By V.E.K.Madhushani, Jadetimes News
Caught in the Crossfire, Oleksiy's Struggle on the Eastern Front
For months, Oleksiy has been fighting to hold a thin strip of land surrounded by Russian forces. Now, he’s been rushed to defend against Moscow’s onslaught in the Kharkiv region, like many other soldiers redeployed from other parts of Ukraine’s front line. This redeployment reflects the war’s shifting focus.
In touch with Oleksiy for the past nine months, he has described the difference in fighting in north eastern Ukraine as “huge.”
Despite limited supplies, minimal gains, and mounting losses, Kyiv insists its southern foothold on the occupied eastern bank of the Dnipro River remains significant. It’s where Oleksiy had been fighting for the past eight months. We’ve agreed not to reveal his real name.
Six months ago, he described the conditions on the swampy riverside as “hell.” Things haven’t improved. “We’ve managed to maintain the bridgehead, but no equipment has crossed it, and we haven’t once broken through Russian defenses,” he says.
The marine recounts that the area has been reduced to a “moonscape,” with entire villages razed to their foundations. The Ukrainians have suffered heavy losses there, too. “We destroyed a lot of Russian equipment, and they destroyed a lot of our personnel,” he says. “We’ve left our best guys on the riverside.”
Despite minimal progress and mounting losses, Ukraine’s military says it’s pursuing three aims with this bridgehead, drawing invading troops from elsewhere, limiting Russian artillery strikes on Kherson city across the river, and eventually crossing it in large enough numbers to liberate territory.
Oleksiy says promised US military aid was gradually starting to arrive, but not all of it was making it to the front line where he was based. Despite partially forcing the Russians back, Ukrainian troops still endure constant Russian fire. “Any movement was immediately covered by artillery or drones,” he explains. “The Russians didn’t seem concerned by our presence there either; we had become a suitcase without a handle. The troops there can’t leave, and everyone understands that’s useless.”
A new mobilization law, which came into force last month, is hoped to provide relief for troops like those fighting on the eastern bank. “It won’t change anything!” says Boston, a flamethrower unit commander still fighting on the eastern bank. Boston is his military code name. He sends videos of himself on patrol in Krynky by the riverside. At one point, he shoots a Russian anti personnel mine hidden beneath the sand. “People should join the army from 20,” he says. “But there is a problem, a lot of men went abroad [to escape the draft]. No one wants to come back, no one wants to fight, and no one wants to die.”
We presented their testimonies to Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for Ukraine’s South Defense Forces. “Compared to Russian losses, ours are significantly smaller,” he explains. “Secondly, we lose soldiers on this part of the front line no more than in other areas.”
A conscript will never be as motivated as a volunteer. It’s also easier to inspire troops when fighting is going your way. For Ukraine, especially on the eastern bank, it isn’t. This is possibly why Mr. Pletenchuk strikes a sympathetic tone when we tell him about allegations of troop disobedience on the eastern bank. “Those who have been forced to defend their country are yesterday’s civilians,” says Mr. Pletenchuk with a smile. “They will, of course, have a different perception of the army.”
Ahead of more Western military aid, Ukrainian generals believe Russia is trying to expand the battlefield and further stretch their defending units. Invading troops are more than a month into a north eastern ground offensive, and while Ukraine has slowed their advances, there’s been no letting up. It’s why Oleksiy now finds himself hundreds of kilometers away from the Kherson region. “Everything happened in a hurry, and there was no preparation,” he says. “Everyone is here, marines, air assault forces, the State Border Guard Service, regular infantry, territorial defense, and national police. There are also more drones in the sky compared to the east bank of the Dnipro.”
Currently, Moscow is on top in this industrialized conflict, with Kyiv struggling to counter its manpower, weaponry, and tactics. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky concedes time is running out for a diplomatic solution favoring Ukraine, which is why he recently held a peace summit in Switzerland. It aimed to build global support for peace on his terms. While almost 80 countries signed an agreement, important regional powers in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia did not. Russia wasn’t invited, but before the meeting, Vladimir Putin demanded Ukrainian troops withdraw from four regions he partially occupies. His conditions are as maximalist as they are unrealistic, but his battlefield dominance means a potential peace deal could better match his terms than Kyiv’s.
President Zelensky admits his priority is to hold the front line. If his troops manage that before autumn and more difficult fighting conditions, it would be viewed as a success. He claims there are still plans for a counter offensive in the future.
If Oleksiy survives defending the Kharkiv region, he could find himself back at Ukraine’s “hellish” river crossing in the south.