In Ukraine’s forests, fighters race to prepare for next push
The Associated Press joined up recently with a fighting unit of Ukraine’s National Guard as it prepared for an impending counteroffensive SOMEWHERE IN CENTRAL UKRAINE -- The fighters depart at dawn, single-file, rifles slung, compasses in hand, and disappear like chameleons into the lush greenery of central Ukraine’s dense forests. They’re training for a long-anticipated campaign that Ukraine hopes will shift the momentum of its war with Russia. It’s a crash course in new assault tactics for the National Guard squad, a mix of volunteers whose ages range from 22 to 51. The squad is part of a brigade that’s been chosen to prepare for a counteroffensive, and it’s had just a few months to train on new skills and incorporate new recruits. By their own admission, the servicemen have outdated weapons, and many feared not enough training or resources. But they said when the time comes, they will be ready to fight. The Associated Press joined a unit of the Stalevy Kordon or Steel Border, a brig...