The Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine has long been in Moscow's sights. Vladimir Putin reportedly says he'll freeze the war in return for full control of it. Russia already controls 70% of Donetsk and nearly all of neighbouring Luhansk - and is making slow but steady advances.
I'm heading to the front-line Donetsk town of Dobropillia with two humanitarian volunteers, just 8km (five miles) from Russia's positions. They're on a mission to bring the sick, elderly and children to safer ground.
At first, it goes like clockwork. We speed into the town in an armoured car, equipped with rooftop drone-jamming equipment, hitting 130km/h (80mph). The road is covered in tall green netting which obscures visibility from above - protecting it from Russian drones.
This is their second trip of the morning, and the streets are mostly empty. The few remaining residents only leave their homes to quickly collect supplies. Russian attacks come daily. The town already looks abandoned and has been without water for a week. Every building we pass has been damaged, with some reduced to ruins.
In the previous five days, Laarz and Varia, who work for the charity Universal Aid Ukraine, have made dozens of trips to evacuate people.
A week earlier, small groups of Russian troops breached the defences around the town, sparking fears that the front line of Ukraine's so-called fortress belt could collapse. Extra troops were rushed to the area, stabilizing the situation. However, many residents feel it’s time to go.
Upon arrival, Vitalii Kalinichenko, 56, waits with a bag of belongings. My windows were all smashed; I'm the only one left, he says. As Laarz activates a drone detector overhead, the urgency of evacuation heightens.
In this environment of despair, Anton, a 31-year-old evacuee, reflects on his departure. His mother stayed behind. We need to sit at the negotiation table and resolve this conflict peacefully, he states.
Conversely, Varia, firmly believes trust with Russia is misplaced. The situation remains precarious, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that regaining Donbas is vital, emphasizing that this territory is crucial for Ukraine's broader defense strategy.
As night falls, injured Ukrainian soldiers arrive at field hospitals, a stark reminder of the human cost of the conflict. Medics work tirelessly to stabilize patients, caught in a relentless cycle of warfare that seems far from resolution.
