[ad_1]
The city of Izium is the last front line where Ukrainian soldiers and foreign volunteers are trying to prevent the advance of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.
The members of the “Karpatet Sich” battalion say that their goal unites them and that they are determined in their commitment in this war that is getting tougher.
Almost a kilometer from the Russian positions, Ukrainian soldiers and foreign volunteers fight for the occupied eastern city of Izium.
Almost every night they face continuous attacks from Russian artillery.
At the front line of efforts to impede the Russian army’s advance in eastern Ukraine is the “Carpathian Sich” battalion and a unit of foreign nationals, who responded to Kiev’s call for help in the fight against the occupier.
“Now it’s more of an artillery war. It is a tougher, scarier war, where only men with a strong heart can fight.” says Dzvin, a field commander who, because of his leadership role, asked to be identified with the war moniker.
Although it is an uphill battle, the fighters say they are united in their commitment to the defense of Ukraine.
“Every fighter knows that at some point he will be face to face with a tank,” said Mr. Dzvin.
In addition to tanks, the unit must also fight Russian drones – which fighters call “black clouds”. Drones help the Russian military identify targets to be hit by artillery.
“The war is getting much tougher. The longer it goes on, the more tiresome it will undoubtedly be. They bombed yesterday at one, two and four in the morning. But we have to maintain optimism”. says British volunteer Conor, a former army doctor.
Whether they are Ukrainians or foreign helpers, each fighter has his own reasons for joining the war, aware of the possibility of death, injury or capture.
“We all know the possible consequences of being here, but we have come to terms,” says Mr. Dzvin.
The role his battalion plays in Izium is vital for the Ukrainian army, he says.
“It is very important. Our resistance makes it impossible to encircle our troops”. he says.
Serving on the front line, Denis Polishchuk says he hopes to have a decent answer if he is asked by children, if there will be one in the future, what he did during the war to help.
“I felt the only dignified answer would be that, yes, I did my part. I was fighting along with everyone else.” said Mr. Polishchuk, who was born in Ukraine but lived in Vancouver for many years. That’s why his war nickname is “Canada”.
Soldier Conor says the sight of women, children and wounded soldiers not receiving proper medical attention motivated him to leave Britain for the front line.
“We helped to create hospitals in the field”, he says.
The Carpathian Sich battalion is one of several nationalist paramilitary groups that voluntarily began fighting in 2014, when Russia invaded and later annexed Ukraine’s coastal region of Crimea.
But since the middle of May, the fighters of the battalion have been able to sign a contract with the army, which gives them the opportunity to receive a pension and treatment in military hospitals. The Kiev move shows that nationalist units have been successfully reformed and integrated into the regular Armed Forces.
Russia justifies its attack by saying it is trying to “denazify” Ukraine, while calling some of the former paramilitary groups far-right extremists – a charge they strongly deny.
“I am not a Nazi, I am a nationalist. I respect every nation. I love all people regardless of skin color – except Russians. They are our enemy.” says Leo, 33 years old, recently recruited to the “Carpathian Sich” battalion.
Before joining the war, Leo had worked at a film company in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv./VOA
top channel
[ad_2]
Source link
