This week, after months of stalemate, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise counteroffensive that they say has resulted in significant territorial gains in the hotly contested Donbass region. “Ukrainian forces have launched an offensive operation in the northern and eastern part of Kharkiv region. What the Russians were trying to figure out for a few months, we managed to recover [in] five to six days,” says Ilyas, whose wife and two children are currently taking refuge in Poland. Click to subscribe to Ukraine War Diaries wherever you get your podcasts “I feel that all the people here, around me, have this ray of light in their lives because you see the operation going forward successfully,” he continues. “And people get really motivated and inspired as well, and you feel like everything goes back to normal at some point. “I know at some point we’re going to have some operational hiatus and it’s not going to be this all the time, but what we’re seeing now is an absolute miracle.” He adds: “We know that this war will only end with a victory for Ukraine.” Backed by military aid from the US and Europe, Ukrainian forces say they have retaken more than 6,000 square kilometers in the east of the country. It is an area known to military volunteer Seva. He is originally from Dnipro, but for the past five months, he has been supplying frontline soldiers in the Donbass. Speaking from Poland, while returning from a mission to Europe to collect a modified SUV for the frontline, Seva says the past week has been “pretty intense”. “We have the occupied region of Kharkiv, it is a great success for us and we hope that everything will move in the same direction. “It was really great when people would stop and point the big finger [thumbs up]and we wish us victory, and we wish us to occupy our lands and win over Russia. “So many people were smiling when I drove past [SUV] and waving their hands. It was really a good, good, great feeling.” Image: Oksana has been recording diaries for Sky News since the early days of the war But despite this week’s military success, Kiev resident Oksana found news of alleged war crimes committed in recaptured territories troubling. “Seeing the world that has been under occupation for almost half a year welcome our soldiers [both] so heartbreaking and heartwarming.” She says it reminds her of Bucha. In the early days of the war, Sky News verified two videos showing bodies on city streets, including one with at least seven bodies on the pavement. Satellite images showed evidence of mass graves 45 meters long. Russia has denied responsibility. However, Oksana sees the similarities. “You know from reading the horrors that happened during the occupation, it’s like a lot of small Bukhas in the Kharkiv region with torture chambers, with all the horrors that the Russian army brings to Ukraine.” From the creators of Sky News’ award-winning StoryCast series, Ukraine War Diaries is a weekly podcast that follows those living on Europe’s new front line and those who have escaped it. Producer: Robert Mulhern Digital promotion and additional writing: David Chipakupaku
