“We have not backed down! » It is with these words of paradoxical optimism that the Ukrainian soldiers welcome me on the heights of Chassiv Iar, 5 kilometers from Bakhmout. That morning, we had to climb the hill in a 4×4 slowed down by the fall of thick snowflakes, listening to a cannon disturb the rest of a cemetery, scrutinizing the black traces left by the movements of tanks like so many of claws on the snowy plains.
On arrival in front of the small casemate, the soldiers say that the Russians fired five Grad rockets at dawn, missing their target by barely 50 meters. “We will have little time”, they warn. In the small wooden house where we are engulfed, the memories of the former owners are pinned on the walls: a little girl in an evening dress, a couple hugging, all the clichés of lost happiness. Youri, a 59-year-old judge in civilian life, now a tank mechanic, sums up their mission: “Hold the positions around Bakhmout at all costs! »
To accomplish this, they only have old Soviet T-72 tanks modernized by the Czechs and Poles who delivered them to Ukraine. When Yuri’s unit entered the city to support the 46e airborne brigade, three of their six tanks broke down… Opposite, the Russians have T-90s capable of spotting much more quickly where enemy fire is coming from, and of responding. “We blockexplains Yuri, but it’s
This article is for subscribers only. Take advantage of our special offers without obligation.
OR
Google Exclusive: 6.99€/month
By choosing this promotional subscription path, you accept the deposit of an analysis cookie by Google.
