Devastation and frozen frontlines: Ukraine marks four years of Russia’s war | Russia-Ukraine war News
Kyiv, Ukraine – Hennady Kolesnik, a 71-year-old retired welder, reflects on the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, and has surpassed his expectations. “These are the worst and longest years of my life,” he stated in an interview with Al Jazeera.
In the initial days of the conflict, Kolesnik and many Ukrainians feared the loss of Kyiv and significant portions of their country, particularly the eastern bank of the Dnipro River. During that time, tens of thousands of Russian troops, including elite airborne units, occupied northern regions near Kyiv, with Kremlin supporters claiming the capital would fall within three days.
As the months progressed and Ukrainian forces regrouped, Kolesnik expressed relief after Russia’s retreat from the Kyiv area and northern Ukraine. He described his current state, recovering from pneumonia amid harsh winter conditions and power outages caused by missile strikes, saying, “But we’re still standing, and that’s the most important thing in a fight.”
Kolesnik’s wife, Marina, 70, echoed his sentiments, noting, “Nobody expected us to last that long, and we’re still here.”
Despite the resilience displayed by civilians, Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive has not disrupted the Russian “land bridge” to Crimea, with Russian forces making incremental advances at a significant cost. Although last year they gained about 5,000 square kilometers (approximately 1,930 square miles), this accounts for less than 1 percent of Ukraine’s total area. Currently, Russian control spans 19 percent of the country.
“The front line has frozen much like it did in World War I,” said Nikolay Mitrokhin, a researcher at Germany’s Bremen University. He added that Russia lacks sufficient forces and new technology for a decisive advancement, yet continues to inflict heavy casualties.
Recent challenges arose for Russian troops when SpaceX disabled smuggled Starlink terminals, disrupting their communications, coupled with Moscow’s efforts to restrict use of the Telegram messaging app. In response, Ukrainian forces launched counterattacks, reclaiming approximately 200 square kilometers (77 square miles) in parts of the eastern Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
However, military pressure remains in various front-line areas. Some civilians, like Sviatoslav, a serviceman based in Kramatorsk, reported increased drone activity and heightened anxiety amid ongoing attacks. “It has gotten a lot noisier. There are more outages; some locals are panicking,” he said.
Moscow has insisted that Ukraine surrender Kramatorsk and the surrounding Donetsk region, amounting to around 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles). Russian strikes on energy infrastructure continue to pose a significant threat to Ukraine’s military capabilities and morale, prompting concerns among analysts about the nation’s vulnerable energy grid.
A recent survey by the Kyiv International Sociology Institute found that 88 percent of Ukrainians believe the Russian strikes are aimed at forcing capitulation. Nonetheless, two-thirds of respondents affirmed the need for the armed forces to resist for “as long as it takes.” Svetlana Chunikhina, vice president of the Association of Political Psychologists, noted that many citizens are prepared to endure despite the psychological toll of war.
While only one in five Ukrainians surveyed expect the conflict to end this year, around two-thirds maintain hope for a prosperous future as part of the European Union within the next decade. However, rising cynicism could pose challenges, as Chunikhina warned that moral virtues driving resistance might face threats from increasing disillusionment among the public.
Despite ongoing turmoil and unmet political promises, there remains a steadfast resolve among many Ukrainians.
