There has been no effective ceasefire in Ukraine despite Moscow’s unilateral decision to pause the fighting for Orthodox Christmas. In the Donbass, the fighting is still fierce and deadly. In kyiv, our special envoys attended the funeral of a soldier killed in Bakhmout, the hottest front in Ukraine.
With our special correspondents in kyiv, Aabla Jounaidi and Boris Vichith
Oleg, 45, died on the front line near Bakhmout. His body is honored in Independence Square-Maidan where, eight years ago, this father of five protected demonstrators.
” Death on the front »
Serguei, one of his comrades, came to pay homage to him: ” In Ukraine there are a few patriots and Oleg was definitely one of them. He was a member of a community of young Ukrainians. In 2014, he co-led a group during the Maidan revolution. He then joined the security services in the Luhansk region. And when the war started, he signed up as an artilleryman and he died on the front line. »
The number of people killed on the Bakhmout front is not communicated by the authorities. But the butcher’s shop spares no camp: Many of our people are dead, but even more Russians are dying, and we’re going to win! “. After a few days of leave, Sergei will return to Bakhmout where the fighting has still not subsided in intensity.
Situation ” difficult »
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Maliar reported a situation “ difficult in the east of the country, where most of the fighting is now concentrated, recognizing that Russian troops ” advancing in certain areas “, but also claiming that the forces of kyiv were also advancing elsewhere, “ step by step “. According to her, the situation is particularly very difficult in Soledar, a city near Bakhmout, the hottest point on the front, where AFP noted artillery duels from Friday, January 7, shortly after the theoretical entry into force of the Russian ceasefire. .
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