Latest news with #Slava
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's troops dying over US aid cut-off, say soldiers on front line
Ukrainian soldiers are dying because of Donald Trump's decision to end military aid to Ukraine, front-line troops have told The Telegraph. Soldiers revealed how they are feeling the pressure of dwindling American supplies and the looming summer months, when battles usually become more ferocious, and fear they have lost any remaining initiative. But their view on the war has become even more pessimistic following President Trump's announcement on Wednesday that the US would cease to provide intelligence to Ukraine, and morale is dangerously low. 'We are not the ones advancing over the last few months,' said combat medic Slava, 27, speaking from a village on the border between Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions. 'It's sad to say, but we don't have initiative on the battlefield any more.' US support is a crucial component of Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russian missiles and launch long-range strikes. Intelligence from Washington, meanwhile, has proved vital not just for Ukraine's ability to attack deep-lying Russian positions or defend its own, but also in protecting civilians. 'I am going to say honestly how it is: everything is bad and it's going to be worse, but we need to keep working and pushing,' said Artem – not his real name – a 30-year-old medic who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons. Artem, who ferries injured soldiers to and from the front lines, said that he had noticed a '20 per cent' increase in casualties in recent weeks. 'I think that the number will rapidly grow even more,' he added. 'On top of this it is getting warmer. Better weather conditions means a higher intensity of fighting.' The White House said on Wednesday that it would consider restoring military aid if President Zelensky returned to the negotiating table. It was later reported that Mr Zelensky had agreed to further peace talks with the Trump administration after Washington ceased its sharing of battlefield intelligence. But those serving on the front lines in Donetsk said even if the aid resumes, it could be too little, too late to hold off further Russian advances. 'The front line is not stable any more. It is not a line, but a zigzag, which makes it more difficult to defend,' said Slava. 'Drones are the main issue. It is impossible to drive to evacuation points often and impossible to stop driving to give a patient the full care they need.' 'I want the world to know that more people are dying because of it,' said Artem, referring to the dwindling US support. Slava added that now is 'not the time' to suspend the sharing of intelligence, saying that the move was a 'gamble' with the fate of her country. 'It's not the time to appease the enemy. This step shows once again that the Republicans are for Russia.' According to Artem, the intensity on the battlefield has become increasingly ferocious since the end of US aid. 'The workload is absolutely insane. I have been in touch with other medics and everyone is saying they are overwhelmed,' he said. 'We all have an empty look in our eyes because of everything.' Aleksander, a 34-year-old soldier who has served on the front line for three years with no rotation, said morale was running low. 'Honestly, the morale situation is tough in the third year, but we are holding on. I did not go to fight for just anyone. I went for my family.' On Wednesday, Mr Zelensky said he wants to see 'an end to the war once and for all' and agreed to return to the negotiation table. But Artem said that any deal with Russia that does not acknowledge the damage inflicted on Ukraine by Moscow's armies would be a mockery of those who died defending their country. 'In that case I would wonder what it was all for,' he said. 'Freedom is not free.' Those serving on the front lines vowed to The Telegraph that they would keep fighting until a deal is agreed that they believe is fair to their country. 'There is no other way for us. It's either we keep fighting, or we cease existing,' said Slava. Aleksander said that although Ukraine's prospects look bleak, its soldiers have managed to pull through before. 'I want to say that as long as this war continues, we have a single chance to win – because we may never get another one,' he said. 'The Russians thought they would take Kyiv in three days, but they failed, and now this has been going on for three years. We need to get through this period.' Slava expressed fears that Ukraine is now 'the country that stops the overflow of Russian influence' and wondered what a deal that favours Russia could mean for Europe. 'Once our defence is destroyed, the rest of Europe is next. Russia will never stop.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Ukraine's troops dying over US aid cut-off, say soldiers on front line
Ukrainian soldiers are dying because of Donald Trump's decision to end military aid to Ukraine, front-line troops have told The Telegraph. Soldiers revealed how they are feeling the pressure of dwindling American supplies and the looming summer months, when battles usually become more ferocious, and fear they have lost any remaining initiative. But their view on the war has become even more pessimistic following President Trump's announcement on Wednesday that the US would cease to provide intelligence to Ukraine, and morale is dangerously low. 'We are not the ones advancing over the last few months,' said combat medic Slava, 27, speaking from a village on the border between Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions. 'It's sad to say, but we don't have initiative on the battlefield any more.' US support is a crucial component of Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russian missiles and launch long-range strikes. Intelligence from Washington, meanwhile, has proved vital not just for Ukraine's ability to attack deep-lying Russian positions or defend its own, but also in protecting civilians. 'I am going to say honestly how it is: everything is bad and it's going to be worse, but we need to keep working and pushing,' said Artem – not his real name – a 30-year-old medic who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons. Artem, who ferries injured soldiers to and from the front lines, said that he had noticed a '20 per cent' increase in casualties in recent weeks. 'I think that the number will rapidly grow even more,' he added. 'On top of this it is getting warmer. Better weather conditions means a higher intensity of fighting.' The White House said on Wednesday that it would consider restoring military aid if President Zelensky returned to the negotiating table. It was later reported that Mr Zelensky had agreed to further peace talks with the Trump administration after Washington ceased its sharing of battlefield intelligence. But those serving on the front lines in Donetsk said even if the aid resumes, it could be too little, too late to hold off further Russian advances. 'The front line is not stable any more. It is not a line, but a zigzag, which makes it more difficult to defend,' said Slava. ' Drones are the main issue. It is impossible to drive to evacuation points often and impossible to stop driving to give a patient the full care they need.' 'I want the world to know that more people are dying because of it,' said Artem, referring to the dwindling US support. Slava added that now is 'not the time' to suspend the sharing of intelligence, saying that the move was a 'gamble' with the fate of her country. 'It's not the time to appease the enemy. This step shows once again that the Republicans are for Russia.' According to Artem, the intensity on the battlefield has become increasingly ferocious since the end of US aid. 'The workload is absolutely insane. I have been in touch with other medics and everyone is saying they are overwhelmed,' he said. 'We all have an empty look in our eyes because of everything.' Aleksander, a 34-year-old soldier who has served on the front line for three years with no rotation, said morale was running low. 'Honestly, the morale situation is tough in the third year, but we are holding on. I did not go to fight for just anyone. I went for my family.' On Wednesday, Mr Zelensky said he wants to see ' an end to the war once and for all ' and agreed to return to the negotiation table. But Artem said that any deal with Russia that does not acknowledge the damage inflicted on Ukraine by Moscow's armies would be a mockery of those who died defending their country. 'In that case I would wonder what it was all for,' he said. 'Freedom is not free.' Those serving on the front lines vowed to The Telegraph that they would keep fighting until a deal is agreed that they believe is fair to their country. 'There is no other way for us. It's either we keep fighting, or we cease existing,' said Slava. Aleksander said that although Ukraine's prospects look bleak, its soldiers have managed to pull through before. 'I want to say that as long as this war continues, we have a single chance to win – because we may never get another one,' he said. 'The Russians thought they would take Kyiv in three days, but they failed, and now this has been going on for three years. We need to get through this period.' Slava expressed fears that Ukraine is now 'the country that stops the overflow of Russian influence' and wondered what a deal that favours Russia could mean for Europe. 'Once our defence is destroyed, the rest of Europe is next. Russia will never stop.'
Boston Globe
28-02-2025
- Boston Globe
Family of US marine veteran killed in Ukraine tells funeral he died fighting for freedom
In December 2023 he was guarding a military bunker in the eastern industrial region of the Donbas when Russian forces overtook his unit's position. When one of his unit was wounded, Hertweck attempted to drag him back to the safety of the bunker but was hit by gunfire in the process. He died soon after. At the funeral service in Kyiv's Independence Square, Hertweck's mother, father, sister, and brother were presented with Ukrainian and US flags as part of a military honors ceremony. Advertisement Leslie Hertweck told those gathered that her son had died in a 'fight for freedom.' 'He was taken too young and he died a true hero,' she said through tears. 'I'm a very proud mom of what he did, that he came here for your people, for the country of Ukraine, to fight for freedom. And that's what Ethan stood for, was freedom.' She described her son as 'stubborn, he was strong, he was serious. But he loved and had a soft heart.' 'We know that we will miss him. But we will see you in heaven, Ethan, as you're with my mom and all those who've gone before us,' she said. 'Slava Ukraini.' Hertweck was initially classified as missing in action and his family and fellow servicemen worked for months to retrieve his remains, which were believed to be behind Russian lines after the territory near the city of Avdiivka was captured by Moscow's forces. Finally, in December 2024, his body was part of a swap between the Ukrainian and Russian militaries. With the assistance of the RT Weatherman Foundation, a group that provides support and legal aid to families of soldiers killed in Ukraine, he was identified by his DNA. Advertisement His family plans to repatriate him to the United States and lay him to rest in his native California. Jay Andrus, 25, a US Marine veteran who trained in Ukraine with Hertweck, said the period his friend was listed as missing was difficult for family and friends to bear. 'It's good that we got his remains back because it kind of haunts you knowing that your friend is out there in the dirt and you don't know where he is,' Andrus said. 'He's back and he's going home, like every Marine should.' He added that Hertweck, like so many foreign soldiers that have fought for Ukraine during the war, 'genuinely, really wanted to help people.' 'It's clear as day: a country is being invaded, innocent people are dying, women and children,' Andrus said. 'You're just going to sit there with the training and the lifestyle that you're used to, watching the news and do nothing about it? I understand why [Hertweck] came, that's the reason why I came too.'
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Doc Talk Podcast With ‘Porcelain War' Directors Brendan Bellomo & Slava Leontyev Before They Head To The Oscars
It is one of the sad ironies of war that even as it lays waste to countries, conflict on that scale can lead to great works of cinema. The brutal civil war in Syria resulted in several Oscar-nominated documentary features – Last Men in Aleppo and The Cave, both directed by Feras Fayyad; Of Fathers and Sons, directed by Talal Derki; and For Sama, directed by Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts. More from Deadline Oscar Nominations: 'Emilia Pérez' Leads With 13; 'The Brutalist' And 'Wicked' Score 10 Apiece In Wide-Open Race The 2025 Oscars: Everything We Know So Far About The Nominations, Ceremony, Date & Host Shiori Itō's Oscar-Nominated 'Black Box Diaries' Has Been Embraced Around The World. So Why Isn't It Being Seen In Her Native Japan? The war in Ukraine, too, is being documented powerfully by nonfiction filmmakers: the Oscar-shortlisted In the Rearview, directed by Maciek Hamela; the Oscar-winning 20 Days in Mariupol, directed by Mstyslav Chernov; and now the Oscar-nominated feature documentary Porcelain War. On the new edition of Deadline's Doc Talk podcast, Porcelain War directors Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev discuss their film, which won the DGA Award on February 8 and is being honored with a screening at The Hague on Thursday before an audience of diplomats. The filmmakers explain how they made a documentary hailed as a masterpiece despite never having directed a film before, and with a cinematographer who had never shot a film before. RELATED: Porcelain War revolves around Leontyev and his wife, Anya Stasenko, artists who collaborate on stunning figures made of porcelain. Slava sculpts the artworks, while Anya dedicates herself to painting the owls, 'dragonlets' and other creatures with intricate designs. Bellomo shares the story of how Slava and his future wife Anya met (it involved her pushing him around in a baby carriage). Like so many Ukrainians, Leontyev has become a citizen soldier in defense of his country, training members of his military unit in the proper use of weapons. In his spare time, he continues to pursue his art, which Leontyev describes as a form of resistance to Russian aggression. RELATED: That's on the latest episode of Doc Talk, co-hosted by Oscar winner John Ridley (12 Years a Slave, Shirley) and Matt Carey, Deadline's documentary editor. Doc Talk is produced by Deadline and Ridley's Nō Studio. Listen to the episode above or on major podcast platforms including Spotify, iHeart and Apple. RELATED: 'Porcelain War': Extraordinary Ukrainian Artists Resist Russia's Invasion With Weapons, Brushes And Sculptor's Tools – Sundance Studio Best of Deadline 2025 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Oscars, Spirits, Tonys, Guilds & More How To Watch Sunday's 'SNL50: The Anniversary Special' Online & On TV Everything We Know About Christopher Nolan's Next Film – 'The Odyssey': Release Date, Cast And More
