**Ukraine’s War: The Cost of a Deal**
A funeral was held in Kyiv for Andriy Kusmenko, a 33-year-old marine commander who was killed in action in eastern Ukraine. His wife, Anastasiia Fedchenko, is heavily pregnant with their first child and paid tribute to her husband outside the cathedral.
Andriy’s death is just one of many since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The war has lasted for three winters, with almost one-fifth of Ukraine under Moscow’s control. Many Ukrainians believe that far too many have been killed to try to do a deal with Russia, but public opinion is shifting.
**Desertion on the Rise**
Ukraine is facing a crisis of desertion among its soldiers. Since 2022, around 100,000 cases have been opened against soldiers who left their units. Serhiy Hnezdilov, a 24-year-old soldier, is one of many on trial for desertion. He says he will fight but not without a plan for demobilisation and claims that corruption among commanders and deadly incompetence are major problems.
**Front-Line Life**
Mykhailo, a 42-year-old commander of a drone unit, does battle every night fuelled by “vampire” drones. He drives us to a Ukrainian position under the cover of darkness, where we see troops erecting an antenna and assembling bombs. Mykhailo pilots the drone, dropping supplies to front-line troops and anti-tank mines on Russian forces.
**Hope for Peace**
Mykhailo believes that President Trump’s presidency will mean pressure for a deal, but is skeptical about its chances of success. He says that if a peace deal comes it is unlikely to be on Ukraine’s terms. David, one of Mykhailo’s men, is also skeptical and believes that even if the guns are silenced, it will only be a pause before Moscow comes back for more.
The winds get stronger, and the “vampire” drone crash-lands. It’s out of action for now. The unit packs up and leaves as fast as they came, resuming the duels in the sky at nightfall.
