Under the hot sun and relentless Russian artillery, 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers painstakingly drive their vehicles single-file along the Siverskyi Donets river, beating a retreat from eastern Ukraine as Russian troops fire at them.⁠ ⁠ "The Russians have so much ammunition, they can afford to shell us continuously, and we do not have enough ammunition to suppress their fire," said Oleg, 21, an infantry platoon commander among those retreating. "That was how they eliminated our units."⁠ ⁠ Against all odds, Ukraine's army has managed to hold off a full-scale Russian invasion. But now they must continue to survive while outgunned and outmanned by Russia.⁠ ⁠ NPR interviewed Oleg and a half-dozen soldiers in early July, just two days after they came off a brutal three-month stint fending off the Russian military from the strategic Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk. They all requested NPR use only their first names for security reasons, to prevent them from being identified or located by Russian forces.⁠ ⁠ As the war in Ukraine enters its fifth month, with no end in sight, these soldiers' experience at the front lines provide a glimpse into what a protracted war with Russia could look like. The men profess strong dedication to protecting their country. But Ukrainian battalion members say they are also increasingly staffed by exhausted soldiers with a constant shortage of military experience, artillery and ammunition.⁠ ⁠ "Of course, I am afraid of death," Oleg says. "But I am a military commander. If I show fear, my deputies will be scared as well."⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in our bio for more. ⁠ ⁠ (Images: @carolguzy • Carol Guzy for NPR)