Kathrine Frich
For Ukrainian troops dug into the eastern front, the debate about peace terms feels far removed from the daily strain of holding the line.
As political discussions continue abroad, soldiers in the trenches say the cost of any concession would be borne by those fighting for their homes.
Their message is growing sharper as pressure on Donbas intensifies and the prospect of territorial withdrawal resurfaces.
Refusal to retreat
According to NBC News, every serviceman they spoke to opposed any order to leave Donbas.
Sergeant Major Vladimir Rzhavsky, who serves near Pokrovska, described former United States proposals as impossible to accept.
He told the network: “This is not a plan. This is a real surrender. There is nothing to talk about here.”
The original outline would have required Ukraine to put down its weapons and acknowledge Donbas as effectively Russian.
For Rzhavsky, whose home region is the Donetsk area, such a move would offend both his identity and the memory of those killed in the fighting.
He warned: “If the order is given without explanation, it will not be carried out.”
He added that decisions must reflect the experiences of those in combat.
“The leadership doesn’t sit in the trenches. Our guys sit in the trenches. And they have the right to decide.”
Pressure on the front
NBC’s reporting also cites analyst Nikolai Beleskov, who said the frontline remains strained as Russia pushes in several sectors while deploying drones and disrupting Ukrainian supply routes.
He noted that the lines remain intact, and that giving up territory would leave Moscow with the ability to pressure Ukraine again.
Beleskov argued that Russia’s high cost for advancing is helping maintain the current defensive line.
“We are told that we need to hurry up with an agreement before we lose even more. But the price that Russia is paying for trying to seize these lands is exactly what could stabilize the front,” he told the outlet.
Voices from the trenches
Lieutenant Alexander, a soldier with Special Operations Forces, told NBC News that no one on the front supports ceding land.
“No one will give up territorially, because this is our land, and we stand here.”
He also rejected suggestions to lower troop numbers, saying “600,000 is our minimum level of security. No one will agree to that.”
He added that Russian units are being pulled from the south as they attempt to force a breakthrough in Donbas.
Many soldiers expressed personal hopes for life after the war.
Paralympic finalist Dmytro Melnyk said: “Every day it gets scarier.” Yet they all stressed that peace must be based on holding current positions, not abandoning them.
Lieutenant Oleg Zontov, 58, told NBC News that victory means stopping Russia where it stands. “But abandoning our territories will cause anger and complete rejection.”
Sources: NBC News, LA.LV.
