The front lines are constantly shifting in the brutal war between Ukraine and Russia. One of the most worrying aspects of the conflict is the situation in the Kursk region, where Ukraine has already lost almost half of the territory it previously captured in the fighting. This information was revealed by Ukrainian military officials in an interview with the British publication The Economist , which became evidence of the difficult situation in eastern Ukraine.
As Major Ivan Bakrev, the artillery commander of the 82nd Air Assault Brigade, told the publication, the Russians have a “huge” advantage in almost everything – in people, artillery, vehicles – and are switching from mechanized to infantry attacks with powerful effect.
The setbacks began when Ukraine replaced its elite units with less hardened ones in late September; a mistake, the major believes. “All the units in Kursk went on the defensive,” he says.
At the same time, Ukrainians are holding on, even though conditions are becoming increasingly bleak.
“Rain, slush, snow, cold, dirt, bugs, worms, rats and glide bombs,” says Ruslan Mokritsky of the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade. According to him, the Russians can drop up to 40 of these bombs on a single position within a few hours:
“In Kursk, death is always nearby; it practically holds your hand.”.
At the same time, Mokrytskyi notes that Ukraine has so far found ways to respond to new challenges – even to Russian chemical attacks.
“If the Death Star appeared above us, we would find a way out,” he says.
At the same time, the soldiers believe that the counteroffensive in Kursk is worth it.
“When I set foot in Kurshchyna, I understood what they felt when they entered Ukraine,” says Mokrytsky. “Let them die and rot on their land, and the more of them, the better.”.
