Reportage

Ukraine: “Many of our people are dead but even more Russians are dying”

Audio 01:06

Ukrainian artillerymen of the 43rd heavy artillery brigade towards Bakhmout, December 26, 2022 (illustration image).

REUTERS - CLODAGH KILCOYNE

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

There has been no effective ceasefire in Ukraine despite Moscow's unilateral decision to pause the fighting for Orthodox Christmas.

In the Donbass, the fighting is still fierce and deadly.

In kyiv, our special envoys attended the funeral of a soldier killed in Bakhmout, the hottest front in Ukraine.

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With our special correspondents in Kiev,

Aabla Jounaïdi and Boris Vichith

Oleg, 45, died on the front line near Bakhmout.

His body is honored in Independence Square-Maidan where, eight years ago, this father of five protected demonstrators.

Death on the front

 "

Serguei, one of his comrades, came to pay homage to him: “ 

In Ukraine, there are some patriots and Oleg was really one of them.

He was a member of a community of young Ukrainians.

In 2014, he co-led a group during the Maidan revolution.

He then joined the security services in the Luhansk region.

And when the war started, he enlisted as an artilleryman and he died on the front line

.

»  

The number of people killed on the Bakhmout front is not communicated by the authorities.

But the butchery does not spare any camp: “ 

Many of ours are dead but the Russians are even more numerous to die, and we are going to win! 

".

After a few days of leave, Sergei will return to Bakhmout where the fighting has still not subsided in intensity.

“ 

Difficult 

” situation

Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Maliar reported a " 

difficult

 " situation in the east of the country, where most of the fighting is now concentrated, acknowledging that Russian troops were " 

advancing in certain areas 

", but affirming also that Kiev's forces were also advancing elsewhere, " 

step by step 

".

According to her, the situation is in particular " 

very difficult

 " in Soledar, a city located near Bakhmout, the hottest point on the front, where AFP noted artillery duels from Friday January 7, shortly after the theoretical entry into force of the Russian ceasefire.

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