The troops of the 59th Brigade is facing a grim reality as the war in Ukraine approaches its third year: they are running out of soldiers and ammunition to fend off their Russian invaders.
A platoon commander known only by his call sign “Tygr” calculated that at the beginning of the battle, just 60–70% of the several thousand troops in the brigade were still in the military. The others had died, been injured, or signed off due to disease or advanced age.
The horrific conditions on the eastern front, where frozen dirt turns into thick sludge in abnormally warm temperatures, have made the heavy deaths caused by Russian forces even more unbearable for the soldiers.
“There is rain, snow, rain, and more rain.” As a result, people become sick with the common flu or angina. There is no one to take their position as they have been out of commission for some time, according to a company commander in the brigade known only as “Limuzyn.” “The most immediate problem in every unit is lack of people.”
Vladimir Putin’s Russia is leading the battle, which blends high-tech drone warfare that is launching tens of thousands of machines into the sky above with attritional trench warfare reminiscent of World War One, on the eve of the second anniversary of its invasion on February 24.
Avdiivka, in the fiercely contested eastern Donetsk area, was taken over by Moscow over the weekend, marking a significant success for the capital, which has made incremental gains in previous months. The defenders were outnumbered seven to one, according to a spokesman for the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, one of the groups that attempted to hold the town.
Over twenty soldiers and commanders from infantry, drone, and artillery groups were interviewed by Reuters on various segments of the 1,000-kilometer frontlines located in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Although they were driven to resist Russian control, they discussed the difficulties of deterring a more powerful and well-equipped adversary as Western military assistance wanes despite appeals from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for more.
A second 59th Brigade commander, identified only by his first name, Hryhoriy, spoke of relentless attacks by groups of five to seven Russian soldiers who would advance as many as ten times a day in what he called “meat assaults”—a huge risk to his troops and one that was extremely expensive for the Russians.
“The guys get tired when one or two defensive positions are fighting off these assaults all day,” Hryhoriy remarked as he and his weary men were given the opportunity to take a quick break from the front lines in the area of the Donetsk city, which is seized by Russia.
“Weapons break, and if there is no possibility of bringing them more ammunition or changing their weapons, then you understand what this leads to.”
Requests for comment on the situation on the front lines and how both parties plan to continue fighting the conflict until the end of the year were met with silence from the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries.
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