00:00 On 24 February 2022, Russian forces entered Ukraine, launching the biggest war in Europe
00:08 since World War II.
00:11 Since then, estimates say hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian and Russian troops have been
00:18 killed or injured.
00:19 The UN has also recorded some 30,000 civilian casualties, although real numbers are likely
00:25 much higher.
00:26 "The child was sleeping, the woman was on the balcony.
00:31 Bang!
00:32 And that's it.
00:33 I wrapped the woman and wanted to let the child down.
00:34 I wanted to go after the woman, but she was already tied up with smoke.
00:35 They didn't let me in."
00:36 "To be honest, I was very scared.
00:37 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:38 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:39 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:40 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:41 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:42 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:43 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:44 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:45 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:46 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:47 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:48 I was afraid that they would kill me.
00:49 I was afraid that they would kill me.
01:18 In the rain and snow along the sprawling 1,000-kilometre-long front, soldiers are enduring another winter
01:24 at war.
01:26 Around 20% of Ukraine's territory is now in Russian hands, with Ukrainian troops struggling
01:32 to penetrate a front line that has barely moved in more than a year.
01:35 "The intensity of hostilities is quite high in our direction.
01:40 There are more wounded than we would like to say.
01:44 The majority are fragmental wounds, but there are also live bullets, because we had contacts
01:52 with our enemies."
01:58 With no end to the war in sight, Ukraine's army is struggling with recruitment, and more
02:03 and more soldiers are asking to return home.
02:07 Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the military wants half a million new recruits
02:12 to reprieve exhausted front line troops.
02:15 "Of course, we need to mobilize, because we need to get some rest.
02:22 We are tired, because we have been at war for so long.
02:26 We need to get some rest, at least for a while.
02:31 Not just ten days, but at least half a year.
02:36 Russia, which benefits from having a larger population, appears able to fill its ranks
02:41 with a mix of patriotic propaganda, coercion and financial incentives."
02:47 Even as the war drags on, Ukraine remains determined to recapture lost territory.
02:52 But crucial Western support is eroding.
02:56 Europe has been unable to ramp up weapons supplies fast enough, and delays to much-needed
03:01 US military aid have cast a shadow over how long Kiev's troops can hold out.
03:06 "In December, almost 90% of Ukrainians thought that in the event of proper Western aid,
03:13 weapons, sanctions and finances, Ukraine could achieve success.
03:16 Now Ukrainians feel more and more betrayed by these issues, and as a result, this provokes
03:22 a somewhat pessimistic mood.
03:23 Optimism is still predominant among Ukrainians, but this indeterminacy and pessimism have
03:27 a place, and this is also indicated in the issue of mobilization."
03:31 New Ukrainian Army Chief Oleksandr Sersky has described the situation on the front line
03:36 in eastern Ukraine as extremely complex and stressful.
03:40 Russian forces are on the attack, pushing forward in places like Avdiivka in the Donetsk
03:45 region - a town they now say they have full control over.
03:50 The capture of Avdiivka is Russia's biggest victory in the war since May 2023.
03:55 "Until now, there was a lot of talk about the strategic defeat of Russia, the defeat
04:02 on the battlefield.
04:03 Now, it seems, people are realizing that it's not easy to do, if at all possible.
04:09 In my opinion, it's impossible to determine.
04:11 It will never happen.
04:12 I think people have realized this now, and they are controlling the Western power.
04:20 But if this is the case, if this realization has come, then think about what to do next.
04:25 We are ready for this dialogue."
04:28 Although there are signs of public fatigue in Russia with the duration of the conflict,
04:32 diplomats and analysts say President Vladimir Putin will only be satisfied with Kiev's
04:38 full surrender, declaring in December 2023 that Ukraine does not have a future.
04:45 Some believe Putin to be awaiting a possible Donald Trump victory in this year's US presidential
04:50 election, despite recently saying he would prefer a Joe Biden presidency for its predictability.
04:57 In a sign of commitment to Ukraine, the European Union has approved a new 50 billion euro aid
05:03 package and has opened formal membership talks with the country.
05:07 "He has clearly said that this war is against the entire West.
05:13 The security of Ukraine is a huge contribution to the security of Europe as a whole.
05:21 And the best security commitment that we can do for Ukraine is making Ukraine part of the
05:27 European Union."
05:34 Although Putin has said he'd be open to talks, Kiev has long held the position that no negotiations
05:39 are possible until Russia withdraws from all occupied territories.
05:43 "I don't think anyone knows the answer to the question of whether the war will end in
05:51 2024.
05:52 Even those respectable people, our commanders, our Western partners, when they say that this
05:59 war is for many years, they don't know.
06:01 If we don't lose our stability, we will end the war earlier.
06:07 If we don't lose our spirit, we can live with skepticism, but we can also forgive the
06:17 country for its skepticism.
06:20 And I'm not ready for that.
06:23 And I know that there are many millions like me.
06:27 I'm not ready to give up our country."
06:30 For more UN videos visit: www.un.org/webcast
06:38 UN.org/webcast
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