see url:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/12/europe/ukraine-zelensky-front-lines/index.html
see full article...
Quote<<<
On the front lines in eastern Ukraine (CNN)Ankle-deep in thick black
sludge, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky moves stealthily with his
troops in single file through the warren of trenches and tunnels that
form the tense front lines in the east of his country.
It feels more like the early 20th century than a modern conflict, with
tired, nervous soldiers gripping their rifles around him as they reach
open ground, scanning the area for movement across no-mans-land.
They know snipers, likely trained by Russians, say Ukrainian officials
are looking for a chance to fire. More than 20 of their comrades have
been gunned down already this year.
It's eerily quiet with an occasional crack of a gunshot in the distance
shattering the calm, keeping everybody on edge.
This area near Mariupol is a risky place for the President of a country
to visit, but that doesn't stop Zelensky who granted CNN unprecedented
access to his trip to the front lines, where he insists on going to the
most forward positions.
"If I visit a military base, the guys at the very front will hear about
it and think I forgot about them," Zelensky told CNN in exclusive
comments over two days. "They need to know they have political support."
Zelensky, strapped into a camouflage flak jacket and helmet, has to
sprint across the open ground with his presidential security to reach
the trench cover.
With Russian troops massing on their side of the border with Ukraine,
the US and its NATO allies declared political and military backing for
Ukraine. Zelensky urged them to bolster their support.
>>>End of Quote
