Ukraine War: Successful defense of Kharkiv means the Ukrainians can threaten Russia’s ambitions in the Donbas | World News
The road north of Saltivka, a northern suburb of Kharkiv, stretched north through scattered villages to the Russian border.
On the high ground, there was an intersection dotted with heavy Russian armor.
A decapitated turret sank to the ground, half of its barrel buried.
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The clothes of Russian soldiers nearby were scattered.
The ground was full of shrapnel and shrapnel.
An Epic Struggle of David and Goliath
The battle took place in the first days of the war. The column was sent to take down Saltivka and was completely destroyed instead. It was a bloody prelude to what was already an epic struggle between David and Goliath.
For nearly 80 days, the Ukrainians repelled Russian attempts to capture Kharkiv in fierce infantry skirmishes and through intense artillery bombardment by the invaders.
When the Russians were unable to take Kharkiv, they aimed to destroy it, shelling its settlements instead. Under the rules of war, attacking civilian infrastructure without a legitimate military justification is a war crime.
We drove past scorched and ruined apartment blocks, their windows blown out and parking lots beneath twisted metal graveyards.
The people of this area had no choice but to flee. But instead of leaving, they went underground. Just as Londoners lived in the pipeline network during the Second World War, the Kharkivians lived in their network on the platforms and on the trains.
It was cold and murky and there were no facilities but at least it was safe from indiscriminate shelling. There were pensioners playing cards, people sleeping on blankets, and young couples trying to comfort crying babies.
Tetiana and her 8-month-old son Mikhailo have been here since the war started.
“The first two or three weeks are very emotional,” she told Sky News, “and then you’re on autopilot but you have questions: Why? Why us? Why us? For what? ? Why does my child have to sit here underground? Why make all these people here?”
Another turning point in Ukraine’s favor
They have to be here because Russia wants to take Ukraine’s second largest city. It hasn’t done that yet, but it may still be unsafe to return to the surface.
As we exited the subway, our driver told us that the high-level rocket had landed further down the road. Then we heard the reply firecracker explode.
Both sides may be exchanging arms but Russia has been pushed back and that is a milestone in this war, another turning point in Ukraine’s favor.
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It means Ukraine can push further east threatening Russia’s supply lines right now. Throughout this conflict, Russia was plagued by poor logistics, facing major problems supplying its troops. Tanks were abandoned due to lack of fuel.
If the Ukrainians can corner the advantage east, that nightmare could worsen for them, threatening the main focus of the next campaign – their failed attempt to capture the Donbas. Then the sacrifices of the people of Kharkiv above and below ground will not be in vain.
