A serviceman who goes by the connect with signal Kydar pours tea into plastic cups. There is little place in the dugout, so he carefully moves the iron mug of boiling drinking water on to the makeshift desk.

 In addition to the tea, there is also a bar of milk chocolate.

 “This is how we rejoice the New Yr,” he provides with a unhappy smile.

 Kydar’s blue eyes fill with tears, but he holds them back again and continues his story. Collectively with their brothers in arms, they have been defending the borders of Ukraine on the Bakhmut front for quite a few months.

 The adult males have not observed their family members for a very long time. Some joined the army from Feb. 25, and some even earlier, prior to Russia’s entire-scale invasion. Kydar suggests he misses his household extremely significantly.

 “Each calendar year you celebrated New Year and Xmas with your spouse and children. Did not even think about it. Just lived. Now you recall your family, your loved types… How every little thing was excellent, festive… And now we are on responsibility in wartime. And listed here, at any minute, an buy could occur to go on a mission. That’s why it can be not like celebrating right here”.

 Kydar has been dwelling in a smaller trench with his brother of war Zenyk for three months now. The two males served in 2015, but returned household later on.

 But they achieved only after Russia’s complete-scale invasion.

 “We have all turn out to be a person spouse and children in this article. Now we are closest to each and every other. As friends, brothers, psychologists. For the reason that there is no-just one else. We are so utilised to every other that we even have an understanding of a friend’s viewpoint. How do we celebrate? We gathered in a circle, consulted, talked, laughed and went off to do our personal thing”, suggests Zenyk.

 The guys admit that now is a great deal far more hard than it was in 2015. Not only due to the fact the activities of the enemy have enhanced, but due to the fact back again then they recognized when they would finally be ready to go house.

 “Right now, there is no dilemma of returning household. We will be here until eventually the conclude – until victory!”, Kydar famous.

 Kydar is effective as a signalman, though Zenyk is the driver of the car or truck on which a GRAD multiple rocket launcher is positioned.

 All the troopers of this battery are from various components of Ukraine. Kydar and Zenyk, for illustration, are from the West.

 At the exact same time, there are fellas from Kharkiv Area, Cherkasy Location and Zaporizhzhia.

 In certain, the property of a single of the servicemen, Mykola, was de-occupied last September. And the family members of two of his brothers in arms are nevertheless below profession in the town of Melitopol.

 “I have been in the army given that 2020. I have not seen my family members for a extended time. They are in Melitopol. There is nearly no link with them. I imagine about them all the time. The occupying forces are extremely oppressive. They power folks to just take Russian passports. A person’s just about every phase is monitored. If they understood that their son was a Ukrainian artilleryman, I’m fearful to believe what they would have carried out to my family members”, claims one particular soldier who goes by the get in touch with indicator of Khvostyk.

 On New Year’s Eve, these Ukrainian servicemen moved to positions to hearth at enemy positions using the GRAD missile rocket launching technique.

 They did so at precisely 00:00 on Jan. 1.

 “This is generally our celebration. We seriously want to get. Get again dwelling. Hug our kinfolk. And overlook all the things like a horrible dream. As it will no for a longer period be. But points will be better… I hope for the typical desire of all Ukrainians – peace – will come real this 12 months”, Zenyk added.

 In all round terms, the Bakhmut entrance, which is where the troops of this brigade are located now, is one of the most tricky fronts in this distinct period of time of the war.

 As the Commander-in-Main of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valeriy Zaluzhny, beforehand mentioned, the range of Russian troops in this sector is 10 times higher than the variety of Ukrainian troops there.

 The photo I had to see next to Bakhmut truly struck a chord.  

 The houses there were being absolutely destroyed.

 And fields on which there is just about no room remaining from the rips.

 And the pain that is felt in every look and breath.

 Soon after practically 11 months of Russia’s complete-scale invasion, it was the most mentally tough movie shoot of my daily life.

 But Ukraine is keeping on. And that is the primary thing.

 The sights expressed in this post are the author’s and not essentially these of Kyiv Write-up.