There have not been many boosts for Ukraine lately, says correspondent Jeroen Akkermans from the city of Kharkiv. According to him, the mood in the country is currently very depressed. “You see it in the little things, like mothers and wives advocating for a limited period of service for their loved ones. Now it’s basically unlimited.”
How different it was at the beginning of this war, when morale among the Ukrainians was so high. Yet Akkermans is amazed by the militancy of the population. “Last week I spoke to a soldier named Alex. He experienced terrible things at the front, first at Bachmut and then at Avdiivka. It left him with shell shock, he was mentally injured. Enough reasons to quit, but not a hair on his head that thinks about giving up.”
‘Amazed by the reactions’
“Another example, when I stood in a cemetery where many war victims are buried, I was amazed by the reactions I heard. People who have lost their husband or child and say: ‘This is the price we have to pay for to stand up for our country,” says Akkermans.
Our correspondent made a report about this, watch the video here:
At the same time, there are also reports of men fleeing the country to avoid military service. This week the BBC came up with a sober one testimony from a Ukrainian soldier who speaks of ‘hell’ on the front line.
‘They are people, not machines’
Defense specialist Patrick Bolder also hears these kinds of messages. “Of course it is difficult not to come home for so long, to be cold and hungry, perhaps injured. The war lasts a long time and is extremely drastic,” he says. According to Bolder, it is important that these types of stories are told, which reveal the hard side of the war. “They’re not machines, they’re just people out there surviving, trying to save their country.”
He then warns: “But we must be aware that these kinds of negative stories are sometimes deliberately brought out, by people who think that this war has lasted long enough. We should not make it bigger than it is.” According to him, the majority of soldiers are still fighting.
General out-of-service Dick Berlin agrees. “You can assume that when conditions become bad, it will affect the morale of the soldiers. But there are no signs that the Ukrainians are losing motivation on a large scale. I can’t imagine that very well either.”
Bolder: “The Ukrainians know what they are fighting for. If they stop, the war will be over, Russia will win and they will have to give up parts of their country.”
According to the defense expert, the battle on the front line is difficult. A lack of ammunition and the winter weather mean that it is not really possible to make a major impact. “To be honest, I don’t expect much change in the coming months. That is precisely why it is so important to continue to support the country,” says Bolder.
Don’t take support for granted
Support from the West seems to be becoming less and less self-evident. There is disagreement in the United States about a new billion-dollar package intended for Ukraine. There is resistance, especially within the right flank of the Republicans.
And that probably also affects the morale of the Ukrainian soldiers, says Akkermans. “It is now starting to dawn on us that this conflict will last a long time. Without help from the West, they will not be able to force a breakthrough.”
Big consequences
Berlin: “We in Europe should not have the impression that if we stop providing support, peace will suddenly break out. On the contrary: that will only make Russia more motivated to continue. I’m afraid that will be a huge mistake on our part. .”
Bolder is also concerned. “The war being waged there is also about the security of the whole of Europe. We must not forget that if Ukraine loses, Putin will try to play the entire West against each other. I am not very positive about the possible consequences of that .”
2023-12-07 06:49:28
#Harsh #winter #weather #dwindling #support #stopping #war #option #Ukrainians
