LONE WOLVES
Inside fearless ‘Wolves of Ukraine’ battalion of troops defending the ‘Road of Life’ – last way out of wasteland Bakhmut
A FEARLESS unit of Ukrainian soldiers known as "The Wolves" are desperately defending the last roads out of the bloodiest battlefields of the war in Bakhmut.
Fighting in the city has devolved into vicious street-by-street warfare - with heroic Ukrainian defenders holding back the press from the Russians.
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Absolutely vital to the war effort are the last remain remaining paved roads in and out of Bakhmut, which have become known as the "Road of Life".
And defending the roads is a heroic unit of volunteer soldiers known as the "Da Vinci Wolves".
Russia is determined to take Bakhmut, in a move which would be a strategic victory and also highly symbolic.
The once bustling industrial hub that had a pre-war population of 70,000 has become the centre-stage of the most intense fighting since Russia's invasion.
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The roads are the only way for Kyiv's frontline troops to evacuate the area and replenish their dwindling supplies while the fighting rages on.
The Wolves are reportedly the most trained and equipped unit of Ukraine's Volunteer Corps.
The unit is a mechanised infantry battalion originally from the now Russian-occupied Donetsk.
With their motto "Iron and Fire" they are using tanks and artillery to secure the lines around the "Road of Life".
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It's commander Dmytro "Da Vinci" Kotsyubaylo was killed last month near Bakhmut while fighting the Russians.
Kotsyubaylo was made a "Hero of Ukraine" before the invasion by Volodymyr Zelensky - who praised him as a "human symbol" of courage after his death.
"He was one of the youngest heroes of Ukraine; one of those whose personal history, character and courage forever became the history, character and courage of Ukraine," said Zelensky.
"He was killed in a battle near Bakhmut – a battle for Ukraine."
And he was named as one of the influential Ukrainians under 30 in 2021.
Putin accused "Da Vinci" of having Neo-nazi links - something he denied and insisted they had purged any racist elements from their forces.
"Our soldiers stand on guard of the future of Ukraine every day," the group wrote on Facebook.
Terrifying footage obtained by The Sun Online showed the true horror the brave defenders encountered while patrolling the road.
The clip begins with one of the Ukrainian soldiers walking among the devastated land as he retreats to a bunker.
As he enters, wide-eyed sleep deprived troops huddle in the compound as they await orders - while one fallen comrade lays dead next to them.
Suddenly a grenade is thrown into the dug out by invading Russian troops and an all out scrap unfolds.
One soldier is heard saying: "Orcs jumped into our trenches.
"First trench near us, get out brothers."
Gunfire is returned from both sides as the lads fight their way out of their defensive position.
The horrifying scene ends with bullets spraying off the rich Ukrainian soil - a stark reminder that the war is far from over.
It comes as Ukrainian officials claimed their soldiers were holding firm in the region.
Putin's thuggish mercenaries have tried to seize the entire Donetsk region but in turn have suffered eye-watering losses.
It is believed more than 30,000 Russian casualties have come as a result of the contested area.
However, the Wagner mercenary group have reportedly begun to encircle what's left of the ravaged city.
Both sides have referred to the conflict as the "Bakhmut meat grinder" amid the bloodshed.
Kyiv has taken a firm stance and is prepared to hold out to exhaust Russian forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in late March that, if the city were to fall to Russian forces it could be the straw that brakes the camel's back.
Zelensky told the Associated Press: "If he will feel some blood - smell that we are weak - he will push, push, push.
"We can't lose the steps because the war is a pie - pieces of victories.
"Small victories, small steps.
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"Our society will feel tired, our society will push me to compromise with them."
However, there are doubts about how much longer Ukrainian forces can hold out in Bakhmut, experts claim.
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