Eight months of war on the home front has taken a toll on soldiers in Ukraine. So, when given the opportunity to make the most of their time on patrol, this group of Ukrainian soldiers in the Donbas trenches of eastern Ukraine decided to prepare for the colder months ahead by building a sauna for themselves.
Despite both the upcoming winter and the Russian forces on their doorstep, these soldiers refused to give up on their dreams, building a fortified sauna in their trenches over the span of just three days, the AFP reported.
The Ukrainians have only gone and built a damn sauna in their trench! pic.twitter.com/H8tiECd7Qk
— Seveer of the 95th rifles (@Seveerity) October 20, 2022
Keeping out the cold - and the Russians
According to the report, the soldiers learned how to build the sauna from scratch via a tutorial on the internet.
They started by digging an appropriate ditch, then covering the space with "membrane" and bags, in an effort to keep them safe in case of shelling. "It would not survive a direct hit, though," one soldier told the AFP in a video interview. "But we think it would survive an explosion from an 82 calibre fire," he said.
This small haven-in-the-trenches is only 700 meters from where Russian troops are stationed.
With danger at their doorstep, these soldiers have managed to find a small sense of security and solitude from their daily routine at war.
Ukraine's cheeky sauna tweet
In a nod to the nation of Finland, known by many for its igloo hotels and saunas abound, Ukraine's official Twitter account posted a shout-out to the sauna-loving country.
Hey @thisisFINLAND rate this trench sauna on the range from 1 to 10 https://t.co/ANDTqxPlrt
— Ukraine / Україна (@Ukraine) October 21, 2022
While this sauna may not be like those you find above ground, their efforts are certainly sure to grab your attention, and as the war between Russia and Ukraine does not show signs of slowing, soldiers on both sides of the conflict may continue to find creative ways to pass the time.