The next offensive by the Russian army is apparently under way in the Ukraine war.
A Ukrainian soldier says he doesn't want to - or shouldn't - be afraid.
Munich/Luhansk - The Kremlin is probably going on the offensive again militarily: According to an analysis by the US think tank "Institute for the Study of War" (ISW), the expected new major offensive by the Russian army is already rolling.
Ukraine War: Russian army apparently launches offensive in Luhansk Oblast
In its daily briefing on the Ukraine war, the ISW writes that Russian armed forces have “noticeably” increased the pace of their advance in Luhansk Oblast.
Significant elements of at least three Russian divisions have been deployed to the area, the ISW said.
A division usually maintains 12,000 to 18,000 soldiers.
So far, however, the troops of Moscow ruler Vladimir Putin have not succeeded in gaining any large territory.
According to Ukrainian military reports, the Russian bombardments in the Luhansk Oblast had already increased significantly in the past few days, and many Russian soldiers had been transferred to this section of the front.
It was precisely in this mixed situation that a Ukrainian commander spoke of “Angst” in one of the rare interviews from the front.
But he doesn't want to show them.
Or is he not allowed to?
In the video: Compact - The most important news about the Russia-Ukraine war
The
Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRF)
showed the interview.
Among other things, it is available on Twitter.
The post does not explain exactly where the conversation took place.
Neither is the name of the commander, who wears typical Ukrainian military clothing in camouflage patterns and with insignia.
In addition, the entire interview can be heard about grenade hits and gun salvos, which is why it should be authentic.
War in Ukraine: Rare interview from the front - under Russian fire
“Right over there are the Russian lines.
By the grove over there,” explains the commander of the “zero line,” as he calls his position.
The reporter asks: “Are you scared?” After a moment's hesitation, he replies quite clearly: “Yes, sure.
We are all afraid.
Always.
I'm scared too.
But when my people see this, they are concerned.
So officially I'm not scared."
When he says people, he probably means the soldiers who are assigned to work with him in the narrow, wintry trenches, some of whom can also be seen.
A fear ban?
Apparently the commander imposed this on himself.
In the video: Ukraine soldier - "The shell will only kill us if it hits the trench directly"
A year ago, hardly anyone could imagine that trenches would be dug again somewhere in #Europe.
Today, however, entire areas in the east and south of #Ukraine are criss-crossed by a labyrinth of ditches.
pic.twitter.com/yxy1QpTEgn
— SRF News (@srfnews) January 28, 2023
“These trenches greatly increase our chances of survival under Russian fire.
Only if the shell hits directly in the trench will it kill us," the commander continues, while one of his soldiers explains: "The absolute scariest thing is when their tanks advance.
Then everything happens very quickly.
If you hear a grenade, you have a second or two to hide.”
Commander tells of "hatred" between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers
The reporter also wants to know from the commander: "Do the combatants respect each other?
Or is there only hatred between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers?” He replies: “Only hate.
Nothing else."
The fact is: in the past few weeks, the Ukrainian armed forces in the east of the country have increasingly found themselves on the defensive.
The general staff in Kyiv confirmed, among other things, that the strategically important Soledar with its tunnel system made of salt mines had fallen.
In addition, the defenders in Bakhmut in the Donetsk region are under considerable military pressure from the Russian attackers.
According to various reports, losses for the Ukrainian defenders were particularly high in Soledar.
They are altogether.
“Our units have more or less been renewed by almost half.
We don't even have time to learn each other's callsigns," a Ukrainian soldier from the 46th Air Brigade told
Ukrainska Pravda
in mid-January .
He fought accordingly in Soledar.
Ukraine War: High losses on the Russian and probably also on the Ukrainian side
While the Ukrainian general staff publishes alleged Russian losses on a daily basis, the Americans, for example, leave no doubt that Ukraine's death toll is also high.
"You are dealing with well over 100,000 killed and injured Russian soldiers," said US Army General Mark Milley on November 10.
The same applies "probably to the Ukrainian side".
And the Deputy Ukrainian Defense Minister Hanna Maljar recently wrote on Telegram that the Ukrainian army no longer consists largely of professional soldiers, but of civilians who have been drafted into military service.
Nevertheless, the Ukrainian armed forces are apparently planning a counter-offensive including the recapture of Crimea occupied by Russia.
Units for this should be formed from volunteers.
Despite all reassurances, fear is likely to accompany them in the chaos of war.
(pm)