NIUS delves into the every day lifetime of one of many particular items that displays the world the place the Russian troops entered on February 24. It is the quickest route to achieve the capital. The goal resisted the Kremlin, but it surely has by no means dominated out retaking it, because the troopers clarify to this newspaper. They prepare every day and research the actions of the enemy at temperatures that may attain minus fifteen levels at the moment of 12 months.
Walk stealthily by way of a snow-covered forest. She stands in a tree and turns her again to him. Moments later, she sticks her head ahead and factors a Kalashnikov. And then he yells, “Clean!” It is the message {that a} soldier sends in order that the remainder of his companions advance of their positions, earlier than doing in order that they reply: “acquired!” It is the drill that the 115 brigade of the Ukrainian military does daily a couple of kilometers from the border with Belarus. The enemy they’re preventing towards is now invisible, but it surely may very well be actual if the Russian troops determine as soon as once more to take this path.
They did so on February 24, the date the invasion started, to achieve kyiv. And though they managed to occupy giant cities near the capital similar to Bucha or Irpín, they failed in what was their nice goal. So the selection of this route, the quickest to achieve Kiev, caught the Ukrainian military without warning. Now, it has turn out to be important to maintain this space at bay the place Ukraine and Belarus share a 900-kilometer border.
This unit is positioned in one of many areas that the Russians didn’t cross by way of. “From right here we monitor and research all of the actions which will happen on the opposite facet of the border. For this cause, it is vitally vital that it’s not recognized the place our base is”, asks one of many troopers.
Ukrainian patrol Nuria Garrido
They are the eyes of this space. NIUS sees this firsthand by spending a working day with this group of troopers. To do that, this newspaper travels to the place they’ve established their camp since final May. This is now your private home. Artem, solely 27 years previous, is the commander of this brigade. And earlier than beginning to speak, he provides sizzling tea. The temperature is minus fifteen levels. “With this harsh chilly, we will solely patrol the world for 2 to a few hours, though it’s true that we’re very used to those temperatures,” he particulars.
This younger man solely reveals his blue eyes, a inexperienced balaclava hides the remainder of his face. He is wearing a white navy uniform, bulletproof vest, helmet and carries two pistols: one hanging from his again and the opposite on his leg. “Of course, there’s a likelihood that the Russians will come again right here, so we’ve got to be ready,” he warned. But what actually worries this soldier is the human and navy capability that Russia has to proceed prolonging the battle: “we all know that they’ve had many defeats on the battlefield, besides we don’t belief them. Their tanks could also be very previous, however one tank does quite a lot of injury, ”he warns.
Artem makes these statements from his camp divided into two small basesNuria Garrido
Artem makes these statements from his camp divided into two small bases. In the primary, a big picket desk occupies virtually all of the house round it, there are bottles of water and a few meals. In the second, they’ve improvised their relaxation space with picket beds full of blankets and embellished with some Ukrainian flags. “Our work is now centered right here, however at any second they will ship us to Donbas. We must be ready, ”he provides.
Petro, 59 years previous, is the vice commander of this unit Nuria Garrido
Petro, 59, is the vice commander of this unit. He is a veteran. He served within the Soviet Army. And he’s clear that now he himself resume peace negotiations with Russia is virtually unimaginable, that is why he says: “Either it is them, or us.” For him, what they’re doing is “defending their homeland.”
Break with Belarus
That the President of Belarus Lukashenko is certainly one of Putin’s nice allies is apparent, nevertheless, this battle is making it much more clear. He not solely allowed Russian troops to violate the border house when the battle started, however from that time they proceed to launch missiles into Ukraine, like final week after they bombarded the nation’s essential cities once more. This scenario is just not going unnoticed among the many Ukrainian inhabitants.
Volodymir, 36, who was beforehand a tour informationNuria Garrido
According to Volodimir, 36, who was once a tour information, it was widespread to cross the border with Belarus earlier than the battle. Ukrainians have family members there and vice versa. The battle has modified the whole lot. “We know that not all Belarusians assist this battle, however there’s additionally a complicit silence amongst them,” he criticizes.