"This War Will Outlast Us": Grief and Uncertainty Grip Ukraine as Hope for Victory Dims
In the solemn stillness of St. Michael’s Cathedral in Kyiv, a heartbreaking scene unfolds. Anastasiia Fedchenko, 36, sits with her hands cradling her pregnant belly, her anguished cries reverberating off the cathedral’s gilded walls. Just inches from her, in an open coffin, lies her husband, Andriy Kusmenko.
A marine commander, Andriy was killed in action on January 4 in eastern Ukraine. He was only 33. While he fought on the front lines, Anastasiia chronicled the war’s harsh realities as a journalist. Now, she bids farewell to the “love of her life” with a final kiss.
As his brothers-in-arms solemnly file past, each placing a red rose into his coffin, Anastasiia mourns the future her daughter will never share with her father. “She will know he was a soldier, an officer who gave everything so Ukraine could exist—for her and generations to come,” she tells the BBC.
Her voice trembles as she shares a grim belief: “This war will last as long as Russia exists. I fear our children will inherit it and have to fight it themselves.”
The Shifting Winds of War
Donald Trump, set to return to the White House, claims he could end the war in a single day and is already advocating for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. But among Ukraine’s soldiers, such talk feels like a betrayal.
Sgt. Dmytro, known by his call sign “Smile,” fought alongside Andriy and came to mourn him. “The ones who fell wouldn’t want us to sit at a table with Russia,” he says. “After the funeral, we go back to the fight. We’ll keep fighting for every Ukrainian who’s fallen.”
Yet, as Ukraine braces for its third winter of war, the once-ubiquitous word “victory” has faded from public discourse. With nearly a fifth of Ukraine now under Moscow’s control, including Crimea, the realities of the battlefield loom large. Cities are emptying, graveyards are filling, and even soldiers’ resilience is being tested.
Desertion and Discontent
In Dnipro, 24-year-old soldier Serhiy Hnezdilov sits in a glass cage during his trial for desertion. One of roughly 100,000 soldiers accused of abandoning their posts since the full-scale invasion began, Serhiy publicly demanded a clear timeline for ending military service.
“I’m ready to fight,” he insists, “but soldiers aren’t slaves. Anyone who’s spent three or more years on the front lines deserves a break.” He accuses commanders of corruption and incompetence, grievances echoed by others on the battlefield. If convicted, Serhiy faces up to 12 years in prison.
The Relentless Front Lines
Farther east, the city of Pokrovsk is a key battleground. Mykhailo, a 42-year-old drone unit commander, leads a small team defending against Russian advances. Each night, armed with “vampire” attack drones, they attempt to slow the enemy’s progress.
“I joined in the first days, hoping it would end quickly,” Mykhailo says, chain-smoking between missions. “I’m exhausted, but I keep going for my family and my country.”
For Mykhailo and his men, including 24-year-old David, the fight is relentless. David, who dreams of studying languages, now handles explosives. “I want this war to end so civilians stop suffering,” he says. “But from what I see, that won’t happen anytime soon.”
As the drone unit prepares for another night of combat, Mykhailo shares his view on peace talks: “With someone like Putin in power, a deal seems impossible. Maybe one day, if someone sane takes over.”
A Future Uncertain
The Ukrainian forces continue to fight against a relentless enemy, but public sentiment is changing. Many, like Anastasiia and Dmytro, believe the cost of peace with Russia would dishonor those who’ve died. Others, weary of the mounting death toll and destruction, see peace as the only way forward.
As pressure builds from abroad—especially with Trump’s return to power—Ukraine may be forced to consider a deal. But if peace comes, it may not be on Ukraine’s terms. For now, the war drags on, leaving the future of the nation and its people shrouded in uncertainty.
