The main line of defense for Russian troops for months was the Severskyi Donets River, which meanders here from west to east and then from north to south. A river that is around 50 meters wide in places, often surrounded by swamps, was insurmountable for the Russians for a long time. They suffered heavy casualties in an attempt to cross the river near the village of Bilohorivka in eastern Ukraine in early May. According to several reports, hundreds of Russian soldiers fell. It was one of the biggest military fiascos for Russia in that war.
When, following the Kharkiv counter-offensive, the Ukrainians began to take the initiative again in northern Donbass, they knew that they, too, would have to overcome the Siverskyi Donets. The men of the 103rd Brigade had made the leap across the river - enabling the capture of the strategically important town of Lyman on October 1st. On the banks of the river there are willows and poplars, behind them begins a coniferous forest. Two burnt-out cars can hardly be seen at first because their rusty red color is so similar to spruce trunks.
Signs of fighting around Yampil. From the South-West side, near the city of Lyman.
Soldier "Journalist" stands near former Russian positions. His brigade stormed this forest.
On the road to Yampil, in a forest, a destroyed Ukrainian tank stands. It was accompanying one of the attack formations towards Yampil.
Yampil, the recaptured village east of Lyman in Donetsk. Despite advance work from drones and artillery, the men of the 103rd Brigade came under Russian crossfire on this road, killing three soldiers
Volodymyr (nicknamed Ohotnik), a 36-year-old welder, arrived for recruitment in February with his shotgun. Now he is battle tested and owns a sniper rifle that costs the equivalent of 2000 euros.
"Ohotnik" ("Hunter") shows his sniper rifle with an inscription "made in Ukraine".
Soldier “Tesla” says that in the rush of the past months of the war he has not yet been able to think about his transformation from construction worker to fighter: “I have no idea who I actually am now.”
Volodymyr shows the house where russian soldiers held their position.
Bullet marks after fighting in the village Yampil
Soldiers taking pictures in front of the sign "Yampil"
The cut-off trees of the forest indicate the strong fighting that happened here.
Mines near Yampil
The village of Ozerne is located just south from Yampil, and had to be taken by Ukrainian forces prior to the attack on Yampil
