Ukraine military unit says it's ready for a Russian advance

(6 Aug 2022) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Sloviansk – 5 August 2022 1. Various of soldiers walking 2. Various of soldiers moving wood and logs and fortificating trenches 3. Close of covered trench shelter 4. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Col. Yurii Bereza, commander of Dnipro 1 regiment: "The main reason why it`s quiet now is the weather. It`s possible to shell (for enemy) only from asphalt road. And in case if they (enemy) will move off-road, they will get stuck in mud and will be destroyed. It`s quiet because they are afraid. In two or three days the soil will be dried and fighting will be renewed." 5. Close of steps down to trench 6. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Col. Yurii Bereza, commander of Dnipro 1 regiment: "There were shellings on Sloviansk every day. But due to new weapons that we`ve got from West, particularly HIMARS, 777 (hauwitzers) equalised our chances. Before in answer on our one shot they made 50 shots. As for today we have ratios of one to five or one to four shots." 7. Close of walkie-talkie and mobile phones 8. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Col. Yurii Bereza, commander of Dnipro 1 regiment: "We are coming into positions to control entrance to this direction (referring to Sloviansk and Bakhmut). That`s why it`s important that we are digging deeper now, we are setting mines, we are preparing for (attack). I don`t believe, of course, that Bakhmut will fall down. But in case if it will fall down, we need to counter attack our enemy on suitable level. So we strength our defense line all the time without break even for one day." ASSOCIATED PRESS Donetsk region, Ukraine – 3 August 2022 9. Ukrainian servicemen digging sand and filling bags with sand 10. Various of sand bags being filled and positioned 11. Close of automatic guns and ammunition in front of sand bags STORYLINE: Ukrainian military personnel are fortifying their positions around the eastern city of Sloviansk in expectation of a fresh Russian attempt to seize the strategic point in the fiercely fought-over Donetsk region. As heavy ground fighting continues on the front line only miles to the east, southeast and north of Sloviansk, members of the Dnipro-1 Regiment are digging in after a week of relative calm. The last Russian strike on the city occurred on July 30. While the lull provided Sloviansk's remaining residents a reprieve after regular shellings between April and July, some unit members say it could be a prelude to renewed attacks. Col. Yurii Bereza, the head of the volunteer national guard regiment, told The Associated Press on Friday that fighting was expected. Sloviansk is considered a strategic target in Moscow’s ambitions to seize all of Donetsk province, a largely Russian-speaking area in eastern Ukraine where Russian forces and pro-Moscow separatists control about 60% of the territory. Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk province, which Russia has almost entirely captured since Ukrainian forces withdrew in early July from the remaining cities under their control, together make up the industrial Donbas region. The separatists have claimed the region as two independent republics since 2014, and Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized their sovereignty before he sent troops into Ukraine. Seizing Sloviansk would put more of the region under Russian control, but it also would be a symbolic victory for Moscow. The city was the first to be taken by the separatists during an outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine in 2014, though it was later brought back under Ukrainian control. “In two or three days, when it dries out, they will proceed,” he said. Video shot by Inna Varenytsia Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   #ukrainewar #ukrainecrisis #war You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...