Ukraine's Donetsk Sees Diverse Sentiments on Its Future

In the western part of the Donetsk region lies the mining town of Dobropillya, situated just 20 kilometers away from the frontline. Recently, Russian assaults have become more frequent. NewsBlog spoke with residents regarding the ongoing peace talks.

In a modest chamber within an unassuming structure belonging to the Light of the Gospel church in Dobropillya, most of the seats are nearly occupied, primarily by elderly individuals. The walls showcase artworks depicting Christian themes created by renowned painters like Rembrandt and Titian. Today being Sunday marks the beginning of their service. Volodymyr, who leads a drone squad for Ukraine’s 59th Separate Assault Brigade, came tardily and couldn’t secure a place to sit. Thus he remains standing throughout the speech, which concludes with messages advocating peace.

“I am confident that we will reclaim all of Ukraine,” he states afterward. “I cannot settle for less.” This soldier hails from Khartsyzk, a city in eastern Donetsk Oblast under Russian occupation. He adds with a grin, “When I enlisted, I thought I would only last three months, yet here I still stand.”

At the same time, people are unpacking aid parcels and filling jugs with clean water before going home. The mining town once had 43,000 inhabitants but now has about 35,000. A third of these are internally displaced people from various regions of Ukraine.

“We start with prayers for our triumph and subsequently for peace,” asserts the military chaplain and former firefighter Pastor Ihor. He discusses how the quaint town has welcomed individuals displaced within their own country, highlighting the support provided by his community. “This is a town dedicated to serving its citizens,” he states. Following Russia’s comprehensive invasion in 2022, it transformed into an asylum, and since then, Russian occupation of Avdiivka In February 2024, it has been regarded as a front-line town.

The congregation has set up a laundry room and a shower for military personnel on its premises. At the entrance, two soldiers sit under a poster with the words "Glory to Jesus Christ and the Armed Forces of Ukraine," as they wait for their clothes to be washed. As there is a shortage of tap water, which cannot be drunk at the moment, the community had its own pump installed, which has a water purification system

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'We pray'

Ihor is not optimistic about peace negotiations. "For three years, we've seen that the enemy doesn't want them. But we pray," he says. "As long as the soldiers are with us, people say that everything is fine. But when residents themselves leave the city, people start to worry." He says that some fled after a massive missile, artillery and drone attack on March 7, in which 11 people were killed and 49 injured.

There are snowdrops blossoming in between shards of glass at the site of the attack, where there are destroyed buildings. In one burned-out apartment, two roses tied together with black ribbons have been left on the frame of a children's bed.

There is an oppressive emptiness, only a few people can be seen, carrying shards and debris out of those apartments that are still standing. Larysa, a pensioner who has a plaster cast on her hand, is also cleaning her apartment. She was at home with her husband during the attack, and they were both knocked over by the blast. "We were in shock, and I started clearing away the glass because we couldn't get out. Then one of the rescue workers arrived and said: 'Are you crazy? Pack your things quickly, we'll pull you out through the window.'"

They were only attended to by doctors the following day due to the hospital being overcrowded. "Many people perished," states Larysa, which includes a young couple from Pokrovsk City. They had fled to Dobropillya but ended up dying in a fire.

I don't possess even one keepsake.

A different woman shares that her house was utterly demolished. “Not even one keepsake remains with me; I lost every photograph capturing my child’s growth—nothing survived whatsoever. My body continues to tremble uncontrollably. That evening, we found five deceased individuals lying in the hallways of our building.” She mentions that she was by herself in their residence since her university-going daughter had gone to Kyiv and her spouse hadn’t returned from working at the coalmine. “When I reached out to him over the phone, panic took hold, causing me to scream hysterically. Despite arriving promptly, he encountered another bombing shortly after—a cluster strike this time around. Just when folks attempted to evacuate the premises, an additional unmanned aerial vehicle swooped down upon us. Individuals drenched in crimson blood were transported away helplessly amidst cries for aid—it was absolutely horrific. Nothing close to such horror has ever occurred within the boundaries of Dobropollya before.”

The Russian attacks on Dobropillya have intensified ever since the front line approached the city of Pokrovsk Last September, nearly every neighborhood had damaged structures. Throughout the daytime, individuals frequently go to fetch water from wells. Upon being queried about their thoughts regarding a truce between Ukraine and Russia, most express a desire for peace. “A lot of my acquaintances have passed away,” remarks a young lady named Daria hailing from the Pokrovsk area. A disheveled man sitting on a bench with his head lowered mentions that his sibling has been taken as a captive.

"I personally believe that [US President] Donald Trump won’t be able to accomplish much,” remarks Tetyana, who is retired. “He speaks with [Russian President] Vladimir Putin like they’re close friends. Instead of backing Ukraine and advocating for our interests, he seems more inclined to support Russia’s positions.”

She states that true peace would only be achieved if Ukraine retains all its territories. "Our allies should guarantee that we receive sufficient support through weapon and ammunitions supplies, ensuring we can both combat our adversaries and protect ourselves if Putin deceives us and decides to strike once more," she elaborates.

'The land was never his possession'

"The land was never his," yells another retiree named Oleksiy, who hails from Pokrovsk as well.

Olena, a young mother, asserts, “They ought to return everything they have taken from us.” However, Karina, an internally displaced individual from Myrnohrad who frequently returns as a volunteer, believes that the Russians should simply cease their attacks. She states, “Allow them to keep whatever territory they’ve seized, but let the people live in peace.”

"Certainly, I would desire theصندおすす
صند entire Donetsk region To be returned to Ukrainian control. This is my homeland, yet not every desire comes to fruition,” states 17-year-old Oleksandra, who serves at a café in downtown Dobropillya. She expresses her wish to depart for another country with her partner once he gains legal permission to exit Ukraine. Since the onset of Russia’s comprehensive assault, male conscripts have been prohibited from exiting the nation.

On the contrary, two 13-year-old girls express their desire to remain in Ukraine, albeit not in Dobropillya, due to safety concerns.

Many residents of the town believe that the ongoing peace negotiations have failed to bring about any beneficial changes: "In fact, the artillery attacks have become more frequent," laments Tetyana.

No one will reach an accord with Putin.

On March 22, yet another Russian drone strike hit Dobropillya, though fortunately, there were no fatalities.

“The windows shattered, and the roof lifted off,” states one of multiple individuals cleaning up around a devastated house. “My car’s door got wrecked,” remarks Denys, who utilizes his vehicle for delivering humanitarian assistance to villagers close to the frontline and aiding in their evacuation when necessary.

His sibling Oleksandr retired as a coal miner and believes that Donald Trump and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, might reach an accord concerning peace talks. However, he doubts anyone could strike a deal with Putin, deeming it unfeasible. Just yesterday, his three young grandkids sat in their cellar as Shahed drones passed right above them; this has left the children terrified, and they feel they have no safe place to escape to. Despite wanting everything to stop, he acknowledges, “Many have lost their lives defending our Donbas. We cannot simply abandon it.”

The workers complete their task of reinforcing the structure and covering the windows with plywood. In front of the building lies a shell crater where a Russian drone was found and has been turned over to the Ukrainian forces. "It will be returned to the Russians," remarks Oleksandr with a grin.

The article was initially published in Ukrainian.

Author: Hanna Sokolova-Stekh