Locals joined territorial defence forces when Russia invaded – and managed to hold the city despite being encircled
released by Ukrainian intelligence services on 16 March, a Russian soldier can be heard breaking down after telling his mother that they needed to take the road through Sumy city but “not a single column of [theirs] had survived”.
“It was so chaotic that it’s even difficult to describe,” said Ihor. “There was no coordination or instructions from Kyiv or anything like that. We made [everything] up ourselves.”Photograph: Anastasia Vlasova/The Guardian One of the main factors which saved the city, said Ihor and Serhiy, was the first battle which took place outside the city’s art college. The 50 paratroopers destroyed a whole column of Russian tanks. Both sides did not at first realise they were facing the army, said Ihor and the Russians even got close enough to ask the Ukrainians for directions. But the Ukrainians twigged first and opened fire at a close distance successfully destroying the tank column, said Ihor.
“People would call us from one district, like Kursk Street, and say: ‘Get down here, there’s a battle going on,’ and then someone else would ring you because they spotted Russians elsewhere,” said Ihor, describing how they would arrive ahead of columns and set up defensive positions and start shooting.
“Our task was to destroy their fuel trucks, after a while they had no fuel left,” said Ihor. “What kept happening was the tank would run out of fuel and then they would ditch it. Sometimes getting into other vehicles or sometimes taking cars from civilians.” Oleksandr Nesterenko, a major-general from Sumy who fought in the battles for Kyiv and Kharkiv and is now overseeing his home area.Oleh Anatolyvych, a 57-year-old man from the village of Krasnopoliya, metres from the Russian border in Sumy region, did not have a gun when the invasion started. He hid in the bushes along the highway which crossed the border and filmed the Russian columns and counted the number of vehicles.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 313 of the invasionAttack on Russian-held area in Donetsk hit military complex; Kyiv targeted by Russian air strike
Read more »
Russian and Ukrainian leaders each vow victory in 2023 New Year speechesUkraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaks of gratitude and pain as Russia's Vladimir Putin paints the war as a near-existential fight.
Read more »
Putin toasts Russian military in New Year’s speechRussian President Vladimir Putin has sent his 'best wishes' for the New Year to the country’s military. In a New Year's video message broadcast on Russian television, Mr Putin said his country would “never give in” to the West.
Read more »
Russian star's apology for crack at Aussie fansDaniil Medvedev famously hit out at what he deemed 'low IQ' fans after beating Nick Kyrgios at last year's Australian Open. 😮 Now, the Russian superstar has walked those comments back. 9WWOS
Read more »
Defiant Ukrainians cheer as Russian drones shot down above Kyiv on New Year's EveUkrainians cheer from their balconies while air defences blast Russian missiles and drones from the sky in the first hours of 2023.
Read more »