As Russian and Ukrainian delegations meet for cease-fire discussions with US officials in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, Moscow's troops are intensifying their attacks on Kyiv's positions on the front line near the city of Pokrovsk, Ukrainian soldiers in the area told Current Time.
“There are 200-300 explosions per day, all coming in our direction,” said Ukrainian servicemen Serhiy, standing at the bottom of a muddy trench.
“They're trying to advance on our positions -- but we're holding them back.”
“They have plenty of manpower,” said Dmytro, another soldier. “If we didn't cover the infantry positions, they would advance without any trouble.”
The Ukrainian troops showed little optimism about the Riyadh talks, comparing them to efforts in previous years to broker cease-fires in Ukraine.
“I don't believe it,” says Yevhen. “This is a repeat of 2014 when they negotiated a cease-fire. It's all just to pull in troops and strengthen their positions.”
Residents in the nearby town of Rodynske, just 5 kilometers from Pokrovsk, are also feeling the full effects of war.
As a Current Time crew were filming a report in the area, the town was targeted by a drone attack.
“As soon as something starts, we crawl into the cellar at night, and that's it,” says local resident Vitaliy.
“It was so loud that people's windows were blown out by the blast,” says Natalya, who also lives in Rodynske.
“The most important thing is peace -- for all of this to stop."
