Defiant Irish-Ukranians dig in for battle
IRISH-UKRAINIAN men who left the country to defend Kyiv two weeks ago sent a defiant message to Vladimir Putin’s approaching army as fighting raged outside the Ukrainian capital yesterday.
Stanislav Lepko, a 51-year-old father of two who has lived in Tallanstown, Co. Louth, for 21 years, said Russian plans to encircle and cut off Kyiv would not succeed.
Mr Lepko told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘They tried to do it, but I think they don’t have enough troops and they don’t have enough military tanks to lock that circle around Kyiv.’
Troop leader Maksym Savych, a 23-year-old who was driving a forklift in Co. Laois a few weeks ago, showed the MoS the network of trenches the men have been digging in the last couple of days, as they wait for the Russian advance.
‘We’re expecting a bit of increasing activity around,’ he said. ‘That’s why we’re digging trenches – to be ready.’
Mr Savych, who was assigned leadership duties due to his experience fighting with the Ukrainian army in the Donbas region before moving to Ireland, said he expects enemy fire ‘soon’.
Their troop of around 45 men are patrolling a village east of Kyiv, where local people have been putting them up and feeding them. ‘They’re feeding us well,’ said Mr Lepko. ‘They bring hot food, tea, coffee, biscuits, sweets.’
Some of the volunteers went on a reconnaissance mission to a nearby enemy base on Friday.
‘Myself and a few lads went close to that village to see what’s the story – where exactly those
Russian troops are based, see what was happening,’ he said.
‘We went to that place and tried to be as quiet as possible. We were walking for about four or five hours. The task was just watching what’s happening down in the village, to know – if we’re going to attack that village – exactly where the Russian troops are based, to know the best route, the best strategy.’
In a video message to the MoS on Friday, Mr Lepko was upbeat as he described the trench system his troop was working on.
‘The weather keeps us working hard, because otherwise we’re going to freeze here,’ he said.
During another call Mr Lepko said the best way Irish people could help was by ‘looking after all those Ukrainian refugees that are already in Ireland. I know how good Irish people are, they’ll be looking after everyone. And obviously, raise the voice politically’.