A week into the war Kharkiv was still in turmoil. At a marshalling point on the city"s eastern edge, busloads of reinforcements arrived then quickly disappeared again, pushed forward to halt the Russians who were still trying to force their way into the city. It was freezing cold, but the air was electric with a desperate, hurried energy. But the lieutenant was coolheaded, "Call me Eugene," he said, in English, with a smile.