In Ukraine's border area around Sumy, many people are fleeing from the Russian bombs, and the soldiers are at their last strength. But the surprising Ukrainian advance on Russian territory gives them some hope, writes ARD.
Ukrainian soldiers go to the front in high spirits, they seem confident, says ARD in a report from Sumi. The path of the soldiers leads straight to Russia - where the Ukrainian army already controlled over 80 villages.
Artyom is a high-ranking Ukrainian officer who participated in the planning of the offensive in the Kursk region. “This was made possible by the hidden movement of the parts," he explained to the German public-law media. Very few people were aware of these plans. And the information space was deliberately partially filled with misinformation. “The Russians could not believe that we were capable of conducting such an operation,", adds the officer.
Ukrainian offensive slows down
Ten days after its start, the Ukrainian offensive slowed down. According to the military leadership, the units are advancing by one kilometer per day. Thousands of Russian civilians are fleeing, writes ARD.
In the Ukrainian border regions, many people are flocking to Sumy. At the local coordination center they can receive humanitarian aid.
Olga, Lyudmila and Igor from Yunakivka are standing in front of one of its entrances smoking. Even before the beginning of the Ukrainian offensive, their village was constantly subjected to Russian artillery shelling, many fled long ago, Ludmila says. “But now even the most resilient are leaving. The Russians are shelling us much more intensively. The village is being evacuated," they say.
„Who would want to leave their home?", asks the woman, quoted by ARD. And she, like the others, was born in Yunakivka, never lived elsewhere. "I have chickens, geese, goats, dogs, cats," Ludmila explains. To feed their animals, the three regularly return to the village - despite the bombs, Olga points out. “We left everything we had acquired over the years." Travel at your own risk. “Nobody knows if we will come back."
"The offensive must continue"
Olexandra is also standing nearby, holding her little daughter in her arms. They both lived for over two years under constant fire. “My daughter is afraid and crying. When they fire on us, he says: “Mom, boom" - and starts running. We are used to it now."
But now they just have to leave, Oksana told ARD. She does not know if she will ever be able to return to her homeland. But he believes that the Ukrainian offensive in Russia is the right step. For two years they endured everything. “How many children, how many people died? How many hospitals and how many maternity homes were destroyed?" The invasion of Russian land is right and must continue, Alexandra emphasizes.
The Ukrainian attack has lifted spirits
At a number of places in the border region, tired but satisfied soldiers are gathering these days. They shouldn't be talking to journalists. But it can be seen that their mood is good - in contrast to the situation in the eastern part of the country, where Russian troops are advancing.
The offensive in the Kursk region raised the spirit in the whole country, according to the officer Artyom. "The difficult thing is that we cannot provide support in Donbas," he told ARD. But this operation is more important. The losses inflicted on the enemy in just a few days are much greater than if the soldiers had been sent to other areas such as Donetsk or Zaporozhye.
Artyom is convinced that the army can continue to advance and more. Ukrainian units have taken the initiative and are putting Russia under pressure. So amidst the sorrow, the war and the bombs in Sumi, suddenly a bit of confidence appears.