Even miles from the front line, anything
that moves is a target.
That’s because as Russia’s summer offensive
gains momentum, it is increasingly relying on drones of all kinds to gain
control over Ukraine’s territory.
Under attack by drones, Ukrainian soldiers
are struggling to maintain supply lines around the towns of Kostiantynivka,
Pokrovsk and Kupiansk. There is greater peril for civilians remaining in their
homes, and for the humanitarian groups trying to evacuate them. Some Russian
drones strike at ranges up to 24 miles.
Senior Lt. Yevhen Alkhimov, a spokesperson
for the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said movement to and from
positions now posed the greatest risk for his soldiers. Nightfall brought no
safety because more Russian drones had thermal imaging cameras. Once at the actual
bunkers and trenches on the front, “it is usually possible to work,” he said.
The combination of drone strikes with
aerial bombardments is devastating, soldiers say.
When the drones arrive, if there is
greenery, it is easier for the troops to hide and then reach their positions,
they say. If there is nowhere to hide, it’s very hard to move.
Many elderly and disabled civilians still
live in these areas. Until they lose access to food and water, it is hard to persuade
them to leave their homes, humanitarian workers say.
In Kupiansk, around 1,000 residents remain,
according to government figures. Their homes are at constant risk from artillery,
aerial bombs and drones, said Liana Shcherbyna, head of the Proliska
Humanitarian Center in the Kharkiv region, which helps evacuate civilians.
“Almost every day, there are civilian
casualties,” she said.
In May, during one evacuation mission in
Kupiansk, her team had to order people to lie down as drones were heard flying
overhead.
Despite repeated attacks near her home in
Kupiansk, Vira Shapka, 86, a composer and member of the National Union of
Artists of Ukraine, refused to depart when rescue teams returned in May.
Although a large part of the population has
been evacuated from areas close to the fighting. “a certain number of people still
remain due to various circumstances, from reluctance to leave their homes to physical
or psychological reasons,” Shcherbyna said.
On the roads, evacuation teams report
increased danger for their vehicles because for reconnaissance and exploding
first-person-view drones. Ukraine lacks sufficient countermeasures. (Maria
Varenikova)
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