We are going through some of most challenging times, but situation can be radically changed - 109 Battalion
Photo: Currently, some of the most challenging times on the front lines (Getty Images)
Currently, the front lines are experiencing some of the most challenging times. While the infantry is holding the front, the military is facing a personnel crisis, states Sergeant Yehor Firsov of the 109th Battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a comment to the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.
"We are experiencing a certain infantry crisis... We cannot manage without infantry, without soldiers who are stationed and firmly holding the defense. They need to be fresh, motivated, well-prepared, equipped with ammunition, and have a plan of action. The front line is sustained by the infantry. What is happening now is, in part, an infantry crisis. Indeed, we are going through some of the most challenging times," he explained.
Firsov emphasized that this autumn and winter will be the most challenging periods we have experienced.
"Some might say, 'How many autumns and winters have we gone through?' Believe me, I understand exactly what I am talking about. It is harder now than it was in Avdiivka and Bakhmut. I understand that, fortunately, the enemy is exhausted, but they are numerous, they are pressing, they have aviation, and they are using KABs (guided aerial bombs); the assaults do not stop..." the soldier stressed.
He noted that currently, the infantry is feeling the strain. Firsov explained that the brigades stationed in Avdiivka and Mariinka, which had rotations but only for a month, are already feeling fatigue.
"An important point: the situation is not a catastrophe in the sense that 'everything is lost.' The situation can be turned around. This is not just my view as a unit commander. It is confirmed by the opinions of battalion commanders," said the serviceman.
He mentioned that if there are fresh reserves—not large, but at the level of one or two brigades—and if there is work on defensive fortifications and replenishing the infantry with new brigades, the situation can be radically changed.
"Not just to hold out or maintain Pokrovsk, but to radically change the situation—destroy the enemy completely, push them back on the Pokrovsk front, and leave nothing of them," he concluded.
It is worth noting that Pokrovsk has long been considered one of the most challenging front lines. In this section, the Russian forces are trying to break through the defenses of Ukrainian defenders, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces maintain their positions every day.
Additionally, this morning, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian troops repelled all Russian attacks near Pokrovsk.
Furthermore, according to Sky News, Russian President Vladimir Putin has only 10-12 weeks to achieve his objectives on the Pokrovsk front. After this period, the onset of cold weather will prevent Russia from advancing further.
