Mud, mud and mud: wet everyday life in the Ukrainian trenches Selenskyj appeals to Ukrainian cohesion – the night update without photos

Since the Russian withdrawal to the left bank of the Dnieper and the liberation of Kherson, there have been no major shifts at the front in the Ukraine. There is not much left of the great momentum in the north in September and in the south in early November.

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There are small territory gains and losses on both sides. The Institute for War Studies (ISW) reports a deep Russian defense, indicating that the Russians expect a Ukrainian offensive in the south.

In the north, around the city of Bakhmut, things are different. There, both sides have literally dug in at the front. Photos and videos of these trenches circulate on the internet; they remind of the First World War. Mud, dirt and wet. The weather is not yet cold enough to freeze the ground.

Apart from the fact that having to live and endure in such a “puddle ditch” can have enormous consequences for the psyche, a number of other problems arise. In the video above you can see a completely dirty gun. Mud can cause parts of the rifle to jam and stop firing at critical times.

Another problem that already surfaced in the First World War: wet feet. At the time, soldiers reported rotten toes and muddy heels.

This Ukrainian soldier shows what his shoes look like after five days in the trenches. But he has one advantage over former soldiers: plastic bags.

But conditions are not so bad everywhere. Ukrainian soldiers built a sauna here. However, this trench should not be directly in front, but slightly offset to the rear.