As Ukraine approaches the fourth year of conflict following Russia’s full-scale invasion, intense fighting escalates along the eastern frontline. The battle for survival deepens, with military forces making their final pushes, while civilians contend with increasingly difficult living conditions.
International correspondent Valerie Gauriat reported from the Donetsk region, focusing on the situation in the vicinity of Pokrovsk, a city central to one of the war’s most critical clashes.
Life on the Pokrovsk frontline
The report brings viewers directly to the Pokrovsk frontline, showcasing an artillery unit and a Ukrainian army operational command post. Amidst this environment, the story of Sasha, a 22-year-old who perseveres despite the daily horrors she confronts, unfolds at one of the army’s emergency care centres for wounded soldiers.
In the city of Pokrovsk, which has suffered devastating damage from relentless Russian shelling, the few remaining residents display remarkable resilience by refusing to evacuate, even in the face of significant civilian casualties. Maksym, a civil-military cooperation officer with the Ukrainian army, explains the mindset of those who remain:
“Pensioners, unfortunately, are not willing to leave, nor are those who are waiting for the ‘Russian peace’, as they say. There’s this belief that today’s Russia, replacing the former USSR, will come and fix everything. The reality is that nothing is rebuilt. The only thing they leave behind them is ruins.”
Coal miners aid Ukraine’s energy stability
Traveling westward towards the industrial area of western Donbass, Gauriat highlights a region at risk of becoming a target for Russian offensives, home to most of Ukraine’s coal mines, which are vital for the country’s energy infrastructure. In the oldest coal mine of the area, she interviews the underground workers who are pivotal in maintaining Ukraine’s energy front.
Among these workers, the number of women is on the rise as many men are either conscripted or have fallen in battle. Previously barred from working in mines due to Soviet-era laws, women now constitute 5% of the underground workforce. One of these miners, Oksana, shares her experience, having been displaced by the war and having lost her eldest son and father to shelling in her hometown of Bahmut.
Finding purpose in her new role, Oksana regards her work at the mine as a significant contribution to the war effort. A former choreographer, she also teaches dance to teenagers after her shifts, saying,
“I’m driven by my love for children – they are our future – and for art. As well as by my faith in our victory. I hope that I will stay strong enough to see peace come.”