1 week Ago
Fierce Fighting in Pokrovsk Amid Diplomatic Shifts
At a command center near Pokrovsk, soldiers of Ukraine's 155th mechanised brigade monitor live drone footage of ongoing clashes. Artillery strikes continue to hit Russian positions in a brutal struggle over a key road into the city. The destruction—flattened homes, smoldering ruins—shows how violent the past several months have been.
Despite the carnage, some soldiers are hopeful. "I want to believe this is the beginning of the end," says Kozak, an officer who has seen Russian positions weaken over time. "We've been successful in hitting their supply lines. They don't have the power they once had."
Troops Voice Mixed Feelings on Peace Talks and Concessions
Talks pushed by international partners—including the U.S., Europe, and Turkey—are raising questions about possible peace conditions. But frontline soldiers are wary of any concessions involving Ukrainian territory.
Yurii, a former tech worker turned soldier, is hopeful for an end to the war but refuses to accept giving up land. "They'll just come back again in a few years. We didn't start this war, but we have to finish it."
Kozak is even firmer. "We should not give up a single metre. So many of our brothers and friends have died. You cannot understand unless you've lived through this."
Civilian Loss and Pain Underscore the Human Cost
In Zaporizhzhia, Yana Stepanenko visits the grave of her 22-year-old son Vladislav, a drone operator killed in February. She brings his favorite treats and weeps alongside her daughter. For her, peace talks offer little comfort. "This war feels eternal. Putin will never be satisfied. I just hope my son didn't die for nothing."
Parts of Zaporizhzhia are still under Russian occupation, and the front line remains dangerously close. Russia has previously demanded control of full Ukrainian regions including Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Donetsk, and Kherson—an idea completely rejected by many Ukrainians like Yana.
Standing near a bomb crater in the cemetery, Yana says through tears, "I hope for victory. I hope Ukraine will be free. That's the only way this loss can make sense."
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