In Kramatorsk, Russian kamikaze drones terrorize the skies over one of Ukraine's final bastions in the fiercely contested region of Donetsk. But despite the attacks, many residents reject the idea of ceding territory to Russia in return for peace, and some are staying put.

Kramatorsk

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

Kramatorsk, a key Ukrainian stronghold in the Donetsk region, is experiencing repeated missile and drone attacks as Russian forces continue their advance. Despite the escalating violence and a significant reduction in population, many residents and business owners remain in the city, expressing both dread and defiance.

Public sentiment in Ukraine strongly opposes any territorial concessions to Russia, with a majority willing to endure the ongoing conflict. President Zelenskyy has rejected Russia's demands for Ukrainian troop withdrawal from Donbass, insisting on a ceasefire backed by international guarantees. As attacks intensify, the city’s remaining population strives to maintain normalcy and hold onto their land.

This Ukrainian frontline city is filled with dread, defiance

In his new shop in the center of Ukraine's Kramatorsk, Maxim Lysenko pauses and listens. It's diving, now it's going to drop. This is Kramatorsk. This is Kramatorsk. A Russian suicide drone has just exploded in the front-line city. It's the third attack in less than an hour. These missiles and drones terrorize the skies over one of the country's final major strongholds in the fiercely contested region of Donetsk. And as Russian troops grind westward, tens of thousands of people still living here must decide if they want to stay put. Life here goes on through the sounds of explosions. Basically exactly what we just heard two minutes ago, when a Russian drone attacked the middle of Kramatorsk and blew up not very far away. For us it is not just words, it is life. Lysenko remains defiant. His store is filled with patriotic messages. Barely flinching at the explosions, soldiers and civilians browse the racks of clothing and order drinks from the coffee bar. It says here the flag tempered by fierce battles will rise triumphantly over the free land, meaning that this flag will always fly over free Donetsk. This refusal to concede territory to Russia in return for peace is widespread. President Vladimir Putin's proposal would see Kyiv withdraw its troops from the parts of Donbass it still controls. But 75% of Ukrainians reject that, according to a September opinion poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. And 62% of the thousand-odd respondents said they are ready to endure the war as long as it takes. It may be beaten up because we have seen three attacks literally in the last half an hour, but it will definitely stay under the Ukrainian flag. Kramatorsk sits here. Some parts of the city are less than 12 miles from Russian positions. It's part of what some call the fortress belt in the Donetsk region. It's called that because of a string of garrison towns and cities that lie along a road running north to south. If this belt is breached, then Russia could make swifter gains in the future. And Kramatorsk, along with Slovyansk, are some of the only major Ukrainian strongholds still standing in Putin's way in Donetsk. Both cities' populations are now roughly half the size they were before the war. To the west of Slovyansk are villages and fields, including some managed by Serhii Kariny, whose family has worked the land for generations. If Putin were to succeed in controlling all of Donbass, it would leave Kariny with a hard choice to make. And we have to leave our land, my buried parents, my land. I built my house here with my own hands. And now I have to leave everything and go God knows where. Darka Harnik, though, is returning to Kramatorsk. I arrived and we didn't have any electricity. And you can hear as soon as I came out of the train, you can hear explosions literally from the train station that is supposed to be very secure. And you just kind of, it's a new reality. Harnik works in the Ukrainian energy sector and volunteered at a community center in Kramatorsk as a teenager. She says she felt like she had to return. Just the idea of thinking that it's going to be under occupation, it truly terrifies me because the losses are going to be tremendous, going to be tremendous because every brick in here is somebody's story. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has outright rejected Russia's territorial demands. He wants a ceasefire, backed by security guarantees from international allies. As for the territory, he says it can be discussed later through diplomatic talks. But Putin isn't backing down. With little sign of the deadlock breaking, Kramatorsk is slowly being dragged into greater danger. Attacks are on the rise, and the number of buildings reduced to rubble continues to mount. Despite the growing threats, some residents still feel hopeful their city has not fallen and a semblance of normal life is still possible. I feel like this place will never be just given away. And you can see all of those people who are working towards never giving it. Ukrainians in their identity, they are very tied to the concept of the land.

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This Ukrainian frontline city is filled with dread, defiance

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Ukraine Invasion