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Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced as fighting grinds on across the country’s east and south.Darkness swallows much of the day in December, and frequent attacks on the energy grid threaten what little light remains. “They killed my city,” military chaplain Gennady Mokhnenko said.Soldiers, civilians face life and death in UkraineFor Mokhnenko, it’s the pang of displacement. He fled the surrounded port city of Mariupol with the orphans in his care just before the Russian hammer fell in the early days of the war. “My family is split around the world through war,” he said. “Eleven of my children are on the frontline. Two of my children killed.”Now, the wastelands of war—shattered fields and concrete teeth stretched across a kill zone—stand between him and his city.”Just one more time, I want to go back to my home,” Mokhnenko said. “So many people now in Mariupol, whose life was destroyed.”READ MORE: Survivors of fighting left with lasting emotional and physical scarsYet, fragile lights still glow from Ukrainian communities. In Sloviansk, about 10 miles from the contact line, a city park glows in the gloom.”We have just a small island,” said Elena, a woman walking with her husband and son. “We come over here, and we just resting, you know, living this life. Try to restore our souls.”Work brought Elena and her family to the area. The contrast between the festive park and the nearby killing is striking, she said.”This is something very magical, very beautiful,” she said.It stirs up hope for the holidays.”I want presents. Many, many presents,” Yaroslav, Elena’s 2-year-old child, said.A Ukrainian soldier named Ludomir, gliding through the park on roller skates, said such moments keep people grounded.”You have to remain that humanity in yourself,” he said. “Remember who we were before this all started.”For Lilya, another resident visiting the park with her family, the lights represent possibility.”This is hope for something better, something brighter,” she said.Next to Lilya, her husband Ivan cradled their 14-month-old son, Makar. It was Ivan’s first time away from the front lines in weeks.”This is a difficult time of war,” Ivan said. “We can just come back to normal life and see what we’re fighting for.”But reminders of the conflict are never far away.In Kramatorsk, access to parts of the city was blocked after a Russian glide bomb tore through an apartment building. The blast knocked out power to sections of the city and left gas leaking and water pouring like blood from the blown-apart building.READ MORE: Ukraine’s land bears lasting scars of Russian assaultThe strike was one of several during the December visit.”How many children they killed every day?” Mokhnenko said. “How many families killed through this war?”For most Ukrainians, the possibility of death becomes a dull hum, always in the back of their minds. “Instead of just celebrating with your family, you have to watch out for sky and watch for the rockets and bombs,” Ludomir said. So near the front, the soldiers and civilians living in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk know that life is a gamble and that the shower of lights—like their lives—is temperamental.”Who knows, maybe last time here,” Ludomir said.Ivan echoed that uncertainty.”In reality, this may be the last Christmas we celebrate here,” he said.As Ukraine enters a fourth year of full-scale war, soldiers and civilians alike say they are clinging to hope, even as the cost continues to mount.”Light will win. No darkness,” Mokhnenko said.When that day will come—and at what price—the answers to those questions remain shrouded on the edge of night.KETV NewsWatch 7’s Capital Bureau Chief John Grinvalds took an independent trip to Ukraine in December. This is his first story in his “Winter of War” series.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced as fighting grinds on across the country’s east and south.
Darkness swallows much of the day in December, and frequent attacks on the energy grid threaten what little light remains.
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“They killed my city,” military chaplain Gennady Mokhnenko said.
Soldiers, civilians face life and death in Ukraine
For Mokhnenko, it’s the pang of displacement. He fled the surrounded port city of Mariupol with the orphans in his care just before the Russian hammer fell in the early days of the war.
“My family is split around the world through war,” he said. “Eleven of my children are on the frontline. Two of my children killed.”
Now, the wastelands of war—shattered fields and concrete teeth stretched across a kill zone—stand between him and his city.
“Just one more time, I want to go back to my home,” Mokhnenko said. “So many people now in Mariupol, whose life was destroyed.”
READ MORE: Survivors of fighting left with lasting emotional and physical scars
Yet, fragile lights still glow from Ukrainian communities. In Sloviansk, about 10 miles from the contact line, a city park glows in the gloom.
“We have just a small island,” said Elena, a woman walking with her husband and son. “We come over here, and we just resting, you know, living this life. Try to restore our souls.”
Work brought Elena and her family to the area. The contrast between the festive park and the nearby killing is striking, she said.
“This is something very magical, very beautiful,” she said.
It stirs up hope for the holidays.
“I want presents. Many, many presents,” Yaroslav, Elena’s 2-year-old child, said.
A Ukrainian soldier named Ludomir, gliding through the park on roller skates, said such moments keep people grounded.
“You have to remain that humanity in yourself,” he said. “Remember who we were before this all started.”
For Lilya, another resident visiting the park with her family, the lights represent possibility.
“This is hope for something better, something brighter,” she said.
Next to Lilya, her husband Ivan cradled their 14-month-old son, Makar. It was Ivan’s first time away from the front lines in weeks.
“This is a difficult time of war,” Ivan said. “We can just come back to normal life and see what we’re fighting for.”
But reminders of the conflict are never far away.
In Kramatorsk, access to parts of the city was blocked after a Russian glide bomb tore through an apartment building. The blast knocked out power to sections of the city and left gas leaking and water pouring like blood from the blown-apart building.
READ MORE: Ukraine’s land bears lasting scars of Russian assault
The strike was one of several during the December visit.
“How many children they killed every day?” Mokhnenko said. “How many families killed through this war?”
For most Ukrainians, the possibility of death becomes a dull hum, always in the back of their minds.
“Instead of just celebrating with your family, you have to watch out for sky and watch for the rockets and bombs,” Ludomir said.
So near the front, the soldiers and civilians living in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk know that life is a gamble and that the shower of lights—like their lives—is temperamental.
“Who knows, maybe last time here,” Ludomir said.
Ivan echoed that uncertainty.
“In reality, this may be the last Christmas we celebrate here,” he said.
As Ukraine enters a fourth year of full-scale war, soldiers and civilians alike say they are clinging to hope, even as the cost continues to mount.
“Light will win. No darkness,” Mokhnenko said.
When that day will come—and at what price—the answers to those questions remain shrouded on the edge of night.
KETV NewsWatch 7’s Capital Bureau Chief John Grinvalds took an independent trip to Ukraine in December. This is his first story in his “Winter of War” series.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
