Robotyne hell: “Ninety percent of us will die”

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The first line of defense of the Russians and the deadly minefields in front of it: the gradual advance of the Ukrainian army causes enormous losses in its own ranks. This is now reported by members of the infantry of the English “Times”.

They belong to the Skala Battalion, an elite unit that carries out attacks against Russian lines in the dark. Without the protection of tanks, without the protection of passenger carriers. Boyets, as the 23-year-old soldier is known in the battalion, says, “To fight in this place and stay effective, you must chase death and not let death chase you.”

The unit has already lost three-quarters of its fighters

And in view of the fallen comrades, he adds. “I am willing to die, but only because I have to.” Death is their daily companion, as evidenced by the soldiers’ gruesome stories. Boyet’s unit has lost three-quarters of its fighters since the counter-offensive began.

And he tells the Times, looking around at his comrades, ‘Ninety percent of the boys here will die too. We know this. Of course we broke through the first line of the Russians, but damn shit. At what price!”

Tanks did not break through

In particular, Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnawski’s message that the Russians were “between the first and second lines of defence” attracted much public attention. Ukrainian fighters now penetrated both sides of the breach, consolidating control over the area captured in recent fighting.

Many local fighters are not satisfied with the way the counter-offensive was organized. Especially since armored units were deployed to break through the lines. The hopes that the delivered Bradley and Leopard tanks would provide the decisive breakthrough did not materialize, according to her statements to the ‘Times’.

24 wounded piled in a van

Boyets says “Bradleys and Leopards are great until they hit a mine, freeze and are destroyed by Russian artillery.” The big lesson of the summer was that the infantry had to attack on foot first to clear the way for the armored vehicles.

The reports of how many casualties the 47th Mechanized Brigade has suffered are appalling. One says: “Usually you can get four wounded out in an M-113 troopship. In one day we stacked 24 wounded in an M-113.”

They know that they will almost certainly die – all the more appalled are the soldiers at the front because people “at home on the couch” judge that the offensive is now progressing faster thanks to Western tanks. Boyets says, “I wish these people would come here and see the reality of our struggle.” (neo)

Source: Blick