Vladimir (20 years) who graduated in March, Ukrainian school officers of the army, was immediately sent to the base, located on the front line in the East of the country. The distance to the enemy only 700 metres away. Coal mine where the base is destroyed by attacks so that it is impossible to determine its original appearance.
One of the positions that the soldiers of the guard, changing every four hours, located only 150 metres from the enemy camp.
“Bastards”, “kill you all”. Such cries are heard from both sides. Every evening when it starts firing, the soldiers hiding in the trenches is blocked. When the sound of a moving tank, the voltage increases. Unlike conventional artillery, tank gun shoots so that it will know only when the shell burst.
Two months killed two soldiers. According to one of the soldiers, he first realized the reality of war, when he had to bear the body of a dead comrade: “Everything ends in the blink of an eye”.
The war began in February 2014, when Ukraine was overthrown Pro-Russian government in the Wake of a political upheaval. The Putin administration is using military forces annexed the Crimea and interfered in the situation in the East. Russia continues to support Pro-Russian armed groups. Once in February 2015 with the participation of Germany and France was signed the Minsk ceasefire agreement, large-scale military operations are not conducted, but the fighting continues on the border with the territories which are under the control of Pro-Russian forces.
According to the Ukrainian army, in the period from January to may, the militia were more than eight thousand times. 670 people were injured, among them there are dead. The length of the front line is 420 kilometers. “The war lasted three years. The soldiers are exhausted,” — says the press-Secretary of the armed forces Anton myronovych. Both sides accuse each other of violating the truce, however, in the opinion of the West, the militias are planning a massive offensive.
In accordance with the Minsk agreement, the parties must cease fire and clean up with advanced artillery. In addition, in the Donbass elections should be held, and the Eastern region should be given Autonomous status. The West needs to respect the ceasefire. In turn, Russia criticized Ukraine for what she does not political agreements.
Russia pursues the following goal: to deny the fact of military aggression and to spread its influence throughout Ukraine through Pro-Russian militias.
© AFP 2017, Aleksey FillippovСпасатели distribute food to local residents in Avdeevka
Avdeevka is near the region controlled by the rebels. Many houses were destroyed even before 2015. The walls of the school are dotted with bullet holes. When at the end of January intensified fighting on the front lines, Avdeevka were shelled with artillery. At one time there was no light, no water. Children play in the garden under the sound of cannon fire.
In November last year, Oksana, has two daughters, nine and 15 years, returned home. In 2014 they became refugees, and for two years they ran out of all savings. They understand that it’s dangerous, but they have nowhere else to go. “Now children distinguish the sounds of a machine gun or a cannon and can understand, there is a danger or not”, — says Oksana.
Recently on the site of Sergei, who is engaged in agriculture fell by an artillery shell. The shock wave tore the roof off the house. Wounded his elder son. “Who fights against whom?! I don’t understand” — does not hide his anger Sergey. “We need to talk with Putin to end the war”. This opinion was expressed by many residents criticizing the Ukrainian authorities.
According to the UN, the victims of the war was about ten thousand people. Several hundred thousand people were forced to become refugees. However, a decrease in the interest of the world community. Less fed help. For example, in accordance with the World food programme in 2017 Ukraine was to receive $ 36 million, but was allocated only seven million dollars.
The West responded to Russian aggression with economic sanctions, is also experiencing serious financial difficulties. The United States was in political chaos as the result of the election, trump the President; Europe was shattered by the terrorist attacks and the immigration crisis. “In fact, Germany wants as quickly as possible to resolve the Ukrainian problem and to fix relations with Russia,” — emphasizes one of the European diplomats.
President Putin made a strong statement in may, when Russia was visited by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, urged to adhere strictly to the terms of the armistice: “the Current Kiev government has lost its chance to fulfill the Minsk agreement”. Putin uses his advantage over the West, going on the offensive.
Andrew, who worked as a teacher, is at the forefront since July 2014. In 2014, in one of the fights he lost 800 of his comrades in one day. Young people, bearing responsibility for the country, still dying on the front lines. “Is there any meaning in this war? The most scary when there are such doubts,” says Andrew. There is no end to the tragedy of Ukraine, which is embroiled in a geopolitical game.
