Exhausted soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hold the defense at the ‘Gates of Hell’ – NYT

Russia is advancing, and the situation on the battlefield has never been more dangerous.

Ukrainian Armed Forces fighters reported to The New York Times (NYT).

According to the soldiers, there have been numerous injuries in recent months. For some, only a miracle prevented them from being killed.

Under cover of darkness, hunched under the weight of backpacks and rifles, a unit of soldiers made their way down a dirty alley and slipped into a rural house.

These were Ukrainian infantrymen from the 117th separate mechanized brigade. They gathered for a final briefing and roll call a few kilometers from Russian positions before heading to the trenches on the front line. Men in helmets and rubber boots calmly listened as the reconnaissance officer briefed them on a new route to their positions.

“Our fighting spirit is intact,” said the deputy battalion commander, nicknamed “Shira,” bidding the soldiers farewell. “But physically, we are exhausted.”

Ukrainian troops officially defend most of the thousand-kilometer front line. Only in the south near Kherson do they continue to press fiercely across the Dnieper River. However, the combat has not ceased, and now Russian troops are advancing.

The capture of the village of Rabotino in the southeast of the Zaporizhzhia region became the limit for the Ukrainian Armed Forces—this summer, they were unable to advance further. There was no breakthrough. Currently, Russian units attack the trenches around Rabotino daily. According to commanders, Ukrainian forces attempt immediate counterattacks if they lose positions.

“It’s like playing ping-pong,” said the National Guard platoon commander, nicknamed “Planshet.” “A patch of land, ranging from 100 to 200 meters, constantly changes hands.”

Ukrainian soldiers and commanders surveyed over the past weeks across a vast section of the central and eastern fronts admitted that Russian attacks had become so intense that operating near the front line had never been so perilous.

In recent days, Russia has focused on bombarding major cities in Ukraine to wear down the civilian population. Additionally, its ground forces have undertaken a series of attacks for regaining territory lost last summer and seizing valuable Ukrainian positions on the eastern front.

Soldiers accustomed to Russian artillery fire revealed that since March, a new destructive force had descended upon them: precision-guided bombs. These one-ton explosive charges launched from planes penetrate even underground bunkers.

“They launch two at a time, eight in an hour,” said “Kot,” a 27-year-old from the 14th brigade of the National Guard, using his call sign, following military protocol.

“It feels like a plane has crashed on you,” he said. “As if the gates of hell opened.”

The damage from precision-guided bombs is visible in cities and villages near the front line. The city of Orekhov, about 20 kilometers north of Rabotino, once served as a command center for counteroffensive operations. Now, only ruins remain: the main street is empty, and the school and other buildings are ravaged by enormous bomb craters.

A lone worker, Valera, rode a bicycle through the city. He said he stayed despite the powerful bombardments because he was paid to repair generators. He claimed to live on humanitarian aid and feeds 20 stray cats.

Soldiers move cautiously and discreetly in this area, mainly hiding in basements.

The latest threat from Russia has been first-person view kamikaze drones. Due to them, Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines have abandoned their vehicles and mainly operate on foot.

Cheap commercial drones with first-person view capability have become a new factor in the Ukrainian conflict. They can fly at car speeds, carry a deadly load of explosives, and are directed by a soldier from a bunker from several kilometers away.