Close to Kupyansk: We have been in actual hell. It is onerous to elucidate. ᐉ Information from Fakti.bg – World

Kupyansk-Uzlovoi is lower than ten kilometers from the entrance. The troopers who’re on the battlefield take a brief break from the battles in one of many nation homes – after two months beneath fixed hearth within the trenches, says ARD. A person nicknamed “The Zucchini” says he and his mates want a psychiatrist. “We have to do one thing about our mind. We have been in absolute hell for 2 months. It is onerous to even clarify it. We’ve got not left our positions for 2 months. Fixed Sligo: mortars, drones, explosions. It is onerous to think about. We have been like a wasp’s nest,” he informed German public regulation media.

Beneath every day hearth

The previous months have left a mark on the boys, their faces are worn. They’re soldiers from the forty third Mechanized Brigade, which is answerable for the protection east of Kupyansk in a really troublesome space. In entrance of them are the Russian items, behind them is the river Oskil, writing ARD. The bridge over the river was destroyed way back, and a brand new pontoon bridge was instantly blocked by Russian artillery. Just one winding street results in the brigade’s place – from the closest river crossing it’s virtually two hours away – slowly and parallel to the entrance line. A soldier who calls himself “Apostle” says that he overcame eight enemy assaults on his first day within the trenches. There are assaults daily, for 2 months with out a break. The Russians had heavy losses, however the Ukrainians additionally took quite a lot of victims, he informed German media.

“Our battalion is sort of a stone wall”

Russia has extra folks and extra weapons, says ARD. In line with Western intelligence companies, Russia mobilizes 30,000 new troopers each month. A lot of them are shortly despatched to the entrance – usually to sure loss of life. This tactic has one aim: to put on down and destroy the Ukrainian troops. The Russian assault has been occurring for a very long time, one other soldier informed ARD: “They wished to interrupt by means of shortly, nevertheless it did not occur. They’re powerful, however our battalion stands like an impregnable wall. We misplaced lots of people, however they did not go ahead. We’re the final bastion earlier than Kupyansk”. Kharkiv, which is on the opposite aspect of the river, is lower than two hours away by automotive. So the order says: resist.

The most important downside: lack of troops

Troopers say they’d not have been capable of maintain the submit with out Western help. However it is rather sluggish to succeed in this space. “We solely have what we bought half a yr in the past,” says Panas. Which means there’s a scarcity in the whole lot. However the largest scarcity is troopers. The Ukrainian authorities was sluggish to implement a brand new regulation on troop mobilization – this solely occurred firstly of Could. However they have to be educated first. Subsequently, there isn’t any rotation, and the infantry stays within the trenches for a minimum of two months.

“There’s merely no different manner out”

The troopers are drained, however they see the state of affairs as crucial “We’ve got no different selection – we’ve to carry on. And never as a result of we observe an order – the problem is ethical. Most are right here as a result of they’re defending their homeland and their households,” mentioned one soldier.

Though there isn’t any finish to the conflict, the troopers don’t want it to be “frozen”, as some politicians need. And “Panas” thinks this: “That is Ukraine’s solely probability to outlive. I’m not saying this as a result of I help the federal government – there may be merely no different manner out. If enemies are frozen now, the enemy will have the ability to breathe. The thought of ​​empire has not left them in any respect.”

“We is not going to dwell in a dictatorship”

His pals assume so too. Russian troopers are combating for pennies, they are saying. And so they themselves? “We have lived like folks – like regular folks. We would like the whole lot again to the way it was earlier than the conflict,” mentioned “Apostle”. One other mentioned: “We can’t dwell beneath a dictatorship – we’re free folks.” Sure. Ukrainians have at all times fought for his or her freedom.”

None of them know the way lengthy the struggle will final. Questions that can not be answered for the second don’t hassle them, as a result of they solely draw the power they should survive. In Kupyansk-Uzlovoi, the troopers are glad that, a minimum of presently, an actual mattress, bathe and dinner, ends ARD.

Authors: Jerzy Sobota HIGH | Alasdair Palikot ARD