Ukraine’s exhausted troops in Russia told to cling on and wait for Trump

Ukraine’s exhausted troops in Russia told to cling on and wait for Trump

The tone is dark, even angry. “The situation is getting worse every day.” “We don’t see the goal. Our land is not here.” Almost four months after Ukrainian troops launched a lightning offensive into the Russian region of Kursk, text messages from soldiers fighting there paint a dismal picture of a battle they don’t properly understand and fear they might be losing. We’ve been in contact, via Telegram, with several soldiers serving in Kursk, one of whom has recently left. We’ve agreed not to identify any of them. None of the names in this article are real. They speak of dire weather conditions and a chronic lack of sleep caused by Russia’s constant bombardment, which includes the use of terrifying, 3,000kg glide bombs. They’re also in retreat, with Russian forces gradually retaking territory. “This trend will continue,” Pavlo wrote on 26 November. “It’s only a matter of time.” Reuters They are under immense pressure in Kursk, under constant Russian bombardment