Ukrainian soldier Andrii Vovk, who recently left the front lines after 9 months of continuous combat, said Ukrainian forces are not ready to accept a ceasefire if the risk of a Russian re-attack persists.
According to Vovk, the war with Russia is now entering its fifth year, even though President Zelensky declared that Russia has not achieved its goals after 4 years of hostilities, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers still holding the front lines.
He described the repetitive rhythm of life on the battlefield, without holidays or weekends, where each day of fighting blends into the next.
Recent peace proposals mention the possibility of freezing the conflict along current lines of control, in which Russia retains about 15–20% of the Donbas region controlled by Moscow.
Vovk argued that this scenario would only pause the war before it breaks out again.
According to him, Russia could use the ceasefire period to rebuild its arsenal, particularly drones, before launching a new offensive.
He said the war would only end when Russia suffers significant losses in manpower, armored vehicles, and aircraft.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff also emphasized in a speech at the Yalta European Strategy conference that any diplomatic solution must ensure the Ukrainian people believe in a lasting peace.
According to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, total Russian casualties in the Ukraine war have reached at least 1.2 million people, including those killed, wounded, and missing.
The Ukrainian military suffered approximately 500,000 to 600,000 casualties during 4 years of grueling warfare.
The report estimates total casualties for both sides could reach 2 million by the spring of 2026.
In the first two months of 2026, the Ukrainian army claimed to have inflicted more losses on Russian forces than the number of Russian soldiers replenished, while recapturing some controlled areas, many of which have become “dead cities” in Ukraine due to the prolonged conflict.
Many Ukrainian soldiers believe a long-term ceasefire is still insufficient for security.
Vovk said he would rather continue fighting than accept a deal that would force future generations to take up arms.
A similar story emerged in the family of Andriy Murzak, a 21-year-old student in Kyiv. His father, soldier Alexei “Chaus” Murzak, was killed at the end of 2025 after nearly four years of fighting.
Murzak participated in many major battles from Bakhmut to Ukraine's campaign in Kursk.
According to his son, he died after stepping on a mine near Donbas and could not be medically evacuated because the combat zone was too dangerous.
Family and comrades consider him a symbol of the fighting spirit as Ukraine insists it will not lose in this confrontation.
Murzak is currently continuing his university studies and hopes the war ends before he reaches conscription age.
