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40 thousand. The industrial city of Avdijivka, with a population of 30,000,000, found itself on the border in 2014, when war broke out in eastern Ukraine shortly after the annexation of Crimea. The city is full of houses destroyed by artillery or dense fires, some of which have inscriptions about “dead brothers.”
In recent weeks, there have been concerns that the looming conflict could revert to a full-scale war, driven by the Kremlin, which has sent more than 100,000 troops to Ukraine’s borders. soldiers.
After several weeks of tension, Moscow announced on Thursday that troops would leave the border in the next few days and return to bases.
Shortly after this knowledge 15 minutes The interviewed Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Polishchuk said that the Russian forces are still longer than expected, and the Ukrainians remain vigilant.
“Our forces are always ready, but of course we have taken additional measures that will further raise our level of preparedness for any surprises,” said the deputy minister, who gave an interview in English behind a covert network.
Journalists admitted to an adjacent closed area can only walk along a special rope marking a revised roadside mine.
According to the Ukrainians, the separatists have recently gotten used to disguising them particularly well.
Polischuk stressed that Ukraine has evidence that separatists on the other side of the front line are supported by regular Russian forces and not volunteers, as Moscow claims.
According to him, Ukraine in response to the situation also plans to intensify its exercises.
When asked about the expected support from Lithuania, A.Poliščiukas said that joint exercises according to NATO standards, political support and supply of military equipment are very important for Ukrainian soldiers.
“We only need your support at the political level, we also need additional support in terms of training, joint training of our forces. A good example is our joint brigade with the Poles. So let’s do something specific with that, and if we had additional equipment, it would be very good, “he said.
Lithuania has been supplying weapons and armaments to Ukraine since 2014, and special operations soldiers are training Ukrainian soldiers.
Exhausted residents don’t want to talk about politics and war; many on the street would meet the locals to converse with 15 minutes journalists stopped as soon as they heard questions about it.
“How do I live? Like everyone. I received a pension, I am satisfied. Prices are as follows. What else to tell? “Said a retiree in a medical mask, who refused to appear on camera and directed all questions about Russia or the war to the country.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the end of military exercises on Ukraine’s borders during a visit to Crimea on Thursday.
He said that “the objectives of the urgent inspections had been achieved” and that the return of the troops to the bases would begin on Friday.
Since the beginning of the war in eastern Ukraine it has already killed more than 13 thousand. people. The Ukrainian colonel’s comment on the unpredictable Russian President Vladimir Putin reflects the opinion of many experts that this is Moscow’s goal: to maintain ignorance and tensions that would prevent Ukraine from fully integrating with the West and keeping it in the Russian orbit.
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