Ukraine, Russia | No Western politicians have been here before

LVIV, UKRAINE (Nettavisen): Peter Frølich has tears in his eyes and a mushy voice.

There is little that reminds us of the Storting politician who steadily answers the press’s questions about the competence of both his own party leader and other politicians.

is on another trip to the front line to deliver equipment. Give a little to those who give all, is the mantra of the organization. On this trip, they have, among other things, cars, sleeping bags, drones and an ATV.

After almost 2,000 kilometers by car from Oslo, through Sweden and Poland, we are at the military cemetery in Lviv in mid-February.

Those who pay the price

– Here are the ones who pay the price, and that puts things into perspective. The help that we provide, and which I believe we are obliged to provide, is a small effort compared to this, says Frølich to Nettavisen.

The last time the Conservative politician was at the cemetery in Lviv was in August 2023.

– What strikes me particularly strongly is that then the digging stopped approximately here, says Frølich and points.

In mid-February 2024, the burial ground will have approximately doubled in size.

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– I am afraid that it will become very large before this war is over, says Frølich.

Saves lives

One surveillance drone is estimated to save between five and ten soldier lives. The drones provide an overview of the battlefield, and can warn of Russian attacks long before the soldiers can see it themselves. With drones, you also avoid sending scouts into “no man’s land”.

Keep up to date on the war in Ukraine, listen to “Ukrainapodden, a podcast from Nettavisen”.

Drone consumption in Ukraine is high. Electronic warfare puts drones out of business, but a drone can be replaced.

The soldiers who have found their final resting place in the cemetery in Lviv cannot.

The drones in Ukraine have two functions. They can either monitor, or kill. The attack drones keep Frølich and Fritt Ukraina away.

– We stick to civilian, commercially available drones that we can buy in Norway and bring down. The Ukrainians really need that, because the price level in Norway is actually much lower, says Frølich.

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Is there something wrong with Peter Frølich?

During the visit to Ukraine in February, Frølich and the rest of the delegation from Free Ukraine went all the way to the front. It is important for the organization that they personally deliver the equipment to those who will use it. That way, they are sure that it reaches where it needs to go.

They also provide an insight into how the Ukrainians fight, what their needs are and the opportunity to meet high-level officers.

This time Fritt Ukraina visited, among other things, the 45th Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. They say that no other Western politician at the national level has visited Ukrainian positions along the front line.

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– I’m not sure if it’s me, or if there’s something wrong with others, chuckles Frølich to Nettavisen.

Nor did Nettavisen join all the way to the front line.

Shoot yourself empty

– I won’t say that I recommend it to other politician colleagues, but it is a wake-up call. You can see the soldiers in the eyes. There you can see the exhaustion and frustration, but also unity and will to fight, says Frølich afterwards.

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Ukraine is in desperate need of ammunition. While Nettavisen was in Ukraine, the town of Avdijivka fell. A large part of the explanation behind the loss of the city was that Ukraine simply did not have enough artillery to take out the Russian attackers.

– They have Western weapons and Russian soldiers who attack within range, but they cannot fire because they are empty. Then you talk about a frustration that you cannot convey through a news article. You can try to tell the soldiers out there that there are idiots in the West who say that they do not know their own best interests, and that the West must send them pious wishes for peace instead of weapons. Those people in the West who say that don’t understand anything, Frølich believes.

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Frølich estimates that he and the others from “Free Ukraine” were about ten kilometers away from the nearest Russian positions.

– There were artillery duels going on, and we felt the pressure wave in our bodies. We were definitely within artillery range. It was not very pleasant, but very clear for the head. You come home with a clear vision of what this is all about, says Frølich.

Russian advance

For one of the departments Frølich and the rest of Fritt Ukraina visited, things went wrong earlier this year. They suffered heavy losses shortly before Free Ukraine visited them, but Frølich will not say how many soldiers fell.

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– They had no more artillery ammunition, and suffered significant losses within two hours where part of the front line simply collapsed. They were completely overrun by a Russian surprise attack, says Frølich, adding:

– With Ukrainian willpower, they managed to stop the overpowering and stabilize the situation. The drones from Free Ukraine arrived just in time to help.

On the trip east, Frølich and the traveling party stopped by, among other things, the million-strong city of Kharkiv on the border with Russia, and the bombed-out front-line city of Lyman.

In Lviv, Nettavisen met the commander of the 45th Artillery Brigade during the handover of the field hospital.

– Everyone wants to finish this war as soon as possible. The support from Fritt Ukraina and all our partners is very important to us, he tells Nettavisen via an interpreter.

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