in the fortified town of Avdiïvka, the exhausting daily life of Ukrainian fighters

Recaptured from the Russians after the Donbass war in 2014, the town of Avdiïvka, in eastern Ukraine, has been the scene of relentless fighting for more than two months. Ukrainian soldiers continue to defend their positions despite fatigue.

Not a day of respite, not a day without missile or drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. For several weeks, Russia has also intensified its attacks in the east of the country. On a line of 80 kilometers, assaults are daily, in particular to take the town of Avdiivka. Taken back from the Russians by the Ukrainians after the Donbass war in 2014, this small fortified town on a height of the Donbass plain is going through hell as the fighting has raged for more than two months. The war, with its full arsenal, and without any lull, while the Ukrainian army in the region says it lacks ammunition.

An innocuous building, under the frozen trees. In the distance, the heavy machine gun, the shells… For more than a month the battle of Avdiivka has raged. We enter. It smells of gunpowder, smoke. “They have the advantage in men and weapons, but we are holding onexplains Tohra, a fighter. We are trying to return to our old positions. One day it’s for us, another day it’s for them. It’s war, we don’t play chess. […] For example, when we fire a mortar, they fire ten in return.”, adds Behra. These soldiers with exhausted eyes are collapsed on piled-up mattresses, an old stove is smoking. Of Avdiivka, there is almost nothing left, they say, everything is destroyed, almost all the inhabitants have left.

The glazed look of fatigue

What they want is to prevent the Russians from taking over the chemical plant. If they move into his basement, it’s ruined, according to Tohra. “We must not underestimate the enemy. They know how to redeploy very quickly. They know how to wage war.” His weapon is the Stugna-P, the anti-tank guided missile manufactured here in Ukraine. Effective, despite its weight. Opposite, the Russian arsenal continues to improve. Behra has broken nails and a burn on the back of her hand. He experienced the hell of Bakhmut. And it starts again here. War, with its complete arsenal, and without any lull. Everyone has a glazed look with fatigue. Here, they barely land, between two rotations.

“It’s happening in your brain. You’re in your trench, it’s hitting all around you, you don’t know what the hell you’re doing there.”

Behra, Ukrainian fighter

at franceinfo

And when we talked to them about permission, they preferred to laugh. The waiting list is long, not enough people mobilized. You will still have to pass your turn. Behra grits her teeth. “When you’re on leave, your morale crashesadvances the young man. You come in and you see that people have no awareness of what we’re doing here. I’m 22 years old. We come here, we sacrifice our youth for others who are stuffing themselves in the back.” Behra is exhausted. In Avdiivka, hundreds of people die every day, they try not to even think about it. A few days to breathe, so little. Then you will have to return to Avdiivka.