According to Novaya Gazeta Europe special correspondent Dmitry Durnev, the Ukrainian army is undergoing a generational shift that is not obvious from the outside: officer posts are increasingly being filled by men aged 35 to 38 who entered the war after 2014 as rank-and-file soldiers, often after receiving civilian higher education. One of them is a major from the 56th Separate Mariupol Motorized Infantry Brigade with the call sign “Dolphin”, whom the reporter met at positions near Kramatorsk.
The battalion’s command post is located in an underground complex that, the officer said, took four and a half months to build starting in July of last year, using shovels and small Caterpillar tractors. From there, the straight-line distance to Russian forces, excluding logistics routes, is less than nine kilometers. “Dolphin” said pressure on the Kramatorsk area has intensified sharply in recent months: FPV drones have become routine, and guided aerial bombs are being used with exceptional intensity. He cited one hour in which up to 12 glide bombs were launched at the area in an apparent effort to destroy logistics routes.
The officer said supplying Ukrainian positions has become extremely difficult: any visible activity is quickly detected, after which drones, artillery, or aircraft strike the spot. According to him, ground robotic systems can deliver only 70 to 80 kilograms of cargo to one position, while moving everything needed by air is impossible, especially fuel.
“And I think Donbas is the final stop for us,” “Dolphin” said, recalling the words of his father, who also served in the military.
The major said he was born in Voronezh, grew up in a Ukrainian military family, and has served in reconnaissance, assault units, and infantry. He also previously commanded one of the first separate assault battalions called “Shkval”, formed from former prisoners. He said those fighters were initially driven primarily by a desire to fight, and that they were trained by instructors from the Azov Regiment, the Wolves of Da Vinci battalion, and the Third Assault Brigade.
Speaking about the defense of Kramatorsk, the officer said the approaches to the city are prepared, although weather and bombardment have deformed parts of the fortifications. He added that he sees no logic in surrendering the city. In his assessment, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk remain the last two major cities in the region with functioning civilian infrastructure, which gives Kramatorsk particular strategic importance.