Ukraine makes use of souped-up Soviet-era weapons to defend a significant river from Russia

KHERSON REGION, Ukraine — Simply earlier than darkish, a half dozen Ukrainian troopers clambered down a ramp right into a trench hidden beneath a forested hill close to the Dnipro River. They pulled again curtains of camouflage netting, revealing an enormous armored car.

“We call her Nike, after the Greek goddess of victory,” stated the unit’s chief, a burly man who goes by the navy name signal Grizzly. “It’s a Soviet-made BMP-1TS that’s been modernized.”

Holding full names secret is widespread protocol for Ukrainian troopers. NPR agreed to make use of solely their first names or name indicators for safety causes.

Grizzly stated through the day his crew makes use of improvised bunkers to maintain their weapons hidden from Russian drones and artillery that function from the far aspect of the river.

By night time, utilizing an up to date cannon mounted on Nike’s battered chassis — together with new navigation and concentrating on techniques that enable them to work in darkness — they make raids alongside the riverbank, hanging Russian positions.

“It’s performing really well,” Grizzly stated proudly of the cellular cannon. “Very fast and maneuverable.”

Nike and the boys who crew it are with the first Battalion of the fortieth Coastal Protection Brigade. They type a part of a dangerously skinny line of Ukrainian troopers that stretches alongside the roughly 600-mile entrance within the nation’s nearly three-year conflict with Russia.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has acknowledged the state of affairs for Ukraine’s navy — making an attempt to carry again Russia’s advance — has grown “extremely, extremely difficult and challenging.”

The mission alongside this part of the Dnipro River is to disrupt Russian operations that concentrate on the port metropolis of Kherson and forestall amphibious assaults aimed toward retaking the strategic metropolis.

Why Kherson issues

Russian forces occupied Kherson within the early months of their full-scale invasion that started in February 2022. Ukraine liberated town in November of that yr.

Nonetheless house to at the very least 60,000 civilians — down from 300,000 earlier than the conflict — town stays probably the most harmful locations in Ukraine. Russian troops shell neighborhoods day by day and ship drones laden with bombs buzzing over the streets.

“Since the first day of this year alone, the enemy has attacked the region [with drones] about 650 times,” Oleksandr Prokudin, head of Kherson’s regional navy authorities, stated in a latest publish on the Telegram social media app.

Whereas Russia and Ukraine usually conflict over management of islands within the Dnipro River, Moscow hasn’t but dedicated the variety of troops, boats, artillery and different help that navy analysts say can be wanted to retake town.

Roman Kostenko, a former navy commander and present member of Ukraine’s parliament from the Kherson area with shut ties to Ukraine’s military and intelligence companies, advised NPR that may change.

“We got information [in December] that Russia prepares their troops to attack us across the river,” Kostenko stated. “Some people from the [Russian occupied] side of the river called me and told me they saw boats and people training in a lake.”

In keeping with Kostenko, it is clear the Kremlin hopes to retake Kherson to assist set up management of the Black Sea and to help navy operations in southern Ukraine towards Odesa, one in all Ukraine’s most necessary cities.

Whereas it seems Russia does not but have sufficient artillery, boats or troops able to mounting a full-scale crossing of the Dnipro, Kostenko stated Moscow’s decision-making is unpredictable.

“[Attacking across] the river in winter is illogical, yes,” he stated. “But if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin makes a decision about capturing Kherson, it doesn’t matter for him. Russia can attack [anytime].”

The Ukrainian troopers who patrol the riverbank on board Nike stated they’re prepared if that occurs.

Nike’s gunner, a middle-aged man who identifies himself as Yurii, name signal Psycho, confirmed NPR the shells — every so long as a human hand — chained collectively to allow them to be fed shortly into the cannon.

“We work fast,” Yurii stated. “We arrive at the river and we fire, emptying the gun in a minute, a minute and a half at most. Then I tell the driver, ‘Let’s get out of here.’ “

These hit-and-run ways are designed to harass the Russians whereas conserving Ukraine’s dwindling reserve of skilled troopers alive at any time when attainable.

“Our job is to destroy the Russians and keep them from advancing and taking more of our territory — and we are getting that done,” stated the first Battalion’s commander, who goes by the decision signal Karyi.

“We look forward to the Russians trying to attack us,” Karyi stated. “It would give us a chance to destroy more of them.”

Regardless of his daring discuss, nonetheless, Karyi symbolizes how hard-pressed Ukraine’s navy has change into after almost three years of bitter preventing towards Russia’s a lot bigger drive. At simply 24, Karyi is in control of defending this part of the Dnipro entrance after being wounded twice whereas preventing elsewhere.

Requested about his age and his capacity to defend a metropolis as essential as Kherson, Karyi stated, “I’m confident in my men, so I’m confident in myself.”

Within the darkness, his males had been making closing preparations earlier than setting out on the night time’s mission, their breath exhibiting within the mild of their headlamps.

They fastidiously battened metal hatches and double-checked digital gear designed to confuse Russian drones, which even have optics that make them able to hanging at night time.

Nike rumbled to life, its highly effective engines echoing over farm fields, because the unit ready to maneuver out.

Requested in the event that they consider they’ll maintain the road right here, the gunner Yurii grinned and nodded. “Yes, yes, yes,” he stated.

Nike’s driver, who goes by the decision signal Mulfar, agreed, saying he now not will get the jitters driving into the darkness every night time to face the Russians. “We’ve gotten used to it,” he stated.

“This is just what we do now,” Grizzly stated. “This is our job.”

NPR discipline producers Polina Lytvynova and Hanna Palamarenko contributed reporting for this story.