A Ukrainian mother has told how her children “still have nightmares” after seeing local troops being burned alive when their tank was shelled by pro-Russian separatists.
Viktoria, 39, was sheltering her three children when Ukraine forces stormed their village near Donetsk to take it back from separatist rebels in 2017.
As the Ukraine soldiers launched an armoured attack near their two-room cottage, the partisans hit the tank with shells and the troops died a grisly death.
She spoke to the Sunday Mirror as just half a mile away Ukraine troops prepared to defend against a Russian invasion by around 175,000 soldiers.
The crisis is now critical after Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted no neighbouring country can join NATO – a demand that has been rebuffed by US President Joe Biden.
Housewife Viktoria lives with her husband Sacha, 48, and their children Anastasia, 18, Ely, 11, and Sergei, five, half a mile from the front line.
Asked about a looming Russian invasion Viktoria, who did not want to reveal her surname, says: “All we want is an end to this war. We want peace. We do not want Russian forces here.”
The trench stand-off between Russian and Ukrainian forces was established after post-Maidan revolution fighting between 2014 and 2017.
Separatists controlling the village were driven back behind Russian lines by the Ukraine military but many of the latter died in the battle four years ago.
Viktoria said: “Anastasia has nightmares as she saw it all happen through the window and was old enough to understand they were being burned. I told the children not to look and tried to comfort them, telling them the noise of explosions and shouting was just thunder to try to calm them. It was absolutely terrifying but I can’t change what they saw.
“Anastasia still has terrible memories of it.”
Her children, whose twin cousins Anya and Nikka, 13, are visiting, rarely play outside as it is near the front line. Sacha works at a factory and Anastasia at a food shop.
The village is occasionally shelled by Russian forces, who have gradually filled out numbers, also manned by separatists and Chechen mercenaries.
Some 100,000 to 150,000 Ukrainian troops are bracing for a Russian invasion along the 250-mile front line.
Up to 14,000 have died here since 2014 but there are fears Putin will enter a deeper conflict by ordering 175,000 troops to storm Ukraine.
British Paras have practised dropping into Ukraine with local forces but last night Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said UK boots on the ground are “unlikely.” However we understand UK special forces will be based around Ukraine as advisers if Russia invades.
Mr Wallace told The Spectator that Ukraine “is not a member of Nato so it is highly unlikely anyone is going to send troops into Ukraine to challenge Russia”. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned Putin there will be “significant consequences” if Russia invades.
But the Kremlin has denied preparing an invasion and accuses Kiev of stoking tensions by deploying new weapons.
The two countries have been at odds since 2014 when Russian forces annexed the Crimean peninsula.
Russia could invade Ukraine by Christmas
Intelligence chiefs have warned the Government that there is a “very real possibility” Russia could invade Ukraine on Christmas Eve, writes Sean Rayment
The move would be on the 42nd anniversary of the ill-fated Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Russia’s force consists of thousands of ground troops, tanks, attack helicopters, artillery and anti-aircraft regiments and logistical support.
It had been feared Russia could invade in the new year but latest intelligence suggests it could be as soon as Christmas Eve. Any military action against Ukraine will seriously destabilise central Europe. The UK and the US have warned Vladimir Putin of serious consequences.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “We are doing the best diplomatically to say to Putin, ‘Don’t do this’.” He said deep and serious economic sanctions with long-lasting implications were being threatened.
Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British troops in Afghanistan, said: “The most likely option is diplomatic and economic sanctions.” The Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office did not comment.
