marking the settlement as Russian-occupied on their map “This information is not being confirmed by data from the [positions],” said Viktor Trekhubov a spokesperson for “Khortytsia” group of forces that operates in that area of the frontline Trebuhov said he doesn’t understand where the claims of taking Lozova are coming from noting there haven’t been reports of serious fighting in the area.  Gwara Media couldn’t verify the situation in Lozova independently.  At the end of December, Institute for the Study of War reported that Russian troops captured Lozova and Berestove on the Kupiansk axis, based on geolocation data, but a spokesman for “Khortytsia” refuted these claims.  Subscribe to news from Kharkiv, UkraineMost important stories from the frontline region Google Facebook Or Register from Google Register from Facebook Or Website materials are permitted only with an active link to “GWARA MEDIA,” not lower than the third paragraph The use of digital platform content is allowed with textual attribution Content for documentary films and integrated products is permitted The site was modernized with the support of the European Endowment for Democracy in 2023 ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Russia said Sunday it had captured two more villages in east Ukraine the latest territorial gains for Moscow's advancing army The defense ministry said on Telegram that its troops had "liberated" the villages of Lozova in the northeastern Kharkiv region and Krasnoye — called Sontsivka in Ukraine The latter is close to the resource hub of Kurakhove which Russia has almost encircled and would be a key prize for Moscow's attempt to capture the entire Donetsk region Russia has accelerated its advance across eastern Ukraine in recent months looking to secure as much territory as possible before U.S President-elect Donald Trump comes to power in January The Republican has promised to bring a swift end to the nearly three-year conflict without proposing any concrete terms for a ceasefire or peace deal Moscow's army claims to have seized more than 190 Ukrainian settlements this year with Kyiv struggling to hold the line in the face of manpower and ammunition shortages Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help please support us monthly starting from just $2 and every contribution makes a significant impact independent journalism in the face of repression municipalities are under immense pressure to address immediate needs while planning for sustainable recovery one of the most pressing challenges is to modernise its ageing water supply and wastewater systems With support from a capacity building program organised by Stockholm University and Ro3kvit Urban Coalition and through a feasibility study funded by Swedfund the Swedish development finance institution (DFI) Lozova is now underway to develop a roadmap for sustainable and energy-efficient infrastructure improvements The collaboration between the parties was initiated during the Rethinking Cities in Ukraine conference in Stockholm where Ukrainian municipalities met with international experts and stakeholders to discuss strategies for rebuilding war-affected communities The conference was the culmination of a six-month capacity building programme organised by Stockholm Business School Stockholm University and the Ro3kvit Urban Coalition with funding from the Swedish Institute's Public Sector Innovation Programme The program was specially designed for decision makers in war affected municipalities near the frontline and focused on strategic urban planning for reconstruction projects Lozova representatives presented their infrastructure challenges which corresponds with Swedfund's mission and scope to support sustainable public sector projects who initiated the Rethinking Cities in Ukraine programme emphasised the importance of making connections: The programme was designed to provide Ukrainian municipalities with the knowledge and partnerships they need to tackle their reconstruction challenges The cooperation between Lozova and Swedfund is a good example of how such initiatives can lead to effective and tangible results Lozova's water infrastructure is at a critical juncture The city relies on a 33 km aqueduct from the Krasnopavlivka reservoir which is energy-intensive and prone to breakdowns Mayor Sergiy Zelensky stressed the urgency of the situation: - "Our community has been severely damaged by the war and our water systems are fragile Tens of thousands of people depend on this infrastructure Swedfund's feasibility study is an important step towards ensuring reliable and sustainable solutions." The study will evaluate options for modernising the water supply and wastewater systems lowering maintenance costs and protecting water resources the study will also help Lozova to access donor funding for implementation Swedfund's Project Accelerator facility helps municipalities prepare and plan projects that meet international funding requirements and align with EU standards Sophie Taintor from Swedfund's Project Accelerator team explained the practical importance of the work: - "The feasibility study will not only assess and prioritise the modernisation needs of Lozova's water infrastructure but also align the project with international funding requirements This is a crucial step in securing funding and delivering sustainable solutions that meet the needs of the community." The project is a joint effort between Lozova's local government It is an example of how partnerships can address immediate challenges while creating opportunities for long-term recovery Mayor Sergiy Zelensky expressed his gratitude for the international support: - "International partnerships such as the one with Swedfund are essential They allow us to strategically address critical issues and attract further investment to ensure sustainable development." The feasibility study for Lozova's water infrastructure highlights the importance of combining local needs with international expertise Programmes such as Rethinking Cities in Ukraine show how municipalities can use Swedish partnerships with academia technical experts and development finance to effectively address the challenges of reconstruction who participated in the Rethinking Cities in Ukraine program described its impact: - "Participation in the "Rethinking Cities in Ukraine" program for six months changed our worldview in the community's vision and gave us a lot of tools to address issues of spatial development Participation in the program and the Stockholm Conference in April last year opened up opportunities for us to cooperate with Swedish partners on critical issues of the Lozova community we had an online meeting with representatives of Swedfund on water supply and sewerage Now cooperation is taking place at the level of information exchange and conditions of joint cooperation." projects like this are important steps in building resilience ensuring essential services and promoting sustainable growth for Ukraine's communities A new round of capacity building is now under way with five additional Ukrainian municipalities participating in the Rethinking Cities in Ukraine program supported by new funding from the Swedish Institute and offering opportunities for collaboration with the Swedfund Project Accelerator to move forward with strategic and urgent reconstruction projects as the country faces key debates over social policy and national security that could shape its political trajectory The annual report said Russia is using aggressive tactics such as unauthorized airspace incursions and close encounters with NATO ships and aircraft including Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones located about 70 kilometers northwest of Donetsk remains one of the most fiercely contested sectors of the front where Russia has concentrated its main offensive efforts since March  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 11:41 am)Ukraine's drones target Moscow second night in a row, Russian official claims, ahead of Victory Day parade. Debris from one of the drones reportedly fell on the Kashirskoye Highway The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." Vice President Mike Pence said Putin "only understands power." About 800 million euros ($905 million) will be allocated for the acquisition and installation of anti-tank mines to deter potential aggression  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 9:36 am)War analysisFrance is sending Ukraine more AASM Hammer bombs — here's what they can do Polish President Andrzej Duda said the United States has tools that can effectively influence the Kremlin arguing that only President Donald Trump has real leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin The number includes 1,430 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day "To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement" by Benjamin Nathans which covers dissent in the Soviet Union and Russia today Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on May 5 announced they had facilitated Russian journalist Ekaterina Barabash's escape from Russia to France after she fled house arrest on April 21 A Russian drone attack on Odesa Oblast on May 5 killed one and caused damage to local infrastructure by Boldizsar GyoriUkrainian military personnel fire artillery on the front line as the Russia's war against Ukraine continues in Kharkiv Oblast (Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)A military spokesperson on Jan 7 denied reports of Russia taking the village of Lozova in Kharkiv Oblast saying there had not even been any "serious clashes" in the area at the time Located in Ukraine's northeast, Lozova lies near the administrative borders with Luhansk Oblast and around 30 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of the front-line town of Kupiansk. The crowdsourced war-monitoring DeepState map showed that the Russian military recently took the village The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims "It's hard for me to determine where the information about its capture came from. The information (coming in) from that place is contradictory. There is not even information about serious clashes there as of now," Khortytsia group of forces spokesperson Viktor Trehubov said on national television DeepState is an independent mapping project with close ties to the Defense Ministry. It is widely trusted as one of the most reliable sources of accurate information on territorial changes along the front line As Ukraine ended 2024 with an unsolved manpower shortage and setbacks in several key battles Russian units are gaining ground incrementally in Ukraine's east reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets Russia claimed on Sunday that it took control of two more settlements in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Kharkiv regions where Moscow reportedly continues its advances along the front line A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces captured the village of Lozova located about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) southeast of the city of Kupiansk a major front in Moscow's offensive in the Kharkiv region The statement further claimed that Russian forces also took control of the village of Sontsivka located about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) northwest of the city of Kurakhove a key Ukrainian stronghold in the Donetsk region and the site of a thermal power plant The village is also located about 26 kilometers (16.1 miles) south of the city of Pokrovsk Russia has frequently reported gains in recent months as it continues its offensive in Donetsk with the area around Pokrovsk and Kurakhove seeing heightened military activity Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the claims and independent verification of Russia’s claims is difficult due to the ongoing war.​​​​​​​ The National Ballet of Ukraine is on a major U.S tour; the dancers' mission is to show that Ukrainian culture perseveres despite the ongoing Russian attacks on their country Organizers say that a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will go toward building bomb shelters in Ukrainian schools For the U.S. tour, the company has paired with Shumka a Ukrainian folk dance group based in Canada The ballet is performing a selection of pieces from such classics as Don Quixote and Giselle but also performing dances that are more specific to Ukraine the National Ballet of Ukraine is using 3D technology Audience members wear 3D glasses — they’re told when to put them on — to watch immersive images projected onto massive screens behind the dancers A piece called Prayer for the Fallen transports the audience to war-ravaged Ukraine The dancers appear to be surrounded by bombed-out buildings and smoldering streets Prayer for the Fallen was an emotional moment She saw the company at its first stop at The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington “It has to remind people that [the war] is still going and that they have endured and that they will endure and that we still have to keep fighting for freedom at any cost,” said Veres <em>Prayer for the Fallen</em> transports the audience to war-ravaged Ukraine Another more Ukraine-specific piece is Forest Song It’s a mythical story based on a work by Ukrainian writer Lesya Ukrainka and set to music by Ukrainian composer Mykhailo Skorulsky the images of the forest evolve from lush green in spring to falling white snow in winter unbelievable nature and beauty,” said Tetiana Lozova who performs the spring duet with her husband Lozova and Tkachuk are both principal soloists with the National Ballet of Ukraine and have been named “Honored Artists of Ukraine” by the government they have three young children from previous marriages Lozova said it’s hard to be away from her 9-year-old daughter right now even though she feels a responsibility to represent her country The National Ballet of Ukraine's principal soloists Tetiana Lozova and Yaroslav Tkachuk are a married couple performing <em>Forest Song</em> on the company's current U.S we worry about our children and relatives more than if we were there I feel safer when I can hold my daughter if there’s a missile attack Artists are among those on the front lines of the war. Prominent dancer Oleksandr Shapoval was killed two years ago while fighting in the Donetsk region Despite Russian missile attacks on Kyiv, The National Ballet of Ukraine has continued performances at the Taras Shevchenko National Opera House though for reduced audiences of about 400 people because that’s about the capacity of the theater’s bomb shelter Tkachuk says knowing the conditions Ukrainian soldiers are facing on the front lines strengthens the company’s resolve ”I think of our soldiers who are now on the front lines and this inspires us to preserve our culture the same way as they’re preserving us.” who was in the audience at The Kennedy Center “They’re so hard working and so deserving of all our help Jennifer Vanasco edited the audio and digital versions of this story Tags: Performing Arts, Culture, News, Europe, World, Home Page Top Stories Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now The Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Group of Troops has no information regarding the enemy's occupation of Lozova in the Kupiansk direction states a spokesperson of the Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Group of Troops it’s hard for me to say where the information about its capture comes from there isn’t even any information about serious clashes there," he stated On the night of January 7, the OSINT project DeepState reported that Russian forces had occupied the settlements of Lozova and Shevchenko Photo: map of the frontline (deepstate.com) According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 218 battles took place along the frontline on January 6 Ukrainian forces repelled three attacks in the Kharkiv direction and four in the Kupiansk direction Yesterday, the enemy attempted to destroy a crossing from the left bank of the Oskil River to the right bank complicating evacuation efforts and the delivery of humanitarian aid the enemy recently tried to storm Defense Forces' positions during adverse weather conditions to expand its foothold on the left bank of the Oskil River This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page the youngest daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin (72) who disappeared shortly after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine British media reported on the 28th (local time) the woman uses the name "Luiza Lozova" or "Elizabetha Olegnova Rudnova." The date of birth on the birth certificate is March 3 According to a report by Ukrainian media Ukrainska Prouda Lozova used the name "Elizabetha" in Paris and took three subjects for three years from 2020 at ICART a three-year private university in culture and arts management Rozova was active on social media as a teenager posting dancing videos on Instagram and other sites but she deleted or took her account private after Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022 Rozova said in the clubhouse that she purposely didn't watch the news and talk to my friends about the latest gossip." Louisa's mother is Svetlana Alexandrovna Krivonogich Krivonogich graduated from the Department of International Economics at the National University of St Petersburg in 2000 and was once hard enough to work as a cleaner "Elizabetta Olegnova Rudnova" is believed to be named after Oleg Rudnov (1948-2015) "Olegnova" means "Oleg's daughter" in Russian It is also possible that Putin used Rudnov's name to make Louisa's identification documents Neither Putin himself nor the Kremlin authorities have publicly commented on Putin's children Putin has only ever said that he has a grandchild or granddaughter Putin married linguist Lyudmila Alexandrovna in 1983 and announced she was divorcing in 2013 before completing the divorce process in 2014 There have been several reports that Putin has had children out of wedlock with Olympic gold medalist Alina Kabayeva (41) The most widely known theory is that they gave birth to sons in 2015 and 2019 but some say they are daughters and twin sons ※ This service is provided by machine translation tool Towns and villages of the Kharkiv Oblast come under massive Russian artillery shelling and air strikes often even more so since Russia launched a new ground offensive north and northeast of the region in the Vovchansk and Lyptsi directions in May Oleksandr Hololobov, head of the Mala Danylivka community, said that the Russians hit a civilian building, damaging a power line. Russia attacks Kharkiv and the surrounding region often because of its proximity to the border and the frontline when Moscow’s new ground offensive from the north started Russia’s attack on industrial objects in the Kholodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv injured nine people damaging buildings and enterprise facilities and blowing out windows in nearby high-rise residential buildings Russia also hit a plant in Lozova on May 24 one person killed in a missile strike was documented and two were found under the rubble during the rescue operation) and injuring four During morning attacks on the region, Russia attacked the landscape park in the Kharkiv suburbs (see Gwara’s photo story from the impact site here) and damaged an office building of Geneva NGO, FSD, that specializes in demining. May 19 — Russia hit a recreation center in Cherkaska Lozova The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported on the updated death toll.  The first Russian missile hit the village at 11:00 a.m. the second — 10-15 minutes after medics and police arrived Double-tap strike is a known Russian tactic aimed to injure or kill first responders arriving at the impact site of a first missile to help.  law enforcement agencies have identified three dead people reported the head of police in Kharkiv Oblast Among the people killed in a double-tap was a 7-month pregnant woman.  All people injured in an attack are currently hospitalized Eight of them have severe injuries; they are in the intensive care unit.  Tymoshko said there hadn’t been any military objects in a recreation center since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion “The Russian army hit the center when people were resting.” Every injured and dead in an attack is a civilian.  Russian attacks on Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region have become more frequent since Russia launched a new offensive north and northeast of the region in Vovchansk and Lyptsi directions on May 10.  One of the recreation center’s visitors told Gwara Media that he left the center half an hour before the attack to take care of an errand The Russian attack killed his daughter and two friends His father-in-law and another acquaintance are hospitalized.  she and her husband went to hide in a basement and then the ambulance arrived and took him.  “Nadia said she applied tourniquets to both his hands and his leg “Let’s go there [to the recreation center] I said we shouldn’t because a second explosion might happen,” Liubov said.  was killed in a strike at Cherkaska Lozova Valentina told GM that Mykola went for a walk She managed to reach the gates of her house before the second strike “I was cut a bit after the second explosion I walked down a street and saw him lying there,” Valentina said Preliminary findings of the investigation show Cherkaska Lozova was hit with Iskander-M missiles reports Kharkiv regional Prosecutor’s Office.  On May 19, Russia also hit the Kharkiv Central Park and a local cemetery with glide bombs One woman had an acute stress reaction after the attack.  Photo credits: An aftermath of Russian double-tap strike on a recreation center in a village in Kharkiv suburbs on May 19 Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Russian army conducted an air strike in the area of Ruska Lozova in Kharkiv district The adversary carried out mortar and artillery attacks on the settlements of Veterynarne Berestove in Kharkiv Region came under artillery and mortar fire Russian occupants shelled frontline and border settlements in Kharkiv Izyum and Kupyansk districts of the region yesterday the enemy launched a missile attack from the S-300 system on the city of Chuhuiv Residential buildings nearby and cars were damaged As a result of shelling from Uragan MLRS in Kurylivka village The victim was hospitalized in a serious condition Three civilian men, aged 45, 48 and 57, were killed in the village of Vovchanski Khutory A private house and outbuildings were damaged in Kolodyazne village of Kupyansk district The shelling of the village of Zelenyi Hai in Izium district damaged the building of a pumping station Mine clearance works are ongoing. State Emergency Service pyrotechnics inspected more than 6 hectares of territory and defused 93 explosives. UKRAINE – Here in the Eastern Ukrainian city of Lozova which has been attacked non-stop for the last few days Many people have family or friends in Kharkiv and are texting them every couple of hours There is a lot of fake reports on social media saying that neighborhoods in our cities are being attacked but the Ukrainian government records videos every day explaining the current situation Russian media outlets are definitely fake – they don’t even use the word “war” and citizens cannot learn the truth from them People are worried about supplies of food and medicine but there are volunteer groups who are helping and there has been panicked buying of food Many shelves in the big grocery store are empty Residents are lining up to get cash from their banks in case their credit or debit cards are blocked People here are not starving but in general are feeling stressed The people of Lozova can often hear sirens because they turn on every time Kharkiv is being attacked people here wonder whether it is Kharkiv or Lozova this time Tanya Tkachenko is a Junior Reporter with Youth Journalism International I want to spread the word about the current situation in my country I’m feeling scared because I see the news about people out there dying I’m still processing that it is actually in Ukraine I’m angry because I see people from my generation from other countries on social media not realizing what the war is There are people on Instagram and TikTok who mostly joke about the war Even though we Ukrainians joke sometimes too it still feels like they don’t know the limits to this kind of ‘humor.’ We watch lots of Russian bloggers on YouTube and social media when we are in a situation where we need support they are too afraid of their government to say anything publicly but a lot of my international friends show great support “This incredibly important, worthwhile organization should be supported by everyone who cares about quality, ethical journalism.” — Nat Hentoff, First Amendment expert, in 2016 Consider making a recurring monthly donation Youth Journalism International / 30 Taylor St All donations in the USA are tax-deductible – This year’s top honors in Youth Journalism.. Pope Francis admonished us to humility and simplicity You can find Youth Journalism International on Facebook Copyright © 2025 Youth Journalism International | Crafted by Cornershop , A high-speed disc from Ukraine suits prairie conditions because the farmland is similar High-speed discs have caught on in the last decade caused by speed and the violent work expected of the machine One of the latest high-speed discs to enter the Canadian prairie market is the Lozova Ducat from Ukraine The Ukrainian heritage of this drill should come as no surprise for several reasons: company develops a trait that it says provides genetic resistance to sclerotinia • Most of Ukraine’s cropland is like cropland on the Canadian prairies • Ukrainian’s ag implement industry is innovative like the ag industry sector is in Western Canada • Bearing failure and bearing maintenance cost real money That’s why Rus Douglas imported Lozova Ducat high-speed disc from Ukraine “Bearings are the main reason we’re import ing these drills Lozova bearings will outlast any other bearing on the market,” he said owns R & D Sales and Service in Wadena He said about 50 of the heavy-duty disks have been imported in the four years Ducat has been available in Canada “Farmers really don’t like maintaining bearings in the off season or fixing bearings when they fail while they’re working The Lozova company was building bearings for 100 years before they turned their attention to agricultural implements “Bearings in their high-speed disc are the same as bearings installed on high-speed trains in Europe Some of those trains run at 200 km-h and those bearing carry a one million kilometer warranty Lozova reduced the size of that same bearing and installs it in their Ducat disc cultivator “It will outlast any bearing you typically see in agriculture Douglas said the 22-inch notched blades seem to have a long lifetime The frame folds up into a nine-foot-wide transit package He orders all units with heavy duty rolling baskets The back row cuts down the middle where the front disc row didn’t cut He said a farmer who wants the advantages of the Lozova system but doesn’t want to buy a whole new machine could buy individual Lozova shank units and install them on an existing four-inch box tube the company has individual components priced high because they have trouble serving their own supply chain Early bird buyer — James Akrigg has three growing seasons on his 20-foot Ducat He said there’s been no problems and very little disc wear after 5,000 acres “I like the idea of no maintenance bearings I was always breaking shafts and replacing bearings,” Akrigg said I need to have that machine always ready to go because I have no other means to control weeds “I go four inches deep when I’m breaking pasture War sucks — Douglas reports that the main Lozova factory is still building bearings The plant that builds hydraulic cylinders is also shut down But the main plant located 200 kilometres to the west remains busy for now Douglas said they are to run in full production mode but there are many shutdowns because of intermittent power outages “The way it goes now is cultivators are taken by truck as far as the Black Sea Then the load is transferred to ships whatever destination it’s consigned we already have a new 40-foot Ducat on order and on the way That’s a full load for a 40-foot container ron.lyseng@producer.com Newsletter Sign Up - Receive free Western Producer newsletters Breaking ag news stories and commodities markets snapshots delivered daily right to your inbox Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" John Deere partners in women's clothing line May contract talks alarm sugar beet growers Keep it Clean flags new 2025 farm chemical risks Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | © 2025, Western Producer Publications Limited Partnership "(Required)" indicates required fields Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Kim Sengupta visits a liberated flashpoint near Kharkiv that Putin’s forces won’t give up without ‘a hard and long fight’ Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Kim Sengupta visits a liberated flashpoint near Kharkiv that Putin’s forces won’t give up without ‘a hard and long fight’ I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The first mortar rounds are outgoing, aimed at Russian forces beyond a ridge. But the ones that follow are incoming, heading for Ukrainian positions, and land near the troops in their base. The exchanges take place at Ruska Lozova, a village set in a landscape of woodland, valleys, streams and fields, which was officially liberated at the end of last month by Ukrainian troops, driving away the Russian forces that had laid siege to nearby Kharkiv. It is just six miles north of the city, and the presence of Russian forces here, with tanks, artillery and air support, is an illustration of the fragmented front line here in the northeast of Ukraine. The highway from Kharkiv is pitted with holes from artillery and airstrikes, and strewn with spent cartridges and shell casings. The grass verges on both sides are mined, so drivers have to ensure they do not stray from the centre of the road. The motive behind Russia’s determination to maintain a presence in this area is to try to ensure that its supply lines are kept open to Izium, a town being fought over in an attempt to cut off Ukrainian troops in the Donbas – the Kremlin’s new focus for its military action after the failure of Russian forces to capture cities such as Kyiv and Kharkiv. “That was quite close... they are not so far away,” says commander Vsevolod Kozhemyako, as another mortar round lands near the wrecked industrial premises that have become the base for his unit. “We have had regular shelling here. The Russians are well dug in; they are desperate to block us from breaking through – if we break through then their routes to Izium are in danger. So this is turning into quite a hard and long fight.” The Khartia volunteer battalion, alongside a detachment of Ukraine’s National Guard, recaptured the village in April. But the Russians remain here in force. Three Ukrainian soldiers were killed last week, and a number were wounded. The Russians have suffered dozens of casualties, say the Ukrainians. The base was used by the Russians before the area changed hands. “It was absolutely filthy. We really had to clean it up and secure it properly. And then the challenge was to make sure they did not get it back,” says Commander Kozhemyako. “The scale of attacks from the very beginning showed just how much they wanted to drive us out... how much value they put on this place.” The fighting has spread to adjoining areas, resulting in widespread destruction, including of an internationally renowned plant-gene research facility in the village of Pytomnik, which contained 160,000 varieties of plant seed. It was reportedly hit by a Russian missile. Ukrainian officials have described what happened as “deliberate ecological vandalism”. The Russians have held the high ground over the Ruska Lozova base, providing effective vantage points for artillery barrages. Attacks have also continued to come from tanks and from the air, both from drones and from helicopter-gunships. The Ukrainians have placed anti-aircraft artillery in the village; the Khartia battalion base holds a supply of anti-tank missiles, including British-supplied N-LAWs. Advanced weaponry has been deployed around the village by the Russians. Ukrainian forces say they captured a T-90M, Russia’s main type of battle tank, last week, alongside other armour. Sorties are being carried out by Mi-28 “Havoc” gunships and Orlan-10 drones. Electronic warfare equipment is also in use: the Ukrainian forces are extremely wary, with good reason, of their communications being breached. However, troops from the separatist “Luhansk People’s Republic” are not so well armed, say the Ukrainians. Some were found to be using bolt-action Mosin-Nagant rifles that were first developed in the last century, and wearing body armour that offers little protection. “They are not boys, but men, and well experienced if they have been fighting for the last eight years,” says Kozhemyako. “Some had good weapons, but others were actually using old Mosin rifles, believe it or not. Many of them said they were dragged off to their army to come and fight; who knows whether they were telling the truth. “The Russians throw these soldiers forward – they don’t seem to care about the losses. They are relying on force of numbers. These guys are being sacrificed, they are getting killed. They are meat for the grinder.” More mortar rounds land nearby, then a faint whistle of a missile fades in the fields behind before landing somewhere with a distant thump. Such attacks were incessant in the first days after the position was taken over. “They were trying to find range, and the shelling would come very near, go back, and then come near again. It was very worrying,” says Kozhemyako. Khartia is one of the volunteer battalions that have proved their worth on the front line in this conflict. Although they get weapons from the government, the bulk of their activities are self-financed. Kozhemyako, a businessman before the war, lives abroad with his family. Two days after the war began, he abandoned a skiing holiday to get back to his homeland. “I was coming into Ukraine as thousands of people were leaving. Elderly people, women with children, the foreign students who were here, forced to flee – it was such a sad sight,” he says. “I just hope that my city, Kharkiv, doesn’t fall before I can get there.” He and others in the business community had become convinced during the separatist conflict that large-scale war would come to Ukraine sooner rather than later, and they began training citizen volunteers. That’s one of the reasons, they say, for the combat effectiveness of the Ukrainians. Commander Kozhemyak stresses that he will continue to take part in the conflict until “it’s over”. In his mind, this means until all “occupied territories”, including Crimea and the separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, are retaken. “If we don’t finish this now, then the Russians will start a new war in a few years’ time. Surely our friends in the west realise that? They were warning us about this invasion, and I wish we took it more seriously,” he says. The soldiers in the unit seem equally adamant that operations need to continue until the whole of Ukraine, as they see it, is liberated. Gary, a former student of aviation technology, says: “I felt from 2014 [the start of the separatist war] onwards that Russia would one day carry out an invasion of Ukraine. This has now happened, and we have managed to fight them off on many of the fronts. We need to continue now; it’ll be a big mistake to stop.” “Doc” – a combat medic, as his call sign indicates – adds: “This was a war imposed on us. We are defending our country. No one wants to see suffering, but we are now freeing people who have been under occupation, so things will start to get better.” The soldiers have been providing medical treatment for local people hurt during the fighting, taking the more seriously injured to hospitals in Kharkiv. Ukrainian forces evacuated most residents after the village was recaptured. Many homes had been looted, and some young men had been seized by the Russians and taken away. “They seemed to have looted even the more humble homes, taking away everything they could carry. Some men were taken away... we don’t know what happened to them,” says Oleg Supareka, deputy commander of the Kraken Regiment, which brought out the villagers. “These people have been under occupation from the beginning. They were in a bad state. “The Russians started shelling as we were carrying out the evacuation. They knew that civilians would be at risk, but as we have seen in other places, that was not something they cared about. Two of our vehicles got hit, but luckily there were no serious casualties.” While Ruska Lozova seems almost devoid of people as we arrive, a few emerge hesitantly to speak to us. “We have lost count of time here, the days and weeks... we did not know whether we would stay alive at the end of all the fighting,” says Olena, who decided to stay on when most of her neighbours left or were evacuated. “We kept indoors as much as possible. The Russians searched some of the houses and questioned a few men, but we are elderly people – they left us alone.” The 61-year-old and her husband Oleg, 67, rarely strayed from their farm outside the village. “There was shooting and bombings going on all the time, day and night. It was very difficult to sleep. “We are still finding bits of rockets in the fields, and now we are very careful about mines. My husband had lived in Russia; I have cousins there. We never ever thought we would end up like this, fighting each other,” she says, shaking her head. “It is not safe – there is still fighting going on. We have not seen the Russians recently, but they are still around here. We can hear bombs. We know they tried to get into Kharkiv from here. I don’t know if they’ll come back and try it again; we feel very nervous.” Further down the road leading into Kharkiv, two burned and shot-up trucks are evidence of the Russian attempts to enter the city. They have been turned into checkpoint barriers by the Ukrainians. “We were here when this happened; it was soon after the war started,” says a police officer. “The Russians were using civilian trucks. They were disguised as civilians. They tried to crash through this blockpost [meaning checkpoint] and we had to open fire. They fired back; we killed some of them. The others fled.” A second officer continues: “These are big trucks, so we thought we might as well keep them here at the blockpost. “We are from around here, and we can spot strangers. We have caught quite a few spies and saboteurs – they have been very active. One man pretended to be blind as he was signalling with his torch. In fact, we have just arrested some suspicious people. We are checking them now.” Indeed, half a dozen men are lined up against the wall, their hands in plastic cuffs, with yellow tape over their eyes. They claim to be taking supplies to stranded villagers. Half of them are released after their papers are checked; the others are kept in detention. “We need to be very careful – the Russians are still here,” says one of the police officers. “We can only relax after they have been thrown out of our country, and that’s going to take a long time.” Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Ruska Lozova is only six miles from Kharkiv, which has just been retaken from Russian forces govt and politics/armed forces/army","score":0.725526},{"label":"/business and industrial/business operations","score":0.676155},{"label":"/law The two countries share many of the same growing conditions and Ukrainian farmers grow a lot of the same crops and livestock as their Canadian counterparts so the machinery from each can be a good fit Often Canadian producers think about Canadian air-seeding and swathing tools travelling to Ukraine but expanding trade horizons now see equipment making the return voyage So much of the agriculture is in common,” said Victoriia Shebanova of Lozova Machinery Shebanova said the activity at her company’s booth during the Ag in Motion farm show at Langham last week confirmed the company’s suspicions that the Prairies is a market for its equipment who handles sales from the company’s Canadian office in British Columbia agreed that that interest in the compact disc harrow they brought to the event was steady Peleshok said the company had sold seven of the units this year after securing a distributor in Ontario last season The farmers are giving us some feedback at the show and we will likely bring more of the (lineup) of equipment next year,” she said The compact disc harrow is a steel spring shank mounted disk that allow the slotted discs to move both vertically and horizontally with the ability to rise up or to the side when encountering rocks “They vibrate a lot and that keeps the discs clean and helps shatter the soil (profile) And it leaves a very smooth seed bed,” she said about the tools which attack the soil at a 20-degree forward angle and 12-degree vertical one Shebanova said the discs’ movement also means the rest of the tool rides flat if a disc meets an obstacle The bearings are the same way,” said Shebanova but can be serviced through the removal of the end plug The company was in the bearing business before it got into farm machinery and that remains a large part of its overall operations The Harp Agro bearing used in the Ducat compact disc relies on three levels of support and sealing At the outer edge next to the hub an integrated lip-seal keeps the world out and the grease in A cassette-type seal provides a wider sealing surface and a labyrinth cutter between this and the bearings ensures it stays tight The bearings are filled with a long-life Chevron grease “If you ever did need to enter the bearing you still could by removing the threaded (plug) at the outer end,” she said right down to the bearings,” said Shebanova or tine harrows follow the two ranks of discs to provide field finish the solid type you see becoming popular here and the big rubber rollers “We make these in from very small for three point hitches and up to 55 feet wide,” she said An even heavier duty version is also available “Next year we might be looking at bringing to Canada the tooth harrows (a heavy harrow) We use this equipment the same at home,” she said “Our prices and quality make the machines very competitive in the Canadian market from corn and horticulture to large farms with big grains and oilseeds Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | © 2025 Western Producer Publications Limited Partnership Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Lozova is less than 20 miles from the border with the Donetsk Oblast part of the Donbas region Russia is seeking to gain control of Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player You don't have permissions to access this page Sign in Join now, it's FREE! 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