Tag: Iron and Soil Series

1,117 words

All parts here.

After witnessing the depths of hell, Kyiv rises like a heavenly fortress on the banks of the Dnipro, majestic and unwavering. Grand colonnades stand proudly, new white high-rises shine with clean lines and balanced elegance, their tasteful cornices catching the light. (more…)

2,383 words

All parts here.

The windows of the Odessa Art Museum’s colonnaded halls are covered with plywood, shielding them from the threat of air raids. Last year, a Russian missile struck just meters away. The glass shattered, and paintings were damaged. The corridors that once displayed portraits in gilded frames and grand landscapes now stand empty. (more…)

793 words

All parts here.

We are back in Odessa. The delivery round has been successfully completed. Only one crate of medical supplies remains to be taken to Kyiv. (more…)

1,254 words

All parts here.

The road winds through beautiful pine forests, following the banks of the Oskil River. The trees are tall and old, but their trunks bear fresh, black wounds where fire and shrapnel have torn through them. The wind whispers through the needles. (more…)

1,873 words

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

We head out of the steppes, moving north into Ukraine. Here, the landscape becomes more familiar to an Estonian eye: we pass through pine forests and once again see log houses by the roadside. (more…)

1,401 words

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

A company covers a two to three kilometer stretch of the front. A battle group, five to six kilometers, but only if the men in their dispersed positions receive enough fire support and know what is happening in the neighboring sector. (more…)

1,066 words

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

The steppe wind that roared through the night has fallen silent by morning. The thunder of artillery echoes clearly around us. Ukrainian and Russian artillery are locked in a duel. (more…)

1,753 words

Part 1. Part 2.

A unique road culture has developed along the roads leading to the front. In the small town of Pokrovske, military shops, cafés, and burger stands have sprung up to serve the large number of soldiers passing through every day. (more…)

2,389 words

Part 1 here.

In the morning, a convoy of six vehicles sets off for eastern Ukraine. Behind us, the breathtaking estuaries of the Black Sea fade into the distance. Ahead lies a long and uncertain road. (more…)

1,733 words

In December 2024, the Estonian aid organization Mission Ukraine carried out an aid mission to the Ukrainian frontline. Five men took part in the journey: Andri Kiige, Margo Rääk, Georg Kirsberg, Lauri Koni, and I. (more…)