The origins of its name are murky. But Ukrainian troops positioned in muddy trenches near the village of New York are more concerned with holding back their Russian counterparts as the battle for Bakhmut rages nearby.
Trenches Of New York: Troops Hold The Line Near Ukrainian Village
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A Ukrainian soldier serving with the 24th Brigade observes Russian positions from a trench near New York, in eastern Ukraine, on April 4.
While the world's attention has been focused on the battle for Bakhmut 30 kilometers to the north, these Ukrainian soldiers have also been fighting off Russian attacks.
While the world's attention has been focused on the battle for Bakhmut 30 kilometers to the north, these Ukrainian soldiers have also been fighting off Russian attacks.
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Another Ukrainian soldier keeps watch from his camouflaged trench position near New York, which lies some 35 kilometers to the north of the Russian-held city of Donetsk.
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Ukrainian soldiers here said that they faced nearly daily Russian attacks. A commander (not pictured) said: "They creep in, fire, and try to exhaust us."
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Hundred of cities and towns form part of a front line that stretches from the northern Donbas to the south of Ukraine in Kherson -- nearly 1,000 kilometers of trenches, minefields, rivers, and other obstacles that separate Ukrainian troops from Russian soldiers.
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Daily life for soldiers serving in the trenches includes long periods of boredom punctuated by deadly artillery attacks that can come at any time.
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Spent shell casings litter the muddy ground.
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A mirror reflects a soldier as he walks through his trench.
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A Ukrainian soldier plays with a puppy.
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While another takes a cigarette break in his shelter.
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Hand grenades ready for use.
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Ukrainian defenders repelled more than 60 Russian attacks over the past 24 hours, Ukraine's General Staff reported in its daily bulletin on April 5, with Bakhmut at the "epicenter of operations" along with the cities of Avdiyivka and Maryinka.
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Ukrainian military commanders have said their own counteroffensive, backed by newly delivered Western tanks and other hardware, is not far off.
