Surrounded Ukraine Soldiers Hold Kharkiv Oblast Position For 50 Days

Surrounded Ukrainian soldiers of the 43rd Mechanized Brigade held  their position in a damaged garage in Kharkiv oblast for 50 days.

They captured a Russian radio so were able to listen in and figure out where attacks on their position were coming from. They baked rudimentary bread at night when they ran out of food. They were eventually evacuated by stealth, in an operation that took three days. JL

Volodymyr B reports in Militarnyi:

Soldiers of the 43rd Mechanized Brigade held their ground in a garage with a 60 mm mortar shell sticking out of the ceiling for 50 days under continuous assault. Russians approached their positions at 5-6 meters. A mirror installed in front of the position provided a view in three directions (so they could) spot and kill Russian infantrymen who got too close. The Ukrainians intercepted Russians forcing wounded forced into battle, refused to evacuate them, promising to honor them as “heroes of Russia” for their deaths, and threatening to kill the soldiers' relatives if they didnt fight. When the Ukrainian soldiers ran out of bread, they baked by candlelight, using flour and oil. It took three days to finally evacuate the Ukrainians. 

The soldiers of the 43rd separate mechanized brigade held their ground for more than 50 days under continuous enemy assaults.

An interview with soldiers Oleh and Vitalii was published by Army TV.

They were defending themselves in a garage with a 60 mm mortar shell sticking out of the ceiling. According to the soldiers, enemy assault groups approached their positions at a distance of only 5-6 meters.

 

To improve visibility, a mirror was installed in front of the position, providing a panoramic view in three directions.

Thanks to this mirror, it was possible to spot and kill a Russian infantryman who got too close in time.

 

FPV drones were actively used against the Ukrainian military, with more than 70 enemy vehicles spotted over the course of a day.

The soldiers managed to capture an enemy radio station and decipher the messages: the invaders used “color” codes to designate streets.

 

The Ukrainians also intercepted negotiations in which Russians were driving the wounded into battle, refusing to evacuate them, promising to honor them as “heroes of Russia” for their deaths, and threatening to kill the relatives of their own soldiers.

When the Ukrainian soldiers ran out of bread, they began baking it by candlelight, using only flour and oil.

Soldiers Roman and Ivan, who held an adjacent position, said that the most difficult part was the approach and withdrawal from the position.

It took them three nights to leave their positions.

During the withdrawal, the soldiers captured a Russian and rescued a fellow soldier from the 77th Airmobile Brigade