For the past three days, the ominous hum overhead was from Russian drones, their deadly intent clear as they descended on their marks. Today, however, the drone’s buzz is Ukrainian, its mission not to destroy but to capture and transmit images from the training fields to the command center. We find ourselves at a clandestine training site in the Chernihiv region, where new recruits are being expedited through their training, part of a desperate push to counter the relentless Russian military machine. Amidst the cacophony of gunfire and barked orders, what stands out most is not the weaponry or the drills, but the age of these soldiers. Here, in their 40s and 50s, they represent a generation called back to arms, their faces etched with the lines of life now preparing for the harsh realities of war.
Amidst the ranks of seasoned recruits, there’s Yaroslav, a former mechanic from Lviv, with his family anxiously awaiting his return. Just weeks ago, his days were spent under the hood of cars; now, he might soon be navigating the battlefields, possibly even beyond Ukraine’s borders, as the country aims to maintain its recent territorial gains in Kursk. “I believe it’s necessary,” Yaroslav asserts about the military action. “We’ve endured their presence on our soil for too long. We must act, not just watch as they take more of our land. What are we to do, sit idly by and accept subjugation?” The training regimen here is intense, designed for rapid deployment due to the urgent need to counterbalance the overwhelming numbers Russia has thrown into the conflict. Reports from Western intelligence suggest that Russian losses have been staggering, with figures indicating over 70,000 casualties in just two months, underscoring the brutal scale of the engagement.
