Real war is not fought on the generals' maps, but in dense forests, muddy paths, and landing beaches. Six of the best soldiers from Ukraine have come to repeat a choreography over and over again that, on the next mission, could save their lives. They board a small rubber boat with a silent motor while two comrades cover them on both sides and disembark about 100 meters away. All of them have a direct relationship with the sea. This is a challenging access because this unit usually does not give interviews or allow anyone to see their training. We are privileged for that reason.
They advance silently and communicate through touch, essential when fighting at night. A soldier touches his companion's shoulder and moves a few meters until he kneels again in a shooting position. Then, his companion advances and surpasses the previous one. This repeats over and over so that when the mission becomes complicated and fear plays its cards, at least all this happens robotically.
They are part of the unit that liberated the famous Snake Island from the Russians and some of the islands in the Dnipro River, and invaded the Russian region of Kursk and the oil platforms in the Black Sea. These are not minor objectives. Thanks to regaining control of Snake Island, for example, Ukraine was able to reopen the maritime route that allows exporting cereals from Odesa to the Mediterranean.
They have been fighting together for two years. Their essence is to infiltrate and fight beyond enemy lines to cause the most disruption to the Russian occupier, always in aquatic environments. We spoke with "Naruto," the code name of the commanding officer, who wears a patch of that Japanese comic character.
- Is your job the most challenging in the war?
- The most challenging is being an infantry soldier and enduring what they endure. Drone attacks, aerial bombs, artillery... We have deep respect for every Ukrainian soldier defending their trench on the front line. They die daily.
They carry 56 kilos, the weight of the weapon, combat equipment, first aid kit, and the wet neoprene suit under the 3D camouflage uniform, which in their case simulates fallen leaves. In other words, they must be in top shape to not give in under the weight. They are one of the few units that do not carry the classic AK74 from the Cold War, the son of the Soviet Kalashnikov or AK47, but derivatives of the American M4 with quality telescopic sights, flashlight, silencer, and laser pointer. However, they cannot carry too much ammunition. Sometimes they have had to steal weapons from the enemy when they run out of bullets. Their goal is to hit and run.
- What do you think of the peace with Russia proposed by Donald Trump?
- The problem with that peace is not Zelenski. All Ukrainians want the war to end, but we will not accept those conditions because they imply surrender. That's why we keep fighting. The problem is Russia. We do not trust Vladimir Putin's promises because he will attack us again and again.
In recent weeks, the Trump Administration has pushed Ukraine to the limit to stop defending itself, even cutting off intelligence, arms, and ammunition supplies and even threatening to disconnect the Starlink system that provides internet to the Kiev army. Meanwhile, the Russians have launched the harshest attacks on Ukrainian cities, with hundreds of drones every night. Faced with this situation, soldiers like "Tercero" or "Alemán," two other code names, will not stop fighting: "Trump believes that by toppling Zelenski, he can control Ukraine at will, but he will have to defeat all of us because Ukrainians have already shown that we do not allow ourselves to be dominated and we will not surrender Ukraine to the Russians," says "Alemán."
- What is the most challenging mission you have had to fight in?
- Any mission with casualties. When a comrade is wounded or killed, the entire mission falters because you experience a psychological shock. Keeping calm is difficult. Those are the worst moments. For example, on one of the islands in the Dnipro River, our commander and engineer were injured, and we had to evacuate them amidst crossfire.
- Have you faced your Russian special forces counterparts?
- Yes, several times. They are veteran soldiers and well-trained, like us.
Regular recruitment is not suitable for obtaining members of such a specialized unit, so they always face a shortage of personnel. "Not just anyone is suitable for this. It must be a calm and analytical person who can handle stress. We have encountered people who claimed they could handle uncertainty well and then, in practice, panicked at the first sign," says the one wearing the Naruto patch on the bulletproof vest.
- How does fighting at night in total darkness affect you?
- At night, we move the same as during the day but with more stealth, using physical contact, and the distance between us narrows. We wear night vision goggles to avoid friendly fire. Silence is our advantage, our best weapon.
- Have you heard the enemy up close?
- Definitely. We heard them dining once at 15 meters without them detecting us. Once, we even had to speak to them in Russian in the darkness during an evacuation. They thought we were Russians too. We speak in their language, and that is our advantage. All members of this unit must speak Russian.
Yesterday, Volodymyr Zelenski reiterated his offer of an aerial, energy, and maritime truce to Vladimir Putin, which was not even considered three days ago. It will be difficult to change, as the Russian autocrat still has no incentives or pressure from the US to stop his bombings, only the threat of sanctions issued by Trump.
In recent days, the main opponents of Volodymyr Zelenski have closed ranks with the president against the White House's insistence on pressuring them to call for elections and thus erode Zelenski's figure. Yesterday, it was Poroshenko, his former electoral rival, who reiterated that it is not the time for elections but to be united. On the other hand, General Valery Zelushny, now Ukraine's ambassador to the UK and leading in all polls in Kiev to defeat Zelenski at the polls, posted an image on his X account showing him shaking hands with the President of Ukraine, a clear message of unity at a decisive moment.
Additionally, the latest popularity poll in Ukraine has been published, in which Zelenski has increased from 57% approval to 68%. In other words, he has emerged strengthened from the White House's pressure.