The Great Bluff How the Ukrainians Outwitted Putin's Army
Russia's army was thought to be vastly superior. But Ukraine has
nevertheless managed to secure an almost unbelievable coup, taking back
huge swaths of territory in the northeast. Can Ukraine actually win?
Alexander Sarovic was in touch with Ukrainian special forces for months.
The DER SPIEGEL reporter wanted to know if it would be possible to
accompany the troops to the front. At the beginning of the week, Sarovic
was finally able to meet up with the unit in southern Ukraine, together
with photographer Maxim Dondyuk. They slept on cots in a farmer's home
with an outhouse that had been repurposed as a base of operations. When
Russian Su-25 fighter-bombers flew sorties nearby, the reporters weren't
the only ones to grow nervous – the soldiers did too.
