Hope or Home?
Ukrainians fear that an end to bloodshed will come at a cost
Call sign: "Coca"
Photo courtesy of Coca
Photo courtesy of Coca
It’s somewhat endearing how much Coca likes the colour pink. In almost all pictures of him, he is wearing pink. Pink beanies, pink jumpers, pink ear defenders. He even smokes pink cigarettes.
In this picture he’s smiling, wearing his favourite colour and holding up a Shaka sign on his right hand. There’s a kind of irony created by the AK-47 he holds in his left.
He wears pink because he likes to stand out, something which is hard to do when all those around you are wearing camouflage.
Coca now operates drones and before that, he was a machine gunner. Before that, a landscaper and facade worker. He didn’t have time to live a civilian life as an adult, instead, he signed a contract in the Armed forces of Ukraine when he was 19.
“The war gave me a different vision of life. I fell in love with weapons. War is a drug. You no longer understand what to do in civilian life. But it brought a lot of pain that will be [with me] until the end of my days… terrible dreams, adrenaline addiction, and constant thoughts and flashbacks of how you fought.”
War desensitises, dehumanises and traumatises. But amidst this all, Coca still has his dreams of being famous, being a millionaire. He still has his personality.
He still loves pink.
Three years on from Russia’s full-scale invasion, Russian troops occupy 20% of Ukraine. Although Coca wants the war to end, he wants the occupied territories back. However, the prospect of this has become increasingly dubious since President Donald Trump entered the White House.
There has been a seismic shift in Washington’s position towards Ukraine under President Trump’s administration. His cosy relationship with his Russian counterpart, the withdrawal of U.S. aid and intelligence are exacerbating the magnitude of Russia’s threat. The prospect of a peace deal without security guarantees creates the potential for Russia to rearm and invade again.
“Of course, I understand that any war ends with negotiations. But without the return of our territory, it will be a fiasco.”
Video courtesy of Coca
Video courtesy of Coca
Photo courtesy of Coca
Photo courtesy of Coca
The opinion of an Officer of Ukrainian intelligence
Interview with Officer of Ukrainian intelligence, whose identity has been concealed for their safety
Interview with Officer of Ukrainian intelligence, whose identity has been concealed for their safety
Deep State map website:
Daily updates of battlefield activity
Russian military activity markers:
- Military units
- Headquarters
- Airfields
- Direction of attack
Screenshot from DeepStateMap, 5/03/2025
Screenshot from DeepStateMap, 5/03/2025
Screenshot from DeepStateMap, 5/03/2025
Screenshot from DeepStateMap, 5/03/2025
Screenshot from DeepStateMap, 5/03/2025
Screenshot from DeepStateMap, 5/03/2025
Screenshot from DeepStateMap, 5/03/2025
Screenshot from DeepStateMap, 5/03/2025
Timeline of events regarding the full-scale war on Ukraine:
Since Trump’s Inauguration on January 20, 2025
February 12th
President Trump announces talks with Russia about the war excluding Ukraine
President Trump announces discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the Ukraine conflict.
Ukraine is not involved in these negotiations.
February 18th
US-Russia talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
American and Russian delegations meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
February 25th
U.S. sides with Russia in UNSC
UNSC adopts a US resolution calling for an end to the war.
The language in the text fails to blame Russia for the invasion and does not reaffirm Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
February 28th
President Trump and President Zelenskyy clash in the Oval Office
President Trump tells Zelenskyy he is "gambling with World War III" by rejecting a minerals deal that offers U.S. access to Ukrainian mineral resources without security guarantees.
March 2nd
President Zelenskyy strengthens ties with world leaders
British PM, Keir Starmer, hosts summit with President Zelenskyy and 18 other world leaders to discuss working on a ceasefire deal to present to the U.S.
March 4th
Trump makes address to Congress: says Zelenskyy is ready to sign a peace deal
After suspending military aid to Ukraine, Trump makes an address to Congress announcing that Zelenskyy is ready to sign a peace deal.
The opinions of Ukrainian activists
Photo: instagram @valerisssh
Photo: instagram @valerisssh
Valeria Shashenok
"My native city, fortunately, is unoccupied. I have my city, and everything is fine. And for me, probably it's easier to think that probably it's better to give these territories and not to not to lose people, because people are dying every day from another hand."
"It's a very difficult situation, and people, every person, I guess, in Ukraine, have different thoughts about that. So I understand both opinions, and it's really difficult."
Photo: Michael Tulsky
Photo: Michael Tulsky
Bozhena Makovska
"Of course, some of them want for it to be over… we're all tired, we're all drained."
"There needs to be some future for Ukraine. I can already imagine what will happen to Ukraine and to our people on the occupied territories and to my friends in the military, most of whom are women, what will happen to them after we sign any any kind of peace that will not involve Russia to go out?"
Bozhena
Bozhena's journey since the start of the full-scale invasion, which included refuge near Borodianka and nine months of activism across Europe, culminated in her return to Kyiv.
She wanted to be at home among her people, who she fought for, and continues to fight for. The people who inspired her to start her independent media outlet, Feminists-of-Kyiv, so she could give them a voice.
“Our army is mostly made up of people who, not long ago, were ordinary civilians. Among them are many activists and many women, including feminists and LGBTQ+.”
Bozhena expresses gratitude for Ukraine's allies that have helped them resist Russian aggression, yet she feels she must fight to do everything she can to fill the gap where their help is not enough. Because in the meantime, Ukrainians are paying the highest cost:
“With the lives of those murdered by Russians; with cities they level to the ground; with land they occupy and mine. With the children they abduct. With the pain and suffering of millions.”
Bozhena believes that President Zelenskyy has no choice but to establish a working relationship with his U.S. counterpart to protect Ukrainian sovereignty. She says he is negotiating from a position of survival for his country. Already U.S. aid remains on hold. Meanwhile, there are reports that the U.S. has stopped transferring intelligence to Ukraine.
Bozhena's view on a future without U.S. backing mirrors that of the intelligence officer:
“The fight will not stop if Western support stops.”
