Ukrainian Soldiers Face Extended Frontline Deployments as War Drags On
KYIV, ukraine – A photograph of two Ukrainian infantrymen, Oleksandr Aliksyenko and Oleksandr Tichaev, widely shared on social media Monday, November 3rd, has highlighted a growing concern within the Ukrainian military: increasingly lengthy deployments for frontline soldiers. The pair were recently awarded the Cross of Military Merit by President Volodymyr Zelensky for holding their position for a continuous 165 days.
According to the territorial defense forces’ Facebook page, numerous attempts – at least thirty – were made to evacuate Aliksyenko and Tichaev during their extended deployment, all thwarted by intense fighting and constant surveillance from Russian drones. A dense fog in late October finally allowed for their relief.
While celebrated as an example of Ukrainian resilience, the soldiers’ experience underscores a troubling trend. The prolonged service is attributed to a combination of factors, including advancements in russian technology on the battlefield and a critical shortage of infantry personnel.
the Ukrainian front observer group DeepState acknowledged the heroism of soldiers like Aliksyenko and Tichaev in a Telegram message, stating they are part of “thousands of heroes” continuing to hold positions.However, DeepState stressed, “Is this a reason to be proud? Absolutely not, because it is currently a huge problem.” The group reports that the average deployment length for Ukrainian fighters has now reached between 100 and 200 days.
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