As Vladimir Putin annexes swaths of Ukrainian territory, issues nuclear threats, and mobilises hundreds of thousands of reservists, Ukrainian forces on the eastern front will continue fight for every last inch of land.
Putin signs decrees to occupy Ukrainian territories
In a sharp escalation of his seven-month invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed treaties on Friday to illegally seize extra Ukrainian occupied territories.
Possibilities of a full-fledged conflict between Russia and the West are increasing as a result of Putin’s land grab and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s signing of what he termed as an “accelerated” NATO membership application.
The Kremlin signing ceremony
At the Kremlin signing ceremony, Putin re-established his nuclear-backed threat to protect the newly annexed regions of Ukraine by “all available means.” In a fuming speech, Putin claimed that the United States and its allies are scheming to destroy Russia.
He also urged Ukraine to hold peace negotiations, but he vowed to avoid bringing up the subject of returning occupied territory. According to Zelenskyy, there would be no negotiations done with Putin, according to Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian president declared that he and his nation are prepared for a dialogue with Russia, but with another president of Russia.
Putin’s latest referendums are “delusional”
The unit commander, 31-year-old Oleksandr says that it’s “hard” and “hectic”. He also pointed out saying that the tensions are high across the board, and that they are engaged in combat with a potential adversary.
He terms Putin’s latest referendums are “delusional,” and that the Ukrainian people will not be dominated by Russia.
The price of battle is something that Oleksandr is all too familiar with.
He said that his brother died, but he can’t identify when or where because he was drafted by a separate office in a different region. He pointed out how both of them lost themlives, along with a few of his fellow colleagues. “
“Like everyone else, they had passed away. Numerous members of the family and close circle of friends have passed away.”
He is not beaten. Roman, a 25-year-old drone pilot, hasn’t either.
A single encounter is all he has had with his only child.
Two other cats are living with Roman in an upstairs room that looks like it was blasted out, complete with debris and shards of glass. His son Kyrylo, born after the war began, is now five months old, and his photo is seen as the screensaver on his phone. Sadly, a single encounter is all he has had with his only child.
He made known that he has only seen him through images and videos but never in person. He highlights how difficult it is, and that he could not even fathom what the Russians would do to his loved ones if they managed to track them down.
A single encounter is all he has had with his only child.
The mobilisation in Russia is causing anxiety. Over the next few months, Kremlin plans to send a lot more troops to the front lines.
The quality of their training and equipment is unknown, but the Ukrainians are more concerned about the sheer number of them.
One of four regions, Donetsk’s Bakhmut
Already outnumbered, they face an impossible situation. They have been fighting an overwhelming number of Russian soldiers in the battle for Bakhmut. According to army spokesperson Iryna, there were five consecutive waves in August.
She emphasized how they continue moving without stopping. She also shared that there is no response to gunfire or bombardment from them, highlighting that there were Wagner [Russian mercenary] members among the captured soldiers. She also called attention to the superiority of the weapons.
As a result of their recent humiliating failures in the north-east and south, where Ukraine recaptured roughly 6,000 sq km (2,317 sq mi) of territory, the local troops here believe the Russians are pressing hard for victory in Bakhmut.
Bakhmut is currently lodged in the throat of President Putin. It stands in the way of his plans to engulf the entire mineral-rich Donbas region, which includes the cities of Donestk and Luhansk. Instead of completing his conquest of Donbas, Putin just annexed the remaining territory.
But can this city be saved from ruin?
As Putin tries to take control of the city, Bakhmut, which was once home to over 70,000 people, has become lifeless.
The front is now holding. The Russian offensive is being halted by Ukrainian forces. However, not even the dead are secure in this place.
Out in the leafy fringes of the city, directly in the route of incoming shells, sits an old cemetery. The recent victims, as the city has become a battleground in recent months, are buried under mounds of dark earth.
A few mourners watch as a coffin is lowered into the ground, and the silence is disturbed by the sound of firing. The first shot is fired away from the cemetery, but a few seconds later a ricocheting bullet can be heard landing in the hills across from the cemetery. Then there was a second attack, even more immediate. Exiting at this time is necessary.
An explosion was heard on the road about 100 to 200 metres ahead, near the edge of Bakhmut.
There are still active battles happening in Ukraine. President Putin is digging in his heels, and colder weather is on the way.
The newest conflict in Europe has entered a perilous new phase.
The army spokeswoman said, “A long, long time,” when asked how much longer she expected the conflict to go on.
