War against Ukraine: fierce fighting, desperate civilians in Luhansk

The Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine is now the scene of particularly fierce fighting. Civilians are desperately trying to leave the region. Meanwhile, President Zelenskyj is trying to encourage the population.

His hair is cropped short and he has tattoos almost all over his body. They are images from the Russian media that are supposed to show one of the last Ukrainian soldiers who was still holed up in the Azov steelworks. Now the man goes into captivity, has to strip down to his underwear and show his tattoos.

The victory over the – literally – “Nazis” from Azov steel is celebrated on pro-Russian telegram channels. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, President Volodmyr Zelenskyy commemorated all those who lost their lives in the battle for Mariupol. “A lot of our pilots died. They are absolute heroes,” he says. The soldiers would have known that it was very difficult – almost impossible – to fly to Azovsteel and bring medicine, food and water to the soldiers. And also to rescue the wounded. “All of that happened. A lot of things happened that no one could officially comment on.”

“We want all territories back”

Now it is up to the Red Cross to guarantee the security of the soldiers to the UN and Russia, said the President. He still speaks of an evacuation. Because he is convinced that the soldiers will be brought back to Ukraine in an exchange of prisoners of war. And not only the soldiers, but also the lost territories are wanted back, Zelenskyj announces.

“The victory will be difficult, it will be bloody and it will definitely be achieved in battle.” But the end will lie in diplomacy. “I’m convinced of that. There are things that we can’t get through without sitting down at the negotiating table. Because we want all the territories back, but Russia doesn’t want to give anything back.”

The mother died in the hospital

And it’s already bloody. Especially in the Luhansk region. In the city of Lysychansk, Dmytro Mosur holds his two twins in his arms and barely holds back his tears. He wants to keep his daughters safe. It’s already too late for his wife. “She died. I think it was during a mortar attack. She was hit in the head by shrapnel. She died in the hospital,” he says.

Now he can only think about saving his children, says Mosur. But the way out of the embattled city is difficult. Coal buddy Sergey Tokarev knows that too. “If it’s my destiny to die here, I’ll die here. But if not, then I’ll keep getting people out,” he says.

Bullets in the windshield

Tokarew drives a white minibus – although one can hardly speak of driving. At least six bullet holes in the windshield, the left front tire is shredded, the rear right rim is all that’s left.

The car hops more than it rolls. But Tokarev goes on. 38 people can be brought to safety from the region on this day.