Where will they send me this time?

The personal diary of Vasiliy Kazantsev
5th August 2008

Amin... When I recall the operation at the palace, I get sick and I want to cry like a child... I'm not an expert at keeping a diary, but a faint hope glimmers in my weary soul that someone else will experience at least a little bit of what allowed me to survive... A quiet evening, the silence broken occasionally by the chirr of cicadas. And then a burst of fire and my buddy's face is blown to bits right beside me. I hardly manage to hide behind a column and pull the pin out of a grenade. Who would have thought that one's hands could shake so badly. And he... Vovka Kolomzim, we went to school together. Then the army, contract service, and we ended up in Alpha together. We were proud of the fact that we were the best of the best. When they picked only one in thirty men, we still managed to stay together. And where did all this lead us to? To a quick death far away from the motherland? I thank god I was able to get out of there and I pray to never again get into a similar situation.

The personal diary of Mikhail Gorokhov
1st August 2008

It's pouring down rain outside and it's business as usual. Training at the range has been suspended. Having touched the pencil with my tongue, I reach for my notebook to darken it's snow-white pages with my next entry. I would like to pay adequate tribute with this article to my comrade, Nikolai Lychko, who died bravely during the operation to free the hostages - the innocent children and personnel of the school of Beslan.

We made the assault in the evening, as soon as thirty more students and two teachers had been evacuated. Vasiliy Nishkov successfully placed a remotely controlled mine and a fair-sized hole was blown in the school wall on the western side for the assault on the terrorists. According to our information, practically all the hostages have already been freed and "Alpha" finally was able to put all its might into the struggle with the terrorists.

I condemned Vasiliy to death... Sending him in alone would have hardly made a difference, but I wasn't ready to risk the whole assault team at once...

After we breached the passage, Private Nishkov went in armed only with a rifle and two smoke grenades. Two soldiers and I waited at the gap in the wall. A few minates later he was at the gymnasium, and moved to the school corridor. We heard a burst from a sub-machine gun, the cry of a wounded terrorist, and the sound of a falling body...

It provided enough diversion to allow us to drag two frightened little girls through the door on the right side. Then we snuck in and cut off the terrorists' escape path. We took the scumbags down, but Vasiliy never came out. We don't know what would've happened to the little girls if he hadn't decided to attack immediately after we blew the wall up.

Shift change log
Post 8 - The barracks

I accepted the post: 23.04.2008 0.00

I surrendered the post: 23.04.2008 6.00

On duty: A.A. Silov

The loud snoring of Private E.O. Petrachenko at approximately 1:20 woke up half the company. The privates attempted to put Private E.O. Petrachenko down by democratic smothering, but the attempt was prevented. No other incidents were observed.

I accepted the post: 23.04.2008 6.00

I surrendered the post: 23.04.2008 12.00

On duty: G.K. Khrenov

Private O.L. Nikolaev was noted drunk and accompanied to the guard house. The location where he was provided with alcohol was not ascertained. No other incidents were observed.