“The entire river crossing.
Is under constant fire.
I’ve seen boats.
With my comrades on board.”
“Just disappear into the water.
After being hit.
Lost forever.
To the Dnipro river.”
“We must carry.
Everything with us.
Generators, fuel.
And food.”
“When you’re setting up.
A bridgehead.
You need a lot of everything.
But supplies weren’t planned for this area.”
“We thought after we made it there.
The enemy would flee.
And then we could calmly transport.
Everything we needed.”
“But it didn’t.
Turn out that way.
When we arrived on the eastern bank.
The enemy were waiting.”
Under relentless ‘orcs’ fire.
A soldier spent several weeks.
On the ‘orcs’-occupied side.
Of the river of Dnipro.
As Ukraine sought to establish.
A bridgehead around.
The village of Krynky.
Krynky has been turned to rubble.
“‘Orcs’ we managed to capture.
Said their forces.
Were tipped off about.
Our landing.”
“So when we got there.
They knew exactly.
Where to find us.
They threw everything at us.”
“Artillery, mortars.
And flame thrower systems.
I thought I’d.
Never get out.”
“Every day we sat.
In the forest.
Taking incoming fire.
We were trapped.”
“The roads and paths.
Are all riddled with mines.
The ‘orcs’ cannot control everything.
And we use it.”
“But their drones are.
Constantly buzzing in the air.
Ready to strike.
As soon as they see movement.”
“Supplies were the weakest link.
The ‘orcs’ monitored.
Our supply lines.
So it became more difficult.”
“There was a real lack.
Of drinking water.
Despite our deliveries.
By boat and drone.”
“We paid for a lot.
Of our own kit.
Buying generators, power banks.
And warm clothes ourselves.”
“Now the frosts are coming.
Things will only get worse.
The real situation is being hushed up.
So no-one will change anything.”
“No-one knows the goals.
Many believe that.
The command simply.
Abandoned us.”
“The guys believe that.
Our presence had.
More political than.
Military significance.”
“But we just.
Did our job.
And didn’t.
Get into strategy.”
Under relentless ‘orcs’ fire.
A soldier spent several weeks.
On the ‘orcs’-occupied side.
Of the river of Dnipro.
As Ukraine sought to establish.
A bridgehead around.
The village of Krynky.
Krynky has been turned to rubble.
“Mostly our losses were mistakes.
Someone didn’t climb.
In that trench quickly enough;
Another guy hid badly.”
“If someone isn’t.
Switched on.
He’ll be immediately.
Targeted from everywhere.”
“But thanks to our doctors.
If we can get.
An injured soldier to the medics.
He’ll be saved.”
“They’re titans, Gods.
But we can’t get.
The remains of the fallen out.
It’s just too dangerous.”
“At the same time.
Our drones and missiles.
Inflict a lot of losses.
On the enemy.”
“We took prisoners of war once.
But where to put them.
If we have no way to cross the river.
Even with our own injured comrades?”
Under relentless ‘orcs’ fire.
A soldier spent several weeks.
On the ‘orcs’-occupied side.
Of the river of Dnipro.
As Ukraine sought to establish.
A bridgehead around.
The village of Krynky.
Krynky has been turned to rubble.
“Several brigades were supposed.
To be posted here.
Not individual companies.
We just don’t have enough men.”
“There are a lot of.
Young guys among us.
We need people.
But trained people.”
“We need people.
But trained people.
Not the green ones.
We have there now.”
“There are guys who had spent.
Just three weeks in training.
And only managed to.
Shoot a few times.”
“It’s a total nightmare.
A year ago.
I wouldn’t have said that.
But now, sorry, I’m fed up.”
“Everyone who wanted to volunteer.
For war came a long time ago.
It’s too hard now to tempt.
People with money.”
“Now we’re getting those who.
Didn’t manage to escape the draft.
You’ll laugh at this, but some of.
Our marines can’t even swim.”
Under relentless ‘orcs’ fire.
A soldier spent several weeks.
On the ‘orcs’-occupied side.
Of the river of Dnipro.
As Ukraine sought to establish.
A bridgehead around.
The village of Krynky.
Krynky has been turned to rubble.
“I got out after getting.
Concussed from a mine.
But one of my colleagues.
Didn’t make it.”
“All that was left of him.
Was his helmet.
I feel like.
I escaped from hell.”
“But the guys.
Who replaced us last time.
Got into even more.
Hell than us.”
“But the next.
Rotation is due.
My time to cross the river.
Again is soon.”
*Because I read “Ukraine war: Soldier tells BBC of front-line ‘hell’” by James Waterhouse on 4 Dec 2023, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
Ukraine war: Soldier tells BBC of front-line ‘hell’ – BBC News
**My friend shows you this poem on the Ukrainian website for their children and others!
Kurama (Japan). «A poet from Krynky» — a poem about war in Ukraine – Мала Сторінка (storinka.org)
Please join them!
