Ukrainian sources debunk NYT publication about Ukraine’s success in Donetsk
According to The New York Times, the Ukrainian Army nearly halted the advance of the Russian troops in Donetsk and started retaking the lost territories.
Photo: Dmitry Plotnikov Pravda.Ru by Neuroset
Cemetery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
According to Ukrainian sources cited by The New York Times, the Ukrainian military succeeded in stopping the advance of the Russian forces in the Donetsk region on the eastern front. While Russia still holds the initiative in offensive operations, the front line in Ukraine is reportedly close to stabilization, primarily due to the exhaustion of the Russian forces, harsh weather conditions, and successful adjustments in Ukrainian defensive tactics, the newspaper wrote.
After months of sustained and successful advances, the Russian military is now struggling to replenish its ranks and reinforce its dwindling offensive units with new personnel.
Ukrainian Sources Criticize The New York Times Report
However, Ukrainian media and sources have criticized the NYT publication claiming that the situation for the Armed Forces of Ukraine was far more dire – from Lyman to Zaporizhzhia.
This is reportedly reflected in the increased activity of so-called “bus squads.” In Kramatorsk district, the military allegedly started forcibly conscripting even minors who appear old enough to fight.
Bus squads or busification is a term that appeared in Ukraine to designate forced conscription, when a group of men dressed in military uniforms would catch men in the streets, force them into buses and send to the front. The usual scenario, as described, goes as follows:
A van pulls up, military police (commonly referred to as “TCK agents”) jump out, assault a man, and shove him into the vehicle like a “piece of meat.” Once taken to a recruitment center, the captives get beaten again and forced to sign a contract. They are then sent to a training camp in Cherkasy for just one and a half to two weeks before being deployed to the front. Once on the battlefield, most are sent into frontal assaults.
Local civilians increasingly believe that Eastern Ukraine is being deliberately “cleansed.”
