The soldiers of the 23rd Motorized Infantry Battalion are serving in the Starobeshevskiy region of Donetsk. Their military unit was formed in April 2014 as the first defense unit of the Zaporizhzhya region. In May 2014, the battalion was redeployed to the Donetsk region, where its men served at checkpoints around Mariupol. (RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service)
Fluffy, Kozak, Yaga, And Gosha -- The Soldiers Of Ukraine's 23rd Battalion
When the military conflict in Ukraine's Donbas region started, Rovshan and his family moved from the Donbas to Melitopol in the Zaporizhzhya region. Now Rovshan is serving with the 23rd Battalion.
Paratrooper "Gosha" at the battalion base
Outdoor kitchen
Makeshift gym
Backpacks and other things prepared at the battalion headquarters to be taken to the front
Zaporizhzhya volunteer Yelena Yaroshenko delivers food to the soldiers.
A truck of the mortar unit at their base
Volunteers bring books to the soldiers.
Soldier "Fluffy" with his pets
A vintage car that was rebuilt for the soldiers of the 23rd Battalion by Zaporizhzhya volunteers
A soldier called "Kozak" shows his tattoos
Military truck delivers fuel to the location of the batallion from Mariupol.
Fighter "Yaga" shows his combat medal.