The Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine has long been in Moscow's sights. Vladimir Putin reportedly says he'll freeze the war in return for full control of it. Russia already controls 70% of Donetsk and nearly all of neighboring Luhansk - and is making slow but steady advances.
I'm heading to the front-line Donetsk town of Dobropillia with two humanitarian volunteers, just 8km (five miles) from Russia's positions. They're on a mission to bring the sick, elderly and children to safer ground.
At first, it goes like clockwork. We speed into the town in an armored car, equipped with rooftop drone-jamming equipment, hitting 130km/h (80mph). The road is covered in tall green netting which obscures visibility from above - protecting it from Russian drones.
This is their second trip of the morning, and the streets are mostly empty. The few remaining residents only leave their homes to quickly collect supplies. Russian attacks come daily. The town already looks abandoned and has been without water for a week. Every building we pass has been damaged, with some reduced to ruins.
In the previous five days, Laarz, a 31-year-old German, and Varia, a 19-year-old Ukrainian, who work for the charity Universal Aid Ukraine, have made dozens of trips to evacuate people.
A week earlier, small groups of Russian troops breached the defenses around the town, sparking fears that the front line of Ukraine's so-called 'fortress belt' - some of the most heavily defended parts of the Ukrainian front - could collapse. Extra troops were rushed to the area and Ukrainian authorities say the situation has been stabilized. But most of Dobropillia's residents feel it's time to go.
As we leave, evacuation team member Vitalii Kalinichenko, waiting with a plastic bag of belongings in hand, shares his experience of recent attacks. My windows were all smashed, look, they all flew out on the second floor. I'm the only one left, he laments. As we prepare to depart, drone sightings prompt the team to seek cover.
This narrative showcases not only the desperate human condition under siege but also the front-line efforts of those determined to assist displaced individuals, emphasizing the profound chaos and conflict impacting this critical Ukrainian region.
I'm heading to the front-line Donetsk town of Dobropillia with two humanitarian volunteers, just 8km (five miles) from Russia's positions. They're on a mission to bring the sick, elderly and children to safer ground.
At first, it goes like clockwork. We speed into the town in an armored car, equipped with rooftop drone-jamming equipment, hitting 130km/h (80mph). The road is covered in tall green netting which obscures visibility from above - protecting it from Russian drones.
This is their second trip of the morning, and the streets are mostly empty. The few remaining residents only leave their homes to quickly collect supplies. Russian attacks come daily. The town already looks abandoned and has been without water for a week. Every building we pass has been damaged, with some reduced to ruins.
In the previous five days, Laarz, a 31-year-old German, and Varia, a 19-year-old Ukrainian, who work for the charity Universal Aid Ukraine, have made dozens of trips to evacuate people.
A week earlier, small groups of Russian troops breached the defenses around the town, sparking fears that the front line of Ukraine's so-called 'fortress belt' - some of the most heavily defended parts of the Ukrainian front - could collapse. Extra troops were rushed to the area and Ukrainian authorities say the situation has been stabilized. But most of Dobropillia's residents feel it's time to go.
As we leave, evacuation team member Vitalii Kalinichenko, waiting with a plastic bag of belongings in hand, shares his experience of recent attacks. My windows were all smashed, look, they all flew out on the second floor. I'm the only one left, he laments. As we prepare to depart, drone sightings prompt the team to seek cover.
This narrative showcases not only the desperate human condition under siege but also the front-line efforts of those determined to assist displaced individuals, emphasizing the profound chaos and conflict impacting this critical Ukrainian region.
