**Ukraine’s Soldiers Flee Russian Territory**
A week ago, Ukrainian soldier Artem Kariakin and his unit were making regular trips into the Russian town of Sudzha. But now they are on the run.
Artem showed me a video taken with his phone of their last trip. It shows them driving past dozens of burnt-out vehicles. A soldier scans the horizon for drones, but one suddenly appears behind their truck. They keep going, despite sparks flying from the explosion.
Artem says they were lucky to escape. Ukraine’s retreat from Sudzha was “not well organised”. The order to withdraw came too late, and units operated without proper communications.
**Ukraine’s Kursk Offensive**
The 27-year-old soldier still views the Kursk offensive as a success. It forced Russia to divert its forces from the east. Most Ukrainian troops escaped in time, even if some had to walk. Artem believes Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russian territory was too deep and too narrow.
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were talking about peace talks while Artem and his men were fleeing for their lives. Artem finds this “absurd”. He says Trump wants to end the war because he promised to, but Putin just wants to deceive him.
**Cross-Border Raids**
Ukraine is continuing its cross-border raids into Kursk and Belgorad. Serhiy’s assault battalion helps plan these attacks. We joined them on a night-time mission to locate and recover armoured vehicles in need of repairs.
Serhiy was born in Russia, but now has Belarusian citizenship. He fights for Ukraine because he believes they are protecting their border. He justifies Ukraine’s incursions into Russian territory, saying Russia is trying to create a buffer zone inside Ukrainian territory.
**US Military Support**
Ukraine’s reliance on US military support is clear. The Bradley armoured vehicle we found had been retrieved from the battlefield and was being taken back for repairs. Serhiy says it’s already clear that there’s “haggling behind Ukraine’s back”.
Serhiy believes European nations can’t fill the void left by the US. He thinks a ceasefire will be agreed soon, but on unfavourable terms for Ukraine.
**A Soldier’s Wish**
Like many Ukrainians, Serhiy wants the war to end. But not at any price.