Ukrainians are told to get ready to fight for Russia

Ukraine’s progress in the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhya has been far more limited than its successes in the northeast. As both Russia and Ukraine attempt to advance, the situation on the front line regularly comes under fire.

The BBC’s Abdujalil Abdursulov has had rare access to the front line in Kherson, an area where Ukrainian men have been told they may be prepared to fight for the Russian army.

The Ukrainians fast forward to reach a destroyed farm building they took back a week earlier. Now, they are digging trenches and carrying bags of sand to consolidate their new position.

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But Ukraine’s progress in the south is slow.

Here all talk about the counter-attack helping to deceive the Russians and gain an advantage in the east, laughs Vasil, the deputy commander of the regiment.

“But we have had some success here too. We continue to liberate villages with small steps but it is very difficult – our every victory is covered in blood,” he says.

Many Ukrainians, who remain behind the Russian front lines in the occupied territories, are eagerly awaiting this retaliatory strike.

An old Soviet self-propelled howitzer called a Gvozdika or “Carnation” is rolled and held in position in an open field. Its barrel tilts up. “fire!” The order arrives.

After the last shot the gunners rush off, acting fast.

Although the advance of the Ukrainian army in the south is very slow, their artillery units remain busy.

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The gunners’ commander Staus explains that the Russians target his infantry and they respond by silencing them.

His job is felt very much on the front line. Soldiers walk across a vast area under the cover of a row of trees. They notice neither the sound of missiles flying over their heads nor the rumble of explosions. Fighters say a Russian surveillance post is 500 meters away and they may be within small arms range.

“When Ukraine attacks the occupied territories, we are very happy,” says Irina, who lives in Melitopol in the south. “It means that Ukraine has not forgotten us. We all know the military infrastructure. And it is not safe to live near buildings, so most of the citizens have moved out of those places.”

But for people in occupied territories, the longer they wait, the harder it is to survive. Many believed that a counter-attack would take place in August. But when this did not happen, people began to migrate to the controlled areas of Ukraine and further west.

Among them was Tatyana Kumok of Melitopol. The Israeli citizen was visiting his hometown when the Russian offensive began in February. She stayed in the city and distributed aid to residents but in September, she and her family decided to leave. One of the main reasons for leaving was Russia’s promise to hold a so-called referendum.

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“As soon as this is done, the Russians will impose new sanctions according to their laws and try to legitimize the occupation,” she says.

The city has turned into a huge military base, she says, adding that it is clear that Russian troops will not leave the city easily.

“It was clear that the city would not be free from this fall,” she adds.

Even tacit resistance to Russian occupation is becoming increasingly dangerous.

In September many families were forced to send their children to Russian-administered schools even though their children would be exposed to Kremlin propaganda.

“If you don’t send your child to school, this is a litmus test for you – it means you have pro-Ukraine views,” explains Ms. Kumok. “I know parents who had to tell their seven-year-old not to talk to anyone at school about things they discussed at home. Otherwise the child could have been taken away. I was terrible.”

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Ukrainians are told to get ready to fight for Russia

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by News East India staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)