How Soviet farm planning gave Ukrainian troops vital battlefield real estate

In a modern fight across the Ukrainian steppe, where it is nearly impossible to hide from the digital eyes of day and night drone surveillance, windbreaks have become one of the most valuable terrain features that Russian and Ukrainian troops fight over. They provide a refuge for soldiers to gather for assaults, take cover from enemy fire or, in the quiet moments, listen to the wind blow through the branches.

Control over strategic windbreaks can make a difference in winning a fight or losing one, soldiers said.

“The tree line is life,” said a member of the gun team in the National Guard’s 15th Brigade. He provided only his first name, Oleksandr, in line with Ukrainian military protocols.

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