While Russia considers a temporary ceasefire, its forces continue to push along the front lines. Negotiations may be slow and complex, but on the battlefield, this process costs lives, BBC reports.
“At a military hospital in eastern Ukraine, the injured arrive by ambulance in waves. Here, there’s an obvious disconnect between diplomacy taking place, far from the fighting, and the brutality of battle – where human bodies are still being smashed, shredded, and scarred by bombs and bullets,” the report reads.
BBC highlighted that many Ukrainian soldiers are suffering from injuries inflicted by one of the deadliest weapons on the front—drones.
After having conversations with Kyiv troops, the journalists said that none of the Ukrainian soldiers believed this war would end anytime soon.
For instance, Maksym, 31, who laid on a stretcher with an IV drip to ease the pain from multiple shrapnel wounds. He said he heard talk of a 30-day ceasefire but added, “I consider Putin a murderer, and murderers don’t agree so easily.”
Another soldier, Volodymyr, expressed skepticism about a ceasefire, saying that near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian troops face Russian assault attacks daily.
“I doubt there will be a ceasefire,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maksym, who has been wounded twice, stressed that Moscow must never be trusted.
“I don’t believe there will be a ceasefire. I had a lot of friends who are not with us any more. I would like to believe that all will be good. But you can’t trust Russia. Never,” he believes.
Despite ongoing peace discussions, soldiers from the 68th Jaeger Brigade continue preparing for combat. They are training to evacuate wounded comrades under fire—something most of them have already done in real battles.
One of the few positive developments is that the US has resumed its military aid. This is critical for the 67th Brigade, which relies on American equipment, including MaxxPro armored vehicles supplied by the US.
MaxxPro driver Ivan said he feels relieved that the Trump administration has agreed to unblock aid, as his vehicle requires constant maintenance.
“I would like them to keep helping,” he said.
However, Ivan remains uncertain about whether he can trust US President Donald Trump.
When asked about his trust in a potential deal with Putin, he responded firmly.
“No. Never,” he added.
Earlier, the Institute for the Study of War reported that Putin rejected the ceasefire proposal that the US and Ukraine recently agreed upon in Saudi Arabia and “offered an alternative proposal that undermines US President Donald Trump’s stated goal of securing a lasting peace in Ukraine.”
Russian opposition outlet Verstka wrote that a source close to the Russian Presidential Administration said Putin wants to remove Ukraine from talks so Russia can engage in negotiations with the US alone while also “correcting the situation on the front” to strengthen Russia’s position.
A ceasefire on Putin’s terms would cripple Ukraine while strengthening Russia, ISW warns
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