Free Republic

DONETSK AIRPORT BROTHERS-IN-ARMS by Sergei L. Loiko ["Brothers In Arms" by Dire Straits] "Looks like these guys have pulled every string they know of because I can see gear and clothing from at least a dozen or more militaries from around the world, their fighting with everything they have scrounging, what they can when they can, and don't forget these guys are not regular Ukraine military. These are reservist, self armed civilians, and a handful of regular infantry types. They have fought off russian and saparatist troops, tanks, attack helicopters, bombing raids, rocket and mortar fire, and there still holding...

Mention a cyborg to a Ukrainian and they probably won't think of "cybernetic organisms", or man-machines of science fiction. Instead, the word now conjures up images of rugged, heavily armed men holed up inside what remains of Donetsk Airport in war-torn eastern Ukraine. The airport has become a symbol of Ukraine's fight against separatists, and the "cyborgs" are Ukrainians who have held on to it despite persistent rebel attack. The separatists terrorists have been trying to capture the airport with backing from the Russian military. It is not clear how many people on either side have died in the fighting...