it’s a frame dozens of trenches almost a maze. they look like barricades freshly dug and no one would claim they actually came out of WWII. Location is unbeatable on a hill, easy to defend and capable of spotting any movement. The surrounding plain has been flooded near the city since the start of the war when the Ukrainian Army breached a dam on the Irpin River to slow the Russian advance toward Kyiv. Locals call it the “hero river.” While much of the military activity has shifted to the Donbas region hundreds of kilometers east, Ukrainian commanders remain wary that the Kremlin could press again toward the capital, and they have established multiple permanent lookout points around the country’s major cities to deter any northern threat.
“With Russia, you never know; a year ago nobody thought that Vladimir Putin would finally decide to attack, and he finally did; you have to be prepared in case they come back,” explains a spokesperson. Soldiers have dug underground spaces that include heating, television and even internet access. They built a hut among the trees where they could drink tea, rest, and shelter when temperatures dropped to very cold levels. “We’re fine here,” says one officer. A soldier in his thirties with a shaven head and worn teeth smiles as he and friends stretch out on a bunk bed where they stay permanently on guard, taking day shifts that end every two weeks.
Negotiations with Belarus
Meetings held in recent weeks among senior Kremlin officials responsible for Belarus, where Russian armored troops advanced a year ago and ultimately failed to close the grip around Kyiv and were forced to retreat, raised the question of whether moves might be reopened. Moscow has framed its invasion as a bid to take control of the Ukrainian state and topple the government in Kyiv.
However the Institute for the Study of War still views such plans as tentative, largely due to the president’s reluctance. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko appears to be trying to tread carefully, presenting Belarus as a sovereign nation while avoiding a full commitment to escalation. ISW noted in a recent update that the probability of a new attack could be seen as late in 2023.
While this is happening, soldiers pass time to stay sharp, scanning the landscape from above, training to deploy quickly into the trenches should the situation worsen. A warning is shared, and one soldier showcases his skill with a knife, tossing it into the trees as if performing for an audience. “This is a resistance position, not a place for education,” one lieutenant points out as he surveys the area.