Ukrainians may be growing used to the costs that come with fighting a war.
But civilian deaths are irreconcilable, according to one frontline volunteer, who spoke to Sky News’ Ukraine War Diaries podcast.
Seva is a 40-year-old company chief executive, who makes weekly supply drops to Ukrainian soldiers in the east of the country. He says war with Russia was becoming “really routine”.
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“We are not excited so much by the news from the frontline every day because you get used to that,” he says.
“The only thing you can’t get used [to is] when Russia bombs and puts missiles on the civilians and cities every day, every morning. You read on the news that children are killed, civilians are killed.
“We can get used to alarms. We can get used to the news from the frontline. We can get used to losing some of our friends who are now in the army.
“But it’s impossible to take easily what happens every day [to] civilians and civil cities far, far away from the frontline.”
Seva is originally from the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro and has been recording eyewitness reports for Sky News since the early days of the war, using WhatsApp voice notes.
Seva has been recording his experience of war for Sky News since the early days of Russia’s invasion
In his latest diary, recorded while Russia has made advances towards the key cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, Seva makes a vital supply drop to his friends on the frontline in the east of Ukraine.
“We fund raised money, bought an SUV, and brought it from Germany,” he explains.
“It was painted free of charge by our volunteers in green, and yesterday, I [drove] to the frontline and [gave] this car to the guys from one of the mechanised brigades.
“It’s 18 years old, but it still drives and performs well, so actually, it was a big help to the guys at the frontline.”
From the creators of Sky News’ award-winning Storycast, Ukraine War Diaries is a weekly podcast following those living on Europe’s new frontline, and those who have escaped it.
Producer: Robert Mulhern
Digital production: David Chipakupaku