Ukrainian troops hold frontline position for 224 days despite repeated Russian attacks

The brigade reported the development on its official Facebook page, while journalist Yurii Butusov shared additional details.

The soldiers took up their positions on Aug. 9, 2025. “They started hitting us immediately on the first day, about 30 minutes after we replaced the previous group. They probably used around 40 FPV drones on us,” said the youngest serviceman, a 21-year-old soldier with the call sign Zhyd.

He held the line alongside two comrades — Kenia, 42, and Blondyn, 35. The soldiers said the winter months were especially difficult, though trench candles and warm clothing delivered by drone from fellow troops helped them endure.

Over the course of their deployment, the fighters reported killing dozens of Russian troops. Close-quarters combat occurred primarily during poor weather conditions, such as fog and rain, when Russian forces advanced to within close range of Ukrainian infantry. Zhyd, Kenia, and Blondyn survived several such encounters and said they eliminated enemy troops in those engagements.

Several attempts were made to rotate the three सैनिक out of their позиции, but each time Russian forces disrupted the process. The troops were finally relieved on March 20, 2026, with Blondyn noting that weather conditions played a key role in enabling the rotation.