Strong Ukraine

From Reuters:

“In snowy trenches, Ukrainian soldiers vow to stand firm against Russia”

(Service members of the Ukrainian armed forces chop and carry firewood at combat positions near the line of separation from Russian-backed rebels outside the settlement of Krymske in the Luhansk region, Ukraine, January 4, 2022.)

A soldier peers over the top of a wooden trench as snow falls thickly on the surrounding fields near the village of Krymske in eastern Ukraine. Inside the trench, another soldier stands in front of a small Christmas tree, with messages and drawings from well-wishers pinned on the wall behind him. This is the frontline of Ukraine's eight-year war against Russian-backed forces in the Donbass region. Russian troop movements near Ukraine's borders have alarmed Kyiv and its Western allies in recent weeks. The soldiers say they are ready for any escalation from Russia. "We are determined to stand firm, we will not give up our country. We fought for independence for a long time," said one serviceman, who gave his nom-de-guerre as Martin. "At home, my parents and wife are worrying," he said. "I don't plan to stay here forever. I plan to repel (a Russian attack) and come back home so that my daughter will later say: 'Wow, father, you managed to stop superpower with your own hands.' U.S. officials have said Russia might launch a new attack against Ukraine as early as the second half of January. Russia denies it is planning an offensive and accuses Kyiv of building up its own forces in the east of the country. But Moscow has demanded security guarantees it wants from the West in order to defuse the current crisis. Another serviceman, who gave his name as Oleh, played down the prospect of a major escalation. "If they show off their muscles and rattle their sabres, then it is unlikely they will attack. If someone wants to attack, he does it covertly," he said.

^ The Ukrainians have suffered and fought against the Russians for the past 8 years now. The Russians invaded and occupied Crimea (Ukraine) in 2014 and continue to illegally occupy Crimea. The Russians have been fighting the Ukrainians in Donbas (eastern Ukraine) since 2014. The likelihood that Putin will invade and fight more in Ukraine is likely to deflect from his poor policies and the low Standard of Living of ordinary Russians. Russia has a much powerful Military than Ukraine does, but Ukraine has done a good job in keeping them at-bay since 2014 in Donbas and now they have more training, more weapons and more support from other countries so Russia will face an even more difficult time in Ukraine if they attack it even more. ^

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/snowy-trenches-ukrainian-soldiers-vow-stand-firm-against-russia-2022-01-04/