In a war of numbers, drones, and propaganda, the story of “Rus”, a Ukrainian soldier who defended two strategic bridges in the Donetsk region for nearly two months, reminds us that sometimes history is written in dark basements, with dirty hands, clenched teeth, and an unyielding will.
For 50 days, “Rus” and his comrade Artis held off Russian troops in a locality near Dobropilia, a village west of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk. They arrived there at night, carrying on their backs the supplies they could gather — canned food, ammunition, water, and wet wipes. The latter, in the absence of any real possibility of hygiene.
They had been sent with a clear mission: to defend two strategic bridges that connected the area with the rest of the region. A mission that was supposed to last ten days. They stayed for seven weeks.
The basement where they took shelter smelled of damp earth and rotten meat. The smell of death, says Rus, who recounted his experience for The Times. They tried to go outside only at dusk or dawn, when the chances of being spotted by Russian drones were lower.
The noise of these — a constant buzzing, almost identical to that of a mosquito — was ever-present. They flew low, looking for movement. Even the slightest movement could mean the end.
“Relaxation meant taking off your helmet and bulletproof vest for half an hour.”“You didn’t have time to sit, cook, play cards,” says Rus. “Relaxation meant taking off your helmet and bulletproof vest for half an hour. That’s all you could afford.”
Despite the constant danger, he tried not to lose his mind. He did squats, push-ups, anything to maintain some form of normality.
Details, HERE