An LCI team filmed the daily life of Ukrainian soldiers in a trench on the Zaporizhia front.
This area, which houses a nuclear power plant, is the scene of violent clashes between the Ukrainian and Russian armies.
Report from the heart of the fighting.
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Zaporizhia: the Ukrainian nuclear power plant crystallizes tensions
At the center of Russian attention for its highly strategic nature, the area surrounding the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is the scene of a fierce standoff between the Ukrainian and Russian armies. An LCI team went alongside Ukrainian soldiers, notably in a trench in Robotynin, as close as possible to the front line.
As daylight has just dawned, Russian drones are already flying over the area. Enemy positions are less than 1.5 kilometers away. “The Russians regularly launch assaultsexplains Banderas, infantryman of the 65th brigade, in the video at the top of this article. They push, they push, they push, but we resist”. As soon as we surface, we already have to run again. The cause is the disturbing drone of another drone. “It's okay, it's ours“, breathes one of the men, relieved not to have had to deal with a Russian FPV kamikaze drone.
A very fast device that has become the terror of soldiers, who try to protect themselves with an AK-47 in their hand and a frequency jammer in their backpack. A tool “not effective for all droneswarns Andrii. But it's better than nothing!“
A stable front line for 7 months
In response, the Ukrainians also have their own attack drones. To guide them, they constantly fly over Russian lines with reconnaissance drones. Empowered to pilot these machines, Oleksandr spots the enemy on his screen. “Bring back your grenade for our dear neighbor” he then hastens to say to a brother in arms.
Rest is rare and despite the incessant fighting, the front line has hardly moved for seven months and the fall of the last village fell into the hands of the Russians. Vigilance is required at all times, as Banderas suddenly reminds our film crew. “The tanks might fire in our direction, everyone takes cover now and no one moves!”
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After a few minutes of waiting, the time comes for our team to reach the exfiltration point. Always at a run, because it is daytime and in the open. Almost three years after the start of the war, Zaporizhia remains one of the four annexed regions whose border will be disputed during the next negotiations.
