If winter has not yet changed the shape of the war in Ukraine, the impact of the extremely low temperatures is beginning to be felt in the ranks of Volodymyr Zelensky’s army. Ukrainian soldiers, whom BFMTV was able to follow in the eastern Donetsk region of the country, must adapt their bodies and equipment to the freezing temperatures.
Without ceasing to be vigilant, because the cold is also an important element to take into account in the strategic changes of this war: the frost hardens the ground and allows the tanks to move more easily.
A blessing for Maksym and Volodymyr, two young Ukrainian soldiers in command of tanks returning from the front. “We Ukrainians are not afraid of the cold! It’s nothing for us,” Volodymyr even throws into the BFMTV microphone. However, outside, the temperature was around -15 degrees.
“When it’s cold, it’s better,” says Maksym. “Because the surface is frozen, it is easier to maneuver. The machines are ready for combat,” he explains.
Up to -20 degrees
These soldiers are among those who occupy the positions on the front line. To get through the winter, Vitaly, the deputy head of the unit, has provided additional equipment for the soldiers.
“After the battle, they may not realize that they have frostbite in their feet, for example. It’s the adrenaline from the fight that allows them not to feel the cold,” he tells BFMTV’s microphone.
To protect themselves, the artillerymen built an underground shelter, the only way to protect themselves from the cold. “We made this trench, dug it and conditioned it. The volunteers sent us this stove. Even if it’s -20 degrees, it’s enough for us,” explains Tchappai, one of the soldiers.
To help the Ukrainian army, NATO has decided to mobilize. The UK, for example, announced that it had provided 7,000 “normal cold kits” and 25,000 “extreme cold kits” to Ukrainian soldiers.
Source: BFM TV
